Austral Precast is helping the new Australian Institute of Management Western Australia (AIMWA) Learning and Development Centre in Perth gain a six star green building rating.

AIMWA’s new Learning Centre is a world-class, environmentally sustainable design and the technical experts at Austral Precast worked closely with the architects to boost the building’s green credentials with a super durable product that has the big plus of reusing recycled materials.

Architect John Lee of Cox Howlett and Bailey Woodland, believes the panels give the building a sense of weight and substance. “Austral Precast was chosen because the product is very versatile, and is a robust, durable material which works well in contrast to the transparency of the glazed glass used.”

The Centre is the first commercial building in Western Australia to be built using the versatile Austral Precast concrete panels. But with its strength, durability in Australia’s harsh environment, it’s unlikely to be the last, as Austral Precast Sales and Marketing Manager Yuen Leow says.

“The use of recycled materials in the precast product, such as fly ash, slag or silica fume, notonly means these materials are not going into landfill, they actually improve the product’s strength and durability.

It can be moulded and shaped to suit architectural design and form, yet it has the properties to meet safety andstructural engineering requirements.”

Individual blocks are produced undercover, then simply assembled and bolted together – reducing downtime on site due to uncooperative weather conditions.
Tasked with overseeing the build, PS Structures Project Manager Nathan Phillips was impressed with the way construction guidelines ensured all panels and bolting aligned, making site installation simple, quick and easy. But installation is just the beginning.

By using recycled steel to reinforce the precast elements, not only is manufacturing waste greatly reduced, but the entire building can be disassembled and recycled at the end of its life.

“The design achieves specification for GBCA Mat 08, Design for Disassembly, meaning the building is completely demountable and the panels can be recycled or reused, if the building is no longer required,” said Nathan. “Basically all the panels can be unbolted, removed and recycled without the need for demolition on site.”

For enquiries regarding our sustainability policies or initiatives please contact us on 02 98307800.