C o o l
B r e e z e
A E S m i t h ’ s m ag az in e f o r s t a f f a n d f r i e n d s b r i s b a n e melbourne
c a i r n s g o l d c o a s t perth sydney tasmania
m a c k a y townsville
2014 issue 20
Prefabricated Giant Made to Order The Biggest Change in Building Management Since the Industrial Revolution Subscribe to Cool Breeze and Win Building Owners Get Smart About Energy Savings Using AE Smith and BuildingIQ Robot Seals Helping Dementia Aged Care Residents Remote Location Project Expertise 5,000km West of Mackay The “I” of the BIM No Gambling with Energy at Crown Powering the Health of the Nation Leverage Drafting to Deliver Projects On Time Fast Lane Tapping Airport’s BMS to Publicly Display its Energy Use Our People Matter Helping the Community Beat the Heat Swing for Charity with Lend Lease Miles for Smiles Continuous Support Recognised Happy 21st
air conditioning
building services
energy efficiency
onsite power
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Prefabricated Giant Made to Order What’s 16 metres long, weighs 10 tonnes and has 500 metres of pipe snaking through it?
“ The collaboration and innovation shown by the [AE Smith] team has resulted in significant gains to the construction programme as well as ensuring best practice safety practices were adopted ” Dim Jancev Lend Lease GCF Construction Manager
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Answer: AE Smith’s latest prefabricated module installation success story for Lend Lease at the $80 million, 9,500 sqm, Green Chemical Futures (GCF) multi-level facility under construction at Monash University's Clayton Campus in Melbourne. Driven by innovation and the desire to constantly find new ways to help our customers find the right outcome, the Victoria Construction AE Smith team challenged current thinking about the wisdom of stacking multiple, small prefabricated modules together to achieve multi-storey heights. “The earlier AE Smith is involved in a project, the more value prefabrication can deliver to our clients,” said Gary Bell, GCF Project Manager for AE Smith. “At its core, prefabrication results in the preassembly of mechanical and electrical modular units offsite, and once complete, transported to the construction site for final installation.” On the right project, some of the benefits of prefabrication to both builder and contractor because of the controlled manufacturing environment include:
Accelerated construction times; Improved productivity; Greater quality control; Significant abatement of reworks; and Reduction in onsite health and safety risks.
And that’s exactly the type of benefits Lend Lease was looking for at the Monash University GCF build to help them overcome a unique problem. “The project involved the installation of eighty fume cupboard PVC exhaust ducts within a concrete shaft rising through the building from ground level to the level four plant room space,” explains Gary. “But, due to spatial and structural limitations, the concrete riser design of the building had no allowance for access into the shaft, nor was there any flooring to be installed at each respective floor level.” “AE Smith approached Lend Lease early to discuss what options, if any, there were for the installation of the services and if any provisions for access could be provided. It quickly became evident that prefabrication of the services riser was the only viable option available,” said Gary. At approximately 16 x 5 x 4 metres in size, 10 tonnes in weight, containing a 500m labyrinth of PVC duct work, the giant prefabricated module riser was lowered vertically into place this March with millimetre accuracy inside its hollow concrete receptacle spearing the building. The production of the structurally certified steel frame for the prefabricated module proceeded quickly with the installation of PVC duct inside the frame completed under cover and in a controlled environment. After securing all the necessary permits to transport the over-sized wideload between AE Smith and Monash University, it was an uneventful 30 minute transfer lying flat on the back of a low-loader truck. Once onsite at GCF, the large prefabricated module was carefully manoeuvred into position on the ground before being lifted by crane. Installation of the module took a mere twenty minutes - a sight to behold for the many spectators that amassed. “Prefabrication of the mechanical riser has resulted in significant gains to the construction programme and certainty in the quality and delivery with the fabrication of the riser commencing prior to the completion of the in situ concrete shaft and simply slotting in place. However most importantly the prefabrication of the riser at ground level has negated the need to construct the riser at heights; a much safer method of construction,” explains Dim Jancev, Lend Lease CGF Construction Manager. “Thank you to Gary and the AE Smith team. The collaboration and innovation shown by the team has resulted in significant gains to the construction programme as well as ensuring best practice safety practices were adopted,” said Dim. AE Smith have invested and continue to invest heavily in prefabrication techniques and technologies that help our customers compress the critical path of their project. Examples of other current projects in Melbourne where AE Smith is leveraging prefabrication to the benefit of our customers include:
Micro Nano Research Facility, RMIT University; 567 Collins Street; and Melbourne Airport Terminal 4. AES
Front cover: The large singlepiece prefabricated module riser is expertly extracted from inside the AE Smith factory.
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The biggest change in building management since the industrial revolution
“ Energy management software solution [that] predicts and optimises energy usage is producing results of between 10-25% energy reduction in commercial buildings where [BuildingIQ] is installed ”
With HVAC typically accounting for 60-70% of base building energy consumption, there’s no escaping the reality that to maintain a NABERS rating, it’s critical to maintain HVAC at optimal efficiency levels. Reinforcing the critical value of HVAC maintenance, recent IPD data shows a clear difference in annual returns for buildings above and below the 4 star NABERS mark (see chart on page 6). In contrast to the Green Star rating, which is awarded once and can be achieved by paying a premium during the design and construction stages, NABERS is a performance based rating scheme based on carbon emissions. Performance of a building can change over time, subject to many variables such as HVAC settings and service, tenant occupancy and behaviours, and weather. When building energy usage varies upwards significantly, even for just one month, it can affect the cumulative consumption across a year and result in a lower NABERS rating. This can often take up to 12 months to get back up again, resulting in lower annual returns for the building. It’s becoming more apparent that a ‘set and forget’ approach now carries the potential for a significant financial penalty. Aligning expectation with reality
Source: This article first appeared in Retrofit Australia magazine, Vol 3 No 1, 2014, pp 36-37.
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Because NABERS ratings are based on performance, it’s critical when commissioning a HVAC retrofit or building refurbishment to model expectation as closely as possible to how a system will perform in the
real world. Expectations are informed by an understanding of how the building operates using energy consumptions modelling, historical data and also assumption, such as future vacancy rates. Whereas reality is driven by other factors, such as the behaviour of occupants, the weather, the efficiency of equipment and many other variables – even where the building contractor places the thermostat. At AE Smith, we’ve developed a new approach in order to identify the risks that exist to more closely align expectation and reality. These include modern risk assessment, automated BMS, automated energy alarming, and alternative maintenance practices that leverage online technologies for ongoing system monitoring and system optimisation. Modern risk assessment Building Information Modelling (BIM) software such as Dynamic Thermal Modelling can be used to create accurate simulations of energy use. By incorporating past energy bills and weather data, models are calibrated to closely match actual consumption, including any inefficiencies in an existing system. Through this process the accurate baseline that is obtained can be used to confidently simulate virtually any upgrade imaginable. BMS and energy alarming Through coupling building management and energy reporting systems the data obtained through building sensors is used in real time to optimise the Building Management System (BMS) operation. Adding forecasted weather data to this information/feedback loop further fine tunes building operations and minimises energy consumption. Adaptive temperature control algorithms, based on seasonal ambient temperatures trigger gradual changes in building temperature set points over the course of the year. This keeps tenants comfortable and reduces the risk of individual tenants adjusting HVAC settings, or compensating with additional equipment.
David Odd, Sustainability Engineer and certified NABERS assessor explains how modern risk assessment techniques and a shift from planned preventative maintenance to condition based maintenance is the key to achieving and maintaining a NABERS rating
Automated alarms are integrated into the system to alert the Facility Manager and off-site service team of any unusual variations in building, equipment or energy supply behaviours. Implementing these new age energy management practices is becoming increasingly easy to achieve. BuildingIQ, a leading energy management software solution predicts and optimises energy usage with all data variables compiled in a cloud based dynamic model. The BuildingIQ system is producing results of between 10-25% energy reduction in commercial buildings where it is installed. The barrier to entry to install a solution like BuildingIQ has been removed with no mechanical infrastructure upgrades or upfront capital expenditure required. Smart customers use a portion of the savings generated through reduced energy use to pay for the BuildingIQ software subscription. www.aesmith.com.au
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Condition Based Maintenance – a revolution in building management Planned preventative maintenance has been around since the beginning of the industrial revolution. As with many industries, technology has enabled a better way. In response to the greater amounts of data and more powerful reporting and management tools now available, we now react to the building information itself to inform servicing and adjustments to the system. This is called Condition Based Maintenance. This includes remote monitoring of system performance and even rectification of some issues from off-site. Accurate and immediate identification of mechanical faults informs immediate dispatch of the right technicians with the right information and the right spare parts. On some occasions, the off-site service team has become aware of an issue before the Facility Manager has. About David Odd, AE Smith National Sustainability Engineer: David Odd lives his passion for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the built environment everyday. He has led successful commercial building energy upgrade projects, delivering improved energy efficiency, higher NABERS ratings and substantial energy use reduction. Notably, he is a leader in the implementation of technology innovation in HVAC management in Australia. David has 17 years engineering experience, is a member of AIRAH, an accredited Energy Auditor, accredited NABERS and CBD Assessor and holds a Graduate Certificate in Energy Efficient HVAC Design.
Chart right: Returns for Australia CBD office markets Annualised returns to Sep 2013. Chart source: GBCA, IPD & NABERS
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Well measured equals well managed The old adage, what you can measure, you can manage is entirely valid when retrofitting buildings. With all this data informing modelling, as well as alarms and the integration of BMS and energy systems, it’s absolutely possible to stay on top of a building’s performance in real-time. With a secure NABERS rating, a building owner can now ensure ongoing returns. For more information please contact David Odd on 1300 313 313. AES
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Building Owners Get Smart About Energy Savings Using AE Smith and BuildingIQ About BuildingIQ: BuildingIQ is a leading provider of advanced energy management software that actively predicts and manages HVAC loads in commercial buildings. As the only supplier of patent-pending Predictive Energy Optimisation™ technology, BuildingIQ’s cloud-based solution is powering energy and operational savings in buildings across the globe with reductions in HVAC energy costs by as much as 25%.
AE Smith have become a strategic partner of BuildingIQ in the Australian market, offering existing and new clients a virtually risk free solution to help reduce their HVAC energy usage by between 10% and 25% Originally developed by Australia’s own CSIRO, The BuildingIQ software suite is the leading energy management system that can intelligently predict and optimise energy demand in commercial buildings. Peter Ferguson, AE Smith’s General Manager of Building Technologies said of the partnership announcement, “We’ve been helping our customers improve the energy efficiency of their building for years. BuildingIQ is another smart tool that helps us to keep on delivering these results.” With HVAC representing the biggest single use of energy in most commercial buildings, optimising HVAC operation can result in large cost savings. BuildingIQ achieves these savings by continuously monitoring inputs including weather, occupancy, demand response events and energy prices, with all data compiled in a dynamic model. Complex computational algorithms then inform incremental adjustments to temperature and pressure via direct communication with the existing Building Management System (BMS). This is all achieved with minimal, if any, human interaction.
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Roy Arindam, BuildingIQ’s National Director of Sales commented on the partnership agreement, “The combination of our leading predictive optimisation technology and AE Smith’s engineering expertise and size in the Australian market will help many building owners save a lot of money on energy and ensure tenant comfort.” BuildingIQ is sold as a monthly “pay as you go” subscription. It requires no mechanical infrastructure upgrades or upfront capital expenditure and is generally cash flow positive within the first year. Reducing energy waste in both new and existing buildings, BuildingIQ has proved effective across a broad range of commercial building uses around the world, including offices, government, shopping centres and hospitals. Roy Arindam comments on BuildingIQ’s performance record, “When BuildingIQ is installed, we see immediate reductions in energy use, with buildings recording between 10-25% HVAC energy savings annually. With no upfront investment, and only weeks to install, there is virtually no risk for building owners to implement the software.” In addition to the huge energy savings, BuildingIQ has proven it can reduce a building’s carbon footprint and improve its sustainability score by up to a full NABERS point. AE Smith’s National Sustainability Engineer, David Odd, is an advocate of predictive optimisation, seeing it as a necessary part of maintaining a building’s NABERS Energy rating. David comments “NABERS is a performance based rating scheme, which means you need to constantly review and optimise your HVAC systems to maintain your NABERS rating. BuildingIQ is a smart, risk free product that will help our clients keep their NABERS rating and maximise their rental return.” AE Smith is currently delivering a range of building services and energy efficiency solutions around the country. With its ability to forecast energy requirements, factor for energy prices and keep tenants comfortable, BuildingIQ is a powerful new tool that will help AE Smith help its customers achieve even greater energy savings long into the future.
“ When BuildingIQ is installed, we see immediate reductions in energy use, with buildings recording between 10-25% HVAC energy savings annually. With no upfront investment, and only weeks to install, there is virtually no risk for building owners to implement the software ”
For further information contact Peter Ferguson, General Manager, AE Smith Building Technologies on 1300 313 313 or email buildingiq@aesmith.com.au AES
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Robot Seals Helping Dementia Aged Care Reside Modelled after a baby harp seal, the world's most therapeutic robot certified by Guinness World Records is covered with soft artificial fur to make people feel comfortable, as if they are touching a real animal. The robot provides the benefits of animal therapy to people in facilities where live animals present treatment or logistical difficulties.
Reduce patient stress and their caregivers. Stimulates interaction between patients and caregivers. Psychological effect on patients, improving their relaxation and motivation. Improves the socialization of patients with each other and with caregivers.
Source: www.parorobots.com Image source: Masonic Care Queensland
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AE Smith recently helped Masonic Care Queensland purchase two therapeutic robotic seals to stimulate dementia patients When Mark Lovelady, General Manager of AE Smith Townsville learned of Masonic Care Queensland’s plan to purchase robotic pet seals, he immediately offered a generous donation on behalf of AE Smith. “AE Smith has worked within the aged care sector for a long time. We’re very understanding of the needs of dementia patients and it’s great to be able to help Masonic Care Queensland afford their care strategy,” said Mark. These are the first therapeutic robotic seals to arrive in Australia. They will allow the documented benefits of animal therapy to be experienced by Masonic Care Queensland residents in Townsville. The two purchased baby seals will be part of a research study with James Cook University to understand how they can improve quality of life for residents and caregivers. The robotic pet has five kinds of sensors: tactile, light, audition, temperature, and posture sensors, with which it can perceive people and its environment. By interaction with people, it responds as if it is alive, moving its head and legs, making sounds, and showing the user’s preferred behaviour. “It’s pretty incredible technology,” says Mark (pictured above) who attended the seal naming ceremony in Townsville this March. At the event, the first two pet seals were named Sally and George.
ents The financial support to purchase the therapeutic robots is just one of the initiatives AE Smith has committed to in its continuing efforts to help its aged care customers around Australia. In 2011, AE Smith took the initiative to commission training to educate all AE Smith Service technicians about dementia, how to effectively communicate within an aged care environment and working safely in an aged care facility.
“ These are the first therapeutic robotic seals to arrive in Australia. They will allow the documented benefits of animal therapy to be experienced by Masonic Care Queensland residents in Townsville ”
“Working within aged care is quite different than a normal commercial building HVAC environment,” says Mark Lovelady. “Sometimes when you’re working in a dementia ward, residents can get confused. They may think a technician is their husband, or they’ll try and help out by climbing up a ladder. You need to be very familiar and cognisant of the environment around you.” Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) Victoria who wrote and delivered the training has confirmed this is the first, and only time a service provider has actively developed aged care training focused on delivering an improved experience for both residents and the service technician. The training is face-to-face with content focused on developing an understanding of dementia and effective communication with people with dementia. From pets to people, AE Smith teams around Australia continue to help their aged care customers care for their residents. AES www.aesmith.com.au
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Remote Location Project Expertise 5,000 km West of Mackay Organisation is the key to successful remote location project delivery The AE Smith team in Mackay recently completed its fifth, and possibly most challenging airport project, working alongside Woollam Constructions, in the remote town of Onslow (see map left).
Onslow is a beautiful coastal town with a nice, sunny climate. It is the oldest town in the Ashburton Shire, with a colourful history including pearl lugging and devastation by cyclone and Japanese bombing in World War II. The Shire of Ashburton serves communities across a vast region in the Pilbara, Western Australia. The region is known for mining, agriculture and fishing, and for its rugged, ancient landscape. Source: www.ashburton.wa.gov.au Image source: Chevron Australia
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Onslow is located in the far north of Western Australia 5,132 km by road directly west of Mackay. The local airport was commissioned by the Shire of Ashburton and mining giant Chevron, with its primary purpose to service a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) mining workforce. No stranger to remote location delivery, AE Smith Project Manager, Nathan Gibbs was appointed to lead the Onslow Airport project, having previously worked with Woollam Constructions to deliver Roma, Longreach and Mackay airports also in regional Australia. The project scope included installation of a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air conditioning system with air-change package units and Big Ass Fans for ventilation, exhaust and fresh air systems, as well as installation of the Building Management System (BMS). When talking about the challenges of remote delivery, Nathan is resolute about the most important factor for success – organisation.
“On remote projects, organisation is critical. Weeks of careful planning is required to make sure the right materials, the right people and the right tools are onsite at the right time,” Nathan said. All of the ductwork for the project was manufactured on the east coast of Australia and then trucked some 5,000 km over to Onslow, taking between 5-7 days to arrive on site. This logistical implication was factored into the critical path of the project. “There’s no room for error when you’re adding a week for transport. Every single part needs to be checked and double checked before it’s put on the truck. Otherwise, any issue could throw the project off by weeks.” The nearest town to Onslow is Karratha, a three-hour drive away. Even food and cyclone proof shelter was carefully planned ahead of project commencement, because a quick trip to Karratha was out of the question. “Just before we arrived, the Onslow supermarket burnt down. It was just one more reminder that you have to come prepared,” Nathan said. Once on site, the extreme weather conditions of northern Australia added another complexity to project delivery. High winds quickly layered a blanket of red dirt over the construction site, hiding tools and materials. Facing the unusual consequence of paying $300 per additional night for a camping site, minimising onsite disruptions was crucial. “The conditions around us made it even more important to collaborate with everyone working on site. We helped the builder and the builder helped us. No one went home until it was done.” Nathan said. No doubt, it’s the organisation and the collaboration that has seen multi award-winning Woollam Constructions choose AE Smith as their HVAC supplier for over 20 years.
“ Helping our customers deliver building services in remote locations as extreme as Onslow is no easy task. What sets AE Smith apart is our people. People with the right expertise and the right remote location experience to make it hassle free for our customers in regional Australia ”
“We’ve found AE Smith to be able to address any issue as it arises. They’re very capable. We’d recommend them for any project,” said Craig Percival, Director of Woollam Constructions. “Helping our customers deliver building services in remote locations as extreme as Onslow is no easy task,” said Mike Mulherin, General Manager of AE Smith in Mackay. “What sets AE Smith apart is our people. People with the right expertise and the right remote location experience to make it hassle free for our customers in regional Australia.” AES
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The “I” of the BIM
“ BIM allows us to pull the design apart and make modules, which can then be prefabricated and delivered to site in cages, ready to be connected… Whilst we manufacture offsite, the builder can move forward onsite leading to time savings along the critical path ”
Albert Einstein said, “Information is not knowledge.” But knowledge about information; insight for contractor and customer alike is critical to unlocking the true value of “I” in BIM for the construction industry in Australia AE Smith is being appointed to lead the coordination of Building Information Modelling (BIM) integration across all trades that cross paths on a single project. As a result, we have many real examples of where insight about information has helped our clients increase profitability through improved productivity, clash detection and a reduction in rework and variations. Information improves productivity AE Smith has moved down the line of paperless sites with our construction team now fully digitised. Everything is on tablets, including the commissioning team. With information always available and current, communication is sped up and works are accurately informed. The error rate associated with different trades working off incompatible or even out of date plans has been dramatically reduced. Because our team is online, they can submit any onsite impacts and progress directly back into the BIM model at the end of the day. This evolving extraction and submission of information ensures everyone knows what's next. We can schedule works and resource more
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precisely, so there’s far less chance of someone standing idle with a shovel while an issue is resolved. One of the greatest productivity gains is through utilising parallel manufacturing technologies. BIM allows us to pull the design apart and make modules, which can then be prefabricated and delivered to site in cages, ready to be connected. This approach dramatically improves site productivity. Whilst we manufacture offsite, the builder can move forward onsite leading to time savings along the critical path and significant workplace safety enhancements. Information improves clash detection and reduces rework Revit® by Autodesk® is a CAD package that virtually builds in 3D and in the digital space. It gives a feeling of depth, so services including electrical, medical gases, HVAC and plumbing can all be looked at in conjunction. Because all trades utilise the same model it radically reduces clashes. For example, if ducting is removed, or pipes are introduced, other trades such as the ceiling or wall installers need to adjust heights and depths accordingly. In a traditional build this type of scenario often results in rework, because trades aren’t aware of changes taking place dynamically. This can be costly both in time and materials. Whereas when all trades are working from the same model, specification information immediately informs design and adjustments can be made accordingly before work begins. Essentially, it’s much cheaper to make changes on-screen than onsite. Information reduces variations Often in a Design and Construct (D&C) project there is a requirement for dynamic type designs, with clients requesting variations. When you have a conceptual 3D model, this helps the client to visualise the project and can immediately show the implications of a change both on design and cost. Data from overseas shows BIM can significantly reduce change orders and variations from 20% to 25%. At AE Smith, we’re experiencing similar levels of reduction in variation with our clients. A standard approach to information As an industry we are working together to develop the core approaches of BIM and the standards for how all projects are carried out. AE Smith are also involved in developing a BIM enablement course for trades, to ensure basic skills are learned to use technologies effectively. For example being invited by AIRAH to host their “BIM: The Basics” national seminars series around Australia in 2014 (see right). In the case of BIM, there is no doubt that knowledge about information equals improved profit margin. The entire value of BIM will only be truly realised when there is collaboration between all practitioners and trades, throughout all stages of design and construction right through to ongoing facility management. AES
“BIM: The Basics” Is AIRAH's 2014 national seminar series at which Mark Jacobson (pic above), M.AIRAH & AE Smith National BIM Operations Manager, will illustrate how a well-executed BIM project can substantially improve a building's operation and maintenance.
ACT, 14 May QLD, 24 Jun NSW, 6 Aug VIC, 10 Sep SA, 13 Nov
For more information visit www.airah.org.au AIRAH (Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning & Heating) is recognised by government and industry bodies for its expertise across a wide range of issues in the area of engineering services for the built environment.
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No Gambling with Energy at Crown Crown Melbourne is Australia’s leading integrated resort. The award-winning dynamic and diverse complex includes luxury accommodation in its three hotels, world-class dining, a variety of retail options, the Palladium ballroom, outstanding conference facilities and vibrant gaming and entertainment options, making it one of Australia’s most visited tourist attractions. Crown Melbourne was recently awarded the “Casino/Integrated Resort of the Year for 2014” at the prestigious International Gaming Awards (IGA) in London. The IGA is considered the “Oscars” of the gaming industry and celebrates the outstanding performance of industry worldwide. Source: www.crownmelbourne.com.au
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30% energy savings delivered in trial to improve refrigeration performance at the Crown Melbourne As with many large public venues, the opportunity to save energy and benefit from advances in technology are becoming increasingly apparent. Recently, Adam Godino, Refrigeration & HVAC Project Sales in the Melbourne Service AE Smith team was approached by not just one, but three Crown departments to help them achieve a range of objectives:
The Maintenance team needed to meet legislative requirements whilst also understanding the cost savings of replacing R22 in their plants; The Sustainability Manager was tasked to improve energy efficiency; and The Food and Beverage team were focused on improving equipment monitoring for more effective food management and reporting.
Adam saw the opportunity to facilitate discussion between the different Crown departments. “We wanted to find one solution to meet everyone’s needs. A trial was agreed to, focusing on one refrigeration unit servicing two cool rooms. As Crown has over 120 cool rooms/freezer rooms with 90 refrigeration condensing units, the findings from this energy saving trial have huge
implications – both on capital [CAPEX] and operational expenditure [OPEX].” The trial was carefully planned with each of six stages focused to isolate the impact of each individual change to the refrigeration unit. In this way the most valuable changes to Crown as a whole, and to each department could be identified and prioritised. The first stage of the trial was to identify baseline energy usage. Meters were installed on all equipment to be able to log data on equipment performance and energy use. “We needed to establish the baseline so that each department understood the starting point. That way, the cost as well as the benefit of each subsequent stage could be correctly apportioned.” Adam said. The first change was to replace refrigerant gas R22 with R507. R22 is legislated for phase out in Australia due to its negative environmental impact. It was a priority for Crown to switch across to a new, reliable refrigerant as soon as possible because as supplies decrease, purchase costs continue to rise. Stage three, four and five focused on introducing new parts to the refrigeration system, such as Electronic TX valves, a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) controller and replacing the coils in the evaporators. These measures improved refrigerant flow responsiveness, enabled independent pressure and temperature control for each cool room and improved the effectiveness of old equipment. In stage six product probes were installed in the cool rooms to provide air temperature data to inform operation of the evaporator fans. “By law, the core temperature of food and beverage must be maintained between 3-5 degrees, explains Adam. “During the day, lots of people come in and out of a cool room, so the air temperature needs to be set lower. In the middle of the night, we can increase the air temperature by a degree and still keep the product at the right temperature. This can result in sizable energy savings over time.”
“ As Crown has over 120 cool rooms/ freezer rooms with 90 refrigeration condensing units, the findings from this energy saving trial have huge implications – both on capital [CAPEX] and operational expenditure [OPEX] ”
The entire solution is integrated to a control system called Carel, previously tested by the Crown Food & Beverage team during a new restaurant install. The combination of technologies have the potential to eradicate human reporting error, reduce food spoilage and automate government reporting. “It made sense to use Carel, because Crown already had experience using this type of control system. Integrating this project with previous expenditure also helps to reduce cost,” says Adam. Results from the trial are impressive. Energy usage by the refrigeration unit involved in the trial has decreased by 30%. All three departments at Crown and AE Smith can now use the data from each individual stage to make informed decisions and allocate budget to the most effective measures. Considering the potential cost savings across 120 cool rooms/freezer rooms, this is looking to be an energy saving winning streak for Crown. AES www.aesmith.com.au
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Powering the Health of a Nation AE Smith’s trigeneration and energy services expertise was recently on show at Australian Healthcare Week in Sydney The focus of the annual conference and exhibition was on delivering user centric, adaptable facilities on time and within budget. Attendees learned about and discussed how to build and develop health facilities that are more efficient and suited to meet the health demands of the coming century. Main pic (L to R): Bernie McKinley, Steve Toby, Josh Daley, Ashley Robinson and Simon Brown. Pic above: Mark Sanders demonstrates SEAM (System Energy, Analysis & Monitoring). SEAM by AE Smith is the only comprehensive Australian turnkey software package capable of autonomously monitoring onsite energy plant operations.
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The Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital (LCCH) featured as a headline case study at the conference. The project represents Queensland’s largest ever capital investment in children’s health, boasting around 80,000 square meters of floor space. In total the project is expected to cost $1.4 billion. The LCCH case study, jointly presented by Karl Scott, Deputy Project Director, Lend Lease demonstrated how a strong collaborative process between all parties - client (Children’s Hospital and Health Services), architect (Conrad Garett Lyons) and contractor (Lend Lease) - has been an active catalyst for change. An integral element of the LCCH project is the integration of a turnkey trigeneration energy plant, the largest of it’s kind in Australia. This met client objectives to increase energy efficiency and energy security as well as reduce emissions.
The world-class central energy plant, constructed and commissioned by AE Smith, will occupy 4,500 square meters across five stories and meet all the power, heating, cooling and steam requirements of the hospital, research facility and planned future buildings. Well placed to talk about powering the health of a nation are AE Smith’s Josh Daley, LCCH Project Manager and Ashley Robinson, LCCH Project Director who represented AE smith at the event. “Hospitals are large energy users, and typically HVAC solutions form the majority of this usage. Every health facility, whether old or new should be asking how they can save on energy costs and cut emissions,” says Ashley (pic left, standing second from right). During peak consumption times, the new trigeneration energy system at LCCH is expected to lower demand on grid energy by 60% and emissions of carbon dioxide will be reduced by some 17.8 million kilograms per annum. At the AE Smith exhibiting booth, Ashley and Josh shared with Australian Healthcare Week delegates their insight into the challenges and opportunities of powering a health facility. “A big opportunity is to use technology and information effectively, both during construction and then afterwards in the facility management process,” said Ashley. “One of the core components of success on the LCCH project is the use of Business Information Modelling [BIM]. It increases coordination and communication and enables large portions of the energy plant to be constructed offsite using prefabricated modules. This alone helps reduces commissioning time by up to 65%,” commented Josh (pic left, standing third from right). At the heart of the world-class LCCH central energy plant is a wholistic control system designed by AE Smith dubbed SEAM (System Energy Analysis & Monitoring). “SEAM is the only comprehensive Australian turnkey software package capable of autonomously monitoring onsite energy plant operations,” said Mark Sanders, AE Smith National Energy Service Manager.
“ The world-class central energy plant, constructed and commissioned by AE Smith, will occupy 4,500 square meters across five stories and meet all the power, heating, cooling and steam requirements of the [Lady Cilento Children’s ] hospital, research facility and planned future buildings ”
SEAM (pic above right with Mark) tracks every element of the energy system in real time as well as controlling incoming fuel supplies. “The advantage of SEAM is that it can find, isolate and report faults. This means the facility manager or service technician can get the system back online sooner should problems arise,” explains Mark. Australian Healthcare Week looked to answer a tough question: How will Australian health facilities meet the needs of an ageing population without blowing the budget? Whilst one supplier alone will not solve the issue, Ashley and Josh were happy to share AE Smith’s knowledge on how collaboration, energy efficiency and the effective use of technology are contributing to the solution. AES www.aesmith.com.au
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Leverage Drafting to Deliver Projects On Time Pic: Drafting Power for the Kids! The turnkey trigeneration power plant for the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital (LCCH) is an excellent example of the capability of the AE Smith drafting team. This is the largest power plant of its type in Australia. The project utilised BIM and was delivered on time.
At the heart of any successful HVAC project is a consistently documented plan informing manufacture and construction
The AE Smith LCCH project drafting team includes: John Brydges, Chris Nyul and Steve Glover.
Operating practices of the AE Smith drafting team have been designed around the end goal – delivering projects on time. They encompass:
At AE Smith, this responsibility falls to a team of 40 draftsmen and women located around the country. Their remit spans from delivering traditional mechanical and electrical services drafting, right through to detailing and programming works on large complex projects such as the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital turnkey trigeneration power plant in Queensland.
Knowledge through People; Knowledge through Technology; and Service.
Knowledge through People “Our objective is uniformity in the way we draft. Uniformity equals consistency, which removes error and creates efficiencies in time,” says Gary Salkowski, AE Smith Construction Drafting Manager in Victoria. “To achieve uniformity, we share knowledge across the team nationally and across projects.” 22 Cool Breeze 2014 #20
AE Smith draftspersons are exposed to numerous types of projects, both in complexity, type and industry. “We can move our people across projects as needed because we are constantly building capability,” says Gary. “This way, projects are never slowed down because of resource constraints.” Senior members of the team with more than 30 years of experience actively train mid and junior staff so every project benefits from the collective knowledge earned throughout AE Smith’s lengthy history. “We also make sure the junior members of the team contribute back the other way, particularly in sharing their natural instincts for technology literacy,” said Gary. Knowledge through Technology At AE Smith, technology is used to deliver end-to-end drafting. Continual and significant investment in tools and training leverages advances in software and progresses the move towards Business Information Modelling (BIM) within the construction industry. The AE Smith drafting team is taking on an ever-greater role in the management and coordination of all trades via BIM. All projects are resourced with draftspersons competent in the software platforms AutoCAD®, FABmep®, Navisworks® and Revit®. “BIM delivers productivity through better processes. The ‘I’ is Information, it’s also Intelligence,” explains Gary. “Select AE Smith personnel are now using Trimble® to better aid their processes, which means they have the ability to access model data onsite via electronic tablet. This further increases accuracy and speeds up communication,” says Gary. The drafting team is experienced in drafting for prefabrication were a computer rated model is then delivered to manufacturers.
“ Operating practices of the AE Smith drafting team have been designed around the end goal – delivering projects on time. They encompass: Knowledge through People; Knowledge through Technology; and Service ”
“We are able to build a file that is correct and current in every shape and form, down to the last screw,” says Gary. Service “It comes back to everyone working towards the same goal – getting the project delivered on time,” said Gary. That’s why the drafting team focuses on delivering a positive service experience and collaboratively with engineers, consultants and architects. “Having a cross-skilled team and a culture of knowledge sharing means that when there is a problem, we have the experience and process to solve it,” concluded Gary. AES
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Fast Lane Lachlan Kavney races a Honda NSF 250 in the Superlites categories as well as a Bultaco Pursang 250 in Period 4 250. At just over 5ft tall and not much over 50kg, it has been said that Lachlan is genetically engineered to race motorcycles! For more information visit www.lachlankavneyracing.com
AE Smith helps race hopeful track to success Lachlan Kavney has been riding motorcycles since the age of 3. His family could not afford to race, but he grew up riding 2 stroke motocross bikes up until the age of 18. Now 23 and based in Brisbane, Lachlan’s racing form granted him one of only two Wildcard spots at last year’s Tissot Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island in the Moto3 Class. No mean feat; Lachlan was the only Wildcard rider to make it into the World Championship Moto3 Race. Lachlan’s track to success was brought to the attention of AE Smith by close family friend Chris Perry, an experienced Technician with the Brisbane Service AE Smith team. “I’ve known Lachlan since he was a baby and it’s been a real joy to see him grow up and explore his racing potential. Despite Lachlan having the most underpowered bike, he’s still managing race wins, fastest laps and lap records. Taking second spot in last year’s Australian Championship is only the beginning,” boasted Chris. “Thank you AE Smith for your sponsorship. Without the support of my family, friends and generous sponsors like you, it wouldn’t be possible for me to race and chase my dream,” said Lachlan. AES
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Tapping Airport’s BMS to Publicly Display its Energy Use Responding to the Shire of Ashburton’s wish to promote both their main industry as well as the energy efficiency of their new Onslow airport (some 1,400 km north of Perth by road), AE Smith developed a web-based energy reporting dashboard for public display in the airport concourse The dashboard is hosted within a website built by AE Smith’s in-house team in HTML5 responsive design. This means it can be accessed and viewed remotely from desktop or mobile device.
The energy information is drawn directly from the BMS [Building Management System] on a daily basis in real-time… and shown as a dashboard for public display in the airport concourse
Project champion and computer programmer, Brad Disher who is also the Business Development Manager for AE Smith Building Technologies, explains how the displayed information is sourced. “The energy information is drawn directly from the BMS [Building Management System] in real-time.” A service call to Onslow is no simple feat, so the AE Smith Building Technologies team designed everything to be as simple as possible. A solid-state micro computer was chosen to host all technology, with the advantage being there are no moving parts. “Every piece of technology, including the BMS, the dashboard and the server are located in hardware the size of a sandwich box in the Airport Managers office. It’s super reliable and very energy efficient,” says Brad. AES www.aesmith.com.au
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Many people experience difficulties that can impact on their work and personal life. The advice and support of a professional counsellor can help. Use of the Employee Assistant Program by AE Smith staff is completely voluntary, confidential and funded by AE Smith
Our People Matter Employee Assistance Program available to all AE Smith team members that need help Championed by Nick Daley, AE Smith’s National Safety Manager, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) service provided externally by Assure Programs and is completely independent and confidential. Many people experience difficulties that can impact on their work and personal life. Sometimes these are short-lived and can be easily resolved with the help of family or close friends. However, occasionally, a difficulty may persist, and the advice and support of a professional counsellor can help stop a more serious issue from developing. The Employee Assistance Program also assists with the resolution of personal and work-related challenges, which may affect work performance or quality of life. Assure Programs’ EAP counsellors are professionally qualified and highly experienced, and will approach all concerns in a sensitive and practical way. Working collaboratively, they will develop a plan to overcome issues and reach desired goals. Use of the Assure Programs EAP is completely voluntary and all interactions with Assure Programs are completely confidential. Use of the Employee Assistance program is funded by AE Smith. AE Smith employees can arrange an appointment by contacting Assure Programs direct on 1800 808 374 or via email at info@assureprograms.com.au AES
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Helping the Community Beat the Heat As a Lieutenant with the Country Fire Authority (CFA), AE Smith’s Jason Harcourt has an important leadership role to play in the community He oversees operation of two local CFA fire stations at Lilydale and Churnside on the suburban fringe of Melbourne. These two stations are manned by over 50 volunteers and respond to up to 400 distress calls a year.
“ During January, Jason was released from his normal duties at AE Smith so he could bolster CFA stand-by fire fighting crews, substantially reducing response times. Jason is grateful for AE Smith’s contribution of his time to the CFA ”
During the recent spate of Victorian bushfires earlier this year, Jason was on high alert, responding to fires threatening the outer suburbs of Melbourne and joining CFA crews as far away as the Grampians to protect life, homes and livestock. “You can’t plan a bushfire, so there is a lot of unknown”, says Jason, who carries a pager with him 24 hours a day. When a distress call goes out, available volunteers have just four minutes to respond. But extreme weather events are treated differently says Jason, “When there’s a bushfire, it’s all hands on deck, strike teams are required from one to seven days.” During January, Jason was released from his normal duties at AE Smith so he could bolster CFA stand-by fire fighting crews, substantially reducing response times. Jason is grateful for AE Smith’s contribution of his time to the CFA. “AE Smith are helping the local community by making me available to support others.” AES
Pic: Jason Harcourt, Plumber Leading Hand with AE Smith Construction Victoria, at his local CFA station preparing to turn out a fire truck. He has been with the CFA for 16 years, since he was 13.
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Swing for Charity with Lend Lease What is MS?: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. About MS Australia: It is the national peak body for people affected by MS. About the 24 Hour Mega Swim: It is a fun team relay event and one of Australia’s most popular and fastest-growing fundraising events. Teams of up to 15 people compete for laps swum and money raised. Each team must have a swimmer in the water for the entire 24 Hours! For more information, please visit www.msaustralia.org.au and www.megaswim.com
Pic: AE Smith’s Doug Smith and Sandy Wilson.
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AE Smith helped Lend Lease raise $60,000 late last year for MS Australia at the Lend Lease MS Charity Golf Day at Moonah Links Golf Club All funds go towards Lend Lease’s annual contribution to the 24 Hour Mega Swim event in support of MS Australia – something that they’ve been involved with for 11 years. “In that time, Lend Lease has raised over $400,000 – a figure that’s likely to hit half a million dollars this year,” said event organiser Jane Wightman, a National Administrator for Lend Lease. Impressively, Jane has swum in every one of the 24 hour swimming marathons that Lend Lease has entered and plans to keep going for many more. “We’ve met so many incredible people through the 24 Hour Mega Swim for MS and I’m so proud that with the help of Lend Lease and other companies like AE Smith, that we’ve been able to make such a contribution to MS Australia,” Jane said. “Congratulations to Jane and Lend Lease for their outstanding commitment to helping MS Australia over such a long period of time,” said Doug Smith, General Manager AE Smith Construction Victoria. “Your generosity demonstrates the like-mindedness of our two organisations when it comes to helping people.” AES
Miles for Smiles Earlier this year four Australian riders embarked on a 60 day, 12,000km charity ride on vintage Royal Enfield motorcycles through Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Australia to raise money in aid of the charity Interplast The Miles for Smiles team will travel to Interplast’s various programs throughout the Asia Pacific region. They will film the volunteer plastic and reconstructive surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and health professionals who provide free surgical treatment for people who are disabled as a result of congenital or acquired medical conditions such as cleft lip and palate or burn scar contractures. “Throw four vintage motorcycles into the mix, the mountainous dirt roads of Bangladesh, the jungles of Laos, border crossings, permission letters, visas, camera equipment and an amateur film maker, and we’re in for one hell of a ride,” said founder of the Miles for Smiles concept Peter Jones, former Building Manager at AE Smith customer Eureka Tower. “Over the years, AE Smith has supported different Interplast fundraising activities championed by Peter,” explains Peter McCarthy, General Manager, AE Smith Service Melbourne. “We’re delighted to help again and wish Peter and his fellow adventurers a safe journey.” AES
Pic: Peter Jones stands far left behind his AE Smith sponsored Royal Enfield motorcycle. About Interplast: For nearly 30 years, lnterplast has worked to implement over 500 surgical and allied health medical program activities across the Asia Pacific region. They have provided over 32,000 consultations and performed over 21,000 life -changing operations, a large percentage of these for children under 15 years old. lnterplast rely completely on supporters and donations of time, money and energy to help continue their work. For more information please visit www.interplast.org.au and www.milesforsmiles.org.au
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Continuous Support Recognised The Greenfleet Huon Award is named in honour of the Huon Pine tree. Huon Pine (pictured) is Australia’s oldest living tree and one of the oldest living organisms on earth.
Environmental charity recognises AE Smith with Huon Award
For more information please visit www.greenfleet.com.au
Greenfleet is a not-for-profit environmental charity and Australia’s first and most trusted carbon offset provider.
Image source: http://goo.gl/NlXG5w
“At Greenfleet, we are able to plant more native forests thanks to the contributions of our amazing supporters, just like AE Smith,” said Wayne Wescott, CEO of Greenfleet .
“Year after year, individuals and organisations help Greenfleet plant more forest trees to offset their carbon emissions and its their continuous support which makes a huge difference,” added Wayne. In recognition of this continued support, Greenfleet presented AE Smith and other long-standing business supporters including ASIC, Europcar and Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses with the Greenfleet Huon Award.
Cool Breeze is a magazine published by AE Smith & Son Pty Ltd ABN 54 004 274 793 for its staff and customers. Subscription is free and available directly from AE Smith. © 2014 AE Smith & Son Pty Ltd. Important Notice: The information contained in this magazine is given in good faith. To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither AE Smith, its employees or contractors accept any liability for loss or damage arising as a result of any person acting on information contained in this magazine. This magazine should not be used or relied on as a substitute for detailed professional consultation with AE Smith.
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The Huon Award recognises Greenfleet supporters who have consistently offset emissions for five years and over. “For AE Smith, a Greenfleet supporter since 2005, this recognition has been a long time coming. Thank you for your continuous support. Together we are helping Australian landscapes by removing carbon from the atmosphere and restoring biodiverse native forests,” concluded Wayne. AES
Happy 21st This April, Ronald McDonald House (RMH) Monash celebrated its 21st anniversary of providing a “home away from home” for families who need to travel to receive care for their child at Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne “With the amazing support of our corporate and community supporters and an incredible team of volunteers over the past 21 years, over 9,000 individual families have called our House ‘Home’,” said Nickie Barlow, Executive Officer at RMH Monash. “Some families have stayed one night, others much longer. Our longest stay was a family who were here just short of 3 years.” “Thank you to AE Smith and your team for playing your part in making Ronald McDonald House Monash a haven for families caring for their sick child,” said Nickie. Andrew Permezel, CEO of AE Smith explains, “We choose to help Ronald McDonald House because we have tremendous admiration for the fantastic work they do. While commercial success is important, AE Smith’s core value is to help people.” “Our help hopefully increases the capacity of Ronald McDonald Houses around the country to care for families in need and make their stay a little more comfortable. Happy birthday RMH Monash,” said Andrew. AES
At AE Smith, we believe in helping people in everything we do. Providing free services to Ronald McDonald Houses around the country helps reinforce this belief:
RMH Monash (Melbourne) RMH Parkville (Melbourne) RMH Perth RMH Townsville RMH Westmead (Sydney)
Houses supported by AE Smith no longer receive bills for air conditioning service and maintenance, saving each House thousands of dollars every year. For more information about helping RMH, please visit www.rmhc.org.au
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