Central Chiller Plant Upgrade

The project involved the design, documentation, and delivery of one of Australia’s largest commercial chiller installations at the time, successfully completed and operational within six months of the contract award to accommodate summer peak loads.

The installation was executed over Kings Way in Melbourne, a major thoroughfare in Victoria, and included upgrading Crown Casino’s central chilled water plant to meet both current and future demands. Key works encompassed the installation of four water-cooled centrifugal chillers, comprising two 4,500 kW variable speed drive chillers and two 5,300 kW constant speed chillers, achieving a total capacity of 19.6 MW, along with associated cooling towers and pumps that were pre-ordered to align with the delivery program.

Additionally, a new BACnet Comfortpoint control system was implemented, serving as a catalyst for a complex-wide protocol upgrade, while three new HV transformers and new ring main units were also introduced, with the transformers similarly pre-ordered. The project featured the construction of a new plant room equipped with a structural support system for chillers, cooling towers, and pumps, alongside architectural screens and louvres to minimise visual impacts on the complex and surrounding areas. Future-proofing measures were integrated by allowing for additional capacity in cooling towers for future tri-generation installations.

Significant structural work was required to support the plant and equipment, with challenges including lifting heavy equipment over Kings Way, adhering to a tight project timeline that necessitated double shifts for the construction and management teams, and coordinating cut-overs in a 24/7 operational facility while managing the structural complexities posed by the existing overpass. This high-profile project demanded meticulous planning and execution to overcome its various challenges.