Façade | CORE Consulting Engineers

Jardan – 42 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW

CORE was engaged to provide structural and facade engineering services for the conversion of an existing two-storey (plus basement) office/retail building into a high-end furniture showroom in Sydney’s bustling suburb of Paddington.

Project Details

The works included:

Strengthening of the existing timber-framed building for seismic upgrade and increased gravity loads
Design of an impressive 13m span circular steel staircase and 5m glass skylight within the existing timber floors and roof structures
Strengthening of existing timber roof trusses to facilitate the removal of existing timber columns
Partial replacement of the brick facade to allow for large glazed openings
Awning strengthening works to ensure compliance with current standards

Our Process

CORE’s specialisation in adaptive re-use of existing buildings and expert knowledge in working within the confined of an existing envelope enabled us to conceptually design the major structural works at an early stage with the key consultants and raise any potential issues. Through the course of several early-stage design workshops, several options were explored for all parties to consider ‘form vs. function’ as well as cost. CORE responded immediately to design changes required to suit the existing structure once works commenced on site and provided additional temporary works design support to the builder.

CORE and the project team were proud to achieve the client’s requirements to deliver a superior result in keeping with the premium nature of the client’s brand.

Residential/Strata, Façade, Hydraulic, Remedial, Structural

67 Ocean St, Woollahra, NSW

CORE was engaged to conduct a site inspection and condition assessment of 36 units and balconies at 67 Ocean St, Woollahra – a 1967, 7-storey, brick-facade residential/strata building.

Inspection findings…

During the inspection process, the CORE team identified numerous issues ranging from:

Non-compliant balustrades
Defective balcony soffits with non-functioning drip-grooves
Inadequate primary drainage systems causing extensive water ponding and significantly reducing the service life of waterproofing membrane
Blocked and non-compliant secondary overflow outlets
Leaking downpipes
Concrete spalling
Drummy balcony and skirting tiles
Balcony doors and windows installed with inadequate separation between external and internal areas causing water ingress

Detailed reporting to inform decisions…

Upon completion of the inspection, a detailed balcony condition assessment report was submitted to the Owners Corporation (OC) along with recommendations on how to resolve root causes, address internal consequential damage and achieve a long-term solution for the owners.

CORE’s engagement continued as per the OC’s request for the delivery of technical specifications and approval to proceed with tendering the works inclusive of a:

Balustrade upgrade
Stormwater drainage system upgrade
Balcony waterproofing works
Balcony sliding door upgrade
Concrete spalling repairs

In relation to the balustrade upgrade, CORE provided several options for the OC’s consideration – taking both the building’s aesthetic and project budget into account. Indicative design mock-ups were issued, enabling owners to
envision the end result for each option and make a more informed decision on how to proceed.

Overall, the project required the expertise of CORE’s Remedial, Facade, Structures and Hydraulic divisions.

Preparing for the construction stage…

The next stage saw CORE tender out the works to 3 remedial contractors within our preferred partner portfolio.

It is important to note that CORE’s Contractor portfolio has been established and vetted over many years – developing and maintaining relationships with the most reputable and reliable Contractor groups in the industry.

Prior to the works contract being signed, CORE team met with all owners and the OC to provide a detailed brief of the issues, upcoming works and to provide an opportunity to answer any questions they had.

All eyes on safety and communication…

CORE believes that both safety and communication play a critical role throughout our projects and are crucial to achieving a successful outcome.

Prior to any works being formalised or contracts signed, the CORE team met with all owners to provide a detailed brief of the building issues at hand along with upcoming works.

Upon commencement of works, CORE delivered weekly progress updates and ensured remediation was carried out with minimal disturbance to residents.

The project was compliant with the new DBPA requirements and Certificates of Practical Completion were delivered. The project was completed in October 2022.

Investa: NSW, VIC, QLD Portfolio

Our Partnership

CORE has delivered facade auditing and fire consulting services for Investa’s NSW, VIC and QLD portfolio of 21 assets for more than 10 years.

As Investa’s base building consultants, our team has gained an intimate knowledge of each building as well as a strong understanding of the operational and compliance excellence expected of Investa’s suppliers, along with their key drivers of success.

Achieving 100% compliance with inspection and legislative requirements, codes and authorities.

Working in close collaboration with the Investa management team, and in accordance with all state requirements, CORE has successfully delivered a national program of facade inspections and management of identified defects achieving and maintaining 100% compliance with Investa’s inspection requirements.

Our development and management of Investa’s fire compliance and certification process has seen CORE create a bespoke model that is well above industry standard and is reflective of the unique service requirements of Investa. This model continues to strengthen and evolve as we aim to deliver an efficient, sustainable and customised fire consulting services for Investa for years to come.

The people behind the buildings…

Paramount to our partnership’s success is CORE and Investa’s mutual commitment to effective communication and nurturing relationships throughout all streams of engagement.

With dedicated Site Managers and State Managers assigned to each location, CORE facilitates a personal, consistent and streamlined communication experience for both parties an approach that is supported by our operational processes and systems.

We understand the importance and value of clear, accountable communication flows and believe this to be one of the most critical components of what we deliver.

Experts in existing buildings.

Heavily integrated with other major disciplines, facades and building services play a significant role in determining the overall value, performance, safety and sustainability of a building.

CORE’s multi-disciplinary teamwork means we differentiate in facade excellence – delivering continuous improvement and setting new benchmarks in the industry.

More than 70% of CORE’s business is in existing buildings.

Our team are experts in this field – acutely aware of the challenges and constraints that arise throughout the building lifecycle and equipped to provide solutions that minimise tenant disruption whilst offering the safest, most efficient
and cost-effective outcomes.

It is our choice to only work with select clients to manage their premium building portfolios via our bespoke methodology and boutique client service. This approach enables us to deliver and uphold a high-quality, turn-key solution that
encompasses both technical engineering and project management practises seeing us take on all administrative, technical and cost analysis responsibilities so that our clients can focus on servicing their tenants.

Being at the forefront of the industry for compliance management – we’re always keeping commercial and regulatory requirements top of mind and working closely with clients to navigate and deliver in alignment with the ever-changing
compliance environment.

Commercial Office, Government, Hospitality, Refurbishment/Fitout, Transport, Electrical, Façade, Fire Engineering & Fire Protection, Hydraulic, Mechanical, Remedial, Structural

City of Sydney, NSW Portfolio

Our Partnership

Since 2019, CORE has been proudly appointed by MBM as City of Sydney’s partner of choice for the delivery of multi- disciplinary, technical engineering services across a portfolio of 125 assets.

An array of prominent, flagship locations that shape the city of Sydney…

Town Halls
Aquatic Centres
Community Centres
Childcare Centres
Libraries
Leisure & Entertainment Venues
Commercial Offices
Industrial Warehouses

Experts in existing buildings, delivering turn-key, multi disciplinary engineering solutions.

Our dedicated CORE team are responsible for the provision of:

Technical due diligence investigations and reporting
Facade inspection services
Condition reporting
Feasibility studies
Design and specification
Construction services
Building safety upgrades
Fitouts / refurbishment projects
CAPEX projects
Certification

Leading with a ‘People-First’ approach and an unwavering commitment to operational excellence.

Operating as a true extension to the City of Sydney team, CORE places a strong focus on the simultaneous delivery of high-quality engineering and exceptional customer service.

Working with a diverse group of stakeholders – from Facilities Managers, engineering and project management divisions, the sustainability team, through to tenants themselves, we pride ourselves on delivering a customised approach
and handling each interaction with care.

Communication, flexibility, a high level of responsiveness and the commitment to addressing priority items with urgency are integral to our approach.

Managing the unique, ever-changing requirements of each asset, City of Sydney’s diverse portfolio has required an intimate understanding of existing buildings and their lifecycle, along with experience in navigating the sensitivities
and intricacies of government requirements.

In addition to governance and regulatory obligations, historic value, cost and sustainability requirements, risk management and impact on end-users are always carefully considered to ensure the delivery of exceptional engineering
solutions and long-term value for our client.

As we continue our work with City of Sydney, we look forward to increasing our knowledge of their buildings and seeing them flourish within the community.

Residential/Strata, Façade, Fire Engineering & Fire Protection, Remedial, Strata

Project Remediate, NSW

Project Remediate is a large-scale, three-year program introduced by the NSW Government in 2020 to see the removal of combustible cladding from high-risk, residential (Class 2) apartment buildings across the state.

The program has been implemented to protect NSW residents from high-rise building fires exacerbated by combustible cladding such as the incident at Grenfell Tower, London and follows Australian legislative changes that have taken place as a result.

Timeline

3-year program, commencing in 2020.

Trusted experts in cladding remediation

With more than two decades experience in facade remediation and design, having completed over 6,000 projects across Strata (residential), Government, Commercial and Industrial sectors throughout Australia, CORE were selected to deliver combustible cladding remediation consultancy services for Project Remediate.

To date, the CORE team has completed the very first tranche of triage inspections on 30 buildings including:

A full review of Council documents to help inform the planning and pre-inspection stage
Identifying cladding panels for intrusive investigation – to gain the most design benefit while ensuring efficient and cost-effective use of resources
Intrusive investigation of nominated cladding panels to help determine existing condition, structural adequacy and latent defects
Laboratory testing, assessment and review of combustible materials within the facade to inform the implementation of suitable risk mitigation strategies
Preparation of comprehensive cladding investigation reports detailing existing cladding systems that would form the basis of the new facade design.

Our team is proud to be a part of the program and look forward to supporting further stages of the program as we know this work is critical to life safety and gives purpose to what we do.

Grafton Bond Building, 201A Kent Street, NSW

Having developed a strong relationship with Investa, delivering annual facade audits and risk mitigation recommendations for a portfolio of 30 buildings nationwide, CORE was engaged to prepare a remedial specification for the Grafton Bond Building at 201A Kent St in Sydney’s CBD. The impressive, 140-year-old heritage listed building was experiencing expected levels of deterioration to various facade elements for a building its age and required careful restoration to preserve its heritage value.

Timeline

6 months – remedial specification

12 months – construction

Passionate facade remediation experts: preserving buildings of the past to enrich communities of the future

Home to a diverse range of small businesses, the heritage restoration was highly complex, carried out in a live environment with extensive project planning required due to challenges with site access, working at heights and hazardous materials on site.

The pre-delivery stage was particularly critical to undergoing work outside of hours and reducing disruption/noise throughout the works.

The scope included:

Preliminaries and drawings
Window sealant works
Timber frame recoating and repair
Glazing putty repair
Parapet capping sealant works
Security bar works
Masonry repointing and crack stitching
Balustrade corrosion works
Cavity flashing works
Guttering works
Slate roof tile replacement

CORE’s strong understanding of the intricacies of heritage remediation combined with our team’s passion for sustainable and cost-efficient solutions has proudly seen the Grafton Bond Building’s facade restored to its full potential.

Education, Façade, Structural

iAccelerate, University of Wollongong, NSW

CORE was engaged by Project Coordination to create the facade design for a new, 4,000sqm landmark iAccelerate building located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus – a centre of Australian innovation and research excellence.

Featuring a ‘plug and go’ expandable space for more than 280 entrepreneurs of fast growth start-up companies, the $14.7m project required meticulous design consideration and innovation in order to meet architectural intent, achieve structural adequacy and deliver an inspiring, functional building for end users.

Timeline

12 months – design

Design and functionality unite

CORE’s attention to detail and unwavering commitment to overcoming a variety of technical challenges saw our team design an efficient and cost-effective facade that not only aligns with the highest standards of Australian design and best practice but also aesthetically brings to life the history of the Illawarra region.

The large, three-storey complex facade necessitated the use of exposed steel columns to meet code requirements for strength and strict serviceability requirements for glazing support. Slender steel box sections were installed in lieu of glazing transoms to transfer wind and gravity loads to the columns. Proprietary aluminium glazing adaptors were specified to support the glazing panels and to seal the building envelope from the external harsh marine environment.

CORE designed a multitude of individual facade structural elements to minimise the quantity of steel on the project which ultimately resulted in:

reduced material and transportation costs
reduced embodied energy within the facade envelope
smaller structural materials which in turn reduced the risk to site operators

All connections were carefully considered and detailed by CORE to ensure the facade would be buildable without compromising its integrity. Moisture naturally forming within the facade was designed to escape the envelope
via carefully positioned glazing spigots and weepholes between capping elements. These weepholes also allow for thermal variations between the clip on covers and supporting steel.

Notably, the project was awarded Winner of the 2017 NSW MBA South-East Region Excellence in Building Awards – Commercial Building category and Winner of the 2016 NSW MBA Excellence in Building Awards – Tertiary Building $10 – $25m category.