On the edge of the famous Sydney Harbour and at the heart of Barangaroo’s brand new commercial district, there are three high rise office towers currently under construction that will become a new corporate centre for the Asia-Pacific region.
Developed by Lendlease and designed by internationally acclaimed architects, the three commercial towers at Barangaroo are ready to set new benchmarks for sustainable workplace design.
Called International Towers Sydney, the towers sit at an impressive 49 floors, 43 floors and 39 floors respectively.
With the 2016 completion date, there was a huge number of contractors working on them.
All three mechanical contractors, Axis, Brown & Moodie and Sydmec, plus the hydraulic contractor, used Viega’s Propress technology.
After initially considering another approach, Viega’s innovative and highly efficient press-fit technology won out.
Rob Elliot, NSW State Manager for Axis Plumbing, said, “Productivity was the main reason for the change from brazing to Viega press-fit as there is a lot of time lost moving oxyacetylene bottles vertically between floors – it is more efficient to use press-fit.
“Other reasons included site work and safety requirements and the need to reduce/eliminate hot works on site due to safety reasons.”
Viega the preferred solution
Brown & Moodie, another contractor working on the project, also supported the use of Viega’s press-fit technology.
Quentin Brown, Brown & Moodie Project Manager, said, “Viega’s Propress was already approved and preferred by the consultants and engineers as a superior product, which made it easier for Brown & Moodie to get it through.
“We were happy that the engineers were also convinced that press-fit was suitable for this project.”
Developer Lendlease secured a number of high profile tenants including Westpac, KPMG, PwC, HSBC and Lendlease itself. The pressure was on all contractors involved to deliver the highest quality work, under tight timeframes, and as safely as possible.
“That is the best thing about the Viega Propress system – it offers fast, flexible and safe copper pipework installation that assists with overcoming the challenges of working on such a large scale project,” Mr Elliot said.
“The technology also works with the elimination of fire/flame/hot work permits.”
Technical support and training
Viega Propress copper press fittings are being used in all three towers for potable hot/cold water, as well as mechanical services and gas services.
A huge project for all involved, contractor Axis is particularly pleased with the technical field support and training Viega provides on site.
“There is a peace of mind when using a premium product like Viega,” Mr Elliot said.
“We know that Viega is a premium product with unique features, the most innovative of which are the patented smart connect feature and leak detection safety feature.
“The added safety on site, ease and speed of installation and quality of installation are the icing on the cake.”
Contractor Brown & Moodie also expressed a strong confidence in the quality of Viega’s products and the accompanying warranty.
“The product gives us the ability to capture any unpressed joints thanks to their smart connect feature,” Mr Brown said.
“Propress saves us time on installation, minimises the need for hot work permits and provides us with top notch technical support and training.”
Providing clients with the best on-site support in the industry is exactly what Viega aspires to do, as Robert Hardgrove from Viega Australia attests.
“Viega prides itself on setting the highest standard for safety, product innovation and training for clients,” Mr Hardgrove said.
“For a large-scale project such as Barangaroo that needs to utilise the quickest, safest and most accurate way of installing a sizeable amount of piping, Viega’s Propress technology is a perfect fit.”
This partner content is brought to you by Viega. For more information, visit about-us.viega.com.au.
