As part of a detailed preventative maintenance schedule, Cairns Central Shopping Centre is currently in the midst of a re-roofing program, which is seeing 40,000m² of KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH® cladding fitted to the centre over two years.

The generous timeframe takes into account necessary work pauses during the North Queensland wet season, while also trying to minimise disruptions to the centre’s lease holders, and of course, customers.

With the majority of the material used for the reroofing comprising KLIP-LOK 700 HI-STRENGTH® cladding, compliance of this product with NCC requirements is a given but achieving certification on the centre’s eight distinctive turrets required a customised solution.

The original turrets were manufactured in 1995, so the replacement turrets would need to be redesigned in keeping with today’s requirements while remaining visually similar to the original turrets.

A number of options were considered by the roofing contractor, however given the unique nature of the turrets there wasn’t an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution available to satisfy NCC requirements. At this point Lysaght representative Matt Hardy, set about managing the development and testing schedule of a new turret design that would meet NCC needs.

In achieving a viable solution, project engineers worked together with Lysaght – including personnel from the company’s Adelaide manufacturing facility – as well as the roofing contractor and Lysaght’s NATA-accredited testing laboratory in Sydney.

The resultant turret design was tested to the same strenuous levels that all Lysaght products are exposed to, including ‘low-high-low’ air pressure sequencing to simulate the cyclonic conditions that can be prevalent in the region. Testing also recommended the use of BAROQUE™ cladding in 0.7mm BMT as the base material (previously 0.5mm BMT), which was slit and tapered, and also provided detailed guidelines covering detailing, fixings, span width and framing.

The end solution is not only visually pleasing, but also complies with all NCC requirements. Additionally, the project showcases how Lysaght was able to use the expertise of various departments, and worked closely with its building partners to solve a complex problem that many other building suppliers may have found too difficult.

About the National Construction Code (NCC)

The National Construction Code of Australia (NCC) details the minimum necessary requirements for safety, health, amenity and sustainability that need to be met in the design and construction of new buildings (and new building work in existing buildings) throughout Australia. Using products that do not conform to the NCC requirements can leave installers, builders and suppliers liable for cost of replacement, rectification and consequential damages.

The LYSAGHT® range of Australian-made steel building products has been developed, tested and manufactured to not only meet our country's demanding climatic and geographic requirements but also to provide building designers, builders and owners with the confidence that comes from using guaranteed compliant products.