Pressfit Pipe Technology for Barangaroo from Viega

Case study - Barangaroo International Towers, Sydney

On the edge of the famous Sydney Harbour and at the heart of Barangaroo's brand new commercial district, there are three high rise towers currently under construction that will become a new corporate centre for the Asia-Pacific region.

Created by internationally acclaimed architects, the Barangaroo International Towers are ready to set a new benchmark for sustainable workplace design.

The towers sit at an impressive 49 floors, 43 floors and 39 floors respectively, and have a huge number of contractors working on them. All three mechanical contractors, Axis, Brown & Moodie and Sydmec, plus the hydraulic contractor, are using Viega's Propress technology.

After initially considering another approach, Viega's innovative and super efficient pressfit technology won out.

"Productivity was the main reason for the change from brazing to Viega pressfit as there is a lot of time lost moving oxyacetylene bottles vertically between floors - it is more efficient to use pressfit," explains Rob Elliot, NSW State Manager for Axis Plumbing.

"Other reasons included site work and safety requirements and the need to reduce/eliminate hot works on site due to safety reasons."

Brown & Moodie, another contractor working on the Barangaroo International Towers, also supported the use of Viega's pressfit technology.

"Viega's Propress was already approved and preferred by the consultants and engineers as a superior product, which made it easier for Brown & Moodie to get it through," says Quentin Brown, Brown & Moodie Project Manager.

"We were happy that the engineers were also convinced that pressfit was suitable for this project."

Developed by Lend Lease, high profile tenants such as Westpac, KPMG, PwC are set to move into the International Towers after construction is completed. This puts the pressure on all contractors involved to deliver the highest quality work possible whilst operating under time constraints.

"That is the best thing about the Viega Propress system ï¿½ it offers fast, flexible and safe copper pipework installation that assists with overcoming the challenges of working on such a large scale project," says Rob. "The project schedule is very tight due to previous delays. The technology also works with the elimination of fire/flame/hot work permits."

Viega Propress copper press fittings are being used in all three towers for potable hot/cold water, as well as mechanical services and gas services. A huge project for all involved, contractor Axis are particularly pleased with the technical field support and training Viega provides on site.

"There is a peace of mind when using a premium product like Viega," says Rob. "We know that Viega is a premium product with unique features, the most innovative of which are the patented smart connect feature and leak detection safety feature.

"The added safety on site, ease and speed of installation and quality of installation are the icing on the cake."

Contractor Brown & Moodie also express a strong confidence in the quality of Viega's products and the accompanying warranty.

"The product gives us the ability to capture any unpressed joints thanks to their smart connect feature," explains Quentin. "Propress saves us time on installation, minimises the need for hot work permits and provides us with top notch technical support and training."

Providing clients with the best on-site support in the industry is exactly what Viega aspires to do, as Rod Luker from Viega Australia will attest.

"Viega prides itself on setting the highest standard for safety, product innovation and training for clients," he explains. "For a large-scale project such as Barangaroo that needs to utilize the quickest, safest and most accurate way of installing a sizeable amount of piping, Viega's Propress technology is a perfect fit."

The Barangaroo International Towers project is set to be completed in 2016.