ABB321 Highrise Construction

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This unit covers the construction of high-rise buildings – buildings above 12-storeys high. The major differences from other buildings lie in the impact of increased height on design and construction processes, with structural systems, services and safety being the most significant. In this unit you will learn about the below topics:
• Demolition;
• Temporary works;
• Excavations and foundations;
• Retention and shoring systems;
• Engineering of structural components;
• Formwork systems;
• Selection of construction methods and equipment;
• Interaction of building components, systems and services;
• Common building faults and rectification;
• External cladding systems;
• Construction planning for high rise construction;
• Using generative AI to inform the construction process.

This unit builds upon the principles learnt in Small-scale Building Construction, Low-Rise Construction, and Building Services.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify common construction problems and technology issues and evaluate and propose innovative solutions.
2. Evaluate approaches to constructing high-rise projects and propose the most appropriate approach.
3. Present construction management plans professionally and persuasively.
4. Collaborate in cohesive teams to build professional relationships and achieve goals.
5. Think creatively to improve efficiency and processes in construction approaches.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit employs active, practical hands on and collaborative learning to provide opportunities for you to practice applying construction processes that occur on high rise construction sites.

Your participation in the unit includes:
• Independent engagement with online learning guides that provide resources and learning activities to introduce concepts and apply and consolidate your knowledge
• Weekly lectures and tutorials that include:
- Industry representatives and lecturers who introduce new concepts and facilitate discussion and knowledge sharing
- Activities that allow you to practice applying your knowledge and skills of critical inquiry and problem solving through the use of workplace situations and scenarios
• Reflection on your development of knowledge, skills and experiences

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

Self feedback:
• Through the learning guides and reflections

Peer feedback:
• Through the tutorial activities and the group assignment

Expert feedback:
• Through the industry representative lectures

Adaptive feedback:
• Through the learning activities in the learning guides

Teacher feedback:
• Comments returned to you via Canvas
• Generic comments provided via QUT Canvas and in class

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit is structured to develop and assess your ability to apply high-rise construction knowledge in both innovative professional contexts and individually verified learning environments. Across the three assessment tasks, you will engage in GenAI-supported problem-solving, collaborative industry-aligned planning, and an invigilated examination to demonstrate independent understanding of core high-rise construction concepts.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Scoping a Pre-Construction Management Plan

You will use AI tools to scope a Pre-Construction Management Plan for a construction project in Brisbane to build a high-rise office building. Through AI-driven conversations, you will iteratively ask questions to refine and develop a comprehensive plan. The objective is to critically evaluate and validate AI-generated responses against reliable independent resources such as peer-reviewed articles, relevant industry standards, and construction guidelines.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Pre-Construction Management Plan

As a team of construction managers, you will prepare a pre-construction management planning submission to be made to the senior manager of a prestigious Tier 1 contractor on a CBD based high-rise construction project in response to a call for competitive expressions of interest as a preliminary to a more detailed formal bid process if short-listed by the developers. Your proposal will cover the best practices in high rise construction and cover the major processes.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Examination

An examination to test your understanding of concepts and techniques delivered in guest lectures and tutorials throughout the semester. The examination will be a mixture of multi-choice, short answer, and reflective questions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

All commencing Faculty of Engineering students are required to complete the Mandatory Safety Induction

There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.

Course Learning Outcomes

AB01 Bachelor of Built Environment (Honours)

1. Apply theoretical, practical and cultural knowledge and skills across a range of disciplines and specialist knowledge and skills in one built environment area.
   Relates to: Scoping a Pre-Construction Management Plan, Pre-Construction Management Plan, Examination
2. Design and critically evaluate sustainable and creative solutions to social, economic, technological and environmental challenges.
   Relates to: Scoping a Pre-Construction Management Plan, Pre-Construction Management Plan, Examination
3. Communicate knowledge, ideas and creative solutions in diverse modes, for a range of contexts and diverse audiences.
   Relates to: Scoping a Pre-Construction Management Plan, Pre-Construction Management Plan
4. Strategically collaborate with diverse stakeholders and communities, including First Nations peoples.
   Relates to: Scoping a Pre-Construction Management Plan, Pre-Construction Management Plan
5. Reflect on feedback and experience, and display professional and ethical judgment and initiative.
   Relates to: Scoping a Pre-Construction Management Plan, Pre-Construction Management Plan, Examination