Uploaded on 2015-06-17 by HenrySpry

The attached image is a photo of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) located on North Terrace in Adelaide, South Australia. Construction began in 2012 and was completed in 2014, since which the building has received numerous design awards nationally and internationally. Two aspects of the building that have contributed to its excellence are the distinctive façade and the Integrated Building System (IBS), each of which were made possible because of the global economy. As with any construction project there was a finite amount of money available for the construction of SAHMRI. The honeycomb façade is a key element of the building, however its construction was a time consuming process. The builders found it cheaper to have the materials shipped to China, have the façade partially assembled there and then shipped back to Australia for the final assembly. The global economy makes this possible, and allows the industry to get the most from their money. It does pose other challenges, as by sending work overseas there is a chance for knowledge to be lost. The responsibly party needs to weight up the risks and benefits of such a decision and use their best judgement. The IBS is an evolution of a standard Building Management System, where the different building services systems (mechanical, electrical, fire services etc.) are integrated into a single system that allows them to work in tandem. This was the first time such a system had been implemented in Australia, which presents a risk of trying something for the first time. The company charged with deploying the IBS was Schneider Electric, an energy management company based in France. As such, Schneider Electric was able to hand-pick their project members from across the globe with the right experience and knowledge to successfully deliver this project. Both of these examples demonstrate that the global economy assists in having the right people performing the right jobs. [1]: http://i59.tinypic.com/2vii9zl.jpg