April commences with two momentous occasions: we celebrate the birthday (3 April) of Fazlur R. Khan, a renowned engineer and early CTBUH chair, and kickoff our Member Appreciation Month featuring our first weekly Member in Focus: Robert Bird Group (RBG). Founded in Australia in 1982, RBG has been a CTBUH member since 2014. With a worldwide team of over 700 professionals throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the firm is responsible for the recently recognized second-tallest building in the world, Kuala Lumpur's Merdeka 118, in collaboration with structural engineers LERA Consulting Structural Engineers, solidifying its position as a global leader in the engineering of large and complex projects. 

From its humble beginnings in Brisbane, Australia—and under the guidance of founder Robert Bird's visionary leadership and “can-do” attitude—the firm has never wavered from its vision: “the relentless pursuit of engineering excellence.” After 40+ years, the business proudly remains an engineering specialist in the fields of structural, civil, geotechnical, and construction engineering, as well as a trailblazer in the virtual design and construction (VDC) space. RBG also partners with industry leaders in other design and engineering disciplines, including being a member company within the Singapore-based Surbana Jurong Group. 

The firm has garnered a reputation for developing unique engineering solutions for complex and bespoke projects, of all scales, across a range of engineering sectors, including high-rise office and residential towers, waterfront developments, iconic public buildings, heritage-listed landmarks, urban regeneration projects, and various other ventures across sectors such as healthcare, education, defence, sports, retail, rail, aviation, marine, all the way to natural resources and renewable energy. Notable projects in RBG's portfolio include: One Barangaroo (CTBUH 2021 Best Tall Building, 200-299 Meters, Award of Excellence) and packages of Sydney Metro in Sydney; Australia 108 (CTBUH 2023 Best Tall Building, 300-399 Meters, Award of Excellence) in Melbourne; FC Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou Stadium in Spain; Battersea Power Station and HighSpeed 2 (HS2) in the United Kingdom, Kai Tak Sports Precinct in Hong Kong; Queens Wharf in Brisbane; and the Soundstorm Music Festival in Riyadh. 

_{Images (L to R): One Barangaroo © Richard Braddish; Australia 108 © Peter Bennetts}

At the core are the engineering philosophies—Lead, Create, Deliver, and Sustain—that underpin every project RBG embarks on. Committed to fostering innovation to deliver sustainable engineering and construction solutions that meet the evolving needs of clients and communities, this is exemplified through initiatives like: Magpie, RBG's materials and carbon calculator; Reveal, an in-house-developed VDC platform; and the latest ground-breaking contribution to sustainable modular construction: Autobox.

Autobox—buildings, transformed. An industry-first, sustainable modular system. 

Imagine if any building type or design could be constructed from a volumetric modular. RBG-developed, Autobox is representative of a paradigm shift, and offers an industry-first modular system that combines all the benefits of volumetric modular construction with unparalleled design flexibility. Thanks to a patented system that gives it the power to “transform,” Autobox creates fully customizable building designs that adhere to local codes and standards, while promoting sustainability through a circular economy system. It streamlines the construction process from pre-assembly to on-site installation, offering cost-efficiency, sustainability, quality assurance, and design freedom. 

Jason Langer, Group Managing Director - Projects, showcased the ground-breaking Autobox system at COP28, presenting it to a distinguished audience of UN ambassadors and global industry leaders. Jason joined a panel of designers and suppliers to discuss how to transform our industry—and our world—to hit a series of ambitious carbon-reduction targets. Stated Langer, "The construction industry needs to de-carbonise fast, and we can. The technology required to significantly reduce embodied carbon, already exists—we just need to apply it, now."

Learn more here.

Select CTBUH Leaders: 

Daniel Mitchell, Operations Director; New York City | CTBUH Steel-Timber Research Project Steering Committee

David Seel, Managing Director - Europe, Middle East, USA; London | CTBUH Board of Trustees

Rodney Seely, Managing Director (MENA), Dubai | CTBUH Regional Hub, Middle East Steering Committee

Select CTBUH Designated Experts:

Jason Langer, Group Managing Director - Projects; New York City | 

Learn more about Robert Bird Group here.