TBS SOLUTION COMPLETES OFFICE SCHEME IN 3.5 DAYS
THE TIMBER BUILDING SYSTEMS (TBS) PREFABRICATED SOLUTION HAS ENABLED THE RAPID, LOW WASTE CONSTRUCTION OF OFFICE SPACE FOR LEADING TIMBER COMPANY MEYER TIMBER AT ITS NEW NSW FACILITY IN PENRITH, SYDNEY.
The overall scheme comprises a green field project with 1,000 square metres of office space across two levels and 25,000 square metres of warehouse facilities. TBS’ critical input was the building of the office space as an addition at the front of the warehouse, for which the construction of a precast concrete wall was completed to prepare for TBS’ extension. Timber Building Systems Operations Manager Brian McCarthy confirms the company was engaged by builder CIP to construct the office, set to accommodate around 40 people, while CIP had been appointed to build the warehouse for Meyer Timber. “CIP was looking for a way to ‘de-risk’ the office build as this is usually where delays occur,” says McCarthy. “The brief was to speed up the office construction but maintain CIP’s reputation for high end quality. They did not want a container type solution, so our panelized system allowed them to build the office as designed, without compromise.”
“CIP was looking for a way to ‘de-risk’ the office build as this is usually where delays occur. The brief was to speed up the office construction but maintain CIP’s reputation for high end quality. They did not want a container type solution, so our panelised system allowed them to build the office as designed, without compromise.”
Brian McCarthy – TBS Operations Manager
The TBS system consists of an engineered timber panel, structural steel and timber elements, insulation, glazing and cladding.
TBS had built Meyer Timber’s first New South Wales office which had been “extremely well received by staff”, McCarthy says, meaning it was Meyer’s first choice when sourcing a solution for the build of another one. “With regard to the design and feel of the building, occupants respond well to the use of timber in a design that maximises natural light, clean lines, spaciousness and the unique texture and warmth of timber.”
The entire structure was pre-fabricated in Dandenong (Victoria) then trucked 800 km interstate to Penrith. “The TBS panels arrive on site complete with structures, pre-painted facades, glazing, insulation, acoustic treatments and electrical conduit ready for cabling. Floors and roofs were also prefabricated in Dandenong.”
“We deployed a tried and tested logistics system that works well. We ship all our panels on an A-frame, however unlike concrete panels, we can ship up to eight panels on a movement instead of one or two.”
“We deployed a tried and tested logistics system that works well. We ship all our panels on an A-frame, however unlike concrete panels, we can ship up to eight panels on a movement instead of one or two.”
Brian McCarthy – TBS Operations Manager
Once the front pre-cast concrete wall of the warehouse was built, TBS moved in to build the office directly onto the front of the warehouse. “We arrived on Monday with completion on Thursday of the same week; a build program of only 3.5 days. This pace allowed the builder to easily keep to their schedule, which would see the client occupying the new office well before Christmas 2017.”
“With all the TBS elements comprising timber based products securely anchored to a concrete slab, the TBS system is so flexible that the architects didn’t have to alter their design to cater for our modern construction system. This structure in particular has a very versatile lay-out. The overall floor plan is 60 metres by nine metres. A footprint such as this could be a school, an aged care facility, apartments or the commercial office space that it is.”
“With all the TBS elements comprising timber based products securely anchored to a concrete slab, the TBS system is so flexible that the architects didn’t have to alter their design to cater for our modern construction system. This structure in particular has a very versatile lay-out. The overall floor plan is 60 metres by nine metres. A footprint such as this could be a school, an aged care facility, apartments or the commercial office space that it is.”
Brian McCarthy – TBS Operations Manager
McCarthy adds that the 25,000-square-metre Meyer Timber warehouse was also a feat of offsite manufacturing, with the massive timber portals being prefabricated in Bayswater (Victoria) then trucked to Penrith for installation.
“The joy of prefabrication is not only the incredibly short build time-frame and inherent efficiencies of a pre-designed, pre-manufactured solution. It also means that clean-up is very fast, with all the work occurring in the controlled environment of the factory. Our entire site waste fitted into two one cubic metre bags.”
While the building was yet to be occupied at the time of writing, Kent Powell, State Manager, Meyer Timber, indicated it looked set to meet the high standards set by the previous project, which “felt light and airy with the large open spans.”
“The timber also gives us great acoustics; the office is not noisy but you can still be heard when you want to be heard. In general it feels less like a less stressful environment.”■
