Illawarra Master Builders Club Mechanical & BMS Upgrade
A complete mechanical services transformation for the Illawarra Master Builders Club in Wollongong, delivered through the 2020 pandemic with custom air handling units, a new BMS and mechanical fire works.
Building Integrity, Elevating Environments.
Many businesses and clubs closed their doors for long stretches during the 2020 pandemic. The Illawarra Master Builders Club in Wollongong took a different path. What began as a staged upgrade, planned to run with minimal impact on the Club, became a complete construction site. Axis Align was responsible for the mechanical works, delivered for head contractor New England Constructions.
Challenges Addressed
• Working through a pandemic: Supplier closures, social distancing and travel permits all affected how and when work could happen on site.
• Looking after our people: We were determined to keep our employees working and earning through a very uncertain period.
• A change in scale: The project grew from a staged upgrade into a full refurbishment of the Club's mechanical services.
• Large plant in a confined plantroom: New main air handling units had to be brought into an existing plantroom.
• No existing BMS: The Club had no building management system, so controls had to be designed from scratch.
Project Scope
Our scope covered the mechanical services for the Club from strip-out to commissioning, including:
Strip-out: Removal of all redundant mechanical equipment, ductwork and switchboards.
Custom air handling units: New main air handling units were custom made, delivered to site in sections and constructed inside the plantroom.
Full BMS installation: After consultation with the Club, a decision was made to install a full Building Management System.
Mechanical fire safety: New smoke spill fans and the mechanical fire system modifications required for the Club's new layout.
Our Holistic-Solution Methodology
Because the whole building was being reworked, it made sense to design the HVAC, controls and fire systems together around the new layout. Our approach ensured:
End-to-End Delivery: Strip-out, installation, controls and commissioning managed by one mechanical team.
Tailored Engineering: Air handling units built to suit the plantroom, rather than forcing standard equipment into a space it did not fit.
Optimal Energy Efficiency: A new BMS giving the Club central control over its mechanical plant for the first time.
Client Impact
A Transformed Venue: Visitors who knew the Club before the works would notice the difference.
Central Control of Plant: A full BMS in place where there was previously none.
Fire Safety for the New Layout: Smoke spill fans and mechanical fire modifications matched to the redesigned building.
A Team Kept Together: We retained all of our employees throughout the pandemic while delivering the project.
Why Axis Align
This project reflects our brand pillars:
Customer-Centric Care: Consulting with the Club on the BMS decision and the needs of the new layout.
Holistic-Solution Methodology: HVAC, BMS and mechanical fire designed as one package.
Optimal Energy Efficiency: New air handling plant with centralised controls.
Proactive not Reactive: Planning through supply and site disruptions so the project kept moving.
Need a bespoke residential HVAC solution?
While our focus is large-scale commercial work, we occasionally take on unique residential or specialty builds that demand the same engineering rigour. Talk to us about your custom project.
