Majura Park was designed by Daryl Jackson Alistair Swayn, with the project situated on airport land adjacent to the runways and provides over 25,000 sqm of new office space in Canberra.
Around 10,000 sqm of Kingspan’s KS 1000 MR Micro- Rib insulated panel cladding system was used throughout the project in metalics Atlantis Blue and Pearl White.
Architect Scott Hodgson of Daryl Jackson Alistair Swayn specified Kingspan insulated metal panels because of the product’s energy performance, fire resistance and high level of durability. “The Majura Park office buildings incorporate many cutting edge environmental technologies for which Kingspan has played an important role,” he says.
The panels were imported from Kingspan’s manufacturing facility in the UK. Upon arrival in Australia the panels were prefabricated into150 mm wall frames at Erincole’s facilities in Queanbeyan and transported to the site ready for installation, which further minimised on-site installation time. Pre-coloured coil was also delivered to Erincole’s factory to be fabricated in window surrounds, flashing and cappings.
The panels were delivered in 900 mm and 1,000 mm widths and lengths up to 11.5m long, which presented handling challenges, partly due to the fact that conventional systems are produced in shorter lengths. “We produced detailed site drawings and had tight controls on the fabrication of the flashings in order to produce the quality of finish required. Detailed set-out was carried out, including for the window openings and sunshade bracket,” says Wayne Richards, whose company Erincole completed the cladding of two of the buildings.
The Kingspan panels were installed from the bottom up, forming window openings on the way up. The window openings were flashed, ready for the window installer. There was also an Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) feature component between the windows and at the ends that were carried out after the Kingspan panels were installed.
Flashings, joint moulds and detailing was completed before the scaffolding was removed. “When the feature blades and the vertical sunshade steel frames were completed, we installed ACP to the feature blades and vertical sunshades and pre-finished vertical and horizontal aluminium sunshades from boom lifts,” Richards says.
The size of the project and the amount of Kingspan panel that had to be ordered provided a challenge — if the correct quantity was not ordered there would have been a delay to the project.
Specifically designed for the building envelope, with engineered joints that limit air leakage, the Kingspan panels helped the building achieve a maximum thermal performance for the building — the product has a thermal rating double the effectiveness of comparable insulation systems on the market. As an off-the-shelf solution to the BCA Section J thermal regulations, using a highly efficient built-in insulation combined with insulation panel technology, the system is faster than traditional concrete construction and requires less labour. Kingspan also says there is a reduction in the secondary steelwork that is required which translates to reduced structural costs.
The panels also have hidden fixings and a range of ancillary components, which ensures invisible joints between panels and a stable thermal environ- ment within the building.
Richards’ experience of using the product was a positive one. “Kingspan panels were quick, easy to use and faster to install than comparable systems. The product suits the Canberra climate and is ideal for commercial buildings here,” he says.
Craig Grant, project manager of Canberra Building Services, the installation company responsible for the completion of the final building, says Kingspan was one of the best sandwich panel systems he has worked with.
He says: “After a short learning curve as first time users of the product, when progress was slow, we found our feet and then installation became easier, particularly because of the very nice way the panels slotted together as they have very well designed joints.”
Since completion of this proj ect, Kingspan now manufacture the architectural wall panel range of panels in St Marys, Sydney, which provides local access and shorter lead times.
Stephanie McDonald
