C13 Capital works

The Department’s capital works management program for 2009-10, detailing the completed projects and works still in progress at the year end is shown at the end of this chapter in Table C13.1.

Overview
2009-10 saw the largest ever capital works program for ACT public schools, totaling $214.8 million compared with $21.9 million four years ago. This is part of the ACT Government’s $523 million capital investment in ACT public schools between 2006-07 and 2012-13. The Australian Government’s Building the Education Revolution (BER) program added a further $150.7 million to this 6-year capital investment program.

Expenditure of $204 million (95% of budget) was achieved during the reporting period, with all major projects either complete or on target to be delivered by the scheduled completion date.

Figure 13.1: Capital expenditure (millions), 2005–06 to 2009–10

Source: Finance and Corporate Support Branch, Department of Education and Training

Significant Capital Works
Harrison Secondary School
Harrison School commenced operation in February 2008 catering for students from preschool to year 6. The school will also include a secondary school campus on the same site. The secondary school will cater for 800 students.

Forward design work for the secondary school was substantially progressed in 2008-09 by the design consultant, May + Russell Architects, and was completed early in the 2009-10 reporting period. The detailed construction drawings were also completed during the reporting period.

The Harrison Secondary School has been designed to support the latest educational practices and will provide an inclusive setting for students with special needs to integrate into mainstream educational programs. The school will also provide facilities for students with high support needs.

The secondary school will include specialist teaching areas for performing arts, technology, science and arts. The design also incorporates environmentally sustainable design features aimed at achieving a 5 Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

A construction manager, St Hilliers Group, was contracted to construct the secondary school in early 2010. Site establishment was completed by 30 June 2010, with civil works to commence early in July 2010. The works program has been arranged to allow the progressive completion and handover of school buildings during 2011 with all of the works to be completed for the start of the 2012 school year.

The total budget for the Harrison Secondary School is $47.0 million including $2.0 million allocated in the 2010-11 Budget to increase the size of the gymnasium to a double court facility, and $1.5 million initially allocated for project design.

P-10 school in Kambah
The new P-10 school in Kambah is being constructed on the site of the former Kambah High School and will cater for 900 students from preschool to year 10.

Design consultant, Guida Moseley Brown Architects, completed the final sketch plans early in 2009-10.

Extensive consultation was undertaken with the Urambi Primary School community to arrive at the final design for the new school. The design includes an intensive language learning unit, a flexible learning centre, and autism and early intervention units. The design also incorporates environmentally sustainable design features aimed at achieving a 5 Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

A construction manager, Manteena Pty Ltd, was contracted in late 2008-09 to construct the new school. Manteena was initially tasked with demolition of the former Kambah High School, which was completed in October 2009. A retrieval and recycling rate of 93 percent was achieved for the materials from the former facilities.

Stage 1 of the new school, comprising the preschool to year 8 facilities, is scheduled to open for the start of the 2011 school year. Stage 2, comprising the year 9 to 10 facilities including the gymnasium, is scheduled to be ready for the start of the 2012 school year.

In addition to the new school facilities for the P-10 school in Kambah, construction commenced on the new $2.0 million environment learning centre funded by the Australian Government under the BER initiative.

The original total budget for the P-10 school in Kambah was $54 million. A further $2.5 million was allocated from the More Teachers, Lower Class Sizes program bringing the total budget to $56.5 million.

Gungahlin College
The Gungahlin College is being constructed in the Gungahlin Town Centre and will cater for 900 students in years 11 and 12. The new college remains on target to open at the start of the 2011 school year.

The college complex includes a Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Flexible Learning Centre, a joint college/community library, a gymnasium and a performing arts centre. A town park is also being constructed as part of the project.

The Gungahlin College will provide a 21st century teaching and learning environment for staff and students. This involves a flexible ‘learning hub’ concept that includes a range of learning modes from conventional classroom instruction through to spaces for small group work and independent student research and work stations.

The college’s state-of-the-art and specialist features include a media centre with TV and photography studios, dance and drama studios, a mechatronics (robotics) suite, a computer networking laboratory and high standard hospitality course facilities.

The school will also have internal cabling and wireless technology for computer-based learning and outdoor learning environments. The design also incorporates environmentally sustainable design features aimed at achieving a 5 Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

In addition to the CIT Flexible Learning Centre and the joint college/community library, the Gungahlin community will have access to facilities including the performing arts theatre, lecture theatre, gymnasium and outdoor sports (tennis, basketball and netball).

Construction of the college is occurring in two stages with the civil works contractor, Kenoss Contractors Pty Ltd, completing the early works stage (bulk earthworks and stormwater works) in September 2009. A construction manager, PBS Building Group, was contracted to construct the new college and other facilities on the site. Construction work commenced in October 2009.

To assist potential students and Gungahlin residents, a temporary office for the college’s principal and support staff has been established in The Marketplace shopping centre.

The total budget for Gungahlin College is $72.4 million, including $1 million for forward design.

Schools Infrastructure Refurbishment program
This was the fourth year of a revised five- year Schools Infrastructure Refurbishment program for older ACT public schools. The full program of works includes new gymnasiums, integrated early childhood centres, new performing arts centres and general upgrades and refurbishments concentrating on schools more than 12 years old.

The total budget allocation for the program is $86 million over the five year period 2006-07 to 2010-11. During 2009-10, major projects included:

New gymnasiums
Construction work on new gymnasiums at Belconnen and Stromlo high schools were completed in November 2009.

Performing arts centres
Construction of the centre at Lyneham High School was completed in February 2010.

Separate capital works funding (in addition to the infrastructure program) was also allocated for a performing arts centre at Calwell High School and Canberra College (Woden campus).

Early childhood schools
Work on the early childhood school at Lyons was completed in November 2009.

Refurbishment and construction of the Isabella Plains, Narrabundah and Scullin (Southern Cross) early childhood schools were completed in the previous reporting period and officially opened on 15 September 2009.

Telopea Park School upgrade
Capital improvement work was completed in April 2010 and included the upgrade of the primary school administration area, primary school entrance, primary school courtyard, school front reception, main corridor, board room, staff room, student toilets, car park, installation of energy efficient lighting throughout the school and installation of water saving tapware and toilet fixtures.

Narrabundah College upgrade
Work on extension and refurbishment of the library resource centre was completed in October 2009, with work to construct the new language learning centre commenced in April 2010. Construction of the new centre is scheduled to be completed in August 2010.

Canberra High School upgrade
Capital improvement work across the school was completed in December 2009 and included upgrading the front entry and administration areas, canteen and student locker area, school hall and classrooms.

Miles Franklin Primary School hall extension
Extensions to the school hall were completed in December 2009.

Other school upgrades
Capital improvement works were completed during the reporting period at Alfred Deakin High School, Aranda Primary School, Caroline Chisholm School, Dickson College, Erindale College, Macgregor Primary School, Melba Copland Secondary School, Monash Primary School and Stromlo High School.

Further capital improvement works were in progress at the end of the reporting period at Belconnen High School, Hawker College, Kaleen High School, Latham Primary School, Mawson Primary School and Wanniassa School. The refurbishment of the canteen at the Melba Copland Secondary School is also in progress.

The Department completed protection work during the reporting period for the heritage trees at the Ainslie School that were showing signs of distress as a result of the extended drought.

Other capital works projects
Early childhood schools
Funding was allocated to allow the completion of the four early childhood schools at the Isabella Plains, Lyons, Narrabundah and Scullin (Southern Cross) primary school sites.

Erindale Leisure Centre redevelopment
Work to replace the roof over the gymnasium was completed in the 2008-09 year. Further refurbishment work to improve the pool and update the water filtration system and improve pool safety was completed in October 2009.

Turner School hydrotherapy pool
A major refurbishment of the hydrotherapy pool was completed in December 2009.
Roof access systems
Works to install roof safety access systems at all ACT public schools was completed in the reporting period.

Stormwater and sewer pipes
The stage 1 works to replace stormwater and sewer pipes at seven priority older schools was completed in the reporting period.

Asbestos removal
The stage 1 works to remove asbestos materials at 11 priority older schools was completed in the reporting period.

Calwell High School Performing Arts Centre
Construction work commenced in February 2010 with completion scheduled by January 2011. Refurbishment work in the existing school music areas was completed in May 2010.

Canberra College Performing Arts Theatre
This will be the largest public school performing arts centre in the ACT. A design consultant, Bligh Voller Nield Architects, was contracted in the reporting period to design the centre at Canberra College. The College community was consulted in the design process. Construction is scheduled to be completed by January 2012.

More Teachers, Lower Class Sizes
Works under this program were completed in the reporting period at Aranda, Bonython, Chapman, Garran, Majura, Red Hill and Weetangera primary schools, Alfred Deakin and Lyneham high schools, and Harrison School.

Scoping and design work progressed at Ainslie, Amaroo, Harrison (second project) and Telopea Park schools and Forrest, Garran (second project), Ngunnawal, Macgregor, Miles Franklin and Torrens primary schools.

Public schools – water tanks
Works under this program were completed at 23 schools in the reporting period. Water tanks will progressively be installed at all ACT public schools.

Environment – solar schools
Six solar panel supply companies were contracted to install solar systems at all ACT public schools. The installation of systems at the pilot sites at Kingsford Smith School (30 kilowatt) and Evatt Primary School (10 kilowatt) were commenced in the reporting period.

The ACT public schools program is one of the largest solar panel installations in Australia.

Local schools working together
The Australian Government approved a grant to Gold Creek and Holy Spirit schools under this program to construct an artificial sports field. This will be the largest artificial sports field in the ACT.

Construction of the new field commenced on 26 March 2010 and construction is scheduled to be completed in August 2010.

Building the Education Revolution
The BER initiative was announced by the Australian Government on 9 February 2009. This initiative is a national partnership between the ACT and the Commonwealth aimed at upgrading school buildings and providing jobs under the Australian Government’s National Building and Jobs Plan stimulus package.

All ACT public schools benefited from projects funded under this initiative. A total of 152 projects were approved across ACT public schools, including 84 smaller projects under the National School Pride (NSP) program and 68 larger projects under the Primary Schools for the 21st  Century (P21) program. The total value of BER projects was $150.65 million.

The Australian Government stipulated strict commencement and completion dates for each of the approved projects. In order to achieve the deadlines, the Department established a dedicated project team, engaged five architects to scope the project proposals with schools and seven construction managers to deliver the projects. Staff from ACT Procurement Solutions were co-located with the Department’s BER project team during the initial contracting, design and construction start-up stages.

National School Pride
The NSP projects ranged in value from $50,000 to $200,000 and included shade shelters, covered outdoor learning areas, classroom refurbishments, school entry refurbishments and the installation of interactive whiteboards. All NSP projects were completed within the timeframes agreed with the Australian Government with the final project at the O’Connor Cooperative School completed on 26 March 2010.

Primary Schools for the 21st Century
The P21 projects ranged in value from $250,000 to $3.00 million and included new assembly halls, libraries, multi-purpose buildings, classrooms and environment centres as well as upgrades to existing halls, libraries and classrooms. Construction work has commenced on all P21 projects.

Innovative environmentally sustainable design features have been included in the project designs including: northerly building orientation; external shading to improve passive cooling; wall and ceiling insulation; concrete slab edge insulation; natural cross- flow ventilation; low e glass (low energy) for low level glazing and double glazing for high level glazing; natural lighting; energy efficient artificial lighting; 5 star sanitary fittings; recycled building materials; and use of products with low volatile organic compounds.

The new libraries at Yarralumla and Hughes primary schools include an underground thermal labyrinth to assist with heating and cooling. The new environment centre at Gold Creek School has been designed to achieve a 6 Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

During the reporting period, construction and refurbishment work was completed on 19 of the 68 P21 projects. All other P21 projects were well advanced and remained on target to be completed by December 2010.

Table C13.1: Capital works management, 2009-10
Project	Original project value	Revised project value	Prior year expend	Actual finance 2009-10	Actual expend 2009-10	Total expend to date	Estimated completion date	Actual completion date	Project approval year	
	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000				
NEW WORKS										
Harrison High School	45,000	47,000	613	2,762	2,762	3,375	Dec 2011		2009-10	
Canberra College (Woden Campus) Performing Arts Centre	7,600	7,600	-	120	120	120	Jun 2012		2009-10	
Public Schools –water tanks	2,000	2,375	-	512	515	515	Jun 2012		2009-10	
Environment – solar schools	2,000	2,000	-	50	53	53	Jun 2013		2009-10	
More Teachers, Lower Class Sizes	6,000	6,000	-	1,077	1,077	1,077	Dec 2011		2009-10	
National Partnership – Nation Building and Jobs Plan – Building the Education Revolution	143,024	150,650	-	82,686	86,550	86,550	Dec 2010		2008-09	
CAPITAL UPGRADES										
Older refurbishments	3,855	3,554	-	3,554	3,554	3,554	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2009-10	
Older preschool refurbishments	500	356	-	356	356	356	Dec 2009	Dec 2009	2009-10	
Student amenity and infrastructure	1,140	839	-	839	839	839	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2009-10	
Specialist teaching area improvements	2,180	2,348	-	2,348	2,348	2,348	Sep 2009	Sep 2009	2009-10	
Building service improvements	1,960	2,040	-	2,040	2,040	2,040	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2009-10	
Health and safety improvements	830	941	-	941	941	941	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2009-10	
Support for people with a disability	1,315	1,372	-	1,372	1,372	1,372	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2009-10	
Transportable classrooms	478	770	-	757	757	757	Dec 2009	Dec 2009	2009-10	
Total new works	217,882	227,845	613	99,414	103,284	103,897				
WORKS IN PROGRESS										
Calwell High Performing Arts Centre	5,000	5,000	201	1,511	1,514	1,715	Dec 2011		2008-09	
Schools Infrastructure Refurbishment	90,000	86,000	52,724	25,729	25,597	78,321	Jun 2011		2006-07	
New Gungahlin College	61,700	72,407	5,830	31,395	30,664	36,494	Dec 2010		2007-08	
Kambah P-10 School	50,000	54,000	1,767	16,787	16,784	18,551	Dec 2011		2007-08	
Total work in progress	206,700	217,407	60,522	75,422	74,559	135,081				
PROJECTS COMPLETED										
Erindale Leisure Centre redevelopment	3,000	3,000	698	2,188	2,188	2,886	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2008-09	
Business improvement	1,550	1,550	1,430	277	85	1515	Jun 2009	Oct 2009	2008-09	
Replacement roof at Turner Primary hydrotherapy pool	750	753	180	573	573	753	Oct 2009	Dec 2009	2008-09	
Replacement stormwater and sewer pipes - stage 1	2,400	2,399	399	2,000	2,000	2,399	Jun 2010	Jun 2010	2008-09	
Roof access system	2,000	1,998	700	1,297	1,298	1,998	Jun 2010	Jun 2010	2008-09	
Asbestos removal program	3,200	3,198	721	2,477	2,477	3,198	Jun 2010	Jun 2010	2008-09	
Kingsford Smith (WestBelconnen) School	45,000	45,001	44,807	434	194	45,001	Jan 2009	Jan 2009	2006-07	
Early childhood schools	3,500	7,000	3,500	3,500	3,500	7,000	Oct 2009	Oct 2009	2008-09	
Total projects completed	61,400	64,899	52,435	12,746	12,315	64,750				
Total expenditure for 2009-2010	485,982	510,151	113,570	187,582	190,158	303,728				
Source: Finance and Corporate Support Branch, Department of Education and Training
Note: The table above does not include Information Communication Technology projects and capital expenditure on some minor plant and equipment.

Table C13.2: End-of-year reconciliation schedule, 2009-10
Reconciliation of total current year financing	$’000	
Total current year capital works financing	106,704	
Add: Financing of other capital initiatives	91,761	
Capital injection from government per cash flow statement	198,465	
Reconciliation of total current year actual expenditure-against financing		
Total current year capital works expenditure	103,526	
Total current year capital initiatives expenditure	100,611	
Net impact of accruals between financial years	(5,672)	
Capital injection from government per cash flow statement	198,465	
Reconciliation of total current year actual expenditure		
Total current year capital works expenditure	103,526	
Add: Capital initiatives	100,611	
Add: Other asset purchases outside of capital works program	1,790	
Net impact of accruals between financial years	(5,472)	
Purchase of property, plant and equipment as per cash flow statement	200,455	
Source: Finance and Corporate Support Branch, Department of Education and Training

For more information contact:
Director
Schools Capital Works Branch
Telephone (02) 6205 3173