@media print{.css-1k371a6{position:absolute!important;}}@media print{.css-1k371a6{position:absolute!important;}}EconoClad®: PIR Insulated wall and roofing solutionLast Updated on 13 Feb 2025 Bondor EconoClad® PIR Insulated panels are a low-cost roof and walling solution made with Colorbond® steel, a PIR (Polyisocyanurate) core and foil or vinyl ceiling underside. EconoClad® easily satisfies Section J requirements with a range of thickness options delivering R-Values up to R4.55. EconoClad® delivers on tight budgets and project time lines across industrial, commercial and agricultural roof and wall cladding applications. EconoClad® as an economical and practical solution is faster to install than bulk-insulation and grid systems, eliminating multiple roofing layers with a single high performance roofing material. Sign up to our newsletter for the latest industry news, products and inspiration. Welcome to IPE Real Assets. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By 2024-01-09T13:47:00+00:00 Invesco Real Estate has sold its Bondorf logistics asset in southwest Germany to one of the facility’s current tenants food retailer REWE Group for an unspecified sum REWE Group will take over the whole Bondorf site and upgrade the facility.    which acquired the 84,500sqm asset in 2016 “outperformed acquisition underwriting due to a number of factors including the yield compression seen in the German logistics market” as well as a proactive asset management strategy.  the co-head of transactions at Invesco Real Estate said: “Invesco has enjoyed a very successful relationship with REWE Group and we are delighted to be selling our Bondorf facility to the firm as part of our active approach to value creation for our investors ”The site has been a key holding in our European portfolio and will now benefit from further investment from REWE.” said: “We are very pleased that we have now been able to acquire the logistics centre in Bondorf after many years as a tenant and thus have long-term planning security with regard to our logistics structures in Baden-Wuerttemberg “The purchase is an important milestone in ensuring that our three warehouses in Bondorf Wiesloch and Lahr can continue to supply our more than 500 stores in the future The Bondorf logistics centre is part of our expanding modern logistics network in Germany and Europe.” To read the latest IPE Real Assets magazine click here Copyright © 1997–2025 IPE International Publishers Limited Site powered by Webvision Cloud Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025 Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement Welcome to the latest instalment of Managing IP’s ‘Five minutes with’ series where we learn more about IP lawyers on a personal as well as a professional level Someone asks you at a party what you do for a living most people I meet have at least heard the term “intellectual property,” but unless they have direct experience with it just saying “intellectual property” or “IP” isn’t enough to provoke meaningful recognition As soon as you mention inventions or patents people have a much better idea of what I do Much to my amusement – and despite the aspersions sometimes cast at me and my fellow IP attorneys – people actually seem interested My days can change pretty radically depending on what’s hot at the moment That could mean my schedule is packed with team or client meetings I’ve got about five major litigations at various stages from pre-filing to near trial They involve computer-related technology cases as well as life sciences I also have a pending appeal from a district court win on summary judgment where I’m still waiting for an argument date Does one big piece of work usually take priority or are you juggling multiple things but I tend to have one or two things of paramount importance at any given time but the top priority is frequently deadline or schedule-driven – things like hearings and deposition dates are all based on or around court-set schedules so I’m always looking at what’s coming up in the next two weeks Trials are such that there’s a natural build-up as you live the case from the close of fact discovery What is the most exciting aspect of your role and what is the most stressful Tell us the key characteristics that make a successful IP lawyer an ability to absorb information quickly and sort material information from immaterial information What is the most common misconception about IP That success is driven primarily by detailed technical issues you have to understand the technology deeply and you have to be correct with your arguments What puts you over the top is weaving those technical details into a compelling emotional story so it’s not just that you’re right on the technical issues particularly the up-and-coming attorneys at our firm and there’s nothing like the way a well-functioning fully invested team can bring out greatness in each member I also get daily inspiration from my family and fun – not to mention a great sounding board My older daughter is in her first year of law school and I’ve been reinvigorated looking at the practice of law and advocacy through the wide eyes of a first year who is in her first year as a cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point Over and above the admirable choice to serve and dedication she and her fellow cadets devote to individual and group improvement is yet another source of inspiration and it provides real perspective when my challenges seem difficult I’ve answered that question a million different ways over the years I have an insatiable curiosity about everything and I love that my job allows me to learn about all sorts of industries and technologies and about the people who bring them to life The easy response would be a trial lawyer in some other area – but I don’t see that as materially different I’m not sure I would want to practice medicine and I’ve always enjoyed my life sciences cases Any advice you would give your younger self I’m pleased to report that I have not always taken the conventional path and then left for an upstart specialty firm that we’ve now built to 85-plus attorneys across three offices I think a big part of success involves understanding You have reached the limit for gifting for this month Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Pleasant again filled the air with smoky and savory smells as the city hosted its fifth annual Mid-South Barbecue Festival In a celebration that reflects the community’s ongoing revitalization efforts this year’s event is likely the largest yet with an estimated 8,000 visitors A certified Kansas City Barbecue Society event including one international team from Germany the Netherlands and Maury County were there to pick the winner Participants competed for a spot in the 2018 Jack Daniels International Barbecue Competition and $10,000 in prize money Another $1,500 was held for the winner of the Southern Pride Triple Crown an award given to the team with the most cumulative points after competing in neighboring Lewisburg and Winchester Members of the German contest-winning Viking BBQ team were hard at work preparing a rack of ribs for the judges on Saturday Daniel Raeder and Christian Leonhardt stopped to compete in Mt Pleasant in a cross-county tour that will end in Las Vegas “There is good competition here and a lot of us here are practicing for the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue,” Bondorf said “This is my first time in the States and every region is great This here is a big barbecue family and we sometimes don’t know how it works here but everyone helps us out The team was sponsored by Steve Benson of Saffire Grilles organized a set of grills for the team so they could compete in Mt “You must do this with fun and you must so this with competition.” Contagious Q led by Sean Michael of Kingsport took home the title grand champion followed by fellow Kingsport team Under the Radar led by Allen Clem The Triple Crown trophy went to Paul Keltner of Columbia Rooters ‘n’ Tooters 60 vendors were at the event selling home-made products from whiskey barrel furniture to homemade crayons the second place winner in the event’s locals only competition was busy serving ribs and pulled pork to the to hungry visitors all day “We just love hanging out with the people and making new friends,” Milton Knowles said One of event’s highlights was a children’s costume contest and parade led by the Mt “I think it is great they put this on for the kids,” Jessica Hallmark said as she and Caleb Gray walked with 2-year-old Kaylon Gray dressed as a southern belle Sully Staggs won the hearts of many spectators dressed as former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson The 3-year-old’s costume was complete with tattoos and a championship belt He also gave a special performance on the festival stage playing along with musical guest The Inman Brothers using his black acoustic guitar As the city continues its transformation into Maury County’s “Hub of Reinvention,” an ongoing effort to revitalize its downtown and rebrand the former phosphate capital of the world the organizers were sure to bring attention to the city’s growing number of local businesses Visitors were able to shop Jernigan’s on Main a boutique filled with creative repurposed pieces of furniture and a selection of unique homemade wares They inspected the country-style goods at Tailored Tumbleweed Barbecue lovers could also enjoy a cup of coffee at Buckhead Coffee House and find something special at the city’s longstanding Too Much Stuff Emporium “All of our local businesses owners are taking part in the event,” event coordinator Donna Morency said “We changed the configuration with our vendors to make sure that everyone knows our businesses are open We want this event to be good for our community and our shop owners and it looks like we accomplished it.” Morency said she hopes the festival will not only bring attention to the city’s growing downtown for visitors Pleasant’s locals of the things that are happening in their own community “It sounds weird but we almost have to retrain people to come back down here and shop locally,” Morency said “People are not used to having stores open we have to reeducate them of what the city has to offer.” Some of the city’s storefronts have remained closed for three decades despite other revitalization efforts in the past “We are doing this carefully and with the intention that these bushiness will last,” Morency said The effort is spearheaded by Maury County Investments a group of local philanthropists who are purchasing and renovating the city’s crumbling buildings and creating incentives for local businesses to set-up shop in the city’s storefronts some of which have stood vacant for nearly a decade “Everybody who comes up to me says they see the change and the fact that they see that change makes all the difference in the world,” City Manager Kate Collier said “We have two more stores opening in the next month It took us a long time to get where we are and it is going to take us a long time to get where we need to be but we are heading in that direction.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Your cab could just as well be driven from Brazil – provided that the data packets are delivered reliably and A taxi driver navigating his cab through the city A surgeon performing a procedure at the operating table The crew in the control tower monitoring and directing air traffic We instinctively place each of these pairs in close physical proximity to each other “But these close spatial relationships are in the process of dissolving,” points out Professor Steffen Bondorf The computer scientist heads the Chair of Distributed and Networked Systems in the Faculty of Computer Science at Ruhr University Bochum “Calling a hotline makes us think the person is somewhere close to us but that’s not necessarily the case nowadays Such call centers are quite often located on a different continent.” it’s possible to devise and even implement new ways of decoupling still existing physical proximity requirements Why should control tower operators be tied to the airport They could control and direct air traffic remotely via monitors The taxi could be navigated through Berlin from Rio de Janeiro The doctor could control her surgical instruments from anywhere saving patients a stressful and time-consuming trip to a specialist clinic When a user submits a search query to Google from their smartphone the first step is for the smartphone to send the data to the nearest cell tower it’s transmitted via a fibre-optic cable to an internet service provider’s hub that relays it to a Google server Since data can be copied and Google has servers on every continent control signals may have to travel as intercontinental data traffic via submarine cables Each section of the route and each node at which they are relayed affects the speed at which they progress the same rules apply as on the highway: the more traffic there is the longer you have to wait and the slower your progress will be “How the individual components behave is determined But they are by no means the only factor,” elaborates Steffen Bondorf standards are also defined in cooperation between researchers hardware manufacturers and representatives of political bodies.” This includes ways of dealing with congestion on the information superhighway “If too many data packets arrive at an internet node at the same time they can’t all be processed immediately and will end up with a queue,” explains Steffen Bondorf Extended waiting times there can cause our video to freeze Standards specify which data may need to be prioritised to avoid delays “It’s like when all cars have to wait at a red light while the fire engine is allowed to go through,” illustrates Bondorf Such prioritisation of data can potentially lead to conflicts Large corporations are keen to prioritise their services and customers net neutrality advocates call for a level playing field for all data it is possible to prioritise data,” says Steffen Bondorf He uses what is known as the network calculus to model the path of data travelling from A to B – for example All stations and interfaces that the data passes through are incorporated into the model including abstractions of their technical specifications “One reason this works is because the organisation of the internet is strictly hierarchical,” explains the researcher “Data traversing this hierarchical structure tends to take the shortest route to the next higher node and back again.” a transmission time from A to B is set and must not be exceeded a data packet from Rio to Berlin must not take more than 700 milliseconds the researcher assumes error-free conditions The analysis then produces a single value: an upper bound on the maximum delay of data packet transport the link is proven to be fast enough,” says Bondorf we can still work out what adjustments we need to make to get below the pre-defined bound That’s where data prioritisation again comes into play.” Eight priority levels are available to the devices used on the internet It’s possible to calculate which priority level the data packets should have in order to stay under the time limit – but this calculation is very time-consuming Steffen Bondorf makes his analysis tool available under a permissible open-source license “I do assume that enterprises that operate networks or develop components will utilise the results of my research,” he says it is usually difficult to obtain information from the industry as they protect their intellectual property by secrecy Even when it comes to implementing standards we have to trust that the companies follow the specification in its very detail because they don’t disclose their source code the question of what’s theoretically possible is the core motivation behind my research efforts,” he concludes The Sustainability Awards 2025 celebrate sustainable design and a strong commitment to sustainable architectural transformation 30 Apr 2025 • 2m read • View Author Brought to you in association by Bondor Metecno Proud Partners of the 2025 Sustainability Awards Technoform showcases key research and engages in informational workshop at FGIA annual conference Technoform introduces warm-edge spacer with matte black sidewall How the WELL movement is creating healthier buildings across Asia Pacific 29 May 2024 • 3m read • View Author Finding-purpose-in-repurposing-Adaptive-Reuse-1732088199.png Brought to you in association by Bondor Metecno Proud Partners of the 2024 Sustainability Awards While there’s many architectural buzzwords doing the rounds at any given time The requirement and need to transform existing building stock is bringing the best out of our nation’s architects who are constantly ‘re-lifing’ materials in order to reduce emissions and create a greener future The Adaptive Reuse (Alteration/Addition) category at the 2024 Sustainability Awards celebrates architects who salvage and repurpose materials from existing structures functional designs that respect the building's historical significance and surroundings Judging for the Sustainability Awards focuses on innovation Architects showcasing expertise in sustainable designs and minimising environmental impact are recognized and celebrated SJB won last year's Adaptive Reuse category for their work on Yirranma Place (pictured) praised for its design that seamlessly integrated contemporary technologies with the existing fabric Originally constructed in the 1920s in the interwar Beaux Arts style the First Church of Christ Scientist building in Darlinghurst was transformed into a private residence in the 1980s SJB's challenge was to blend sustainable design principles with modern building code compliance to create a workplace that offers the best environment for occupants and future uses The transformed building now features flexible spaces for various functions and connection to the land were key considerations with input from land elders like Uncle Badger Bates who incorporated dreamtime stories into the building's new narrative Existing functions of the building were preserved and adapted to be enjoyed by current and future generations showcasing its past uses while meeting modern ESD requirements Yirranma Place serves as an industry example demonstrating that sustainability can be achieved while positively impacting the environment and community a leader in thermal building solutions and lightweight architectural panels is the official Adaptive Reuse Category Partner for the 2024 Sustainability Awards Bondor is dedicated to improving environmental and sustainable building practices with its insulated panels made from recycled materials and designed for easy disassembly and reuse This makes Bondor's insulated panels a sustainable choice for the hospitality and tourism industry reducing the need for new materials and conserving resources Architects and designers committed to sustainable design are encouraged to register for the 2024 Sustainability Awards to showcase their innovative projects and dedication to building a more sustainable future. To do so, please click here. 20 Oct 2024 • 3m read • View Author Baxter_Rooming_House_InsulLiving-2.jpgBaxter_Rooming_House_InsulLiving-2 We all know Australians are suffering through one of the biggest housing crises in our history. Cost of living, housing affordability, and the rental crisis have combined for a perfect storm facing the housing market. Developer and property consultant Nick Constantinou has found a solution to that problem, with a 21st century take on the traditional rooming house concept as an efficient way of housing a number of people under the one roof. Far from the boarding houses of yesteryears, which tended to be rundown, older houses with tenants living on top of each other sharing a bathroom, his concept was to build a modern group home with ensuites in each lettable room along with common kitchen and living areas. To make his concept affordable he needed a product that was quick and easy to work with – one that also offered thermal efficiency to reduce long-term energy usage and running costs. Bondor’s InsulLiving® building system, combining InsulWall® walling and SolarSpan® roofing products, provided the combination of speed of installation and energy efficiency that he was looking for. With the concept under development since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baxter Rooming House is the first of its kind to be built in Victoria. The house features eight studio rooms, each with their own ensuite, with tenants sharing the living area, kitchen and laundry, as well as common outdoor entertaining areas. Nick decided on Bondor’s prefabricated all-in-one insulated panels to meet the requirements for a fast, efficient and affordable build. “One of the benefits of using SolarSpan was that no frame was needed, and we were able to span eight metres with the roof panels,” Nick said. “And the whole roof went on within a couple of days.” SolarSpan insulated roofing is faster to install than conventional roofing, eliminating the need for individual processes including mesh, insulation and roof sheet application. The long spans significantly reduce structural framing requirements, all contributing to a faster build time and handover without compromising on performance.  “We had prefinished InsulWall panels that we could etch or have finished to any COLORBOND colour,” Nick said. “We decided to put sun panels on to soften it a bit, but you could have actually left it as is and textured it with paint.” InsulWall is an all-in-one loadbearing insulated wall panel that uses a unique primed coated BlueScope steel technology, readymade for painting, rendering or cladding encasing a high performing insulated core. InsulWall offers unique features such as a preformed rebated joint for setting plaster and delivering a continuous coated surface for painting internally. Nick designed the rooming house with all the studio rooms with a north facing aspect to maximise light coming in, with bright internal colours to minimise the need to put the lights on all the time. The ease of construction using the prefabricated InsulWall and SolarSpan panels meant that the home was completed in just six months. The InsulLiving building system is engineered to Australian Standards and CodeMark accredited, offering a complete thermal envelope exceeding the current thermal efficiency requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) for a wide range of climate zones. Product: Bondor’s InsulLiving® Building System Australia’s leading manufacturer of insulated building panels is celebrating its 65th birthday this year Founded in 1951 by George Raspopin and Peter Muratidis the company started off as a manufacturer of “good doors” (Bondor means good door in French) before switching to producing insulated panels at the request of Pennell’s Cold Stores it steadily developed its business to become Australia’s leading manufacturer of insulated panels involved in a wide range of commercial and industrial projects as a supplier of walling residential markets and architectural facades the company became part of the Metecno Group in 2001 and today employs over 200 people in six sites across Australia “We are very fortunate to have such an experienced workforce or in the industry for over 20 years,” said Bondor’s General Manager Geoff Marsdon “Experience of our product type and how it can be used in an Australian environment is invaluable particularly when looking at effective construction techniques suitable for Australian conditions.” He said the company has survived a number of changes in the building product manufacturing industry over the course of its existence and had to incorporate new ways of doing things both in terms of manufacturing practices and dealing with cheap overseas competitors to stay afloat “Significant changes have included focus on safety; modifications to building standards and an intensification in industry regulations; and expanded interest in energy efficiency and sustainability; and increased competition through imported building products,” Mr Marsdon said “We have also seen major improvements in efficiency and service offer which has meant prices trend down while lead times and general service levels have improved it is indisputable that our workplaces are better than 65 years ago that’s not to say they can’t continue to improve but there have been substantial enhancements in workplace systems and processes.” He said Bondor aimed to cement its position at the top and had invested heavily in infrastructure and technology to improve operating efficiency and stay at the forefront of developments in thermally efficient building products “Bondor has been working on a program to upgrade our production facilities across the country this along with an investment in polyisocyanurate (PIR) technology has kept us a step ahead of our traditional competitors in Australia,” Mr Marsdon said “The requirement for higher performing products particularly in regards to thermal efficiency and fire protection has seen greater interest in efficient products such as PIR and mineral fibre core systems While our business was initially based around construction of cold rooms and related buildings we have been able to diversify through innovation Generally in these new markets we act as a materials supplier to builders Bondor projects span major sports stadiums down to single houses and home renovations The company exports its range of products in the Pacific Keep me up to date with the latest Australian Manufacturing news Australian Manufacturing (AM) is the leading publication and resource for the manufacturing and industrial sector in Australia 08 Jul 2020 • 3m read • View Author Day-1.jpg PanelUp, a prefab construction system incorporating roof and wall panels from Bondor was used to complete a duplex build in the Sydney suburb of Matraville in just 10 days Built by the Illawarra-based Unique Style Homes the architecturally designed residence features the NSW innovation PanelUp a prefab construction system incorporating Bondor’s SolarSpan roof panels and InsulWall wall panels The open plan living home is a spacious two-storey duplex measuring 540 square metres in area Unique Style Homes director Sasha Veselinovic who also owns the offsite manufacturing company PanelUp Systems developed the prefab system over seven years combining Bondor’s roof panels and wall panels with 3D BIM computer technology and custom-made machinery to speed up construction by more than 50 per cent Observing that his prefab system was the fastest panelised house construction system in Australia Veselinovic stated that PanelUp could help complete a two-storey house to lockup from the slab up to the roof in just seven days A family home can be ready for its new owners in three to four months ahead of traditional construction methods “We use 3D BIM software to model each project and manufacture every house component offsite at our North Wollongong factory from external and internal walls to prefabricated floor cassettes timber frames and insulated roofing panels fitted together perfectly and can be erected by virtually any carpenter “It is a great alternative to traditional construction methods and can especially provide savings due to reduced labour costs “A PanelUp prefab home is built twice as fast We also offer a lockup stage only to owner builders and other trade professionals “Our system also offers a huge return on energy savings over the life of a home as InsulWall and SolarSpan panels form a complete thermal shell that significantly exceeds current Australian requirements for energy ratings Anybody searching for a perfectly insulated home or passive home will come knocking on our doors “Our building system is helping to reduce the environmental footprint of Australian homes something we are enormously proud of as a business with a sustainability focus We are presently 99 per cent paper-free and all material off-cuts in the factory are fully recycled,” Veselinovic concluded Unique Style Homes builds around 15 prefab homes a year but has the capacity to complete one unit every week at its factory The company also builds small modular homes and granny flats in Sydney Southern Highlands and Illawarra using its modular system where homes are fully completed in the factory and then transported to site Bondor NSW state manager Paul Adams considers the PanelUp prefab system as a significant development in residential prefabricated construction in Australia “This is important given the current high demand for affordable housing especially given the need for the rapid rebuild of our recently bushfire ravaged regional communities with families unable to build for extended periods forced to live in sheds and portable homes,” Adams said A rapid build prefabricated residential building system is a reality with PanelUp using Bondor Insulated Panels’ locally manufactured energy-efficient roof and wall system technology Watch the construction progress on Unique Style Home’s Facebook page and PanelUp Systems’ Instagram page. these tiny homes are providing hope amid a nationwide housing and cost-of-living crisis Eddie Davies, co-founder of Tiny Mobile said he believes their tiny homes can help Australians who are struggling to find quality homes on tight budgets. Tiny Mobile’s home ‘The Joey’ costs $85,000 and has been short-listed as one of the best builds under $100,000 ‘The Joey’ costs $85,000 and can be delivered and ready to live in within a week “We want to give Australians another option than committing to a taxing 30-year mortgage,” Mr Davies said “Our tiny homes can be comfortably paid off within three to five years,” he said The Tiny Mobile homes are constructed locally in Australia and can be fast-tracked Mr Davies said over the last few years he saw manufacturing lead times and budgets were “blowing out” Bondor manufacture the panels locally in each state and use BlueScope steel to create the insulated walls “These conditions inspired us to redefine construction and tap into a unique opportunity to offer a solution to some of the biggest pain points in the housing market,” he said MORE: Australia’s grim housing crisis laid bare ‘Don’t become us’: Australia warned over housing crisis The homes are 7.5m by 2.5m and include a kitchen Tiny Mobile also offers custom built tiny homes an Australian thermal building solutions company have created the panels for Tiny Mobile’s homes from BlueScope steel The panels make up both the internal and external wall of the tiny homes Bondor State Manager NSW/ACT said the panels are lightweight cost-effective and have “great thermal properties” Mr Mitchell said the demand for Tiny Mobile’s homes was “growing rapidly” in NSW and Queensland “We see this relocatable home market growing as its turnaround time will help provide Australians with accommodations in a short time frame which is becoming a key consideration for first homebuyers,” he said Tiny Mobile have recently expanded to the Queensland market and partnered with not-for-profit ESuarve to create workshops to help disengaged youth gain construction apprenticeships “We wish Tiny Mobile every success in this joint venture we see so many more opportunities for them in the market,” Mr Mitchell said MORE: Inside Alan Joyce’s ‘unexpected’ $20m+ retirement home third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. The page you are looking for could not be found. Try to find the page you were looking for. 05 Jan 2015 • 2m read • View Author Bondor-building-eco-friendly-cubby-house-for-a-gre-1732075410.png Australia’s leading supplier of insulated panels and thermal building solutions, Bondor is building a cubby house from scratch to raise money for a great cause. Taking part in the Kids Under Cover Cubby House Challenge, Bondor is working with micro-living specialists Build It Yourself and architect Fraser Paxton to construct an eco-friendly cubby featuring a striking design and offering several environment-friendly, sustainable benefits. Made using some of Bondor’s signature products, the cubby is expected to make an impact in the competition. Bondor National Product Manager Paul Adams said the team had worked to integrate elements that suited the Bondor philosophy while having a design appealing to kids. The cubby house will have the usual Bondor features provided to any client including a cool insulated frame and great colour theme as well as plenty of space for the kids to play in, which is an important requirement in any cubby design. Architect Fraser Paxton said he wanted to incorporate an element of mystery into the design, by making it blend into the environment. The rooftop garden for instance, keeps the cubby house cool and helps it blend in as well while the different levels of transparency in the windows and the screen by the front door provide enough mystery and playfulness to allow for plenty of imaginative games. Kids Under Cover supports vulnerable young people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Kids Under Cover Cubby House Challenge brings together members of the building community to design, build and decorate creative cubby houses for public viewing and auction. Kids Under Cover will use money raised to place freestanding, reusable studios in the backyards of families in need to relieve pressure on overcrowded households. All entries will be on display at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show from 25 March to 29 March 2015. 04 Feb 2014 • 3m read • View Author First-Bondor-InsulLiving-eco-display-home-in-NSW-u-1736088357.png Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz has unveiled New South Wales’ first Bondor InsulLiving™ 8 Star energy-rated display home in Wilton’s Bingara Gorge suburb the house showcases Bondor’s InsulWall® and SolarSpan® thermal building products who can experience the insulation benefits firsthand “The thermal technology used ensures the house stays cool in summer – a major advantage in a hot Australian summer – and warm in winter,” says Bondor’s general manager “We believe that the thermal efficiency offered by insulated panels but is emerging as a key element in the future of the built environment.” InsulLiving™ homes can be tailored to fit all budgets starting with a simple design when finances are tight and growing with the family through the easy addition of further modules up to 34 per cent less than traditional building materials This reduces on-site labour costs and provides earlier occupancy for the customer While several New South Wales builders have already embraced the InsulLiving™ technology the Wilton residence is the state’s first official display home The project was conceived by Bondor as the next step towards zero energy housing with the InsulLiving™ system expected to offer a complete thermal envelope exceeding the current thermal efficiency requirements of the Building Code of Australia for a range of climate zones Bondor’s prototype InsulLiving™ house was built in Burpengary, Queensland, and earned an ‘as designed’ energy rating of eight stars. Following a year-long independent study into its energy use, it managed to achieve a ‘real life’ energy rating of 9.5 stars – the family of four who road-tested the Burpengary house had spent an average of only 44 cents a day on heating and cooling. “The Wilton house has received many visitors throughout the construction process and the initial reaction has been positive. Many have commented on the modern styling of the facade and the architectural feel of the home,” says Hampshire Homes’ operations manager, Mathew Smith. “Visitors also immediately notice the thermal qualities of the build, the internal ambient temperature being noticeably cooler than the outside.” The Hampshire Homes InsulLiving™ display house is located at 11 Berrima Road, Bingara Gorge, Wilton, and features four bedrooms, two bathrooms, double garage, alfresco area and separate lounge/media room. Other features include double height raked ceilings in the open plan living areas, CaesarStone benchtops in the kitchen, modern bathroom fittings, a solar hot water system, and louvre windows to maximise natural airflow. Today there are more than 8,000 Bangladeshi/Indian restaurants in Britain employing 80,000 people with a turnover of £4 billion The Chicken Tikka Masala has become so popular it has been dubbed the new national dish Going out for a curry has become as British as the iconic black taxi or the red phone boxes Brick Lane on the Eastern fringe of London has become England's curry capital The British Bangladeshi community numbers 500,000 strong mostly concentrated in the borough of Tower Hamlets There are sizeable Bangladeshi communities in Birmingham In recognition of the growing contribution and influence of the Bangladeshi community Brick Lane and the surrounding area has been dubbed Banglatown and the lamp posts are painted red and green in honour of the Bangladeshi flag Changes in the immigration rules in the 1960s and 70s allowed people from the former colonies to seek work in Britain The ex-seamen brought their kith and kin to work in the post-war boom But it was at this time that racial violence grew Skinhead gangs of the National Front roamed Brick Lane and so the Bangladeshi men and women were forced to form youth organisations to defend Brick Lane and the Bangladeshi community John Newbigin worked in Brick Lane in the late seventies as a youth and community worker “The situation was bad in the summer of 1976,” recalls Newbigin “But it reached its climax in the summer of 1978 There was a good deal of open intimidation on the street people having bricks put through their windows clothes drying on the line would be cut with razors incredible level of violence and the response of the police was absolutely pathetic.” The authorities seemed unable or unwilling to act Newbigin remembers that some schools used to lock the Bangladeshi boys in a classroom at break time to stop them being beaten up “So you can imagine what was happening was that round the doors and windows of the classroom where the white kids beating on the windows “We will get you when you get out”.” was stabbed to death while walking home from work The killers left a note on the wall saying “We're back!” There was an outpouring of grief and shock Liberal sections of society and human rights activists rallied against the racist violence Gradually the skinheads were driven out of Brick Lane the racist attacks were particularly shocking since they had come to Britain as subjects of the Queen One ex-sailor who had been wounded in the Second World War famously told researcher Caroline Adams: “I did not come here as an immigrant This was our country and Britain needed us then (during the war) Without the support of Indians and others she could not last more than a few days These days they call us black bastards and spit at our children on the street This turbulent period was only the latest in Brick Lane's long history of immigration and complex race relations Home to French protestant Huguenot silk weavers fleeing persecution in Europe in the 18th century and Ashkenazi Jews escaping pogroms in the 19th and 20th centuries economic crises and fresh rounds of immigration each time from places that seemed deeply "foreign" to those who had already settled in and many of the more noisy and smelly industries like fabric dyeing brick kilns and tanneries were located here Brick Lane was Jack the Ripper's favourite stomping ground The breweries of Brick Lane slaked London's thirst and when the Great Fire destroyed much of London in the 17th century it was Brick Lane's bricks that were used to rebuild the city Nothing symbolises the area's endlessly shifting history more than the old red brick building on the corner of Fournier Street in 1976 it became the Brick Lane Mosque or Jaame Masjid High up on the outer facade of the building is a throwback to the past: a sundial with an eerily appropriate Latin inscription “Umbra sumus” or “We are Shadows” “Many communities came and went,” says Abdul Latif “The Bangladeshis were the last to come by sea thanks in no small part to the contribution of the Bangladeshi community It is known not only for Chicken Tikka Masala The famous Truman Brewery has been turned into a creative centre for designers Tower Hamlets is still one of London's poorest boroughs and unemployment is still rife among Bangladeshi youth But Brick Lane is undoubtedly a classic tale of immigrant success East London is not the only area where British Bangladeshis have made their mark The remittance sent by them has transformed Sylhet this might just be the wealthiest city in Bangladesh apart from Dhaka Many other townships in the Sylhet region -- Maulvibazar Goalabazar -- enjoy the same level of prosperity Even the poorest can afford a tin roof over their heads Rickshaw-wallas from other districts flock to Sylhet The roads are good and the shops are well-stocked The shopping districts of Zindabazar and Bondor Bazar are buzzing with customers There is an international airport and several airlines offer direct flights to and from London There is a “Tescco” with the same font but with an extra “c” There is a London Mansion and even a Bluewater Shopping Centre Take a drive outside the city and you see sumptuous mansions dotting the rural landscape These “Curry Palaces” stand empty most of the year they convey a powerful message -- an enduring symbol of a local boy made good if we look beyond the remittance driven prosperity Sylhet does not have much else to sustain the economy There are a few large industries and agricultural production is low compared to other districts Where farmers in other regions grow three crops a year This is sometimes due to lack of arable land and low fertility but lack of interest in agriculture also plays a part But it has created a consumer society and imparted a gloss of prosperity that may not be sustainable in the long run There is a view that although first and second generation British Bangladeshis sent a lot of money back to Bangladesh there was a lack of emphasis on creating jobs and moving towards a sustainable development model “Many young men in Sylhet don't really have to work very hard for a living,” says Moinuddin Ahmed a schoolteacher in Sylhet's Biswanath Upazilla “They just wait for the remittance to arrive When I ask children in my class what they want to be when they grow up They think the streets there are paved with gold As a result the dropout rate is very high.” “We send money to support our family members back home,” said Afzal Miah who owns a restaurant in Birmingham and we try to share with our family members who helped send us here we would have liked to invest in sectors that would put our young men to work But was there really a proper framework for us to do that The government of Bangladesh must do more to encourage investment in productive areas.” This feeling of insecurity and lack of direction may explain why most of British Bangladeshi money has been channeled into buying land and constructing pretentious buildings in Sylhet This does little else except drive up the price of real estate Ayub Korom Ali is a Labour councilor in the London Borough of Newham Ali is critical of all the building work and feels the money could be used in more productive ways “But we have to understand that there is a lack of policy direction from the government of Bangladesh Because British Bangladeshis sometimes don't get a clear picture or sound advice they tend to follow lived experiences of people they know If they see that someone built a shopping mall and made some money they will think: why can't I build a bigger one?” It is not that Sylhet lacks potential or resources The region's proximity to the seven-sister states of India opens up the potential for trade “It is the mindset that needs to be changed,” says Moinuddin That may be happening with the emergence of a new breed of businessmen Part of the problem was the image that Non Resident Bangladeshis had of the mother country Many British Bangladeshis went to the UK decades ago and apart from occasional family visits have had little contact with Bangladesh As a result they have not always had a clear picture of the direction the country's economy has taken For third generation British Bangladeshis the relationship with their ancestral land has been even more complex we used to land at the airport in Dhaka and go straight to my dad's village in a rented car,” says Marzuq “That was how I've always thought of Bangladesh -- a huge village I couldn't wait to get back to England.” Marzuq who graduated in 2007 with a degree in mechanical engineering spent some time in Dhaka and Sylhet in August this year “I liked it much better this time around The flow of remittance so crucial to Bangladesh's economy took a hit in 2007 when money transfer giant First Solution collapsed under a cloud The popular moneychanger used widely by British Bangladeshis declared bankruptcy owing £2 million to its customers Thousands of people in Britain and Bangladesh suffered financial losses Although First Solution's sensational collapse received a lot of press in both countries what has got much less publicity is the bold bid by a group of young British Bangladeshi businessmen to rescue the company and give clients a chance to get their money back This was long before “bailout” became a household word The man leading the revival bid is Matakin Ali a soft-spoken Finance and Management expert from Bradford “The brand had got so much bad press that no one would touch it with a pole We also felt a sense of obligation towards the community.” Whether their ambitious attempt succeeds or not Matakin Ali and others like him represent a new generation of entrepreneurs who are asserting themselves in British Bangladeshi affairs And they are increasingly looking at a more sustainable and mutually beneficial model when it comes to Bangladesh “Our parents sent money to Bangladesh even if it meant curtailing things in the UK,” says Matakin Ali “Our generation sees things differently We believe the climate is becoming more investor-friendly in Bangladesh.” They may have more than just money to offer China and India are already looking beyond remittance and focusing on business-oriented models in seeking Diaspora contributions to development Taiwan for example has pursued a “brain trust” model China has worked hard to attract direct investment and explore trade links through overseas Chinese communities India has launched a multi-pronged Diaspora policy market opening and out-sourcing opportunities “NRB professionals can contribute a lot towards changing our work ethic and training the work force,” says Ayub Korom Ali “We understand Bangladesh much better than European or North American experts.” In 2001 Ali was sent to Sylhet by Tower Hamlets council to lead an urban waste management project called “Sylhet Partnership” The project was a success and has left a lasting impact on Sylhet's waste management system “Let's try to reverse the brain drain by getting some NRB professionals to work in key positions,” says Ayub Ali A lot of people talk the talk when it comes to investing in the mother country but one of the few who have walked the walk is Musleh Ahmed the young British Bangladeshi entrepreneur who set up the 5-star Dhaka Regency Hotel on the road to Zia International Airport Musleh Ahmed along with two of his friends heads up the British Bangladesh Investment Group With 400 rooms and 18000 square feet of restaurant space the Dhaka Regency is enduring proof that diasporic investors can make it in Bangladesh everyone was like 'what are you talking about Musleh Ahmed believes that with growth slowing in North America and Europe the time may be right to invest in Bangladesh “But the government has to get rid of bureaucratic bottlenecks and maintain stability and security,” says this transnational entrepreneur Lack of policy and infrastructure support from the government is a common complaint That may be about to change with the setting up of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Sylhet which are owned and operated by the government the SEZ would be a public-private partnership The proposal could change the economic landscape of the region and has created strong interest among the diaspora A large trade mission from the British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce -- the apex body representing British Bangladeshi businessmen -- visited Bangladesh earlier this month with a view to assessing investment opportunities the team met the President and the Chief Advisor before heading off to Sylhet to survey potential sites for the SEZ The UK is already one of the largest investors in Bangladesh with investments close to £1.5 billion pounds prime examples of British Bangladeshi business ventures in this country include Seamark Nandan Park and Kushiara Composite Knit Industries “Our aim is to further boost trade between the two partners as BBCC is in a unique position to facilitate new export opportunities” These visits sometimes tend to be little more than annual rituals but the saving grace this time was the presence of several third generation British Bangladeshi entrepreneurs Most of the delegates already have substantial investments in Bangladesh Iqbal Ahmed who received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2001 owns the Seamark Group which has frozen fish processing plants in Bangladesh Absar M Waess owns an agro-fisheries project in Maulvibazar Emdad Ahmed is a director of the Probashi Palli being set up in Gazipur Abdul Aziz Bari works for Symantec Corporation in London and has considerable interests in the IT sector in Bangladesh The sole female entrepreneur was Ranjana Chowdhury A property and restaurant “baroness” in Cambridgeshire Ranjana was elected councilor for her hometown of Huntingdon in 1999 “This is the land of our fathers and I'm proud to be here I would like to think we have the best of both worlds.” Ranjana embodies the dual nature of her heritage She shows the tough independence and can-do attitude she learnt in Britain but at the same time loves to wear a saree when she is in Bangladesh Ranjana is eager and bright-eyed as she discusses the investment opportunities she sees in this country “Health and tourism is where I see tremendous potential,” she says But are people like Ranjana the exception and is it realistic to expect third and fourth generation British Bangladeshis to retain an interest in the land of their ancestors a Research Fellow at CRONEM (Centre for Research on Nationalism Ethnicity and Multiculturalism) of Roehampton University London believes that the question of identity is key to understanding the British Bangladeshi community “For them there is no contradiction in being both British and Bangladeshi The Bangladeshi community in the UK is integrating but they don't want to lose their heritage and their way of life they are in a sense always searching for their identity.” It is the question of identity that will dictate how much interaction third generation British Bangladeshis have with Bangladesh Their fathers and grandfathers harboured the “myth of return.” To third generation British Bangladeshis But Bangladesh will always be an integral part of who they are It was economics that forged the link between Britain and Bangladesh The scale and potential for Bangladesh is obvious - a population of 150 million a hard working people and an emerging middle class Although Bangladesh suffers from bad press JP Morgan included Bangladesh in their "Frontier Five" group of countries in mid 2007 (alongside Kazakhstan Nigeria and Vietnam) and Goldman Sachs also included Bangladesh in their 'Next 11 countries to watch.' “This is the first time I have had the opportunity to really explore Bangladesh,” says Ranjana Chowdhury “I return to London with many exciting new ideas These two regions have been interlinked and to some extent interdependent for centuries the diaspora may be able to play a pivotal role in Bangladesh's development Acknowledgement: The writer wishes to thank Tim Sowula who works for the international development agency CAFOD in London for his invaluable contribution to this article.