{"id":5094,"date":"2026-02-20T04:57:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T04:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=5094"},"modified":"2026-06-23T04:24:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T04:24:33","slug":"au-construction-outlook-2026-what-leaders-are-saying","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/resource\/au-construction-outlook-2026-what-leaders-are-saying\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia\u2019s Construction Outlook 2026: What Leaders Are Saying"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"965\" height=\"584\" src=\"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25.png\" alt=\"Australia Construction Outlook Panel 2026\" class=\"wp-image-6074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25.png 965w, https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25-768x465.png 768w, https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25-18x12.png 18w, https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/25-600x363.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 965px) 100vw, 965px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Australian construction sector is moving into 2026 with a growing sense of stability, tempered by realism about capacity,\u00a0risk\u00a0and delivery. After several years of volatility, industry leaders are no longer talking about recovery, but recalibration for the delivery wave ahead.\u00a0<br><br>Those themes came through clearly during\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/Q043XvFH0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Hubexo\u2019s\u00a0Construction Outlook Webinar for 2026<\/strong><\/a>, where\u00a0senior figures from\u00a0development, architecture,\u00a0construction\u00a0and technology unpacked what the national construction pipeline is really\u00a0signalling\u00a0about the year ahead.\u00a0<br><br>Panellists\u00a0included:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brook Monahan, Founder&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Managing Director at Mosaic Property Group&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stephen McGarry, Director at Carr&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Divya Mehta, Group CEO at Decode Group<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ashleigh Porter, President APAC at&nbsp;Hubexo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The discussion coincided with the release of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/Q043XvFR0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hubexo\u2019s Construction Outlook for 2026<\/a>.\u00a0The report\u00a0draws on\u00a0Hubexo\u2019s\u00a0national project\u00a0pipeline data from its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/Q043XvGf0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LeadManager<\/a>\u00a0platform,\u00a0a Sentiment\u00a0Survey\u00a0and industry interviews to track activity across residential, commercial and hospitality,\u00a0community\u00a0and public buildings, industrial,\u00a0infrastructure and transport, and\u00a0energy and\u00a0resources\u00a0sectors.\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br><strong>\ud83c\udfa5 Missed the live session? The\u00a0webinar\u00a0recording is now\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/Q043XvL50\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>available on demand via\u00a0Hubexo<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sentiment:&nbsp;Stabilising, but deliberate<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0<br>One of the defining shifts in this year\u2019s Construction Outlook data is the return of stalled projects to the pipeline, creating a renewed sense of stability despite ongoing cost pressure.\u00a0<br><br>Pipeline volatility has eased, project values are lifting across most sectors, and sentiment has improved, but this is not a return to speculative volume or rapid scaling.\u00a0<br><br>Instead, the market is moving forward more deliberately. Projects are being tested earlier and more rigorously, with feasibility, funding certainty and approvals now outweighing speed to market. The result is a steadier pipeline shaped by discipline rather than expansion.\u00a0That shift was echoed by\u00a0Hubexo\u00a0President APAC Ashleigh Porter.\u00a0<br><br>\u201cThe pipeline is building again, and we\u2019re seeing project values step up across most sectors\u201d,\u00a0Porter said.\u00a0<br><br>\u201cWhat\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0seeing\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0risk appetite snapping back, but stalled projects coming back on stream as costs\u00a0stabilise\u00a0and planning and approval pathways become clearer.\u00a0\u00a0<br><br>\u201cFunding clarity,\u00a0approvals and delivery confidence are now the deciding factors, not speed to market.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Development: Trust,&nbsp;delivery&nbsp;and long-term thinking<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0<br>Recent years have fundamentally reshaped how risk, trust and responsibility are understood and shared across the development ecosystem.\u00a0<br><br>Queensland-based developer\u00a0Mosaic delivered and\u00a0commenced\u00a0around\u00a0$2 billion\u00a0worth of projects in 2025, but Monahan said scale alone is no longer the true measure of success.\u00a0<br><br>With buyers committing early, trust has become the industry\u2019s most\u00a0valuable asset, and heading into 2026 the challenge is not demand, but delivery capacity,\u00a0productivity\u00a0and\u00a0labour\u00a0availability.<br><br>\u201cYou have to keep evolving\u2014skills, capacity, systems, people and culture\u2014across every part of the development and construction\u00a0lifecycle\u201d,\u00a0Monahan said.\u00a0\u00a0<br><br>\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0a hard industry to stay relevant, solvent and trusted over multiple cycles.\u00a0<br><br>\u201cWe\u2019re\u00a0continuing to invest heavily in our capacity to deal with whatever risks may be around the corner. There\u2019s always pressure across the business, but we\u00a0remain\u00a0optimistic about the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Architecture: Earlier&nbsp;decisions, longer-term value<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the industry, architects are being pulled earlier into projects as clients become more\u00a0selective\u00a0and feasibility takes on greater importance.<br><br>Cost pressure,\u00a0labour\u00a0constraints\u00a0and planning uncertainty are pushing risk upstream, elevating the role of early collaboration and commercial rigour in determining what proceeds.<br><br>For many practices, this has meant recalibrating how and where they engage, focusing less on volume and more on depth, early-stage\u00a0involvement,\u00a0and long-term project viability.\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>\u201cLooking ahead to 2026, our priorities are about deepening our presence, particularly in Queensland, but also placing much more emphasis on early collaboration and greater\u00a0rigour\u00a0around feasibility\u201d,\u00a0McGarry said.\u00a0\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>\u201cWe\u2019re working through feasibilities across multiple states every day, sitting down with clients to really test how projects stack up and manage risk together,\u00a0because ultimately, that leads to better outcomes for everyone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Construction:&nbsp;Capacity pressures increase<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the sector, builders are entering 2026 with demand firmly in place, but with delivery capacity under sustained pressure.\u00a0Labour\u00a0shortages\u00a0remain\u00a0acute, and while cost escalation has moderated, margin pressure and productivity constraints continue to shape how work is selected and delivered.\u00a0<br><br>What is shifting, however, is industry\u00a0behaviour. Builders and developers are collaborating more closely, sharing pressure rather than transferring it, and making more disciplined decisions about where to deploy people,\u00a0capital\u00a0and capability.\u00a0\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>\u201cIf we can make people\u2019s lives easier and build faster, why wouldn\u2019t we?\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0embracing AI to improve processes\u00a0and systems, and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a clear focus for us heading into 2026\u201d,\u00a0Mehta said.\u00a0<br><br>\u201cThe industry needs homes\u2014around 377,000 by 2029\u2014and\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0only delivering about 40%\u00a0of\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0needed.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0a huge opportunity, but it also demands better collaboration,\u00a0training\u00a0and a shared approach to pressure across the system.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Innovation: From interest to execution<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the panel, technology\u00a0emerged\u00a0not as a\u00a0\u201csilver bullet\u201d,\u00a0but as a necessary capability.\u00a0<br><br>Porter said interest in AI, data and digital tools is high, but adoption\u00a0remains\u00a0uneven. The\u00a0organisations\u00a0pulling ahead are embedding technology into everyday workflows and treating digital capability as a core\u00a0organisational\u00a0skill, not an add-on, a shift that will matter more as workforce pressures persist\u00a0into\u00a02026.\u00a0<br><br>Monahan said AI\u2019s immediate value lies in improving early decision-making, where risk and feasibility are either resolved or compounded.\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>\u201cThe real opportunity with AI isn\u2019t novelty\u2014it\u2019s better coordination and faster, more informed decisions around risk\u201d,\u00a0Monahan said.\u00a0<br><br>From an architectural lens, McGarry pointed to AI\u2019s growing role in early-stage analysis and\u00a0optimisation, stressing that technology should support professional judgement rather than replace it.\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>\u201cAt the front end, rapid site analysis and feasibility testing give clients confidence and help avoid issues later on site\u201d,\u00a0McGarry\u00a0said.\u00a0<br><br>For Mehta, the focus is practical application. As housing demand intensifies, she said technology has a clear role to play in lifting productivity, removing friction from\u00a0delivery\u00a0and helping the industry scale more effectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Explore the latest pipeline data and industry insights in&nbsp;Hubexo\u2019s<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcicentral.com\/the-bci-construction-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/hubs.ly\/Q043XvPg0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Construction Outlook<\/strong><\/a><strong>. Take a deeper dive by downloading the report now.<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h4>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Australian construction sector is moving into 2026 with a growing sense of stability, tempered by realism about capacity,\u00a0risk\u00a0and delivery. After several years of volatility, industry leaders are no longer talking about recovery, but recalibration for the delivery wave ahead.\u00a0 Those themes came through clearly during\u00a0Hubexo\u2019s\u00a0Construction Outlook Webinar for 2026, where\u00a0senior figures from\u00a0development, architecture,\u00a0construction\u00a0and technology [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":6074,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"resource-category":[21],"class_list":["post-5094","resource","type-resource","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/5094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/5094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6112,"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/5094\/revisions\/6112"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apac.hubexo.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-category?post=5094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}