Legal and Regulatory Framework Implications for Refurbishment and Development of the Camberwell Railway Station - Example

Student’s Name: Institution: Date: Legal and regulatory framework implications for refurbishment and development of the Camberwell Railway Station The maintenance is to be performed on the Camberwell Railway Station, which is an heritage building. The amendments made to the Heritage act 1977 became effective on 2nd April 1999. The changes made on the amendments came because of extensive reviews done on the NSW heritage system. One of the major changes that the amendment brought was the minimum standards for maintenance of heritage housing. In this case, the initial willful neglect was abolished to prevent deterioration of heritage property. The new policy thus requires the owners of heritage items to maintain the heritage significance on the prescribed items. Most of the maintenance should emphasize on fire protection, weatherproofing, security, and the essential maintenance. Even though the heritage act only requires for maintenance of minimal standards, instances that need restoration the owners can petition for financial assistance via the heritage incentive program. In the event that the owner fails to comply with the requirements of the act, then the heritage council has the authority to arrange for the maintenance to be carried out and the respective charges pushed to the owner. The above amendment shows how the government is laying emphasis on the maintenance of the significances to the heritage building. In addition, the Victoria’s building and legislation system has laid down a legal framework that governs the maintenance and refurbishment of buildings. Victoria’s building and legislation system was formed under the Building act 1993 through an act of parliament. This legal and legislative system has developed and formed the major framework model that is used by other states and territories in Australia. The act has brought in various changes pertaining to building control in bid to improve the services in the building industry. The act has ushered in a number of legal elements into the building and construction industry, some of these includes the approval of building permits through private building surveyors. The act also ensured compulsory registration and issuance of insurance to builders as well as other group of building practitioners (Bailey, Bell, & Bell 2011). The improvements brought about by this act are tailored towards assisting building surveyors, building owners, as well as other practitioners within the industry set up safe buildings, which are livable as well as sustainable in nature. As well these acts, work collaboratively to help in preservation f heritage buildings, in this case the Camberwell Railway Station complex. This act has a number of implications on the maintenance of Camberwell Railway Station, which has been in place for quite a long time. In this perspective, prior to performance of any maintenance practice on the building, insurance cover is compulsory for the people involved in the work. The insurance is meant to cater for any damage or injury that may occur in the course of maintenance activity. Under this act, there are legal requirements that govern the building activities. Among these requirements are the Building regulations 2006 and the Building code of Australia (BCA). These acts dictate the standards of building as well as the construction and maintenance of building structures within Victoria. Other objectives that this act intends to achieve include establishment and maintenance of construction and building maintenance. The act also ensures adoption as well as application of uniformity in national building standards as well as certification of building products. Moreover, the act seeks to improve the amenity of building as well as protecting the other people who use the building. Furthermore, the act tends to promote and facilitate cost effectiveness in building constructions (Bailey, Bell, & Bell 2011). Finally, the regulations seek to offer efficient and most effectual system through which building and occupancy permits are issued. Looking at the above objectives relative to the maintenance of the Camberwell Railway Station, the objectives are relevant and largely applicable to the maintenance model with the key objective being to establish better structures that are safe for human life. This implies therefore that the maintenance process of the building must comply with the standards set by the act. Moreover, the act seeks to find and establish cost effective means of building maintenance. In this sense, the average cost of performing the maintenance ought not to be high and unmanageable, rather, it should be affordable, and any average citizen should gain equal access to the same. The underlying regulations use the Building Code of Australia as its point of reference, through which technical issues are given consideration. In this circumstance, there is need for our company to look into various demands from the act that dictates the maintenance of the Camberwell Railway Station, which is our building of maintenance. Proper reference should also be made to the Building Code of Australia to ensure that all the recommended regulations are abided by. One of the most amazing aspects of the BCA is that it focuses on performance and is versatile to state variations. This means that it can be made to suite even the most specific needs of a given building requirements or specifications. Through this act therefore, it is easy to establish the need and the viability of the maintenance process. Decisions as to whether or not to perform maintenance on a building is often not easy to make or justify. However, through this approach, the regulations provide salient means through which this can be determined as well as the appropriate nature of maintenance to be carried out. The building commission Apart from the above regulations, the building act 1993 also established the Building commission. This commission was established to oversee the Victoria’s building regulation system. Alongside the building commission, other four statutory bodies were also reinforced. These are the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, Building Advisory Council, Building Appeals Board, and the Building Practitioners Board. The building commissions alongside the other statutory bodies perform a number of functions, some of which include regulation of the Victorian building industry, creating awareness to consumers regarding their rights as well as responsibilities while undertaking the process of maintenance and renovations. They also administer the building legislation, the building regulation, and the building act 1993. Furthermore, they advise the Victorian government and the minister for planning on issues regarding building and constructions. They also accredit building materials, designs, and construction methods alongside other systems associated with building. Moreover, they endorse improved building standards both at national and international levels and then provide complete information on building activities. The above legal and regulatory frame work provides a number of implications that are relevant to the maintenance of the Camberwell Railway Station. The complex demands a lot of maintenance activities and such should be done in close consultation with the legal authorities meant to oversee the implementation of the same. With the above acts and the requirements in place, it is evident that maintenance of heritage properties such as the Camberwell Railway Station complex ought to be done. The amendment on the heritage act 1977 implies that the government is concerned about the maintenance of the heritage property and offers an array of support to the owners. As a matter of fact, act states that if the owner of heritage property cannot sufficiently manage the property, then the council can undertake the maintenance process and forward the payment to the owner. The act also offers provision for the owners of such buildings to seek financial assistance from possible sources to enable them carry out the maintenance of the property. Maintenance plan for the Camberwell railway complex The Camberwell railway complex is one of the structures that hold rich historical backgrounds and heritage. It is a pointer to the importance that was attached to the railway line in the early 20th century. The Camberwell railway complex was established in 1918 for serving passengers in the region. The complex has however depreciated and it is currently in dire need of maintenance. The Camberwell railway complex has earned multiple classifications in terms of class since the building is used for many purposes. One of the classes of this building is class 9b; this is the class for assembly building and offers a joint interaction point for many people. Moreover, the region is also put in class 5, which qualifies it to be an office building that serves commercial and professional purposes. The building therefore acts as a host for various activities as well as a traveling point. The decision on whether or not to perform maintenance on the facility majorly depends on the ability of the maintenance to preserve the heritage of the building. The maintenance decision also depends on the cost as well as the benefits accrued to performing the maintenance. Relatively, maintenance consists of a number of activities that aim to make the facility better and safer for use by passengers (Wood 2009). In this perspective, there are a number of safety measures that need to be considered since the railway station transports a large number of people. The heritage amendment regulation provides the minimum standards for maintenance and repair which must be adhered to when carrying out maintenance on the national heritage property. The minimum maintenance and repairs requirements in the heritage act falls under section 118. Sec 119 of the same act reinforces the need for the asset owner to take up the responsibility of its maintenance. The following are the minimum requirements for repairs and maintenance: Inspection The complex has to be inspected to enable identification of the sites that need repairs and maintenance in compliance with the section 119 of the inspection act. This inspection also ought to be done every 12 months to ascertain the condition of the building. Similarly, the individuals appointed to inspect the building ought to have experience and expertise in the same field. Weather protection During maintenance, the following components need to be checked, repaired or maintained to ensure there is reasonable protection levels from effects of the weather components. They include the drainage systems on the surface and subsurface, the roof drainage system and other areas which are prone to be affected with the weather elements. The walls, roof and window elements also need to be assessed in terms of their levels and the ability to withstand strong weather elements winds. Fire protection Any vegetation or rubbish within the building, capable of creating fire should be removed. It is also worth noting that certain vegetation hold heritage significance and special permit ought to be attained before their removal. Elements of the building where the maintenance is going to be performed should be distinguished The maintenance of the Camberwell Railway Station will sweep across the board and will involve a number of elements. These are the basic parts of the building where maintenance is necessary and equally paramount. At the same time it is worth noting that maintenance of a building is largely recommended hence should involve strict measures. The lifecycles of every building is important in establishing its maintenance as well as the duration that it will take for the maintenance to complete. The Camberwell Railway Station having been established in 1918 requires constant maintenance practices and should be checked regularly to ensure that all the areas and equipment within the complex are functional with maximum levels of efficiency. The most likely elements that need maintenance largely depend on the nature of the building complex. The complex has a number of equipment and structures at different levels and most of these need constant maintenance to ensure proper usage. In this perspective, the regions that need maintenance include eth e following: The terminals The main terminal is where most activities take place, and requires much attention. Given the nature of activities in this region, ware and tears are constant and are a likely to cause the building to depreciate at all times. The main terminal is where most passengers alight and has the highest number of structures. Most structures at this point include the sitting bays, the booth, and the toilets. These should be checked and maintenance practices performed on the appropriately. As well, there is need to check the rails at this point since it is where the train halts, hence there is the tendency of the rail loosing grip. This should be checked and corrected accordingly. There are the waiting bay where passengers wait before going onboard, this area should be checked and maintained well; any breakage or spoilage need to be repaired and corrected. The toilets in this region are equally important and should be given consideration. Since many people use them, it is important to perform Constant maintenance of them. The toilet bowels should be checked for breakages as well as pipe leakages. Leakages of pipes in the toilets often cause a great mess especially when people are using such. It is thus paramount to ensure that such pipes are placed under constant maintenance. As well, it is necessary to unblock the pipes to allow free flow of water within the building drainage system. Finally, the ticket booths also need to be maintained properly. The booths should be checked for any breakage within the system or the furniture, as well, there should be checked. The power and the computer system should be equally checked to ensure proper functioning. The circulation of the electric current need to be constant and must be checked to ensure that all the connections are secure to ensure protection of the entire group. Consequently, the third terminal requires to be maintained as well. Parts such as the toilets and the booking booth need to be given proper maintenance. The entire system should be checked for breakages as well as anything that may jeopardize the activities within that region. The maintenance should be extended to areas such as the storerooms. These should be kept clean and safe so as to increase the efficiency of customer service. The walls to the store rooms ought to be kept clean and easily accessible. Since the building has been in place for many centuries, there is a likelihood of the walls already developing cracks and the paint increasingly depreciation. The life circle of this building is equally extensive implying that constant repairs are necessary. The wall should be checked from various dimensions to ensure that the maintenance is comprehensive enough. In most cases, the walls have a tendency of developing small cracks over the years, these cracks make them weak and easily susceptible to cracking. It is thus important that the wall regions be checked for such. The walls should also be painted to enhance the looks of the entire place. Moreover, the floor of the complex should be given maintenance. The floor often depreciates at a high rate and thus needs to be provided with constant maintenance. The floors of the entire storey building needs to be checked and provided with adequate maintenance. The floor in the traffic intensive regions such as the main terminal should be properly maintained. The floors wear out with time and replacing the regions that has undergone depreciation is equally important. As well, there are the Ramps leading to the island terminals from the main entrance and the ticket booth. These should be checked for any inclination or any obstacles that may fell people while passing. The floor on the ramps should also be maintained and kept in correct quality to facilitate easy movement of people within the area. The ramp should also be checked on the roof to ensure there is adequate protection from the sun and other natural factors such as rain. The rails also warrants thorough check. These are very crucial areas of maintenance and need to be kept under constant check. The safety of the rails offers the ultimate protection to the entire system, thus, in cases where the rails are not well fitted or have faults, accidents are very vulnerable. The roofing of the terminals are made of corrugated iron sheets, these should be checked for proper functioning to ensure that there is no leakage. Corrugated iron sheets have a tendency of developing rusts over time, during maintenance; replacement should be made to ensure that no leaks occur on the roofs. As well, the windows and the doors need to be checked and areas requiring oiling oiled. Moreover, there are equipment inside the complex, most of these are subject to wear and tear hence depreciation. To increase their levels of efficiency, it is important to perform maintenances on them; this will ensure they blast longer than it was meant. At the same time, without the maintenance, the Camberwell Railway Station, the complex and the entire building is likely to come down before completion of its life circle. Most areas in a building such as cracks and leaks often progress and become very hard to handle, hence making the building fall at the end of the season. Performance of the repair is importance in ensuring that the various elements of the building retain their initial shapes and serve the purposes that they were meant to serve perfectly. The cost of replacing the elements is much greater than the cost of simply performing the maintenance practices on the railway complex as well as the machineries and equipment within that space. The operational cost The cost of performing the maintenance service largely depends on the nature of activities involved in the maintenance. The nature of maintenance performed in this case is the planned maintenance. Planned maintenance encompasses maintaining nearly every part of the building complex. The floor, the roof, the walls, the ticket both, the terminals and the island region should be maintained and any part not consistent with the original plan corrected. Planned maintenance is always detailed and it is the most recommended in this case since it helps in complete restoration of the entire functioning of the facility. As well, there are many aspects that warrant consideration whilst establishing the cost of maintenance; such should be the level of depreciation, the original life circle of the building, the cost of materials, and the cost of labor (Stanford 2010). Through these factors, salient decisions can be made on whether or not to perform the maintenance. The proposed maintenance schedule should be comprehensive enough to ensure that the relevant charges are not exaggerated as well. It however worth noting that regular maintenance of the building not only increases its life span, but also increases the efficiency of the services rendered. The constant maintenance helps in correcting both the noticeable and the unnoticeable errors. The system is thus kept under perfect watch for proper delivery of the services. The Camberwell Railway Station has a tendency of delivering service to many people, hence the structures and the machineries within the building are always under constant use. The over use of the structure consistently calls for regular maintenance to ensure correction of any weaknesses within the system. Why maintenance is ideal The decision to perform maintenance on the Camberwell Railway Station is purely based on the fact that the railway station is a heritage building that marked a great evolution in transport. Relatively, the railway station still serves the original purpose for which it was meant. Having been established in 1918, both the legal and the technical requirements points out towards maintaining it to continue serving its purpose and also to enhance its durability as a national heritage. The main objective of building maintenance is always secondary to the reason for keeping a building and its equipment in good working condition. For this reason, it is prudent to note that the maintenance objectives are often two fold, first they help in keeping the building in good working condition and secondly, to reduce the rate of depreciation and help in forecasting any obsolesce that is likely to occur. The process of maintenance can be considered corrective or preventive. Corrective maintenance in most cases occurs when the need for performing the maintenance practice seems to be too obvious and cannot be avoided. In this case, action is only taken when necessary. The preventive maintenance on the other hand implies that the building and the other equipment inside be kept under regular maintenance and inspection to help in the detection of minor faults, and then provide early interventions for the same. It is always recommended to use both the preventive and the corrective maintenances to ensure minimum error within the building and the system inside. In this was defects or faults within the building are minimized and may not occur at any instance. As well, there is the preventive aspect in that before these defects establish, they are detected and dealt with. Advantages of railway station maintenance The building and the equipment inside are kept in proper conditions hence enabling them to be used within their optimum capacities to make the desired profits. The maintenance process prevents any possibility of the building or other structures within it to collapse. Rather, the building is kept in good condition and can work at the lowest cost possible. Disadvantages of maintenance The maintenance process may be costly especially if it is the planned maintenance. This is because the planned maintenance tends to touch on nearly every aspect of the building hence making the company spend a huge sum on the maintenance. During the maintenance process, the business activities within the organization may stop hence leading to losses and reduction in sales levels. When maintenance is being performed in a given part of the railway station, the activities within that region would come to a standstill hence leading to slowness in the system. As a result, there will be reduction in revenues as well as the efficiency of services offered within the premises. Looking at the above advantages and disadvantages critically, it is evident that performing maintenance on the railway station is highly justified. However, this comes with a number of advantages that will lead to long-term benefits within the premises. As well, the railway station building has been in place for a considerably long period and providing a combination of planned and unplanned maintenance is largely ideal. Life circle of the Camberwell Railway Station The Camberwell Railway Station began in 1918; this was its point of conceptualization. The main purpose for establishment of the railways station was to act as a terminal for passengers. To date, the station still serves the same purpose this was the point of commencement on the products life circle. The feasibility of the project was also good and proven that the project would be viable. This viability is related to the level of income that the business would bring. Acquisition The life circle of the project begins at acquisition; in this case, the railway station complex was meant to offer rail services to people travelling within the region. During this stage, the building is always made complete with all the necessary equipment for proper functioning. Production level is always high at this point since the building and the other structures inside offer optimum performance. Upon use for some period, the building begins depreciating, hence creating the demand for maintenance. In this case, the maintenance can be planned or unplanned and such is important in ensuring the machinery is kept in good functional position. Operation and maintenance This is a crucial stage in the life circle of this facility. As the railway station is used, its value begins to decline and the building begins to lose value. This translates into a reduction in the level of service quality delivered, such may lead to discontent among customers who use the services and may cause customers to stop using the company services. This prompts the need for the realization and implementation of maintenance. This part of the life circle is important because it determine the levels of performance of the equipment or plant. In this case, if the railway station is not properly maintained, then the services offered may not be efficient and there are possibilities of breakdowns. It is thus important to ensure the plant is well maintained and constructive measures put in place. Renewal The renewal stage is equally very important. In this regard, the equipment or facility is maintained and brought back to normal functioning. This normal functioning is brought about by extensive maintenance that is performed on the facility. The maintenance may be performed for as duration of time. As well, the renewal process is often considered costly since most items within the facility are changed and made to retain their normal functionality. Disposal Since this is a heritage building, disposal would not be necessary. The most considerable option left herein include listing the heritage and then proposing further ways to maintain its heritage status. The maintenance plan for The Camberwell Railway Station between the months of Jan and Dec Maintenance plan of the Camberwell Railway Station is pefomed basically for the following reasons: Management of the heritage status of the building Provision of a safe and conducive environment for passengers as well as the staff members within the premises  Responsive Maintenance:   Maintenance emergencies are bound to occur, and such must be attended to. Maintenance request book is kept at the Camberwell Railway Station manager’s office and the maintenance coordinators must make request for the book in cases of responsive maintenance. Planned Maintenance:  Routine  The railway station cleaners hold the responsibility of cleaning the rooms in the Camberwell Railway Station complex; this is done on day to day basis. Moreover, the company’s grounds men are tagged with the responsibility of removing rubbish around the building, cobwebs, and dust from the walls. Maintenance staff holds the following responsibilities Ensures fitting and replacement of light tubes within the complex Performs regular inspection on the building gutters and the underground water pipes Repair of furniture at the waiting lounge Takes into consideration the task of repairing fence Facilitate the movement of furniture and equipment within the complex floors and buildings. Minor repairs at the doors, windows, and fence Ensures adjustment of loose door hinges Replacement of signs, Inspection of pipes and gutters   Preventative   Protection of the station’s assets as well as the complex itself require maintenance circle of upkeep. Most of these include the machineries and equipment within the railways station premises. Moreover, the maintenance coordinator is in charge of performing the following maintenance functions: Monthly/ annually Annual checks of electrical equipments within the premise Monthly test and maintenance of alarm system within the system Monthly check on the filters and the air conditioning systems Monthly inspection and tests on the smoke detector The ceilings, the pavements, floors, door hinges, hooks, and locks should be checked and maintained annually. Every two years: Inspection and replacement or window / door glasses where necessary Replacement of furniture in areas necessary Application of powder coated finishes in areas that are necessary Every 5 years Internal painting of the building Every 10 years Performing external painting of the entire structure Replacing the coverings on the floor Replacement of the gutter system Maintenance of the electrical wiring system Every 20 years Roof replacement/refurbishment Type of maintenance Jan Feb Mar April May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Inspection Inspect the building all floors X X X X X X X X X X X X Weather protection Sub surface and surface drainage system X X X X Roof drainage system X X X Roofs, walls, windows X X Ventilation systems X X Lightning conductors X Doors and windows of the building X Fire protection lightning conductors X X fire detection systems X X X X Flable materials X gas and heating systems X Security Fencing or surveillance systems X Doors and windows X Reference List Arup, C., 2006,. Labour law and labour market regulation: essays on the construction, constitution and regulation of labour markets and work relationships. Annandale, NSW, Federation Press. Bailey, I. H., Bell, M., & Bell,, C., 2011., Construction law in Australia. Pyrmont, N.S.W., Thomson Reuters (Professional) Australia. Stanford, H., W.,2010., Effective building maintenance: protection of capital assets. Lilburn, Ga, Fairmont Press. Wood, B., 2009. Building maintenance. Chichester, U.K., Wiley-Blackwell. Read More