Access all areas with QuickAlly, G.James’ scaffolding business

QuickAlly, BrisbaneQuickAlly Access Solutions is an expanding branch of the G.James family. It manufactures and provide solutions in a wide variety of scaffolding equipment and specific custom designs, geared and engineered for unique purpose. The quality is of the highest industry standard, with safety, usability and best practise at the heart of its design.

QuickAlly – Height of Safety

History

QuickAlly Aluminium Scaffolds

The quickally scaffolding system was developed around the turn of the millenium by experienced Gold Coast scaffolder David Dart. Having been in the scaffolding business for about 30 years, David’s frustration at being unable to find a simple, high quality aluminium scaffolding system led him to develop, manufacture & start selling his own system. The benefits of the system were obvious to others in the industry, leading it to be quickly adopted by a number of scaffolding businesses.

G.James Access Equipment

G.James developed a simple mobile scaffolding system to use, primarily for in house jobs, in 1991 (developed in 1991, testing complete in 1992) and a Trestle Safety System in 1998. Custom products were also being made from this time.

Due to requests in the market for a scaffolding product with more features and abilities, G.James looked at ways it could expand its range. Looking at alternatives, QuickAlly impressed G.James with their smart design principles and wide product selection that would enhance the G.James range. The acquisition was completed in May 2010.

QuickAlly Access Solutions

Quickally’s original headquarters were on the Gold Coast.  However with its purchase by G.James and amalgamation with G.James Access Equipment, there were obvious benefits of moving to Brisbane.  The move took place in April 2011, and now positioned alongside G.James’ existing manufacturing facilities.  The two departments compliment each other under the one roof as Quickally Access Solutions.

QuickAlly Today

QuickAlly provides access solutions for hire and purchase, from ladders and step platforms to trestles and planks; scaffolding trailer packs through to multi storey systems. The range includes approximately 300 products – a number that grows with demand. The selection has solutions for everyone into home improvements, construction and maintenance – for the do it yourself types, tradies, builders and industry departments from aerospace to defence and emergency services.

Super Scaffolding Systems

QuickAlly provide complete mobile and systems scaffolding that can be added to with an expanding business. The scaffolding design is based on a triangulated star configuration that provides the ultimate in strength, speed and flexibility on site. The product list caters to gain access to any configuration required. Many safety features make this system attractive to today’s building site requirements. Careful attention to detail and troubleshooting common concerns on site means the systems features are designed to work for you in the best ways possible.

Innovative Custom Products

Their custom designed products are a comprehensive service. The process goes from understanding the needs of the customer, drafting up solutions, manufacture and delivery of product, providing engineering data and safety manuals. Post sales support include maintenance and future design changes for evolving use of products.

Expect The Best

All products are thoroughly engineered and rigorously tested to meet or better Australian, New Zealand and international standards. Risk assessments and safety developments are continuously monitored and adopted as business practise. After sales support assist with troubleshooting and continuing product development.

Where You Can Find QuickAlly

Currently, there are hire branches located in Sydney and Brisbane servicing the NSW and SE Queensland areas, and dry hire (product supply only) can be arranged nationwide. Purchase of the QuickAlly scaffolding products are available through G.James outlets anywhere in Australia. Custom access solutions are tailored to the needs of the customer in Australia or overseas, via their new warehouse and processing facility in Brisbane.

Meet the Team

The friendly team members all have many years experience in the industry and are happy to assist with any queries. The dedicated hotline for sales and hire is:

13 25 59

Keep in touch with the team, here:

A printed curtain for the Infiniti Showroom

Nissan's Infiniti Showroom

Nissan’s brand new Inifiniti Showroom at 5 James St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, offers a new option of luxury car, provided at the level of traditional European car manufacturers BMW and Mercedes-Benz.  The concept is to mimick the service offered to this level of customer but aiming at a new audience.

To accomplish this, Infiniti’s IREDI (Infiniti Retail Environment Design Initiative) developed a world class facility that will catch the eye of a newly emerging, discerning audience. Utilising Japanese notion of “Omotenashi”, or the heart of hospitality, a high level customer experience was developed from presentation to purchase.  The Brisbane showroom is the largest in Australia to date – the 2000m² complex comprises of a lobby, a lounge and the showroom, framed stylishly in printed glass showroom window.

Designed by the architectural firm, Brisbane based McKerral Architects , the curtain pattern was supplied as part of the global Infiniti corporate image. The original pattern needed to be refined and approved internationally prior to manufacture.  G.James worked in conjunction with the design team to finalise the artwork.

The printed glass produces a privacy shadow screen by day, but at night with lights behind it, the printing disappears. The print work and positioning lend itself to the overall highly polished finish presented to prospective clients.

Project Update: Queensland Institute of Medical Research

QIMR Herston Rd Entrance

Transforming an existing medical research facility in Herston, QLD to align with the surrounding complex.

Queensland Institute of Medical Research Phase 3, or QIMR ph. 3, is the refurbishment of the Bancroft Centre. It is located just outside Brisbane’s CBD next to the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital.

The Bancroft Centre, owned by QIMR  is contracted to be built by Watpac. The project is designed by a joint architectural venture between Wilson and Wardle architects.

G.James’ Role

This project initiated as a design and documentation contract, in which G.James were required to advise and recommend the design of glazing works, survey the existing building and detail the information via formal drawings. Due to the positive contributions and coordination of this aspect of the project, G.James were awarded stage 2 – the supply and install of the glazing works.

The Bancroft Centre

The Bancroft Centre is a 14 storey concrete building with feature beams and columns criss crossing the building dividing up the individual windows and balconies spread across the elevations. At ground level, a large lobby window and sub station louvre is also part of the upgrade.

The medical research undertaken at the centre is highly sensitive. In the pursuit of the solutions being investigated, the building will be partially occupied by the client throughout the construction process. This will affect parts or entire floors at different stages. Close coordination of on site works, monitoring clients requirements and ensuring safety for all, dictates progress.

External Refurbish

The basic concrete structure remains, with the southern concrete face being removed and extended out towards Herston Road. The extensions are supported by a grid work of steel with concrete platforms. The face lift is to extend down the western side to the existing balconies and on the eastern side to the recently erected QIMR central building.

The architectural intent is to create a look that reflects the existing Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre (CBCRC) located on the other side of the QIMR central building. To do this:

  • The main façade on the curtain wall is being replicated as much as possible.
  • The visible rendered sheer walls are being covered with Alpolic cladding to wrap around to the front of the balconies and underside of the soffits in a similar fashion to the CBCRC building.
  • Glazing in the balconies and lobby were replaced to reflect the more natural colour scheme and full height layout of the CBCRC.
  • Louvres are being modernised and/or introduced to cope with the needs of the buildings updated research capacity, the design of which is in keeping with the other QIMR buildings.

G.James has followed stringent processing and approval of the glazing samples and design to ensure these principles are followed adequately.

Design: Energy and Acoustic Efficiency

Renovations on old buildings require them to be upgraded to meet the latest energy efficient guidelines. To accomplish this, the Bancroft refurbishment required higher performing windows than the original.  Another important design element to consider was that the Bancroft Centre is situated at what is now one of Brisbane’s busiest intersections.

Fronting onto Herston Road, a stones throw from Bowen Bridge Road, bus ways and the Inner City Bypass, shows the heightened necessity for acoustic protection.

The main curtain wall façade utilises the 651 series with highly efficient IGU’s made from Solarplus engineered glass with an acoustic laminate internally to assist with noise deadening. The visible features of the curtain wall replicate that of its neighbour providing a plaid pattern of greens and silver that provide the desired sister building effect.

The balconies use 450 framing with 475 door systems for the balconies’ hinged and sliding doors. A custom solution was introduced with laminated glass incorporating a thick 1.14mm acoustic laminate and energy tech inner lite working together for maximum efficiency and sound protection.

An environmental advantage to being involved in the design of the cladding, minimised the wastage by designing the cladding widths to suit what was commercially available. Approximately 85% of the panels could be made to their natural width.

Unusual Design Elements

The lobby or main entry spans a height of two stories. It has concrete features penetrating through the facade. This required some innovative design to incorporate these obstacles while maintaining the ability to replace the existing framing in a short turn around of a week. 650 framing was used in the lobby to achieve this.

The curtain wall is usually lifted into place by a mini crane positioned on the building.  It is dedicated to the curtain wall install.  On QIMR however, a tower crane had been fitted on site to accommodate phase 2 construction, and is also being used for phase 3.  This meant that fixing the curtain wall had to be timed in between other site deliveries and other uses required of the crane.

This has been a unique project with G.James contributing very early in the design process to assist in setting our the buildings requirements for our own and adjacent works. The achievements so far have culminated with smooth progression though out the project with the mutual assistance and close coordination between Watpac and G.James.

Looking ahead

G.James role at the Bancroft Centre is to be finalised approximately mid 2013, and the entire project to be competed by mid 2014. Tours of the QIMR facilities are available to the public. You can book a tour on the QIMR website.

Free upgrade to blue or green tinted glass

Green Tinted Glass

Green Tinted Glass

Special Offer saving you a minimum of $500*

FREE Upgrade to Blue or Green Tinted Glass**

  • Reduces the sun’s energy entering through your windows by 39%
  • Adds value to your home
  • Colour that never fades
  • Reduced glare

Take advantage of this offer while stocks last!

* On an average size house. Offer available to all buyers.
**Offer applies to Green and Blue Glass installed in new homes and renovations only. Offer valid while stocks last.

Tinted Glass solar radiation illustration

Fig 1. Tinted Glass solar radiation

What is Tinted Glass & How is it made?

Body tinted glass is produced by adding small quantities of metal oxides to the normal clear glass mix during manufacturing of the float glass. The addition of the colours does not affect the basic properties of the glass and the tint will not fade or break down over time.

Solar Heat Reduction

The primary benefit of tinted glass is its ability to reduce the amount of solar energy from the sun entering the home. ( see Fig.1) . Of the 100% of the incident ray from the sun which strikes the glass approximately 47% of this energy is absorbed. A lower Solar Heat Gain improves the comfort within the home and also assists to reduce cooling costs.

Glare Reduction

Standard 4mm clear glass has a visible light transmittance of 89%, both Green & Blue tinted glass offer a glare reduction while still allowing adequate amounts of light to enter the home.

Blue Tinted Glass

Blue Tinted Glass

Daytime Privacy

The reduced visible light transmittance will assist in providing a level of privacy during daylight hours

Aesthetic Appeal

Adding tinted glass to windows of any home improves its aesthetic appeal also adding style and value to your home.

Technical Info (Glass only)

5mm Blue 6mm Green
Visible light transmittance 61% 77%
Visible light Reflectance 7% 7%
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient 0.61 0.61
U Value (W/m2C) 5.8 5.8

Claim this offer

To claim this offer contact your nearest branch and ask for your free upgrade to tinted glass.

The Glass House – Barossa Valley

Glass House Barossa

Looking out over the hills of the Barossa Valley is this unique home affectionately labelled  ‘the Glass House’. Designed by leading Adelaide architect Max Pritchard the house is unusually linear in design – it is 60 metres in length but only a single room wide in the main living areas. To optimise space, a long hallway runs along one side connecting the bedrooms and the bathrooms.

Perched on the highest point of the block and with a lengthy northern elevation, this house naturally takes advantage of the warmth and light provided by the sun, particularly during the winter months, whilst allowing the owners to enjoy sweeping views of the valley below.

The skillion roof of the building makes a striking statement as it is a continuous plane along the length of the entire home. The house itself sits on a number of levels conforming to the slope of the land. These level changes are accommodated by a timber ramp in the connecting hall.

The home featured in the third season of the ‘Grand Designs Australia’ television show late last year.

Details

G.James Glass & Aluminium – Adelaide were contracted to supply and install the approximately 180m² of windows and doors.  All the aluminium joinery was finished in Clear Anodised and glazed with 24mm insulated glass units (IGU’s) with required compliance to a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) of 12.5. Given the chilly winters in South Australia and the large area of windows and doors, double glazing was the ideal selection as it helps to minimise heat loss – maintaining a comfortable environment within the home. The clever design of the house allows the sun’s heat to penetrate deep into the home during winter – while large eaves shade the glazing during the hot summer months.

There are a number of large fixed windows in the home.  Due to their size, two of our commercial framing systems were used for these windows – front glazed 451 Series framing and 651 Series double framing.

The southern elevation contains ten windows designed as a trapezoidal shape to fit with the gentle taper of the building. These windows have a casement attached, which is also trapezoidal. It was a challenge to create these unusually shaped windows at exactly the right angle, but this was achieved at the first attempt.

All sliding doors in the home were G.James high performance 445-100 Series, fitted with Crimsafe security screens. There are also a number of louvre windows, using 102mm & 152mm louvre blades.

Find out more

G.James have the expertise to help turn your dream home into reality. Our vast experience enables us to take on unusual or complicated jobs and our Australian manufacturing ensures that all your new home is created with highest quality windows and doors. For more information about what we can do for you, have a chat with the friendly staff at to your local G.James branch.

Project Update – Circa Nundah

Circa Nundah

Circa Nundah is a $270 million urban renewal project from developer Property Solutions. Circa Nundah is located on a 2.5 hectare site in Nundah, Brisbane. Masterplanned by Arkhefield, the site will eventually contain three 9 storey residential buildings and an eight storey commercial building. The commercial building – Circa CT1, was completed towards the end of 2012, and work is drawing to a finish on the first residential building, Circa One.

Circa One comprises 42 one-bedroom and 42 two-bedroom apartments, 490m² of ground-level retail space, a residents’ recreation room, manager’s office and two levels of secure basement parking. Apartments generally range from 63 to 101m², with large corner garden terrace units of up to 133m². Construction on Circa Nundah Village is being carried out by Hutchinson Builders.

G.James’ Role

Circa Nundah required both G.James’ Commercial Contracting and Eagle Farm Residential Divisions to join forces to complete the scope of works.

This project called for the supply and installation of G.James’ 165 Series sliding windows, 265 Series awning windows, 445 sliding doors and 475 Series shopfront / fixed windows.

All aluminium framing was extruded and powder coated in-house and finished in Precious Pewter Pearl.

More to come

G.James have enjoyed a close working relationship with Hutchinson Builders over the course of this project. Plans for the next residential building on the site – Circa Dos, were unveiled last year, and construction is just beginning. For further information about this project or our residential solutions please contact the G.James Eagle Farm Branch on (07) 3877 2844 or via email at hilite@gjames.com.au.

Project update: Icon Ipswich

Aerial view of Icon IpswichThe Ipswich City Heart building is the first stage of developer Leighton Properties‘ $1 billion Icon Ipswich project. Designed by Cox Architecture, it is a 42m high, nine-storey office tower which comprises 15,000 square metres (sqm) of commercial space together with 750sqm of ground floor retail and 200 car parks. The building is an A-Grade commercial development, and is targeting a 5 Star Green Star and a 4.5 Star NABERS rating. Nearly all of the office space in the building has been leased to the Queensland government for a term of 15 years. Construction on the project is being overseen by Hutchinson Builders

G.James’ Role

G.James has been engaged to supply and install window wall and curtain wall along the height of the building. G.James is also providing structural glazing to the basement, ground and upper ground floors, as well as a structurally glazed roof-lite to level 1.

Visual Mockup

Prior to starting on site, G.James constructed a visual mockup to provide a full-scale representation of the colour selection as designed for the building. The mockup allowed colour selections to be seen in proper context, under natural lighting, to ensure the building gives the desired visual effect.

The Façade

G.James is using the 546 series system with black anodised framing for the window wall on the western façade with independent vertical sunshades installed between structural slabs. These vertical fins are in 5 special anodised colours (listed below) which are selectively positioned on each floor to create a pattern.

  • Sapphire Matte Tornado Red
  • G.James Residential Bronze
  • AAF Maroochy Sand
  • G.James Champagne Bronze
  • G.James Matte Gold

G.James is using our 546 series system with black anodised framing for the curtain wall to the eastern façade, incorporating gold metallic Alpolic projections and black anodised horizontal sunblades.

The southern and northern faces of the building are a mixture of both window wall and curtain wall fully encapsulating the floors.

The vision glass used in the building is made up of Solarplus DLE55 Low-E glass on green, configured in argon filled IG Units.

The shadow boxes are made up of 6mm green heat-strengthened glass, using 5 different colours (listed below) of backing sheet selectively positioned on each floor to create a pattern.

  • Dulux PVF2 Mars Red
  • Dulux PVF2 Gold Dust
  • Dulux PVF2 Brassed Off
  • Dulux PVF2 Wax Way
  • Dulux PVF2 Blonde Girl

PVF2 paints have an excellent service life and are highly resistant to fading. These properties make PVF2 finishes a low maintenance finish of choice for large projects.

Current Status

G.James started site installation in late January, and will continue until approximately May. Overall, construction on the building is progressing well, the concrete structure of the building has been completed and  practical completion is expected to be third quarter of 2013.

Glass Supply: Era (Pacific Place Precinct)

EraThe Era project is a $310 million dollar, 42 storey development in Chatswood, Sydney being developed by Mirvac. Era is the fifth and final residential building in Mirvac’s Pacific Place precinct. Era features 295 luxury apartments – most of which sold off the plan within a day of release.

G.James’ Role

G.James has been engaged by 3 separate customers to supply a total of 11,150m² of glass for the project.

G.James is supplying clear laminated and toughened safety glass to be used for windows and doors in the project, as well as Colourlite printed glass for some applications. G.James is also supplying heat strengthened laminated glass and heat soaked toughened glass, which will be used in balustrade for the project. Additionally, some heat strengthened glass is being supplied for use in louvres.

Why use Heat Strengthened glass?

Heat strengthened glass is about twice as strong as ordinary float glass and is used generally as a protection against thermal breakage –  it has higher compressive stresses which resist thermal breakage. Heat strengthened has a surface compression induced by a temperature increase and sudden quenching. The existence of the surface compression means that it must be overcome by load before any surface tensile stress is achieved. Heat strengthened glass breaks into large, safer particles. In laminated glass the inter-layer holds these pieces safely in place in the event of breakage.

Point of failure in a sheet of toughened glass due to NiS inclusion.

Point of failure in toughened glass caused by NiS inclusion.

Why use heat soaked glass?

Although rare, nickel sulphide (NiS) inclusions in toughened glass can lead to “spontaneous” breakage. These inclusions are tiny contaminant particles in the raw materials of glass. During the toughening process these particles are altered to an unstable chemical state. If they revert back to the stable chemical state, the particles increase in volume, which can sometimes lead to breakage in toughened glass. This conversion may take years to occur, if happens at all. Heat soaking is a destructive test which heats the glass to 280˚C for several hours to speed up the transformation of any NiS should it be present. This accelerated testing process reduces the likelihood of breakage of installed glass by a factor of 20. Identifying NiS inclusion prior to on-site installation has distinctive cost, safety and security benefits, and is especially important where the consequence of breakage could result in injury – such as when the glass is to be used in exposed elevated positions.

Nickel sulphide inclusions in heat strengthened glass are much more unlikely to cause breakages due to the lower levels of compressive stress.

Looking Ahead

With the continued support from our laminating facility in Brisbane, this project is running on or ahead of schedule and is approximately 50% complete. Era is set to be completed late this year. For more information, please contact G.James glass sales.

Project Update: Sir Samuel Griffith Centre

Installing the glass screen

The Sir Samuel Griffith Centre (SSGC) is a $40 million world class building currently under construction at Griffith University’s Nathan campus. The building was designed by Cox Architecture and construction is being overseen by Watpac. The facility will have 4000m² of usable floor area across six levels, and will house approximately 60 academic/research staff and a number of support staff. It will also provide a number of lecture theatres, seminar rooms and collaborative areas. The SSGC has been awarded a coveted 6-star green rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), and will be Australia’s first off-grid, self-powering teaching and research facility. The building will cement Griffith University’s reputation as a leader in Environmental Science.

Building FeaturesThe large glazed screen

To achieve its 6 star green rating, the SSGC has a number of energy efficient features. The need for artificial lighting has been reduced by large windows, few internal walls, and glass partitions. The dominant feature of the building is the large glazed screen that makes up one side of the façade. Combined with photovoltaic cells on the roof and a state of the art battery & hydrogen energy storage system the building will be self-powered.

Photovoltaic cells will convert sunlight into electricity for use during the day, as well as providing additional storage in batteries, and also through the electrolytic production of hydrogen. The hydrogen is then stored in a stable form as metal hydrides. Battery storage will be used primarily for overnight cooling of water to run the air conditioning systems and hydrogen to supply fuels cells for electricity production on cloudy days. A digital electronic energy management system will maximise the efficiency of energy usage.

G.James’ Role

G.James were engaged to supply, install and glaze six levels of aluminium windows, doors and louvres, as well as the special glass screen. The windows and doors feature energy-efficient low E coated insulated glass units. Frames on the window and door systems have been finished with commercial bronze and matte gold anodising. Matte gold powdercoat was also used to finish some items such as glass screen brackets.

Glazed Screen

The glazed screen features large panels of special clear heat-strengthened laminated glass. The glass panels are 2171×3280 mm or 2171×3540 mm in size and range in thickness from 17.5-21.5mm. In total the glass screen utilises 166 square metres of glass. The screen is supported by a fabricated “spider” steel frame. G.James designed brackets especially for this project to fix the glass to the steel supports.

ChallengesInstalling glass to the screen.

G.James commenced work on site in November 2012 and expects to be finished in May this year. The installation of the glazed screen has required significant manpower and expertise. The installation of the glass to the screen necessitated two cranes with drivers and dogmen, four booms, two special glass suckers, four abseils, eight glaziers, ropes, slings, glass bremners. The geometry of the screen also required glass panels to be installed at angles – no easy task with the glass panels weighing in at several hundred kilograms apiece. Additionally significant labour was required offsite preparing and organising the materials ready for install.

The wet and unpleasant weather Brisbane has experienced over the last few months has presented additional complications, with wind and rain causing work stoppages. Road closures and equipment failure were also challenges G.James had to overcome during the install. The fixers and crews who worked on this project deserve praise for their great work on a difficult assignment.

Looking Ahead

The building is expected to be completed in June this year, G.James is looking forward to see this exciting building open.

Project Update: Mackay Base Hospital

Mackay Base HospitalThe redevelopment of Mackay Base Hospital is a $405 million project designed to meet the needs of the growing Mackay area. The project was designed by Architects Woods Bagot, in association with Sanders Turner Ellick Architects of Mackay. Construction on the project has been overseen by Baulderstone. The redevelopment project is being undertaken for Queensland Health.

About the project and construction

The redevelopment has been divided into three stages of construction. The first stage commenced in 2009 and mostly consisted of early site works. The second stage was completed towards the end of last year and included works on buildings E,F,G,H,J and Q.Mackay Base Hospital Aerial Photo

G.James’ work on the project so far has encompassed the supply and install of a range of glazing and façade products. Our 651 series windows were used throughout the project – the majority of those used contained jockey sashes and Venetian blinds. We also supplied a large number of fixed louvre systems and acoustic louvres. Around a dozen automatic doors were also supplied and installed. There were a number of factors which affected the choice of products for this project, the most notable were section J energy efficiency requirements, acoustic requirements, and the ability to withstand cyclonic wind loads. In light of these requirements our 651 window system, 415 series fixed louvres, 775 series sunshades, and 150 strip window system were chosen for use.

G.James supplied various types of cladding for the project including Alucobond, Nailstrip and Mini Corry. G.James also supplied feature shrouds, sunshades, batten screens and perforated sunscreens in various colours and finishes – though colour matched powdercoat was used frequently.

Mackay Base HospitalThe Alucobond system was a complete design and install. Many aspects of the Alucobond system, shrouds and perforated screens were designed specifically for use in the hospital redevelopment. The solutions were obtained by co-ordination with other parties involved with the project, as well as using the extensive knowledge base and depth of experience within G.James.

Looking Ahead

The close working relationship between Baulderstone and G.James was critical in helping deliver the project. The final stage of construction is due to start July 2013 which will include the remainder of building Q and the whole of building A.