13 May 2011
Leading construction company Hansen Yuncken has announced the completion of the South Australian Government’s six new super schools, as part of a $210 million Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.
The project was completed on time and on budget despite tight timeframes and changing building requirements.
Hansen Yuncken this week reached commercial acceptance for Roma Mitchell Secondary College at Gepps Cross in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. The new campus will start classes at the beginning of Term 3 in July.
Earlier this year, Hansen Yuncken completed construction of Woodville Gardens Birth to Year 7 School and Blair Athol North Birth to Year 7 School. Both campuses welcome new students at the start of Term 1, 2011. Mark Oliphant College was completed and handed over in time for the start of Term 2.
Two other new schools – the Adelaide West Special Education Centre and John Hartley Birth to Year 7 School – were both opened in Term 4 last year.
Hansen Yuncken is part of the Pinnacle Education Consortium, which includes a partnership with Spotless Pty Ltd for the delivery of ongoing facilities management services at these schools.
Chief Executive Officer, Joe Barr, said tight project timeframes and a high level of innovation had provided some unusual challenges across the six campuses.
“Our project teams faced a number of challenges throughout the life of this project including design changes during the design development phase,” Mr Barr said.
“Managing contractors and suppliers across six individual sites at the same time added to the complexity.
“In order to meet the project delivery requirements, we overlapped the design, approval and construction processes. As a result of our efforts, all six super schools have been completed within a 22 month window.
“In addition to facilities such as purpose built science areas, school halls and kitchens, we’ve had unique challenges such as a first-of-its-kind ceiling tracking system to assist with lifting students in and out of wheelchairs at the Adelaide West Special Education Centre.”
Mr Barr said Hansen Yuncken had further enhanced its position as a leader in the provision of infrastructure in the government sector, and its ability to partner with governments on major construction projects.
The company previously played an integral role with the NSW Government in Public Private Partnerships to construct schools in NSW, and was heavily involved in Building Education Revolution (BER) schools projects across four states.
Several other major projects in the tertiary sector have been completed in South Australia, Victoria, NSW and Queensland.
Hansen Yuncken, established in 1918, is Australia’s largest private commercial construction contractor. The company employs more than 800 people around Australia with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Newcastle, Orange and Shepparton/Albury. Hansen Yuncken is the recipient of the 2010 ANZ/BRW Private Business of the Year Award, and National MBA Commercial Builder of the Year Award.
FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact Joe Barr, Chief Executive Officer on 02 9770 7600
ISSUED BY HUGHES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Please contact Mark Williams on 08 8412 4100
