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What you need to know about construction in Brisbane
1. What you need to know about construction in Brisbane
Overview of the place
Located in the state of Queen’s land in Australia, Brisbane is considered to be the
third highest in population. The city is named after a river that is found within it.
The river was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the governor of New South Wales
in 1821. The city is located on a place that is hilly.
Are there any rules regarding construction in the city?
If you need tools for building, renovating or even reconstructing your home, the
Brisbane city council provides the help that you will need. They offer professional
advice that is quite useful when you want to do construction. You can be your
own developer if you plan to construct a shed in your backyard or even renovate
your house. This means that developers are not only those companies that
specialize in constructing estates or shopping malls. However, like all other places,
all environmental construction Brisbane works has to adhere to certain rules.
Different rules exist for different construction activities whether it is renovation
or expansion or staring from scratch. The following are some of the guidelines
that a developer should be aware of before they begin planning for any type of
development.
• A developer has to be aware of the property zone that they are in. this is
because these property zones have certain guidelines such as what kind of
buildings to put up and which ones are not allowed. The zone is the perfect
place to acquiring knowledge on property rules.
• ‘Small lots’ is a term used to refer to property that is smaller than the
required size. This also attracts a different set of rules that you have to be
aware of as a developer.
• Demolition Control Precinct or DCP is a zone where you cannot demolish
buildings that were built before 1947. Therefore, it is paramount that you
find out if you are in such a zone to avoid breaking the rules. DCP has its
2. own rules where it comes to building in these zones so make sure you are
aware of them
• Some properties are heritage listed. You can get the list from the council or
the Queensland government. They have registers where all heritage
property is listed. These properties are protected and certain rules apply to
them and the houses neighboring them so be cautious when planning to
renovate such property.
• Certain neighborhoods have specific development rules that have to be
followed. They might contain rules regarding any new developments in the
area so again this is an area that should be looked into.
• Although this is not an exhaustive list of the things that should be looked at
before starting any development work. Be sure to check all other rules
concerning your zone.
What environmental aspects are considered when planning for
development?
Developers have to consider the project they are doing and how the project
affects the environment. Certain environmental aspects require a certain amount
of consideration in the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP).
The list is not exhaustive but the following are some of the things that have to be
considered.
Soil erosion and sediment control
If the project involves disturbing soil a plan known as Erosion and Sediment
Control (ESC) has to be developed. The plan has to be in line with the Soil Erosion
and Sediment Control: Engineering Guidelines for Queensland Construction Sites
Engineers Australia, rules and regulations. The developer has to provide a detailed
plan of the site indicating how they plan on implementing all controls. These plans
have to be submitted to the CEMP. Smaller projects however only require you to
highlight ESC measures. The developer has to provide details on the ESC
inspection schedule. Details of how the roads will be accessed while carrying
3. sediments to and from the construction site have to be to be put in detail in the
CEMP. The developer has to show how these sediments will be protected and
transported. In case there is excessive spoil in a location that is not where the
sediments are to be taken, then CEMP has to account for how the controls will be
implemented.
Management of acid sulfate soils
Information on these kinds of soils can be found in the Department of
Environment and Resource Management. The management of sulfate soils can be
referred to from the State Planning Policy. However the SPP may not really apply
to your construction project especially if large quantities of the sulfate soils are
not interrupted. If this is the case, then CEMP will have to come up with a plan of
adding agricultural lime to the disturbed soil. However, before doing all this, the
soil has to be inspected for acid sulfate components.
Flora and fauna
CEMP must have details of all the vegetation and wildlife that live in the area. If
the area to be cleared is considerably large, then there has to be a plan where the
wildlife catchers have to be in place during the entire clearing process. If the
clearing will involve marine vegetation then special consideration must be there.
In addition, site management has to be aware of any other bird hazards within
the area.
What are ecofriendly construction materials?
Eco friendly means anything that is not causing any harm to the environment.
When it comes to construction, it generally means using materials that will not
pollute the air or water or even the land. For example the cement that is used
should not contain any harmful toxins.
Why use ecofriendly materials when constructing in Brisbane?
The construction industry is a fast growing industry. This therefore means that we
require more building resources. This will ultimately lead to depletion in our
natural resources such as forests which are cut down to provide wood. In
4. addition, some construction materials that are not eco friendly may harm the
environment in a way that is not reversible. Therefore, an eco friendly material is
the best ways to go if we want to conserve our environment as well create an eco
friendly construction brisbane.
What are the sources of renewable materials for construction?
These sources can be obtained from easily renewable sources such as certified
forests. In addition, waste can be re-used such as recycling agricultural or
industrial waste.
What do architects have to say about eco housing?
Architects in Brisbane have no problem adhering to principles of eco housing.
They are dedicated to coming up with designs that are appropriate for local
conditions. The following are some of the ways that they are able to achieve this
and still use eco friendly materials.
• They utilize nature’s natural cool breezes by ensuring that they create
ventilation designs for your home so as to keep your home fresh at all
times.
• Instead of relying on electric lighting all the time, Brisbane architects are
becoming creative with housing designs by ensuring that your home is well
lit through the use of natural lighting.
• Eco housing principles insist on using nature’s natural elements but they
also dictate that houses should be designed in a way that they offer
protection form the harshest of climatic elements.
• Brisbane architects utilize natural materials that are able to insulate your
home from the harsh weather elements. This means that there is no need
to design a home that will protect you from the harsh winter but will let all
the heat escape. Therefore, they insulate the ceilings and the walls to
ensure that heat does not escape.
Is there an ecofriendly construction in Brisbane?
5. Brisbane has an eco friendly train station. Some of the eco friendly materials used
at the train station include the use of rain water tanks, solar power and building
materials that are recycled. The train station is located on the Gold Coast at the
Varsity lakes. It is among the first train stations in the area that has a storage
tanks for storing roof water. The water is meant to be used in the bathroom and
any irrigation that will be required. The solar power will be used for heating water
and producing electricity for the entire station. The building materials that are
recycled will be from timber and will be used for reconstituted paving during
construction.
The train station has car parks for 300 commuters and approximately 50 bike
lockers that are secure including a bus stop. There will be a concourse open plaza,
an island platform that is sheltered, a lift and an overpass that will serve the
purpose of transit environment that is contemporary, secure, welcoming and
easily accessible. The train station is also built to adapt to the hot summer
climate. It has ventilation where the cool summer breeze will help cool down the
temperatures as well as utilize the natural lighting. John Mickel, who was the
transport minister, stated that the train station would be used as a centre piece in
the Varsity Station Village. This will make it the first development that was transit-
oriented. Plans for residential shopping and facilities for employment were part of
the Varsity Station Village.
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