School of Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney

Congratulations to Professor Sara Wilkinson who has been awarded the 2024 RICS Woman of the Built Environment Award! Sara was presented with the award last week at the RICS Australia Awards in Melbourne.

This is fantastic news and a testament to Sara’s outstanding impact on the industry.

University-community engagement is a core pillar of Australia's higher education system. In fact, community engagement was identified as the ‘third stream’ of university activity after teaching and research in the recently released Universities Accord Final Report.

But how beneficial are these relationships to community, and do they even want or need universities' help? How can we build bridges between universities and communities that allow for reciprocity and mutually beneficial outcomes?

Hear from Lindon Coombes (UTS Jumbunna), Oscar Sanchez (Uniting Harris Community Centre), Phillippa Carnemolla (UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building), Jack Kelly (UTS and Council for Intellectual Disability), Lisa Aitken (UTS CSJI) and Amy Persson (UTS CSJI) as they unpack this and more at the UTS Community Engaged Symposium!

📅 When: Thursday 3 October, 4–5:30pm.
🌏 Where: UTS City Campus (Gadigal Land, Sydney) or online via Zoom.

Secure your ticket ➡

From extraction to reciprocity: building authentic university and community partnerships | Humanitix Get tickets on Humanitix - From extraction to reciprocity: building authentic university and community partnerships hosted by UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion. UTS Building 2, Level 4A foyer or Online via Zoom, 61 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia. Thursday 3rd October 2024. Find event i...

Associate Professor Alireza Fini, from the UTS School of Built Environment, spent more than a decade working in the commercial construction industry. Soroush Maghsoudi, Founder and Director of OZ Build Construction, has a Doctor of Philosophy degree in construction engineering.

Together they’ve invented a new type of wooden panelling which, while made from low-grade timbers, can withstand the structural load of a building. They’re now planning to build a facility to fabricate their new product.

Read the rest of the story here: https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/research/explore/impact/low-waste-timber-panel-built-collaboration

Australia’s construction industry is facing a labour shortage but is overlooking a key demographic: skilled migrant women. Martin Loosemore, Professor of Construction Management and Dr Suhair Alkilani, Senior Lecturer in Construction Management highlights how the industry can benefit from their talents and help fill its labour gap. 🔨

Australia’s construction industry needs more hands on deck – so why is it ignoring skilled migrant women? Australia is short of construction workers, yet qualified and experienced migrants are far more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than workers born in Australia.

Associate Professor Phillippa Carnemolla has been quoted in Architecture and Design Magazine!
You can find the article by Matthew McDonald on Page 12 of the July-September issue: https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/magazine

Do you want to work in the construction industry?

You’re not alone: according to research, the construction sector tops the list of the 10 most attractive industries for 2024.

Hear more from Distinguished Professor Martin Loosemore about why now is a great time to start a career in the building and construction industry.

Construction is the most attractive industry for 2024 Your construction career starts here.

Our Head of School is on a roll! Or should that be a run? 🏃‍♀️

Check out the latest article by Professor Jua Cilliers in The Conversation: "What makes a city great for running and how can we promote ‘runnability’ in urban design?"

What makes a city great for running and how can we promote ‘runnability’ in urban design? Even the type of street trees planted in a city can make a huge difference.

Infrastructure projects can drive positive change in the communities where they’re built. Distinguished Professor Martin Loosemore is working with Multiplex to help refine a model that has been providing meaningful work and opportunities for disadvantaged jobseekers for over a decade.

Building solutions to long-term unemployment

David Chandler OAM, delivered his last address to UTS students yesterday, on the subject of ‘corporate ethics and social responsibility’ in Construction Project Management.

UTS Professor Martin Loosemore says “David is retiring this week after 5 years of intense industry reform which has begun to return community trust to the beleaguered NSW building and construction industry. After a crisis of confidence in the NSW apartment building sector sparked by the high-profile Mascot Towers and Opal Towers debacles, David has been a selfless champion of change for apartment buyers who had no way of distinguishing between the good and bad developers. He has also been a champion for all those in the industry who were battling against the current to do the right thing and who took pride in their work”.

“David has been a long-term supporter of the UTS Construction Management Program, delivering a lecture to our final year undergraduate students every year of his tenure. The students left inspired and grateful to David and his team at the NSW Building Commission for working so hard to clean up an industry that they can be proud to work in. UTS Construction Project Management students will be the next generation of industry leaders to carry on these reforms and deliver the high quality housing which NSW needs to meet its growing population into the future.”

Kids’ sport always cancelled due to rain-soaked grounds? Green infrastructure can help!
Find out how this new article in The Conversation by our Head of School Professor Jua Cilliers, and Built Environment PhD student Mehrafarin Takin.

Kids’ sport always cancelled due to rain-soaked grounds? Green infrastructure can help As mums, it’s been frustrating to see so many of our kids’ sport matches cancelled due to waterlogged grounds. Research shows how we can tackle this through smarter design and green infrastructure.

📢 Our next PMI x UTS event, "Career Pathways in Project Management", will be on Thursday, August 8.

🔔 Join us to connect with industry leaders, gain valuable insights on careers in project management and enhance your employability.

📝 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/career-pathways-in-project-management-tickets-948199519287?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎯 All PM-interested students and graduates are welcome. Registration is mandatory, as drinks and networking food will be provided.

Career Pathways in Project Management Join us for the APAC Academic Roadshow 2024 at the University of Technology Sydney - a must-attend event for all education enthusiasts!

On Wednesday 24 July, our Senior Lecturer Dr Shanaka Herath gave evidence to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Transport Orientated Development (TOD) Program at the Parliament House, Sydney.
The room was filled with enthusiasm, and Dr Herath had a very positive experience sharing and discussing the challenges and opportunities offered by the TOD Program.
Kudos to Dr Herath for representing the UTS School of Built Environment and contributing to such a significant discussion! 👏

🏆 Congratulations to Leila Moslemi Naeni, Senior Lecturer at the School of Built Environment, for receiving the "Most Cited Paper of the Year Award" from the Project Management Journal (impact factor 5.1)!

The paper title is "Time Flies When You are Having Fun: The Mediating Effects of Project Opportunity Management in the Relationship Between Project Leaders’ Self-Efficacy and Multidimensional Project Success".

In this study, Leila and her colleagues employed structural equation modelling to show that project opportunity management significantly mediates the relationship between leaders' self-efficacy and project success, suggesting that leaders who manage opportunities well can better translate their self-confidence into successful project outcomes.

Leila recently received the award on behalf of the authors team at the Project Management Institute and Project management journal reception held during the European Academy of Management (Euram 2024) in Bath. Well-deserved recognition for groundbreaking research in project management! 🌟🎉

Our very own lecturer Dr Mustapha Bangura has had his research on property affordability quoted in ABC News!
The study predicts that Greater Sydney's property market will be unaffordable for anyone on a median income until next decade.

Check out the article here:

On an average wage? You may need to wait until the 2030s to afford to buy a home in Sydney A new study has predicted that all properties in Greater Sydney will continue to be unaffordable for those earning a median income until at least the end of 2031.

Congratulations to our Senior Lecturer Arezoo Shirazi who was a speaker this week at the AIRAH Indoor Air Quality Conference 2024!
Arezoo presented her research on "Evaluating Environmental Air Pollution Effects on Indoor Air Quality and Occupant Comfort Using IoT Sensors and Surveys".

https://www.airah.org.au/iaq/2024/speakers/arezoo-shirazi

UTS: University of Technology Sydney
UTS: Design, Architecture & Building

The 2024 PropConnext Real Estate Case Competition (UTS Campus Heat) was successfully held on 27 June 2024. Judges were from ISPT (Colin Beckton), Wentworth (Alexia Photios), CBRE Investors (Chris Johnston), and MA Financial (Nick Smith). Congratulations for Emma Anderson, Sophia Quah, and James McQueen who won the 1st Place; and Rachael Liu and James Luo who won the 2nd Place plus cash awards.

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 We're thrilled to announce that several of our courses have received accreditation from the Australian Property Institute (API)! 🌟🏛️ Here's a roundup of the accredited programs:

- Master of Property Development
- Master of Property Development and Planning
- Master of Property Development and Investment
- Master of Property Development and Project Management
- Master of Real Estate Investment
- Master of Property Development and Investment
- Graduate Diploma in Property Development
- Bachelor of Property Economics
- Bachelor of Property Economics and Bachelor of International Studies

This accreditation by the Australian Property Institute is a testament to the quality and relevance of our programs in the field. We're committed to providing our students with industry-recognised qualifications that prepare them for successful careers. 🏢💼

Interested in joining a program that's endorsed by industry leaders? Learn more about these accredited courses and start shaping your future today! 🎓💡

16919 – Project Strategy and Leadership (Construction management elective subject)

Students had a great Autumn semester in the Project Strategy and Leadership (taught and coordinated by Mona Salam). The subject explores the different construction management approaches and leadership styles and introduces lean construction as a project delivery strategy. A big thank you to our industry guest lecturers Rodney Murphy, Director at Tiagra Investments and Chris Bulmer, Group Chief Executive at Greenwich Associates Network, and our distinguished Professor Shankar Sankaran, Professor of organisational project management at the School of the Built Environment UTS.

Special thanks to Professor Glenn Ballard from UC Berkeley's Project Production Systems Lab for sharing insights on the Last Planner System! 🏗️ Thanks to Professor Iris Tommelein for the engaging Mistakeproofing Lean Simulation Game, helping us focus on health and safety in construction. And a big shout-out to Professor Rafael Sacks for the Technion Lean Apartment Construction Simulation Game. 🏢👷‍♂️👷‍♀️ Students explored lean construction in high-rise fit-outs, batch production, scheduling (Gantt vs. client-driven pull), and subcontracting dynamics.

Congratulations to amazing Tiarna Cominos!

We are thrilled to announce that Tiarna has won the Australian Institute of Building (AIB) NSW Chapter Award for the UTS Year 3 student at the AIB NSW Chapter Professional Excellence Awards 2024 on 21 June 🏆
This esteemed recognition was awarded to Tiarna for her outstanding performance in the UTS Bachelor of Construction Project Management course in 2023.
Join us in congratulating Tiarna on this outstanding achievement and celebrating her hard work and commitment to excellence! 👏
Alireza Fini, Biyanka Ekanayake (MAIB), Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building

Congratulations to Professor Sara Wilkinson on the launch of her new book, Real Estate and Sustainable Crisis Management in Urban Environments!

The aim of this book is to promote the dynamic resilience of societies by identifying, analysing, and exemplifying the role of space and land use in both anticipated and unanticipated primary and secondary crisis situations.

The book brings together the expertise of a unique team of researchers and methods from fields of futures studies, land use planning, social sustainability and wellbeing, architecture, spatial planning, design and real estate economics, and presents a novel understanding of the direct and indirect impacts of possible crises in the space and land use context. It goes on to discuss the concept of resilience and exemplifies potential solutions and offers a holistic and forward-looking approach for crisis management through a lens of social sustainability and wellbeing, making an important contribution to the promotion of wellbeing in the built environment, especially in terms of land and residential space and building use.

This book does not only identify barriers and successful incentives in resilient crisis management but also discusses the role of different stakeholders (e.g., households, office workers, real estate owners, space occupants, firms, the public sector, etc.) in crisis management. Finally, international case studies aiming to tackle the challenging landscape of future threats are presented, along with novel tools to support the development of future policies, regulations, and management practices in the built environment, which can increase the dynamic resilience of societies.

Overall, this book is essential reading for decision-makers in the public and private sectors, urban developers, space and spatial designers, architects, planners, community stakeholders, real estate investors, facility managers and crisis and corporate responsibility managers.

https://www.routledge.com/Real-Estate-and-Sustainable-Crisis-Management-in-Urban-Environments-Challenges-and-solutions-for-resilient-cities/Toivonen-Heinonen-Verma-Castano-Rosa-Wilkinson/p/book/9781032755700

Step into the future with the Student Cloud Programming World Cup 2024!🚀

The theme, 'Enabling the Future: Innovations in Metaverse and Digital Twin,' invites students to transcend traditional coding. Explore the cutting-edge realms of metaverse and digital twin technologies, envisioning a future where programming catalyzes groundbreaking advancements. From immersive learning environments to autonomous driving integration, this competition challenges you to pioneer solutions shaping tomorrow's possibilities. Join us in this venture where every line of code paints the canvas of the future. The future awaits—program it into existence!

📅 Deadline for team registration: June 28th
Website: https://cpwc.forum8.co.jp/english/2024/

You are invited to join us for this week’s edition of the SBE Property Research Seminar.
This will be held in CB06.06.123 from 12-1pm on Thursday 20 June.

Dr Song Shi will be presenting on “Sydney Housing Market Forecasting”.

Dr Shi would like to extend the invitation to all who are interested, as the topic is appealing to both property academics and the general audience interested in the current housing market status, given the many uncertainties ahead of us for the rest of 2024 and in 2025. The seminar is not purely academic but rather a workshop to provide an opportunity for us to exchange views about the future housing market price movements, housing affordability, and related housing policy discussions.

Please RSVP here if you wish to attend – tea, coffee, and juice will be provided:

forms.office.com

Competition alert! ✨Join the 14th Virtual Design World Cup 🌍🏆

This is an international design competition for students to compete amongst each other in designing an innovative architecture, bridge and city design using BIM/CIM & VR technologies. Every year students compete for the top prize which is given to an outstanding work outlining a predefined theme in the aspect of design, innovative idea, and creativity. They plan and design their work based on the theme and then run a simulation. Their final model will be presented to the judges in a form of a script for evaluation.

📅 Deadline for team registration: June 28th
Website: https://vdwc.forum8.co.jp/english/2024/

TOMORROW: As the world rapidly advances towards ever more ambitious projects and initiatives, the demand for skilled Project Managers has never been more urgent. With forecasts indicating a global shortfall of 25 million professionals by 2030, there's never been a more compelling time to embark on a career path in Project Management.

Join us to explore the diverse array of subjects and pathways available in Project Management, and take the first step towards unlocking a world of opportunities.

Webinar: Why study Project Management at UTS?
Date: 13 June 2024
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Location: Online

Find out more: https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-design-architecture-and-building/events/why-study-project-management-uts

TOMORROW: Join our upcoming webinar on housing affordability in Australia tailored for aspiring planners and property developers!

Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and skills to address one of the most pressing issues in urban planning and property development today. Join us and be part of the solution!

Webinar: The Australian Housing Crisis
Date: 12 June 2024
Time: 5:30-6:30pm
Location: Online

Find out more and register: https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-design-architecture-and-building/events/australian-housing-crisis

As the world rapidly advances towards ever more ambitious projects and initiatives, the demand for skilled Project Managers has never been more urgent. With forecasts indicating a global shortfall of 25 million professionals by 2030, there's never been a more compelling time to embark on a career path in Project Management.

Join us to explore the diverse array of subjects and pathways available in Project Management, and take the first step towards unlocking a world of opportunities.

Webinar: Why study Project Management at UTS?
Date: 13 June 2024
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Location: Online

Find out more: https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-design-architecture-and-building/events/why-study-project-management-uts

Join our upcoming webinar on housing affordability in Australia tailored for aspiring planners and property developers!

Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and skills to address one of the most pressing issues in urban planning and property development today. Join us and be part of the solution!

Webinar: The Australian Housing Crisis
Date: 12 June 2024
Time: 5:30-6:30pm
Location: Online

Find out more and register: https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-design-architecture-and-building/events/australian-housing-crisis

16017 - Property Management Futures (PropTech sub major elective)

We had a great Autumn semester in the "Property Management Futures" class (taught and coordinated by Biyanka Ekanayake). This subject explores the emerging technologies for facilities management, property development, smart and sustainable properties and property management platforms. A big thank you to our guest lecturers for engaging lectures combined with practical content.

James Melsom (Senior Lecturer, UTS Architecture School) - "Use of drones for building defects detection"
Rafael Luna (Senior Lecturer, UTS Architecture School) - "Productive elements for a productive house"
Samudaya Nanayakkara (Blockchain researcher and academic - Western Sydney University) - "Blockchain for property management'
Varun Kumar Reja (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Future Roads Fellow at the University of Cambridge) - "Digital twins for property management"

Special thanks to Gwyn Jones and Tran Dang for facilitating the visit to DAB Advanced Fabrication Research Lab and for the demonstration on "Robot arms and HoloLens" as part of the lecture on "SmartTech to resolve the property crisis"

Last week, UTS School of Built Environment attended the Multiplex Jump Start – University & Careers Day on 8 May 2024 at the Multiplex Office

The School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building alumni Dr Chunyan (Annie) Yang was recently awarded the outstanding PhD thesis for the Chancellor’s List for 2023.

Each year the University recognises outstanding PhD thesis for The Chancellor’s List. The Chancellor’s List acknowledges doctoral theses, which are judged to be of the highest calibre among all UTS theses submitted in a given year. The recipient of this award is presented with a certificate, and the abstract of the thesis will be published by the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Dr. Yang was supervised by Associate Professor Song Shi of the School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, UTS, and co-supervised by Adjunct Professor Goran Runeson of the School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, UTS. Yang’s contribution to research excellence focuses on social and built environmental sustainability in urban communities in Sydney. Yang’s PhD findings have been published in several high-impact journals, like Sustainable Cities and Society (Q1, IF=11.7).