Project Remediate is the New South Wales Government program that assesses, designs and delivers the replacement of combustible cladding on occupied residential strata buildings. MJ Engineering Projects contributed to three interconnected scopes: façade-engineering investigation, fire-engineering investigation and superintendent services during construction. The following summarises how our role in Project Remediate guided over seventy class 2 buildings from early triage through certified completion, keeping residents safe, protecting the owners corporation’s budget and satisfying the program’s tight performance timetable.
Project Background
Combustible aluminium-composite panels were identified on hundreds of New South Wales apartment buildings; the Office of the Building Commissioner launched Project Remediate to help owners fund and coordinate façade replacement. The program manager, Hansen Yuncken, leads a network of auditors, designers, builders and independent assurers. MJ Engineering Projects, with more than fifteen years of remedial-works experience, joined at three different stages:
- Façade engineering during planning and investigation
- Fire engineering during planning and investigation
- Superintendent during remediation construction
Each role carried separate contractual duties, yet all three shared the single aim of delivering a fire-safe, weather-tight façade for every participating building.
Façade Engineer Scope Summary
- Document review and data planning
MJ Engineering Projects began by analysing as-built drawings, council fire orders, maintenance logs and previous condition reports. Our Project Remediate team coordinated with the investigation lead to decide which façade zones, panel sizes and fixings should be sampled, ensuring access demands and resident disruption were minimal. - On-site investigation and testing
We examined installation systems, framing, junctions, weatherproofing, combustibility of facade element and adjoining services. - Reporting
All findings fed into our comprehensive Investigation Report. The report listed combustible quantities, structural constraints, ancillary defects and recommended replacement options. A project brief summarised façade remediation scope, prepared in the format required by the Cladding Product Safety Panel and pattern book. If requested, MJ Engineering Projects attended review sessions with the client, Fire and Rescue NSW or council officers to answer technical queries.
Fire Engineer Scope Summary
- Fire document review
Fire orders, previous performance solutions and council correspondence, any existing fire-engineering reports and façade drawings were examined. - Field assessment
On-site inspections checked panel composition, cavity barriers, fixings, compartment separation and proximity to exits. We assessed potential ignition sources and mapped fire-spread scenarios. - Fire-safety reporting and project brief
All observations were consolidated into an Investigation Fire Safety Report, outlining risk level, recommended replacement materials and required temporary measures. The report concluded with a fire-remediation project brief that complimented the façade-engineering brief, providing the design consortium with a unified scope for the next phase.
Superintendent Scope Summary
- Pre-mobilisation duties
We confirmed that the contractor accepted principal-contractor status, reviewed its project-specific WHSE plan through an independent desktop audit and chaired a pre-start meeting with Hansen Yuncken, the independent assurer and design consultants. All site staff completed mandatory TAFE and SafeWork training and uploaded credentials to the SignOnSite platform. - Contract administration and site governance
MJ Engineering Projects issued directions only to contracting parties, responded to RFIs and used Aconex and BIM 360 for document control. Monthly Payapps claims were certified with supporting progress reports, and variation, delay and provisional-sum claims were assessed. - Quality assurance and critical inspections
MJ Engineering Projects approved the contractor’s quality-management plan, established hold points for critical stage inspections and ensured defects were logged and closed out. Samples, prototypes and shop drawings were reviewed with the design consultant, and any latent conditions were resolved through coordinated design variations lodged under the Design and Building Practitioners Act. - WHSE oversight
Using the Project Remediate Red and Yellow Card system, MJ Engineering Projects reviewed incident reports and verified corrective actions. - Practical completion and handover
MJ Engineering Projects coordinated final inspections during Project Remediate with the independent assurer, design team and consent authority, verified warranties and operation manuals, and confirmed all Building Compliance Declaration submissions. Practical-completion certificates and remediation-assurance certificates were issued, followed by a post-completion report outlining final cost, time and performance outcomes. MJ Engineering Projects then monitored the defects-liability period and certified final payments.
Key Challenges and Solutions
Latent Condtions
A key challenge encountered throughout these projects was the discovery and management of latent conditions during the works. As is common in older buildings, underlying issues such as water penetration, failed adjoining elements, corroded structural fixings, and rusting support members were revealed once the existing cladding was removed. These unforeseen defects had the potential to impact both the structural integrity of the façade and the sequencing of the cladding replacement works.
Access and safety
Project Remediate included complex façades required drones and mobile EWP units for safe works. MJ Engineering Projects reviewed site access plans to minimise disruption and maintain safety.
Regulatory compliance
Early alignment with the Cladding Product Safety Panel pattern book, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), the independent auditor, and the design team ensured that all works met stringent legal requirements and the highest industry standards. As a result, each project secured Building Commissioner sign-off at the first submission stage during Project Remediate.
Conclusion
By integrating façade and fire-engineering investigations with superintendent duties, MJ Engineering Projects guided Project Remediate buildings from triage to certified completion. Owners corporations received clear risk assessments, realistic budgets and independent oversight, while residents benefited from safer, compliant façades delivered with minimal disruption. For further case studies on cladding replacement, waterproofing and concrete remediation, visit our blog or contact the remedial works team to discuss upcoming projects.
