University of Queensland Plant Growth Facility
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Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Client: Hansen Yuncken
Scope:
- Structural design & certification of coolroom panels to accommodate weight of services suspended and as a trafficable platform.
- Structural design and certification of the architectural masonry facade
- Structural review of the glasshouses for prefabrication and lifting.
- Seismic design of mechanical, fire protection & hydraulic services
Design Achievements:
- Typical coolroom panel installations require additional seismic bracing. KUSCH eliminated all additional bracing through structural analysis of the coolroom construction
- Designing coolroom panels for trafficable loads was outside the manufacturer’s experience, KUSCH’s design allowed for safe services installation and future maintenance access in congested plantroom areas.
- The glasshouses were deisgned to be installed in-situ, KUSCH enabled it to be safely installed at ground level and craned into position on the roof.
Design Considerations:
- Safety in Design, coolroom panel floors must have capacity to enable future maintenance access for unit maintenance or replacement.
- Masonry control joints, shelf angles and wall ties.
- The lifting of the glasshouses generates loads which differ significatly from the conditions it was originally designed for.
Project Features: The University of Queensland’s Plant Grow Facility will provide a world-leading research facility that underpins excellence and innovation in plant science and sustainable ecosystems for global impact. The building contains several controlled environment rooms, capable of replicating a variety of environmental conditions to simulate natural conditions. The building’s roof deck also holds 2 glasshouses.
