Inside a Temporary Acoustic Shed during construction.
To reduce the impact of noise, dust and light from the construction of Victoria’s biggest ever public transport infrastructure project, three massive acoustic sheds are being built at key sites in the Melbourne CBD.
The sheds will contain major construction activity as crews build the Metro Tunnel Project’s twin 9km rail tunnels and five new underground stations through the centre of Melbourne.
Over the next three months, three temporary acoustic sheds will be constructed above the site of the new Anzac Station on St Kilda Road, the State Library Station site at Franklin Street West and Town Hall Station construction site at Federation Square. These follow the completion of the project’s first two acoustic sheds at the State Library Station work sites on Franklin Street East and A’Beckett Street.
To minimise noise, dust and light during around-the-clock excavation and tunneling works, the external surfaces of each shed are clad with a Speedpanel acoustic wall and ceiling system.
Designed and manufactured locally in Bayswater Victoria, the highly versatile fire and acoustic rated modular panel system was selected for its superior acoustic performance, lightweight properties and ability to be installed quickly and easily due to its rapid tongue and groove design.
Nearly 8,000m² of 78mm Speedpanel will be installed across the three new sheds by KakoSi Construction and Revival Interiors for the acoustic shed supplier, Protector Building Systems.
Robert Glasgow, Project Director at Protector Building Systems said the selection of Speedpanel for the Metro Tunnel Project helped overcome the challenges of access and available work spaces while achieving the required noise reduction.
“Our clients have been happy with the perceived noise reduction and aesthetics of the buildings,” Glasgow said. “The panels have a neat architectural finish and look more like a commercial product than an industrial one.”
Speedpanel cladding has been supplied to the Metro Tunnel Project’s new sheds in three colours – Mist Green, Manor Red and Basalt – according to each shed’s location.
Revival Interiors’ Rithy Chheang said his company’s experience installing Speedpanel has shown the product to outperform other products on the market.
“Its ease of installation and industry-leading fire ratings and acoustic performance means we recommend Speedpanel for a variety of high rise and commercial, multi-residential and industrial applications,” Chheang said.
At the completion of tunneling and construction works, each acoustic shed will be dismantled with all construction materials to be recycled. Made from 29.5% recycled materials, Speedpanel is easily dismantled, reused and recycled.
“As an Australian manufacturer, we are extremely proud to be involved in such an important and transformative public infrastructure as the Metro Tunnel Project,” said Nick Scheuer, Managing Director of Speedpanel.
“Speedpanel continues to add value to construction projects across Australia and New Zealand by helping to drastically speed up construction programs while meeting the technical specifications of architects, engineers and builders. The application of Speedpanel within the Metro Tunnel Project’s acoustic sheds is further testament to the product’s versatility.”
The Metro Tunnel Project’s Tunnels and Stations works package is being delivered by CYP Design & Construction, a consortium comprising Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, and Bouygues Construction, on behalf of Rail Projects Victoria.
KakoSi Construction and Revival Interiors crew installing Speedpanel on Anzac Station’s Temporary Acoustic Shed on St Kilda Road.
Anzac Station’s Temporary Acoustic Shed on St Kilda Road during construction.
