Riccarton Mall

Shopping Mall refurbishment projects are often challenging due to the size of the units involved and the size of the Mall itself. This often makes access to the units difficult. Over the last three years, Temperzone New Zealand has pulled out all stops to meet their customer’s needs.

While replacing Temperzone units doesn’t seem that big of a deal, the fact that the units were over 20 years old and the proposed replacement units had undergone a redesign, combined with the fact that the units had to be replaced overnight, presented a few challenges for Temperzone to address for the client.

South Island Regional Manager Tony Hansen has been with Temperzone in New Zealand for 26 years and was involved with the intial install project from the beginning. In 1994 when the then Riccarton Mall in Christchurch first opened its doors, there were 25 Temperzone PA Rooftop Package Units keeping customers cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The units are still working fine today. But three years ago, Westfield, being proactive, decided to upgrade the units. With all the recent changes in technology and improved designs, Westfield will be able to enjoy more efficient units which will provide long-term cost savings. The new units are the PA range of customised rooftop package units, most are 100 kW with 3 compressors.


 

Challenge #1

Ironically, the fact that the whole product range had changed in the past 20 years, including a complete redesign of the range, was the single biggest challenge of project. It meant that nothing was going to line up with the old units. All the bases, ducting and pipes wouldn’t match. So it wouldn’t just be a matter of taking one unit out and replacing it with a new one.

Fortunately, Tony still had much of the initial paperwork for the Mall which was helpful.

Temperzone also sent a team of engineers down from the manufacturing facility in Auckland to carry out a site survey and take critical measurements off the existing units. This allowed them to customise the new units in the factory with extensions or cover plates to match the old units, before the units were put in place.

According to Tony, “There was a number of required alterations before the units were delivered because time did not allow for these to be done on site.

And this brings up the 2nd major challenge for the project.

Challenge #2

To meet health and safety requirements, Mall management needed the stores to still have air conditioning. Not only was the work undertaken in November, the temperature ‘shoulder season’ but the changeover had to be done within a 12 hour period, from 6 pm one night to 6 am the next morning. The old unit had to be disconnected and taken off the roof while the new unit had to be put into place, connected and commissioned all within 12 hours.


 

Which is why the work had to be done before the units left the Auckland Factory.

Aquaheat New Zealand were the contractors on the project and the performed very well under the pressure. It was quite a team effort, with Tony also on hand each evening for the overnight sessions.

Challenge #3

Tony continued, “The other challenge was cranage – they were even looking at helicopters at one stage. The cranes they had to get in were some of the biggest in the country, with a huge reach, and very expensive. So we had to try and do as many units as possible in one night to reduce the number of nights the cranes would be needed.


 

“With each lift and each year we got a wee bit cleverer. We have just completed the 3rd lot and things went well.

“Our unique ability to customise when we need to, unlike overseas manufacturers, meant that we were able to meet our customer’s need and overcome the challenges, all 3 of them.

What’s next?

“So far, 25 units in total so far have been replaced. More units are on order, they will be replacing 3 more units in February and 4 more towards the end of 2016.

Because Tony has been involved in this Mall project from the very beginning and throughout its expansion over the years, it is Temperzone New Zealand’s biggest project site with over 100 rooftop units.