AECOM’s Façade Management Program, undertaken for Melbourne Airport, represents a transformative initiative in the assessing and maintenance of the façade condition of major assets. The program comprised a detailed condition audit and data capture of over 10 kilometres of infrastructure façade in a live, operational environment. The project leveraged UAV drone technology to capture high-resolution hyper-oblique photogrammetry with 3D Terrestrial Laser Scanning. This approach ensured a safer, faster, and precise condition assessment, completed in under 12 months compared to the traditional two years, while minimising disruption to airport operations.
The Judging Panel recognised the program for its innovative use of technology to deliver a detailed façade condition audit in a live airport environment. The approach showcased heightened efficiency, safety, and precision, with the digital solution providing benefits that can be replicated across major infrastructure assets, particularly those in live operating environments.