Boiler House
The distinctive power station on the former Amcor Paper Mill site in Alphington, Melbourne, features the 1954 Boiler House. It was one of the first buildings in Melbourne constructed with curtain walling, where the outer layer of the building is non-structural. The glass and metal façade of the Boiler House allowed the inner workings of the factory to be viewed from the outside.
Challenges
The internal factory was constructed before the outer layer, and all structural elements were interconnected, making it difficult to predict the effect of removing a specific member on the surrounding elements.
Solutions
MANN used BIM (Building Information Modelling), a process that involves scanning all internal and external parts of the building into a point cloud model. Millions of data points are then uploaded into a 4D model, enabling us to view key components and any associated risks when creating the demolition sequence.
The main stack (KA1) stood independently at 63 metres high and was engineered to be removed in craneable sections. Parts of the old power station are heritage-listed and required meticulous manual disconnection and continuous vibration monitoring.
Outcome
Each structural steel member removed was lowered and placed in the designated decontamination zone to be cleared of all hazardous paints.
All demolition materials were separated onsite, achieving a 99.78% recycling rate for the project
