Watpac completes $140m project in Sydney

Watpac’s Construction division in New South Wales is celebrating the completion of its award-winning $140 million 8 Central Avenue project, located in Eveleigh, Sydney reports Queensland Business Review on 10 February 2010.

Located in the emerging Australian Technology Park, the distinctive 12-storey commercial office and studio precinct comprises approximately 40,000sqm of net lettable area, including four television studios.

The showpiece building is now home to Channel 7 and Pacific Magazines, along with Global Television Services.

The project recently received international recognition with a Golden Trowel Award for the world’s flattest concrete floors being achieved on the site.

In addition, Watpac’s focus on being an environmentally responsible company has resulted in the project achieving a 4-Star Green Star—Design v2 rating, while the building has been designed to also achieve a 4.5 Star NABERS Office Energy rating.

The building features a high-performance facade with performance glazing and shading to reduce reliance on air-conditioning, even with extreme outside temperatures, and recycled water for non-potable uses.

Throughout construction, Watpac participated in an Aboriginal employment scheme, which saw 67 Indigenous workers from the local area play a part in the project (in excess of the 60 positions required by the Redfern Waterloo Authority).

Watpac Managing Director Greg Kempton says the Company considers the 8 Central Avenue project as one if its greatest achievements in New South Wales.

“A project of this size and scope requires a high level of technical ability in order to meet the complex requirements of the client and tenants,” Kempton says.

“The acoustic requirements of the television studios, along with other elements such as super-flat flooring and site remediation offered exciting challenges for our experienced team,” he says.

“Ultimately, over the past two years we have built a landmark structure which is a credit to our company, and is a contribution to the revitalisation of the local community.”

PTW Architects were responsible for the base building design, while Turner & Associates undertook the design of the interior fit-out.

Source: www.qbr.com.au/news/articleid/62282.aspx