Working alongside retail building specialists Mainbrace Constructions, Benmax delivered the mechanical services for the recent $9 million upgrade and expansion project at Hoyts Cinema Erina.

Located within the popular Erina Fair Shopping Centre on the NSW Central Coast, the project saw the construction of two new movie auditoriums catering for an additional 600 patrons, along with the much-needed upgrade of facilities at the cinema complex, including the central HVAC plant.

Works undertaken by the Benmax team involved the upgrade of the central plant including a new 1200kW water-cooled chiller, cooling tower, 540kW boilers (x2) and associated pumps. Upgrades were integrated into the existing pipework system to serve the current air handling units minimising costs and unnecessary delays to the project schedule.

Benmax officially commenced on-site works in late 2019, however planning and design stages for the project were underway prior to that time to support the use of prefabricated and preassembled equipment during the build.

This innovative construction method was incorporated into the project to support an improved delivery time frame, higher level of productivity, ensure the highest standards of quality control, and importantly, enhance on-site safety for all teams working on the project.

On this job, prefabrication was utilised for heating hot water, chilled and condenser water pump sets that were constructed on skids at an offsite controlled workshop environment and then transported to site for final preparation.

The modules were then lifted into place via a series of well planned and executed crane lifts followed by the final installation and pipe inter-connect works. This process supported the tight construction time frame with the equipment and skids able to be built off site while onsite demolition and preconstruction works were undertaken.

One interesting feature of this project is that all mechanical services equipment used throughout the project, including the ductwork, utilised vibration isolation mounts to limit vibration transmission across the complex and ensure the experience of cinemagoers was not negatively impacted by mechanical vibration or noise.

The Benmax team successfully completed work on the project in June 2020.

Project features:

• Existing movie cinema complex
• $9 million upgrade project
• Two new movie cinemas
• Upgrade of mechanical services for foyer, administration areas, amenities and bio box
• Upgrade of central plant including new chiller, boiler, cooling tower and associated works
• Upgrade of BMCS
• Use of vibration isolation mounts to limit vibration transmission