Tag Archives: acoustic performance

Glazing 918 Darwin Apartments in a Single LEAP

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G.James Glass and Aluminium - Transport DivisionStage 2 of the Australian Defence Force’s accommodation upgrade to their Single Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct (LEAP) in Darwin saw the construction of 918 new apartments. It was a highly organised development that had strict protocols and required innovative task management to accomplish the project.

This upgrade will improve and better integrate the living standards and communities where single defence personnel reside. The project is being managed by the Plenary Group, recognised as international specialists in providing whole community concepts, with Woods Bagot as the architect.

G.James Role

G.James Glass and Aluminium’s Darwin office successfully negotiated the contract to supply and fit glazed windows, door frames, security doors and louvres to the various planned concepts in two locations – Larrakeyah (in the city) and Robertson (rural). Each site had individual acoustic, thermal (energy efficiency), wind loading, water penetration and bushfire requirements which formed part of the specification. To ensure compliance, G.James undertook  product modifications, the development of new systems and conducted testing for the intended suites. The contract is to be achieved in two phases of supply and installation that span over 1 ½ years.

G.James is organised to take on projects of this scope. Divisions including business support services and transport are combined with a large workforce and the latest technology to fulfil the resource requirements of larger ventures. For the Darwin project, initial discussions internally located potential branches with facilities and personnel available. Once the project was awarded, managers designated the resources available to meet the commitments.

Design

Darwin comes with stringent water and wind pressure requirements.  Product testing was needed for the new 472 Series door framing system and the 246 Series sliding door for Darwin’s conditions.

Testing for all products can be done in house with the G.James rig and amenities.
The glazing line that provides all of G.James insulated glazing units.

Energy efficiency was addressed using IGU’s.  This also helped resolve the acoustics issue at the Robertson location, as there was a flight path located overhead.

BAL Rating

Bushfire ratings are addressed at the Robertson location due to the proximity to bushland in its rural setting.  A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating is given to an area or facade to determine the requirements of the materials used.  Glass and gaskets are selected that comply with these conditions from the G.James BAL Manual.

The BAL ratings applied to G.James materials have been determined from AS3959 as “Deemed to satisfy” or the prescriptive method.  The prerequisite for the physical properties of glazing materials in bushfire prone areas is to resist ember attack and radiant heat transfer.  Your local branch or G.James representative can give you further information on BAL compliant products available.

G.James Bushfire Attack Level manual stating the G.James products that are deemed to satisfy, and the Australian Standard.
Kingsford Smith Drive, Eagle farm is flanked with G.James departments and offices.

Implementation

The work was divided up in accordance with the capabilities and current workloads of various branches. Some were accustomed to this volume of work, and others were introduced to it.  The branches involved are outlined as follows, with a brief summary of the who they are, and a quote about what this project entailed for them:

Head Office

Initially, the Business Support Service division at G.James’ Head Office assisted the Darwin branch with project specific engineering, product design, contract administration and material / production coordination.

G.James Head office – 1084 Kingsford Smith Drive, Eagle Farm, Queensland
G.James has been publicly recognised for its many achievements in the industry.

“This included a review of the products to create efficiencies in product manufacture and installation. Because of the distance that products were to travel by road, we also orchestrated the design of several specific packing crates.” – John Staunton (Manager of Business Support Service).

G.James’ Head Office is charged with the role of being the central point of direction for the branches with regards to technical advice, administrative services and major project logistics & coordination. This responsibility is assisted in the fact that the Head Office is in close proximity to the Group’s major manufacturing facilities at Eagle Farm.

Maroochydore Branch

Maroochydore supplied the entry door frame, highlights and sidelights made with the new 472 Series, as well as Crimsafe screens.

The Emmegi machines located in most G.James factories allows fine work to be done faster and more accurately.
G.James Maroochydore branch – Maroochydore Road, Kunda Park, Queensland

“For 12 months, the Darwin Defence Accomodation has been keeping our commercial and Crimsafe departments with a constant flow of work. The Emmegi CNC machine has been vital part of the processing for the doors required on this project” – Darren Mahoney (Branch Manager)

Bundaberg Branch

Bundaberg worked on 475 Series fixed louvre grill and top hung sliders, Crimsafe screens for the 246 Series sliding doors, and 475 Series hinged Doors.

G.James Bundaberg branch – 49-51 Enterprise Street, Bundaberg, Queensland
Glazing packed and ready to be picked up.
Single LEAP glazing in production

“It has been amazing to see the various number of branches working together to have all items made, packaged and then transported to Darwin (without damage) ready for installation all within the tight time frames. “ – Damian Perry (Estimator)

KDC

KDC (or the Knock Down Components factory in Brisbane) cut and processed assembly kits for the 246 Series sliding doors.

KDC specialise in making components for mass production.
The KDC Crew, each with a piece of Darwin Defence Project framing.
G.James KDC – Shed 21, 2 Schneider Road, Eagle Farm

“We have only had to replace two door frames due to transit damage which demonstrates our attention to detail and ability to supply component parts to the correct specification on time to allow for efficient project management ongoing.” Jason Claridge (Branch Manager)

KDC typically make standard glazing packages for nationwide distribution.

Riverview

Riverview provided framing for the 472 Series fixed glazing and hinged doors.

“Riverview are accustomed to national distribution, being the only manufacturers of double hung windows, so coordinating this project was not out of character.  It did allow us to contribute our other skills and it was fantastic to be a part of such a combined effort.” – Ben Driessen (Branch Manager)

Loading the trucks at Riverview is easy with purpose built loading bays.
G.James Riverview branch – 15 Verrall Street, Riverview, Queensland
One of the Riverview factories houses older styles of glass that are becoming rare to find.

Along with Double Hung Windows, Riverview have a stock of unusual glass types and patterns that are invaluable to replacing period style glass.

Woodridge

Woodridge took care of the 048 Series fixed and awning windows.

“The scale of work for this job saw our manufacturing processes streamlined. It is good to know just how much work we are capable of doing.” – Garry Fulton (Branch Manager)

Production of 048 fixed and awning windows at Woodridge
Glazing frames at the Woodridge branch in production
G.James Woodridge branch – 23 Kingston Road, Woodridge, Queensland

Woodridge produces almost all products made by G.James products (except double hung), and services the area from south of the Brisbane river to the top of the Gold Coast and out to Manly and Redland bay. They also make a lot of commercial products for Western Australia, and supply 048 series hopper windows to other branches and departments.

Glass Department

The Glass Department in Brisbane manufactured all the glass for the project.

“Our glass department is built to take mass orders of this size, so implementing it was not a problem.  It is good to work on this scale of project, knowing we are contributing to such a large G.James effort.  It is what makes G.James the company we are – we have the ability to take on this kind of work as we have the most sophisticated and modern technology available to us.” – Tony Evans (Operations Manager)

G.James Glass Department – Shed 23, 2 Schneider Road Eagle Farm
The vast scale of which they process glass in the glazing sheds is an impressive sight.

The sizeable glass operations produce many different types of glass – from sizing annealed, coated and tinted, to manufacture of laminated, toughened, printed, patterned as well as IGU’s.

Mechanical and Transport Division

Mechanical and transport departments provided transport for all the components to be brought to Brisbane for coordination and shipping to site.

“We coordinate this type of work all the time – the volume of this job was quite large, however, and meant strict management of delivery – the right products at the right time.” – John Erskine (Transport Manager)

The transport division is fully equipped – including a weighing bridge.
G.James Transport division – 30 French Street, Eagle Farm, Queensland
Crates of material ready to be loaded up for Darwin at the transport shed in Eagle Farm.
Trailers being prepared for deliveries.

Transport run a fleet of trucks up and down the East Coast of Australia (Sydney to Cairns) to service delivery of the full range of G.James products.

Darwin

Darwin – project coordination and implementation.

” We would never have been able to pull it off without the support of all the other branches that got involved and helped us make this job a reality. To everyone – thanks, it was greatly appreciated.” – Scott Harris (Branch Manager)

Darwin operations manufacturing for the defence project.
G.James Darwin Branch – 97 Winnellie Road, Winnellie, Northern Territory

On Site

The products, when ready, were transported to Darwin, and fixers were sub contracted to carry out the vast workload at installation.   Attention to detail was essential as all the glass for this project was site fitted because of additional fixings in the glazing pocket required to meet the high local wind loads.

Project status

The project is in its final stages, and is projected to be complete by the end of this year (2013).  Coordinating our resources to achieve higher rates of product supply is not a new service performed by G.James.  We are capable of performing this kind of logisitical coordination to make this scale of projects feasible. G.James welcomes discussion to assess how we can provide solutions for any similar large projects.

Gasworks – A Modern Development with a Heritage Heart

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Gasworks building developmentOngoing development of a historical site located at Newstead (Brisbane), sees it transforming in stages to a new mixed use precinct. The name derives from the sites original use – the gasworks, and part of the project is to protect the heritage listed gasometer located prominently amid the gasworks buildings.

Originally built in 1863, the gasometer once stored gas in a large bladder contained within its frame work.  The Gasometer has been fully restored ensuring the ornate pinnacles and lace work beams stand as equal alongside its newly constructed neighbours.  It creates a unique contrast set amidst the strong lines and bold shapes of the modern architectural features of the Gasworks building development.

Designed by the same team that worked on the adjacent Energex building – Architect Cox Rayner and builders FKP, the buildings in this phase of construction comprise of Building A on Skyring Terrace (five storeys) and Building E on Longland St (three storeys).

Ornate pinnacle at sunset.
The Gasometer is heritage listed
The profile of the lace work makes a delightful silhouette.

G.James Role

G.James Glass and Aluminium supplied and installed glazing facades, doors, windows and some extruded sun hoods. Building A has a proposed 5 star green star rating – so energy efficiency, acoustics and air infiltration were important design factors. As such, products with proven test results were selected for use.

Building A

Building A comprises ground floor shop front retail with four upper levels of offices. The offices utilise the flush glazed 651 series glazed with IGUs made up of green glass with a low E coating for energy efficiency, a 12mm air space, and 6mm clear glass internally. This also assisted in achieving a better acoustic rating.  Spandrel panels were made with a green ceramic painted surface – a premium spandrel glass option  that maintains the look set by the vision area.

Well lit clouds light up the façade at sunset.
One of the few areas of large green expanse left in the area is overlooked by Gasworks building A

Building E

Building E was a combination of two levels of residential apartments along Longland Street, two levels of office space along the breeze way between the buildings, and a retail shop front precinct on the ground level. The offices in building E utilize the 650 series, also flush glazed, but to accommodate 11.52mm laminated glass. The glass has a low E coating and the same colour, but didn’t require the same level of acoustic rating or energy efficiency. The office glazing also incorporated architectural features such as glass fins for extra strength and sun hoods for protection.

The residential apartments use a range of glazing styles. Fixed framing used the 650 series system with 265  series awning windows spaced across the facade. Balconies feature four side supported 550 series balustrades with access through 445 series sliding doors.

Building E is on Longland St.
Balustrades, awnings, fixed windows and sliding doors are scattered along this frontage.

Shopfront Design Problem

The retail areas required a centrally glazed pocket, but the opening size and wind loads exceeded the constraints of the current system.  As many architects are looking for options to make windows larger, the decision was made to replace the current aluminium vertical members, the mullions, with a stiffer option. The new design also incorporated the ability to strengthen it further. This new addition to the G.James range is used extensively throughout the Gasworks project.

The strip of retail walk way along Skyring Terrace.
Maximising views inside and out

Practically Completed

Practical completion was achieved on the 3rd August, 2013, however there are still minor works, interior fit outs and landscape work under way.  Building E has been designed so a residential tower can be constructed above it in the future.

The Gasworks project is an aesthetic feast, and well worth a look if you are in the area. Please consult the interactive map project to get the location and a summary of the project information.

The twists in the sun shade and streaks across the glass façade make for a distinctive frontage.
The west elevation takes advantage of the views towards the river.
East view looks back towards the city, and over the gasometer.
The location of the gasometer is directly to building A’s right on Skyring Terrace.

IGUs. A sound acoustic solution?

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sound and noise acoustic control with IGUsInsulating Glass Units (IGUs) or double glazing, have been a popular solution to control noise, but they aren’t the only, or even the best solution in many cases. The aim of this article is to explain how acoustic problems are identified, assessed and provide solutions to properly address them.

Acoustics

The acoustic performance of façades is becoming more important in building design, and not surprisingly is included as part of the Green Star rating process. Although it is a small part, it’s raising the profile of sound reduction and the need to find better solutions to the increasingly worsening noise problems in today’s society.

To better understand how to mitigate sound, it is beneficial to have an awareness of a few key ideas; how sound is transferred, the way different noises are measured, know about the principles to minimise the variety of sources and coordinating appropriate solutions. Prior knowledge makes finding a solution a lot quicker and easier when you are consulting a professional.  Using advice to compare test results, it is imperative to know the difference between glass only and window system results if you want sound acoustic solutions.

Determining sound factors

Noise sources in the vicinity of a project need to be identified to best determine the most efficient glazing solutions. Look for risk sources, some examples of which are below;

  • Traffic noise from vehicles – cars and/or trucks
  • Trains
  • Planes and flight paths
  • Trams
  • Boats
  • Entertainment venues
  • Industry – a warehouse, factory plant, a truck depot up the road

For each source, be aware of the proximity and direction it will be coming from.  Future changes that will affect sound transfer must also be considered – empty or older blocks that will be used for building development, planned roads and motorways to be constructed, or a feature that may be removed to expose the project to heightened noise distribution. This information will be assessed by an acoustic engineer or glazing contractor looking at the requirements of the project.

The two main properties that contribute to disturbance from noise are the frequency and intensity level at various frequencies, or volume. Both influence the selection of appropriate glazing systems for a project.

Frequency

Sound travels as sound waves (variations in pressure) that have different frequencies. When the sound wave hits an object, this will be absorbed, transferred or reflected dependant on the properties of the object and the frequency of the sound. Below is a table that describes the frequencies associated with different noises;

Frequency distribution

Volume

The inherent volume or loudness of noise is measured in decibels (dB). Following is a table that gives you an idea of how loud different noises are;

comparison of sound

 Acoustic fact:

The human ear cannot distinguish a change in noise level of 3dB or less.

Different types of glass will assist deadening the various frequency and sound levels. To decide what the best solutions are, the window systems need to be comparable.

Measuring how much a glazing system suppresses noise

The current standard unit that is used to nominate the amount of acoustic insulation achievable is the Rw. An Rw rating is applied to many products to compare its capability to reduce sound against similar products. However, the nature of glazing systems means that frequency plays a large part in the transference of sound. So correction factors are applied to the Rw and expressed as Rw(C, Ctr).

Using Rw Data results:

When looking at results, ensure you understand what the Rw rating applies to.  Glass only data will give you just that – a figure for the glass.  It will not be comparable with a whole of system framing. Glass only data has a higher figure, and misrepresents the effectiveness of the desired glazing solution.

Rw

The Rw, or weighted sound reduction index, is a material or system’s ability to reduce sound transferring through to the other side, of a window or wall. As a rough guide, an increase of 1Rw reduces the sound perceived on the other side by about 1dB.

Rw(C, Ctr)

The correction factor for the Rw takes frequency into account. Medium to high frequency noise like conversation, and faster traffic (travelling more than 80kmh) are nominated as the C number. Low to medium frequency sound like urban traffic and planes flying overhead are the Ctr figure.
If a project has a requirement of Rw = 32(-1,-4), then the Rw = 32, the Rw+C = 31 and the Rw+Ctr = 28. The noise frequency distribution determines the correction factor figure to be used. If the predominant noise source affecting a project is traffic noise, being a low frequency problem, the Rw+Ctr figure is used. In this case, the figure to achieve is 28. If a window system is rated at Rw30(-2,-2), the Rw+Ctr = 28, therefore achieving the above requirement. The Rw number should always be used with correction factors.

Testing the Acoustic Performance of Glazing Systems

Testing is done by accredited organisations in an acoustic laboratory. The testing space consists of two rooms of known acoustic properties separated by a wall with a high sound insulation. The rooms are constructed of thick block work with the entire laboratory sitting on airbags to isolate it from ground vibration. An opening is made in the wall for the glazing system. One of the rooms is set up as a source room, and one is the receiving room. The difference in noise level measured between the rooms is used to calculate Rw, C and Ctr figures that are attributed to the system tested.

Acoustic Solutions

There are several acoustic principles that are applied to the design of glazing systems to obtain the best performance to guide you in choosing the optimal glazing products.

Glazing design

Keeping sound out is like keeping water out – any gaps provide a path by which the acoustic efficiency of a system is reduced. Even the smallest crevice or notch out of a system makes a difference. Glazing systems can be riddled with gaps – good systems minimise these as much as possible. Testing is the only way to know how any system will perform.

Product selection

Restricting sound penetration is only as good as the barrier’s weakest point. Opening or operable parts of a façade are the hardest places to control sound, but improvements in technology are minimising the issue. With changes in door design to allow for access according to AS 1428, it is good to be aware these points are made weaker, acoustically.  With glazing developments, there are solutions to help minimise this issue.

Window systems with a positive closing force are more effective at blocking out sound. Awning windows and hinged doors generally perform better than sliding windows and doors.

Acoustic seals can be used to improve glazing performance and achieve a better Rw rating. The only way this can be accurately assessed and used for compliance, is if the glazing system is tested with the acoustic seals.

An air gap between the glass panels in a glazing system can provide a degree of sound reduction dependant on the size of the air gap. Typical IGUs with an 8, 10 or 12mm air gap, the improvement is marginal. Larger double glazed air gaps are much more effective, with 50mm being the “sweet spot” with only marginal improvement beyond this. These large air gap systems are generally the best performing of any glazing system.  Jockey sash systems can also be used to create large air gaps but have size restrictions and may cause internal condensation issues.

Laminated glass can provide equivalent or better performance than a standard air gap IGU. Typically the thicker the laminate, the better the acoustic performance. Specifically designed acoustic interlayers are now available that provide an increase in performance in standard interlayers

Looking for assistance with acoustic design

Window fabricators can help you understand the acoustic performance that their products provide. If you are aware of the nature of noise pollution in the vicinity of your project, then it’s a matter of matching the correct products to minimise this problem. Look for new technology becoming available to better deal with the increasing noise issues in today’s society.

When using window acoustic data, ensure you are discussing whole of window system data. There is a lot of glass only data available, but it’s the frame that is typically the weakest acoustic point of a glazing system. The glass only data will not give you a proper representation of noise control.

5 Points to Remember

  1. Understanding Rw(C,Ctr).
  2. Gaps in Systems = sound transfer. Minimise these weak points, especially in operable glazing.
  3. Larger air gaps in between glazing layers helps acoustically.
  4. Familiarity with latest technology in sound reducing products like acoustic seals and interlayers.
  5. Test results need to be comparable. Look at whole glazing systems, not glass only test results.

Helpful Links

For further information on the subject, please refer to the suggested following resources:

Capitol Apartments

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The Capitol ApartmentsCapitol Apartments has been recently constructed at 35 Peel St, South Bank, Brisbane, QLD. It is a 10 storey building designed by Kowalski and built by TMF. This project is situated in the busy west side of South Bank, along some major traffic routes – one being Queensland Rail train tracks and rail bridge.  It is an ambitious project considering its location, and had very stringent guidelines to achieve before it was allowed to be constructed.

Strict Design Criteria

The main aspect of design took into account the proximity to the adjacent train line. Acoustics is an obvious problem, but the location of the railway tracks are within a stones throw, literally. As such, protection of the railway tracks from litter being thrown onto the lines is of critical importance. Accompanying this, the architects designed a building with many differing glazing requirements to achieve a cohesive up market residential property. This building is to be used as furnished apartments for long or short term accommodation for people in the South Bank area. With venues like Rydges and other large hotel names in the vicinity, a boutique, stylish result needed to be achieved. The Capitol Apartments The initial design phase required the windows to comply with acoustic standards, or the apartment would not get approval to be built. G.James were the only glaziers that could beat all the ratings required, and provide evidence via testing that these results were guaranteed. The design initially specified opening sizes to be built to, but to ensure quality, it was actually done as a measure and fit job. As such, the lead times were brought down dramatically in the manufacture and installation scheduling required to meet the builders time line, which G.James achieved.

Design Resolution

To accommodate the requirements to protect the tracks from litter, all windows to the railways (northern) elevation were fitted with fixed Crimsafe screens. The balconies are set up as an Alfresco area, and the Lismore designed version of the 445 sliding door system was used for the operable windows overlooking the tracks and the city, with a fixed light beneath. The Lismore design, allows the sliding door to be operated from the inside, allowing the Crimsafe screen to be fitted and fixed externally. This alfresco area also helps protect the interior from noise pollution. The Capitol Apartments Bedrooms were fitted with jockey sashes to provide an adequate acoustic barrier, and living spaces had IGUs (as well as the alfresco area) to protect it from railway traffic noise. Both use the 451 system. Some balconies also have 136 Double Hung IGUs incorporated into their design. Other areas use differing glazing suites including the 165 slider vents to wet areas, 265 awning windows, 651 shop front with IGUs in the gym on level 1 with a 476 hinged door.  The main entry was a 475 auto sliding door, and the 477-300 bi-fold system with a lowlight under in  650 framing are a suitable finish in the restaurant. All framing not done on the railway elevation used various types of SGUs to suit the look required. The Capitol Apartments We have released a project map to provide the location and a summary of works.  Keep an eye out for the Capitol Apartments on this map…

51 Alfred St – Efficiency in commercial design

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51 Alfred St A green star accredited office block constructed in one of Brisbane’s growing commercial areas, 51 Alfred St comprises of a ground floor retail space with 8 levels of office space above.

51 Alfred St, Fortitude valley was constructed by Blackwatch Projects, to the design of Willis Greenhalgh Architects. The sustainable design intended to minimise its carbon footprint was a urban friendly solution to council and the community. It includes a smart foyer, featuring floor to ceiling full height glazing on two street frontages, and superb views to the city above level 2.

G.James Role

Development of the project went from initial “design in principle” early drawings to installation of the finalised glazing products. The project had a short time frame, and lead times for manufacture and installation had to be carefully managed.

Known for its location, the street number is prominently positioned.
The south western face has vertical sunshades, composite cladding and a two tone spandrel area.
On the corner of Alfred and Julia Streets

The building incorporates shopfront glazing from ground floor to level 1 that used the 850-500 and 650-500 series framing systems. Hinged doors are 475 or 476 series, with 445 series sliding doors (as on some upper levels, also). G.James picked up the cladding package for the ground floor columns, which was made and fitted by the G.James Joinery department. QuickAlly, G.James scaffolding division assisted with providing access to entry the shop front entry glazing.

Upper levels utilizes the 651-500 curtain wall suite. The design had to allow for the addition of randomly placed aluminium horizontal and vertical fins that use different shapes in keeping with the difference in direction. There are also composite cladding positioned irregularly across the southern face, and frames the edge of the eastern face.

All of the differences in cladding and sun shading incorporated into the curtain wall, made for a wide variety of specialist panels.  This required coordinating the transportation and installation of the panels to be highly organised. Careful design, preparation and on site works were given particular attention at the corner feature to achieve the seamless angled cladding and glazed finish that spans the full height of the buildings office area.

The north face has horizontal sun shade louvres.
The reflection gives you an idea of the view from the building.

Glazing selection

IGU’s were used in the vision areas of the tower to combat city noise and provide sufficient thermal and solar efficiency to achieve the green star accreditation.

The spandrel area uses a colourlite backing on clear glass to achieve the opaque finish. Charcoal and White were used to keep in theme with the buildings monochromatic scheme that highlights the slash of copper that makes the corner feature stand out.

Installation

There was no tower crane available for this job, so all of the framing hoisted into the floors from a crane on the street below.  Including the “Spider Hulk”, the name of the lifting crane that positions the panels into place.

51 Alfred St

“Spider Hulk” is the name of the machine that lifts the panels into position on the building.

Early design intended the framing to be fixed into cast ins – a quick and minimal fixing method that utilizes the concrete structure to enclose and support the framing. Later changes, however, meant that the frame fixings were redesigned and engineered to be fitted with bolts into the concrete.

The ground floor was site glazed as the size of the glazing was so large. There was also a curtain wall panel that needed to be site glazed. This requires extra safety measures and some specialised techniques to carry out.

Blackwatch had a tight program which was run like clockwork. It enabled overall job satisfaction with the resulting installation of the work performed by G.James, and we look forward to working on further projects together.

Project Update: Queensland Institute of Medical Research

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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.

The original Bancroft Centre
Bancroft “sister” building

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.

The Bancroft Centre prior to works.
The new southern face taking shape.
Curtain wall, balcony glazing and cladding installed.

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.

Newington College – Sesquicentenary Building Project

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The new curtain wall at Newington College

G.James has recently finished work on the Sesquicentenary Building Project at Newington College in Bankstown, Sydney. The bulk of this project comprises two new combined buildings – The Lawrence Pyke Science Centre and The Tony Rae Resources Centre Library. The project was designed by Budden Nangle Michael & Hudson Architects, and builder A W Edwards was contracted to construct it.

Foyer to the building.G.James’ work on the project comprised the design, supply and installation of windows, doors, curtain walls, glass walls, glass canopies, a glass greenhouse, aluminium cappings and soffits– utilising our 850-500, 651, 451, 475 and 476 Series frames. Jockey sashes from our 150 Series were required for most windows, and some windows also featured curved heads. G.James’ Sydney Commercial Façades division carried out the work on this project.

Noise Reduction

Acoustic laminate was used extensively throughout the project to minimise disruption to classes from external noise. Typically 12.76mm acoustic laminated glass was used externally and 10.76mm clear Low E coated ccoustic laminated glass was used internally in jockey sashes and internal skins. This was an important consideration as Newington College sits directly below the approach flight path into Sydney Airport with approaching aircraft flying very low directly above the school.

Curtain Wall Glazing

Curtain wall glazing.Four “curtain wall” sections were defined by the Architect and included in G.James’ scope of work. Two of these were fabricated as 850-500 Series structural glazed curtain walls. The Stair glazing used the 850-500 Series structural glazed frame as a window wall fitted between steel horizontal supports. Coloured back glass was used to infill between the frames and hide the steel. Jockey sashes and secondary frames were used behind these frames to create large cavities for acoustics. On one curtain wall an additional 850 Series frame was used as an internal frame to provide the nominated 400mm airspace.

Dual skinned Curtain Wall

The most prominent feature of the building is the final curtain wall  – pictured at the top of this post. This is a dual skinned arrangement with the outer skin built out from the building by a metre with three horizontal steel trusses. The glazed height of this wall is approximately 9.4m and is glazed with pieces of glass each approximately 4.7 m high by 2m wide – weighing a hefty 300Kg. This glass is supported by glazing channels top and bottom, and also by 15mm annealed glass fins vertically. The internal glazing skin comprises G.James’ 450 Series frame fitted with the flush face to the inside and incorporating jockey sashes fitted in-line with the fixed glass for access and maintenance. The metre wide cavity between the glass is ventilated and includes 600 mm wide horizontal and vertical automated tracking sun shades installed into this space by another contractor.

G.James has also supplied and installed soffit linings below this glazing, metre wide cappings over the cavity, and also to the other curtain walls. Several glazed awnings and a glazed greenhouse were also completed.

Official Opening

The buildings will be officially opened in July as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations at Newington College.

Reducing Noise with the Right Windows

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Acoustics should be an important consideration when building your home.Australia’s growing population has resulted in a shift towards higher density residential and commercial constructions. In order to satisfy the expectations of the occupants, the acoustic performance of the construction and its openings requires careful consideration. This post is aimed to provide a general understanding of what options are available to increase the acoustic resistance of glazing.

Understanding Acoustic Ratings

Weighted Sound Reduction Index (Rw)

Road traffic is one source of unwelcome noise.
image courtesy of ziptrivia

Rw is the current Australian and ISO Standard acoustic rating method – AS/NZS 1276.1 1999 & ISO 717 1996. Designed to estimate the acoustic performance of a material or construction for certain common sound insulation problems. It contains two sound adaption terms (Ct and Ctr) so that the Rw value can be modified to reflect the environmental conditions to which the element or construction will be subjected. The Ct or Ctr term is added to the calculated Rw value to provide an indication of the performance under the adjusted sound condition.

Ct “Pink Noise” Spectrum Adaption Term.

Ct is used to adjust Rw to compensate for noise sources such as: high-speed traffic, children playing, noise from radios TV’s, high speed railway traffic and from factories that emit medium and high frequency noise.

Ctr “Traffic Noise” Spectrum Adaption Term.

Ctr used to adjust Rw to compensate for noise sources such as: low speed urban road traffic, factories that emit low / medium frequency noise and aircraft at close range.

Methods to improve acoustic (Rw) ratings

1) Decreasing the amount and volume of direct transmission paths through the glazing.

There is little point spending lots of money on upgrading to a high performance glass product if the window frame and seals are not upgraded. Air tightness of the window construction in particular, has been experimentally proven to be the most cost effective method of improving the Rw value of a window. This because each opening in the window, frame and seals provides a direct transmission path for sound to pass through. By reducing the number and area of these paths more sound must pass through the ‘barrier’ ie. the glass improving the overall performance of the system.

It should be noted that in some products the introduction of tighter fitting seals will reduce the overall day to day servicabilty of the product. For example – a sliding window may become difficult to slide due to the requirement to increase the size of the seal. In these cases it may be better to look for an alternative solution.

Frequency spectra for 4mm, 6mm and 12mm Float
Glass showing how the coincidence dip occurs at
different frequencies for each glass thickness.

2) Increasing the thickness of the glass

Thicker glass vibrates less than thinner glass, consequently the amount of sound able to pass through the window is reduced. Unfortunately this increase in glass thickness is limited by a phenomenon known as the ‘coincidence dip’. The coincidence dip is a frequency range over which the transmission of the sound increases through a material. The location of the coincidence dip is dependent on the material’s weight and its inherent stiffness. If not for this phenomenon, thickening the width of the glass would be the solution to all window acoustic problems.

3) Moving from a monolithic to a laminated glass construction

The effect of lamination on the sound insulation of glass.
Note the coincidence dip for solid glass is virtually
non-existent for laminated glass.

Laminated glass consists of two (or sometimes more) sheets of glass bonded together with a plastic interlayer. This plastic interlayer provides a damping mechanism in the glazing (the interlayer actually absorbs vibrational energy). This damping mechanism is particularly effective over the coincidence dip in the transmission spectrum. The result is that the coincidence dip is minimized and the overall performance is increased. A somewhat recent advance in laminated glass has been the development of ‘acoustic’ interlayers. These have been specifically designed to further reduce the coincidence dip, which maximizes the performance possible at each construction thickness.

4) Changing to an Insulated Glass Unit (IGU) Construction

Insulated Glass Units (IGU) consists of two glass sheets separated by a spacer to form an air gap between the sheets. This allows each glass sheet in the unit to act as a separate barrier to the transmission of sound. Unfortunately the spacer separating the sheets effectively forms a small short-circuit in the system. The spacer itself provides a direct path for the sound vibrations to be transmitted from the external glass sheet to the internal sheet of the IGU. This short circuit could obviously be eliminated by removing the spacer. This is not however a viable option – it would directly result in condensation in the IGU as well as allowing dust and particulates to deposit onto the internal faces of the two glass sheets.

Very large air gaps are more effective at reducing sound transfer than smaller air gaps. In practice, increasing the air gap from 6mm to 12mm provides little benefit. Substantially increasing the air gap to over 90mm however provides a large increase sound reduction. This anomaly is due to air trapped inside the unit acting as sound transfer mechanism between the glass faces of the IGU. As the air gap approaches 90mm this effect decreases in its severity.

Conclusion

There are numerous approaches that can be used to improve the sound resistance of a glazing and more often than not the most appropriate solution is a combination of one or more of the methods listed above. G.James has conducted extensive acoustic testing on our windows and doors. For further information on the choosing the right product for your project, please contact us.

Project Update: KSD – Hamilton Harbour

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Hamilton Harbour - KSD building

We first mentioned Hamilton Harbour – a joint venture between developers Devine Limited and Leighton Properties, designed by Cox Rayner Architects on our blog several months ago. Back then, we were putting finishing touches on the third residential building of the mixed use development. Now, a little bit further down the line, we have nearly completed the façade on KSD – a 5 floor commercial building on the site.

ConstructionPartially installed Façade

The KSD building makes use of a range of G.James façade products. Our 546 series curtain wall system with IG units was used to create the façade. LE40 coated ‘Evergreen’ glass was selected to meet required performance criteria. Our 775 series sunshades and sunblades have also been used to improve the performance of the façade, whilst enhancing the aesthetic value of the building.

From project acceptance to install was a very quick turn around, our nearby Fison Avenue factory was a integral part of achieving the programmed dates. Installation on site also happened over a short timeframe – commencing on the 10th of October, with the main curtain wall completed by 15th November.

Looking Forward

G.James have enjoyed a close working relationship with Devine Constructions, which has ensured tight project deadlines are met on-time. We hope to continue our collaberation in the future.

Taree Courthouse – Glass Airlock

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The completed sound reducing airlock structure.

G.James Taree has recently completed a small but complicated project – creating a sound reducing airlock around the entrance to Taree Courthouse.

The Problem

The courthouse was experiencing disturbance to court sessions, due to noise from outside the courtroom. People often congregate in the waiting area of the courthouse, which is directly in front of the courtroom. Every time the timber door of the court was opened, court microphones picked up outside noise, drowning out the court session and disrupting proceedings.

The Solution

G.James were engaged to create a glass airlock around the entrance, to eliminate the direct entry of sound into the courtroom. The existing glass roof and side panels were removed from the door structure, and replaced with larger ones that protruded 700mm further, to allow adequate clearance for operation of a frameless pivot door installed at the other end of the box. In total the airlock is 2700mm high x 2000mm wide x 2100 mm deep. The roof and wall panels are 13.52mm polar white toughened laminate, whilst the front is 12mm clear toughened laminate.

Challenges

A number of factors added to the complexity of this project. Firstly, custom hardware had to be designed for the roof and front of the box, as no off-the-shelf fittings were suitable for this project. Close collaboration with Shearwater Marine resulted in four custom stainless steel brackets to fit the purpose.

Installation of the glass roof panel.

Space limitations in the work area also brought added difficulties. Simply transporting the glass into the building took the co-ordination of 6 men using pump up suckers and a small trolley. A custom brace had to be built with Acrow props and timber to remove the existing roof glass, and lift the new roof glass into place. Sucker machines which would regularly be used for such work were too large to fit into the timber structure.

Court sessions did not cease whilst G.James were onsite, so usual measuring equipment such as dumpy levels were unable to be used. Measurements and calculations for fixing holes in the glass were triple checked to ensure a good fit, however measurement inaccuracies due to the compromised setup meant carpet under the structure needed to be cut away to make the glass fit.

Work on site started smoothly, all existing glass was removed without incident. However when drilling for the installation of new glass began, the hammer drill used was making too much noise. The court session was disrupted, and work had to be halted to allow the court to function uninterrupted. To avoid further disruption, the pace of work was slowed and noisy aspects of the job were re-scheduled to take place in breaks and after-hours.

Working after-hours in the courthouse posed an additional complication, due to the sensitive nature of the court building.. Alarms and smoke detectors had to be disabled, and special permission had to be obtained to get after-hours access cards, as work was being carried out unsupervised.

Completing the structure took two very long days. Day one started at 8.30am and finished at 9.00pm and the second day ran from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm.

The end result

The airlock is now in place, and working as designed. Where sound used to flood in, a significant reduction in noise has been achieved, allowing the court to function uninterrupted. G.James Taree were able to take on a complicated job like this, where many others in the area could not, as they were able to draw on the expertise and experience in our Glass Division interstate to assist in this job.