By Peter Colacino, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association .
Every year, the Australian Construction Achievement Award, presented by the Australian Constructors Association, recognises a project that demonstrates what our industry is capable of when excellence, innovation and collaboration come together. This year, that honour went to Multiplex for its ECU City Campus in Perth.
The project is remarkable for its scale and complexity alone. Multiplex delivered a 73,000m² university campus in the heart of Perth’s CBD, above operational rail tunnels and the Perth Busport, while maintaining transport services throughout construction. The campus will accommodate around 10,000 students and staff and is expected to generate about $7.5 billion in long-term economic benefits for Western Australia.
Selected from seven finalists from across Australia, ECU City Campus prevailed against major projects including Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel, Western Sydney International Airport, New Footscray Hospital, Kimberley Marine Base, Groote Eylandt Wharf replacement and the New Sydney Fish Market.
What made ECU City Campus stand above a strong field of finalists was not only its engineering complexity but also the legacy it created. It is Perth’s first comprehensive inner-city university, bringing education, business, culture and community together in a way that will reshape the city for generations.
The project’s legacy is matched by the complexity involved in delivering it. The site sits above live rail tunnels and directly integrates with the Perth Busport. Strict loading limits, complex geotechnical conditions and a highly constrained CBD footprint meant almost every design and construction decision required ingenuity. Rather than accepting conventional solutions, the team continually challenged assumptions and found smarter ways of delivering the project.
One example was the redesign of the structural solution, which reduced steel requirements from about 6,000 tonnes to about 2,000 tonnes while maintaining the necessary performance outcomes. This was not just an engineering achievement. It delivered cost, sustainability and procurement benefits while reducing exposure to supply chain volatility.
Yet the judges were equally impressed by what happened beyond the construction program. The project supported 122 apprentices and trainees, creating pathways into the industry for the next generation. More than 95 per cent of project expenditure remained in WA, helping strengthen local businesses and supply chains. Indigenous enterprises were awarded about $32 million in work, exceeding participation targets and demonstrating a commitment to creating opportunity.
The project also invested in education long before the first students walked through the doors. Through Multiplex’s ‘Living Laboratory’ concept, engineering, photography and other students were given opportunities to learn directly from a live construction project, bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world application.
Further, ECU City Campus challenged outdated perceptions about who belongs in construction. Programs designed to encourage more young women into the industry provided site visits, mentoring opportunities and direct exposure to construction careers. Female graduates and emerging leaders were supported, recognised and empowered to help shape the future workforce.
The project also demonstrated that sustainability and productivity are not competing objectives. A 600kW solar installation, one of the largest in central Perth, helps power the campus. More than 94 per cent of construction waste was diverted from landfill. Innovative engineering solutions reduced material usage and minimised environmental impacts while improving constructability.
Australia’s construction pipeline is shifting north and west as we respond to national priorities including housing, energy transition and defence infrastructure. Delivering that pipeline will require more than technical expertise. It will require stronger collaboration, smarter procurement, workforce development and a relentless focus on creating long-term value. ECU City Campus shows what that looks like in practice.
The project was delivered through a genuine ‘One Team’ approach, bringing together the client, contractor, designers, subcontractors and stakeholders around a shared objective. Collaboration was embedded in the way decisions were made and problems were solved. That lesson may be the most important of all.
When people talk about Australia’s future construction challenges, the conversation often focuses on what is holding us back. ECU City Campus reminds us to also focus on what is possible. This project succeeded because talented people worked together to overcome extraordinary constraints. They embraced innovation, invested in skills, strengthened local capability and created opportunities for future generations. Most importantly, they delivered something that will continue creating value long after construction has finished. That is why ECU City Campus took home the 2026 Australian Construction Achievement Award. The project sets a standard our industry should aspire to.
For 29 years, the award has recognised the projects that demonstrate what is possible when clients, contractors, designers, suppliers and the broader industry work together to achieve outstanding outcomes. It is supported by organisations that are helping drive excellence across the sector, including Cbus Super, Engineers Australia, Gallagher, InEight, InfraBuild and Pinsent Masons. Together, they share a commitment to recognising the innovation, leadership and collaboration that will shape the next generation of Australian construction.
