New industrial warehouse showcases future-focused engineering services

Working alongside EVERETT Property Development Management we recently completed the design and documentation of all mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and ESD services for the new Builders Discount Warehouse in Brendale, on Brisbane’s northside. The warehouse combines a storage facility, spanning just over 12,000m2 and ancillary administration offices and display of goods that’s accessible for both trades and the general public.

Ashburner Francis Project Lead Toby M. who co-leads the firm’s Brisbane office, says working on warehouses is a natural fit for the team. “We have a great deal of experience, delivering engineering services for complex buildings — from workplaces through to industrial manufacturing projects — so we understand what’s required to deliver operational efficiencies,” Toby says.

For the Builders Discount Waterhouse, Ashburner Francis’ remit included the design and documentation of

·       Air-conditioning, heating and ventilation

·       Lighting (internal, external and signage)

·       New transformers

·       Fire systems, including smoke fans and sprinklers

·       Rooftop solar system (generating approx. 400 kilowatts)

·       EV charger station

·       CCTV and security system

Longevity of services was a priority for Toby and the team when designing the engineering services for this new warehouse. The installation of high-quality lighting was a key component. “A lot of the lighting for this project is installed at a height of about 14metres, so we were keen to specify high-quality lighting to help minimise ongoing maintenance costs — and potentially circumventing the resources and expenses associated with bringing in scissor lifts for repair/replacement,” Toby says.

Large, well-diffused lighting was another key consideration. “When forklift drivers are positioning the forks into pallets, the glare from overhead lighting can be problematic,” Toby explains. To help overcome these issues, high-quality lighting (that delivered sufficient vertical illumination) was an essential component of the design.

Finally, our team incorporated an extra switchboard and data rack for the warehouse — should the developer wish to expand the facility in the future. This addition will help circumvent having to run additional cabling in years to come.  

Client praises Ashburner Francis’ approach

EVERETT Property Development Management Director Dan Everett was pleased to have engaged Ashburner Francis during the concept design phase, prior to lodging a Development Application (DA). “Toby and the team were very quick to understand the spatial parameters of the site and their multi-disciplinary approach helped us achieve a good outcome,” Dan says. “Ultimately, no changes to the DA were required so that’s a good measure of success!”

Dan also valued the team’s future-focused approach to the services’ design. “For Developers and Landlords, it’s important to provide a solution that suits both current and future tenants. The team at Ashburner Francis is skilled at taking that long-term view and they are all genuine professionals.”

Want to find out more about our strategies for engineering services for warehouses? We welcome your enquiry at hello@ashburnerfrancis.com.au