Australian National Construction Review - Monash Uni Student Accommodation.pdf

Overview:
BroadAPM, a joint venture between Broad Construction Services and APM Group, secured their first contract in 2010 for the design and construction of a 600-bed student accommodation facility at Monash University's Clayton campus. The project is significant as it:

- Achieved a 5 Star Green Star Multi-Unit Residential Version 1 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, being the first NRAS-funded student accommodation project in Australia to do so.
- Strives for a 5 Star As-Built rating.
- Incorporates two five-storey buildings with 300 residential units and associated amenities spanning 23,000 sqm.

Design and Sustainability:
The facility was architecturally designed by BVN Architecture, with services and environmentally sustainable design handled by Norman Disney & Young (NDY), and structural design by Bonacci Group. Key sustainable features include:

- Passive and active design elements.
- Grey water and rainwater harvesting.
- A 153kW photovoltaic array—the largest residential installation in Victoria.
- Strict Environmental Management Plan due to proximity to Jock Marshall Reserve.
- Use of materials with reduced environmental impact, with modularization and prefabrication techniques employed where possible.

Construction Challenges:
- The site was operational within a functioning university campus, necessitating stringent traffic management and student/public safety measures.
- Proximity to sporting facilities required careful planning.
- Implementation of a bio-filtration trench due to the reserve's management by Monash University Biological Sciences.

Project Team:
- Contractor: BroadAPM
- Project Manager: Donald Cant Watts Corke (DCWC)
- Architect: BVN Architecture
- Structural and Civil Engineers: Bonacci Group
- Services Engineer: Norman Disney & Young (NDY)
- Building Surveyor: PLP Building Surveyors & Consultants
- Quantity Surveyor: WT Partnership

Key Achievements:
- DCWC's hands-on approach ensured successful project delivery under budget and on time.
- The project set a benchmark for future campus accommodation projects with its 5 Star Green Star rating.
- NDY's team of 16 delivered innovative solutions, leveraging their global workforce and expertise in sustainability.