Brisbane Airport Domestic Terminal Building - Fire Control Upgrade

Category

Airports

Location

Brisbane

Client

Broad Construction

Year

2018

Value

$1.7M

Case Study

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As part of a sitewide project to upgrade and future proof the Domestic Terminal Building’s Essential Services Systems, VAE Group were engaged by Broad Construction and Brisbane Airport Corporation to review and upgrade the critical interfaces between the building’s new dry fire detection system and all of its complex HVAC, BMS and security system elements.

#The Project

VAE works included the identification, audit, redesign, modification and testing of controls interfaces in excess of 40 complex switchboards, 480 HVAC devices and 400 access control devices. All works were required to be completed without disruption to passengers or flight schedules within a live airport that operates 24 hours per day, and handles over 1.4 million passenger movements a month. Adding to the complexity of this project, all airside works involved restricted access and ASIC clearance for all VAE employees and subcontractors. 

A key deliverable of the project was safely supporting the transition of the facility's original fire control strategy (7 zones) into the new modernised fire control strategy (22 zones), with the resulting zone overlaps and translations carefully managed as part of a detailed and coordinated cutover strategy.

#Project Scope

Engineer

  • Advisory Services
  • Design
  • BIM Drafting
  • Drafting co-ordination
  • Audit

Construct

  • Prefabrication
  • Installation
  • BMS
  • Automation
  • Electrical
  • Co-ordination of Services

Manage

  • BMS
  • Bureau Performance Management
  • Maintenance
  • Compliance
  • Upgrades

#Key Achievements

01

Project completed within a live environment with limited time to perform critical life safety related works.

02

No disruption to airport passengers.

03

Delivered a comprehensive audit report including a lifecycle status of their plant.

04

Introduced AS1851 compliant Master Fire Matrix document for ongoing client use.

05

Audit and modification of existing complex switchboards without extensive downtime.

#Our Smarter HVAC Solution

As a critical facility with strict operational requirements, VAE worked closely with BAC and Broad to precisely plan and manage critical system modification works in a manner that ensured the continued safety and protection of airport users without disruption of flights.

VAE's internally developed AS1851 compliant Master Fire Matrix format was utilised to great advantage on the project, allowing users to easily sort, filter and print customised reports and compliant test sheets as required.

Our off-site production of prefabricated wiring assemblies was crucial to achieving the required complex modifications of the site's 30+ year old switchboards within the short cutover timeframes allowed. In addition, VAE's management and coordination of incumbent technical sub-trades such as BMS and 3 x separate access controls contractors was pivotal to the success of the project.

#Key Stats

46

switchboards modified

480+

HVAC plant items audited, modified and tested

400+

access & door fire control interfaces audited, modified and tested

ZERO

LTI's or incidents

#Built in Certainty

VAE's promise of Built in Certainty is never more important than when dealing with critical life safety services, and VAE's work on the BAC DTB project has ensured the airport's capability to provide for its passengers safety both during project delivery and into the future. 

#Related Projects

Airports