Airport Park and Ride South
The Auckland Airport has the privilege of serving thousands of passengers, commuters and workers every day. Many of them commute from their homes or accommodation with a vehicle.
So, where do all those cars park while these people are going about their business at the airport?
With space an absolute premium on airport grounds, the perfect solution is a Park and Ride carpark in close proximity.
This is exactly what DGE helped to build! Situated on the busy Puhinui Road, we had 5 months to execute this Park and Ride project, working alongside numerous other contractors and businesses.
As you can imagine, it was a logistical minefield with heavy demands on our team. Here’s how we pulled it off…
The Challenge
Create an entire Park and Ride complex from nothing in just 5 months!
This was potentially one of the most challenging projects that we have worked on due to the scope and complexity of the project and the short completion timeframe.
With just 5 months allocated to tender, design, implement and open a completed Park and Ride complex to the public, the logistics had to be planned to perfection!
The site was literally a blank slate of empty paddocks when we first began, so absolutely everything had to be installed to make it s functioning facility. In noisy, windy conditions, right next to one of the runways, there were atmospheric and safety concerns to prioritise while ensuring the project remained on schedule and within scope. There were also numerous other contractors involved, so our team had to work in with them, to adhere to the project timeline.
Finally, all of this had to be completed within 5 months to meet the Airport’s tight deadline, so letting the project blow out was not an option.
The Scope
Design and install a shipping container switch room, cabling and light poles
When you distill the scope of the project into one sentence, it feels like it would be straightforward. But this project was anything but easy!
The Park and Ride project involved:
- Procurement and installation of a 20 ton switchboard inside a shipping container switch room
- Lining and preparation of the container so it was fit for purpose
- Creation of cabling pits beneath the container for access
- Installing underground ducting for thousands of kilometres of cabling
- Procuring, assembling and erecting 245 light poles
- Installation of additional switchboards, EV bus chargers, and lighting solutions
All of these tasks had to be completed within a strict 5-month timeframe as the Park and Ride feature had to be live and available for public use by a specified date.
The entire Park and Ride structure was completed in this timeframe. So, working in stages, we had to coordinate with numerous other development and construction teams to ensure project flow and safety protocols were adhered to.
Our Delivery
Completion on time and in scope
DGE was chosen for this project due to our previous experience working in the Airport space and the capacity of our skilled team. We had the right people and experience to get the job done.
Once we had secured the project, early procurement of the materials needed was our top priority. When working with a short timeframe, the only way to stay on target is to be proactive.
As each area of the facility was progressing, our team worked diligently. The project required some creative thinking due to the sheer size and complexity. Not only did that include the fitout of a shipping container, but it also included the installation of a 20 ton switchboard and the accompanying kilometres of cabling.
To future proof the work and ensure accessibility, we designed and installed cabling pits beneath the container switch room as all the cabling ran underground within ducting tubes. Then, to ensure every corner of the facility had connectivity, we installed thousands of kilometres of cables.
To give you an idea, many of the EV bus chargers were installed 400m away from the main switch room. That meant ducting, underground cabling and additional smaller switchboards also had to be installed to achieve operational functionality.
Then there was the massive task of assembling and installing 245 light poles throughout the facility. As we could not elevate about 12m in the airport space, usual installation methods were simply not practical. So, as an out of the box and practical solution, members of our team were specifically trained on the use of a telehandler – a compact machine able to lift massively heavy loads with impressive maneuverability in tight spaces.
Adaptability was essential as it felt like the traffic flow and how we were able to set up throughout the site changed on a weekly basis. This also meant constantly reviewing safety risks and productivity factors to remain on target for completion.
The Outcome
A project partner you can rely on
While many other electrical businesses would not have had the skill, capacity or experience to handle this job, DGE not only completed the work on time, but also to an exceptionally high standard. The end result was a fantastic new Park and Ride facility for the public to benefit from.
Despite the challenging environment and ever-evolving conditions on the worksite, we designed, installed and delivered exactly what we promised to do. Excellent strategic planning and clear communication was vital to the success of this project, as well as some outside the box solutions in an evolving environment with tough weather conditions and height restrictions.
The completion of this project made the airport more accessible for thousands of workers, travellers and commuters, creating safe spaces and sustainable solutions.
