Projects | Page 2 of 3 | CORE Consulting Engineers

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.

Commercial Office, Heritage, Electrical, Fire Engineering & Fire Protection, Hydraulic, Structural

139 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo, NSW

Located in the beautiful suburb of Woolloomooloo, this commanding late-Victorian terrace was set to undergo a complete renovation and rear extension, transforming it into a unique commercial office space.

Timeline

20 months – design through to completed works.

Blending old with new to achieve heritage

Engaged by M.A.D Bespoke Property Group, CORE delivered a 360-degree, multi-disciplinary structural and building services solution for 139 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo.

One of the most impressive features of the project was the design of a custom, inter-tenancy steel staircase showcasing an industrial, warehouse-style finish, serving as a unique focal point within the overall design.

Structural framing for the building’s flooring and rear facade was also designed in-house and utilised as much of the existing structure and framing as possible, resulting in a cost-effective solution that preserved the building’s heritage, achieved architectural intent and delivered the functionality and aesthetic of modern day.

The project spanned 5 open plan levels with CORE’s fire, electrical and hydraulic teams engaged to provide all-encompassing building services design in support of the building’s renovation and extension.

Experts in existing buildings with a passion for heritage, CORE are proud to have completed another successful transformation.

Residential/Strata, Remedial, Strata, Structural

7 Commonwealth Parade, Manly, NSW

This impressive, 1900s heritage-listed building was experiencing significant water ingress across the entire southern facade as well as severe concrete spalling to the eastern facade. Having built a strong relationship with Strata Title Management over the years, and having previously worked at this location, CORE were engaged to undertake detailed investigations and reporting, prepare technical specifications and to manage the tendering a construction phase for the project.

Timeline

Stage 1 ‘high-risk’ works: initial investigation through to construction – 18 months

Stage 2: in progress

Experts in existing buildings: delivering safe, long-term solutions

CORE was initially engaged to investigate and identify the root cause behind water ingress and concrete spalling issues to the southern and eastern building facade.

Upon completing an inspection of the southern facade via ropes access (enabling a more thorough and cost efficient inspection), it was found that the building’s original lintels were failing, and required full concrete replacement – the main source of water ingress.

On the eastern elevation, a concrete beam supporting the majority of the eastern facade and internal flooring had corroded resulting in the building’s structural capacity being significantly compromised and posed a high-priority
safety risk to residents. During the investigation stage, general spalling to other areas was also found (locations not initially flagged as areas of concern). Upon further detailed investigations, the concrete spalling was significantly more deteriorated than expected with lintels on the eastern facade also failing with multiple structural beams in need of urgent replacement.

Due to the additional, critical findings, it was determined that the project could not be addressed within one scope as originally intended, and that works would need to be staged in multiple phases with high-risk items prioritised.

To date, CORE have delivered a complete in-house structural design solution for the building, managing the project into the construction phase to see all high-risk works completed on time and to budget. Stage 2 works are currently in progress.

Hospitality, Remedial

Quest Newcastle West Apartment Hotel, Newcastle, NSW

Due to previous, inadequately designed remedial waterproofing solutions, the Quest Newcastle West Apartment Hotel was experiencing large amounts of water ingress to the majority of ground floor hotel rooms, causing significant internal damage and impacting the hotel’s serviceability and capacity levels.

Timeline

Stage 1: Investigation and Specification – 4 weeks

Stage 2: Construction – 5 weeks

Delivering long-term solutions that our clients deserve

Having conducted an in-depth analysis of the site, it was clear that future-proofing the hotel against recurring water ingress issues would require the design of a complex, innovative solution – one that integrated seamlessly with the existing building and its services, and eliminated any structural interference.

With previous remedial works not being carried out to standard, CORE prioritised the development and communication of detailed specification drawings prior to the commencement of any works. This enabled the Client to gain a solid understanding of the issue at hand and provided a visual representation of the proposed solution.

Moving into the construction phase, CORE’s solution entailed a new chemically injected damp-proof course (critically, installed below floor level to prevent rising damp) and saw the application of waterproofing membrane to 80 lineal metres of underground facade externals as well as the installation of a drainage system.

CORE placed great emphasis on maintaining strong communication, managinga robust schedule of weekly meetings and inspections with the Client and contractors throughout the process.

With hotel staff and guests on site, CORE worked closely with key stakeholders to minimise disturbance and ensure the business could continue to operate with no impact on customer experience.

CORE is proud to have delivered the project earlier than the projected completion date and to have provided the Quest Newcastle Hotel with confidence and peace of mind.

Aged Care/Health, Remedial

Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW

Having successfully completed similar works at Westmead Hospital, CORE was engaged by Mostyn Copper to provide expert advice regarding failed waterproofing roof membrane at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.

Timeline

Stage 1: completed January 2020

Stage 2: currently in progress

Program expected to continue into 2024.

A People-First approach to engineering

Experiencing significant water ingress issues resulting in damages to valuable
equipment and impacting the Hospital’s patient capacity, CORE worked diligently to
deliver a long-term, 2000m2 technical waterproofing solution for our client.

Given the nature of the building and its occupants, along with the impact and
restrictions presented by COVID-19, CORE applied a ‘high priority’ Program of
Works that saw all technical inspections and onsite testing conducted in a safe,
timely and efficient manner.

Stage 1 of remedial works required CORE to strategically determine ideal project
phasing so that affected areas could return to full operational capacity promptly
and prevented further water ingress issues impacting the site.

CORE recommended and designed a 360º cost-effective and sustainable
solution using a premium, innovative waterproofing membrane that could be
installed over existing materials – resulting in a significant decrease to project
time and costs, while minimising wastage.

With key stakeholders and the impact on end-users front of mind, CORE
placed a strong focus on exceptional communication throughout the project,
ensuring all parties were well informed throughout the process.

Stage 2 of the project is currently underway with works expected to reach
completion in 2024.

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.

Residential/Strata, Strata

361 Military Road, Mosman, NSW

Faced with excessive stormwater issues causing internal leaks throughout several apartments, Executive Strata needed the support of a trusted partner to conduct a thorough assessment of the site. Signs of significant water ingress with the building’s passenger lift shaft was of additional concern.
Previous assessments by other parties had indicated a new roof and downpipes would need to be installed on top of existing structure as the existing drainage system was not visible from the building’s exterior.

The Challenge: finding the best solution

Executive Strata engaged CORE to investigate the building’s stormwater and water leakage issues and advise on remedial action.
Going beyond the brief, CORE conducted a thorough whole-of-site inspection to assess and identify other potential areas of concern and impact over and above the affected areas.

CORE’s due diligence proves critical

In addition to the lift shaft, the CORE team uncovered previously undetected water ingress within the building’s car lift and oil room where electrical and hydraulic cabling was at immediate risk of short-circuiting, deterioration and posing a danger to residents.
CORE then sought to obtain the plans of the existing drainage system installed by stormwater/hydraulic consultants. This due diligence was of paramount importance as it revealed that Executive Strata could repair, rather than replace, the existing system saving them a significant amount of time and money.

The Outcome: CORE’s holistic approach mitigates risk and delivers savings

CORE’s rigorous approach to this project located the root cause of each issue and enabled the team to deliver a comprehensive assessment report, providing Executive Strata with a complete view of the issues at hand.
Importantly, a long-term solution could now be undertaken, providing the assurance of reduced risk on future issues while saving money, time and impact on residents’ safety.

Aged Care/Health, Electrical, Fire Engineering & Fire Protection, Hydraulic, Mechanical

Griffith Base Hospital Redevelopment, NSW

CORE was engaged by Project Coordination to support the delivery of NSW Health Infrastructure’s $10+ million upgrade to Griffith Hospital, NSW.

The project involved the construction of a new Ambulatory Care Hub as well as extensions to the hospital’s Critical Care and Inpatient Units to increase patient capacity, enhance service functionality and welcome the addition of new support areas.
The plan also required improvements to existing car park facilities along with other external works.

Timeline

6 months – design
12 months – construction

Our Approach: achieving a detailed understanding of the client’s needs

When working within the Health sector, dedicating the necessary time to listen and develop a strong understanding of a client’s needs is more critical than ever.

From the initial consultation stage, the CORE team ensured that the right amount of time was spent upfront in order to deliver a better long-term result.

As always, strong, open lines of communication played a key role in determining project success and saw CORE working alongside on-site teams as well as the hospital board to ensure proposed solutions aligned with the hospital’s operational requirements.

The Outcome: delivering optimal design, reducing time and costs

The redevelopment of Griffith Base Hospital was a multi-layered, complex project with a clear objective to significantly enhance the hospital precinct, its processes and operations.

CORE’s detailed and thorough approach to the project’s design phase was invaluable.

Our 3D modelling capabilities enabled key stakeholders to seamlessly visualise the proposed solutions and facilitated critical conversations during the early stages of the project – saving significant amounts of time and money during the construction phase.

The 12-month construction stage was delivered to scope, on time and to budget with the hospital remaining fully operational throughout the period.

Aged Care/Health, Electrical, Fire Engineering & Fire Protection, Mechanical, Structural

Cooma Hospital Redevelopment, NSW

NSW Health Infrastructure were redeveloping the Cooma Hospital to deliver enhanced services, facilities and care to Cooma and surrounding communities.

With an investment of over $24 million, the project involved a staged extension and refurbishment of two adjacent blocks at the hospital campus. The upgrades saw the development of a new Maternity Ward as well as an expanded and improved Emergency Department and relocation of Ambulatory Care, Pathology and Medical Imaging.

The CORE advantage: collaborative and integrated solutions

Having strong experience in the Aged Care/Health sector, and in delivering solutions for complex, live environments, CORE was engaged to deliver a multi-disciplinary project solution that included the following services:

Structural
Civil
Mechanical
Electrical
Fire
Hydraulics

Working closely with Project Coordination over a 2-year design and construction period, CORE delivered flexible, cost-effective engineering for Cooma Hospital that required seamless communication and integration across all stakeholders and services – ensuring the best possible solutions and outcomes were achieved along the way.

Critically, the rollout of our strategies and services enabled Cooma Hospital to remain fully operational throughout the project period.