World stage for SA building student
by Rodney Magazinovic
Some
students find it hard enough just completing their thesis but construction
management and economics student, Nathan Foulis, has won international
recognition for his honours thesis.
Entitled Enabling Sustainable Construction Practices in South Australia: Lessons learnt from the UK experience the thesis won the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Undergraduate Dissertation Award.
Foulis’ research investigating comparative sustainable building practices in the United Kingdom and Australia caught the eye of an international panel of expert judges in what is a worldwide search for innovative undergraduate research in the building industry.
Part of his prize is a return ticket to London where the young honours student will present his research to building industry leaders.
Foulis says sustainable construction is defined as economically, environmentally and socially sustainable building that promotes employment and uses environmentally friendly material while being cost effective. It emerged in the 1990s and took off in the UK primarily due a lack of landfill and urban spaces. Foulis says he wanted to investigate how UK building practices might be adopted in Australia to overcome some of the barriers to the growth of sustainable construction here.
“In the Australian context we identified 21 barriers that inhibit the use of sustainable construction,” says Foulis.
“The most significant are economic barriers.
“In Australia there are few significant policies in place that promote sustainable construction, whereas in the UK companies are penalised financially through taxing to encourage them to adhere to set policies regarding the use of recycled materials and construction methods.”
Foulis’ study concluded that the introduction of similar policies in Australia would overcome local barriers and promote more widespread use of sustainable construction principles.
While Foulis plans to take a well-earned break from his studies in the coming months by trekking though Nepal, he hopes to gain employment in the field of project management when he returns. He says his undergraduate studies have given him a great basis from which to launch his career.
“The Construction Management and Economics degree at UniSA is well regarded within the international construction industry and that means I can work anywhere in the world,” he says.