Ashburner Francis was responsible for designing the electrical infrastructure required to connect the new shelters with the site’s existing power distribution system. Wayne Benson, our Townsville Director, oversaw the project — which included documenting in-ground services, and the design and delivery of all electrical power, air-conditioning and fire detection systems.

Of particular note is the environmental control system that deploys treated air to ensure acceptable temperature and humidity levels can be maintained inside the aircrafts — a strategy designed to prevent corrosion to the aircrafts’ components.  

“We’re fortunate to have a good understanding of tropical conditions in this region,” Wayne says. His solution involved improving on the existing on-site aircraft environmental controls system by selecting a more energy-efficient combination of heat pumps and heat-recovery chillers, in lieu of gas heating.

Photography Andrew Rankin.