2014 NECA ACT Excellence Awards


The NECA ACT Excellence Awards were announced on Friday 15 August 2014.

NECA congratulates all the winners and certificate of commendation recipients. 

 
(All Excellence Award Winners)
 

Domestic Residence

WinnerKaz Electronics - Murrumbateman Residence

The Electrical Division is a relatively new part of Kaz Electronics, but with their experience in communications, they felt confident to tackle the design and construct of this new smart home.  The brief from the customer was to control lighting, entertainment, security, power and water usage from one interface or remotely using a smart phone.
 
Using two major components that would normally be standalone – a Clipsal C-Bus system and a Crestron Controller, Kaz Electronics programmed the interfaces to communicate together, achieving the required results.
 
The builder used the house as a show piece during construction – demonstrating what can be achieved in smart home design.

 

Energy Efficiency and Environment

Winner: Delta Building Automation - Energy Metering & Dashboards System

The Department of Human Services Energy Dashboards project required Delta Building Automation to install an enteliWEB energy Management system and other devices across three Department of Human Services buildings, enabling the energy consumption for each building to be shown in real-time. This is then displayed on an Energy Dashboard – a large Flat Panel TV - in the lobby of each building.
 
Network security is provided through a series of Firewall and network security devices, ensuring the complex routing of information and data remains safe from hackers and Trojans.
 

An “inter-building competition" is run, so that the most energy-efficient building can be identified and displayed to the building occupants through the Energy Dashboards.

Commendation: Affinity Electrical Technologies - Chifley Library Energy Efficient Lighting

This project involved the replacement of over 650 normal fluorescent tubes with either high efficient LED tubes or replacement LED Panels. 

In addition to extensive lux level testing to suit particular areas of the library, AET carried out calculations of the amount of energy saved by the installation of eco-friendly fittings.
 
One of the main challenges was the constant use of the library by students and staff. AET’s team commenced work early in the mornings to reduce disruption to staff and students.
 
Monitoring of the project has confirmed the estimates supplied by Affinity Electrical, with all energy reduction targets met and the investment by the ANU likely to be recovered within two years.
 

Industrial – Small Project

Winner: Shepherd Electrical - Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex 2.4KV Medium Voltage Works

The Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex is one of three in the world to track deep space vehicles.
 
Shepherd Electrical’s works included the construction of a new 2.4KV Medium Voltage supply to a new Central Services building located approximately 4.8 kilometres away.  The building’s distribution boards then provide power to a new radio antenna and a second radio antenna under construction.
 

Medium Voltage switchboard installations and Low Voltage works spread across the entire 4.8KM work face. High levels of training were required to overcome complex earthing requirements and difficulties with terminations of Medium Voltage cables.  

 

Voice/Data

Winner: RCR Infrastructure O’Donnell Griffin - ACTEW Corporation Critical Infrastructure Security Upgrade – Electronic Security Project

ACTEW and Tenix Alliance contracted RCR ODG to install an IP based Electronic Security system across various sites in the ACT, including the Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Facility, and the Hughes, Deakin and Red Hill reservoirs.
 
Works included supplying the security hardware and the structured cabling system to allow the installation of CCTV cameras, Intruder Detection, Access Control and other security devices.
 
RCR ODG installed various telecommunications solutions to enable connectivity, including pit and pipe infrastructure, LV and ELV cabling, hinged camera poles, optical fibre cabling, media converters and active equipment. Cat 6 copper structured cabling was used, while Microwave links had custom enclosures to suit the environmental demands of the different sites.
 

Commendation: Intravision - ACT Government Shared Services ICT Data Centre

 
The installation of an AFC structured fibre cabling system for the ACT Government's Shared Services ICT new primary Data Centre, included 44 racks using 2 separate pathways for redundancy. Intravision installed, tested& certified more than 10,300 fibre connections.
 
Intravision needed innovative ways of reducing labour and material costs to make the project commercially viable, without compromising the quality of the installation.
 
CAD drawings, based on extensive measurements taken onsite, allowed the exact length of each cable run and cable pathway to be determined, minimising the cable lengths.  The pre-terminated fibre optic cables were then manufactured offsite, to the exact length required, reducing time and wastage. 
 
 

Commercial – Small Project

Winner: Stowe Australia - Brindabella Café Refurbishment

The Brindabella Café has been serving the 2,500 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade employees for 15 years. As part of the Café’s refurbishment, Stowe Australia was engaged to deliver a complete electrical services package.
 
As well as making safe all services to allow the demolition of the ceiling, new general power, and power to the new commercial kitchen equipment was installed, along with an upgrade of the existing circuit protection devices, and installation of MSSB sub-mains and cable pathway
 
LED lighting was used extensively in both the kitchen and public areas of the café, allowing Stowe Australia to demonstrate a new set of skills to one of their regular maintenance clients.
 

Commercial – Medium Project

Winner: Martin Donnelly - Belconnen Community Health Centre

The new Belconnen Community Health Centre is part of the ACT Government’s Health Infrastructure Program, and comprises two multi-storey buildings containing medical services, public areas, basement car parks and plant rooms.
 
Martin Donnelly’s works included a new ACTEW Substation and all power reticulation within the building; new stand by diesel generator and fuel fill system -along with a UPS to the Communication Room; POE, MSB and sub-distribution boards; Safety Services and Lightning protection systems; and Hearing Augmentation Loops to the front reception area.
 
The internal and external lighting - all controlled via a Dali Lighting Control system is a particular feature, with the team working closely with the client, to ensure the control system met their expectations.
 

Commendation: RCR Infrastructure O’Donnell Griffin - China in the World

 
The China in the World building has helped the Australian National University create an integrated, world-leading institution for Chinese Studies and the understanding of China on a global scale. The architecture and interior acknowledges the aesthetics of Chinese architecture and includes academic spaces, flexible lecture theatres with simultaneous translation facilities, a gallery, research library, and a 220 seat auditorium
 
In the theatre and conference facilities, LED lighting, Dali control and a Dynalite control, are all integrated into the one system.  The spectacular external lighting helps to accentuate the building’s façade, creating the appearance of a Chinese lantern, as well as lighting the sculptures in the many gardens.
 

Commercial – Large Project

Winner: Shepherd Electrical - Australian Data Centres Stage 1

The Australian Data Centres - Stage One project was located in an existing warehouse building in Mitchell and required the conversion of the building into a 3000sq/m, Tier 3 data centre, with complete power and cooling redundancy.

The works involved extensive in-ground services, a new mezzanine floor with in-slab services, in-ground diesel tanks, fuel and laundering pumps, two High Voltage switch rooms, High Voltage transformers, two Low Voltage main switch rooms, two Diesel UPS, DC rectifiers and distribution boards, three lead-in paths for communications, and SCADA monitoring and control.

Incorporating all these under one contract, proved both challenging and rewarding, for the management and senior staff of Shepherd Electrical.

Commendation: FREDON ACT - DHS Louisa Lawson Building

The DHS Greenway project, encompasses 26,000 square metres of office space,  café & specialist meeting and broadcast facilities, along with 725 parking spaces, all achieving a 4.0 star Greenstar rating.

Fredon were faced with an extremely tight program to produce a fully documented, coordinated & certified design and undertake all procurement & installation tasks. Due to program constraints, many of the engineering & construction tasks were undertaken out-of-sequence, which added a significant level of logistical complexity.

Offsite prefabrication of cable containment and sub-circuit cabling, along with the design and development of specialised trollies and cradles, enabled the site team to expedite installations, without the need to double handle equipment.