The four-storey, 9,400m2 TIC will be the centre piece of JCU’s Innovation Hub, undergraduate and post graduate Engineering and IT students, industry partners and researchers will congregate and collaborate.
James Cook University (JCU) Technology Innovation Complex (TIC), Townsville
BESIX Watpac engaged VAE to undertake the design and construction of the mechanical services on the $94m JCU Technology Innovation Complex (TIC) at the Townsville Campus in Douglas.
The TIC will be the focal point of the Innovation Hub, that will transform the Townsville campus, and link the JCU Ideas Lab in Cairns (VAE completed the mechanical services on the Ideas Lab with BESIX Watpac in Q1 2021) as the ‘combined home’ for JCU innovation and digital transformation activities.
The Townsville TIC is located adjacent to the new JCU Student Accommodation that VAE also completed the mechanical services on.
#Flue Frame
As part of the Mechanical Services solution, external flues were designed to serve each floor with conditioned air, as well exhausting from the fume cupboards in the laboratory spaces. VAE have undertaken the design and installation of spiral ductwork, to be installed as part of the prefabricated “Flue Frames” provided by BESIX Watpac. This recently completed work represents a critical milestone for the project.
Utilising our in-house design expertise, VAE installed over 250 meters of stainless-steel spiral ductwork within the frames. The ductwork was fabricated in stainless-steel material to provide durability and corrosion resistance from the gases expected to be exhausted from the laboratory spaces, as well as keeping in line with the design aesthetics of the TIC Building.
To seamlessly connect the frames to the building's façade, we deployed our experienced abseilers, who meticulously completed the façade connections. Their expertise and attention to every intricate aspect ensured a safe, flawless integration, meeting both the project's functional requirements and its aesthetic goals.