K-Mart Warehouse

Award:  Technology Award

Project:  K-Mart Warehouse

Entrant:  Conslab Ltd

Owner:  Goodman Property

Architect:  Woodhams Miekle Zhan

Consultant:  MSC Consulting Group

Contractor:  Macrennie

Other Firms:  BBR Contech; Allied Concrete; BOSFA

What the judges said

There were few submissions that were eligible for the NZCS Technology Award, but that should not be taken as an implication that the technical standards were not high. Joint-less warehouse floors have been evolving for many years, but to the judges, the Conslab Ltd entry for the K-Mart Distribution Warehouse in Wiri, South Auckland, represented the ultimate in floor performance. This 13,000 square metre interior warehouse floor was constructed to meet the rigorous FM2 criteria of the European racking code EN15620 and contains no opening joints. For the outside 11,000 square metre truck access area, where containers are often stacked two units high for unloading, steel-fibre reinforced concrete has been used very effectively. This technology was the most cost effective way to handle the randomly located high point-loads from stacked containers giving a safe, slip-resistant surface. The judges were impressed that Conslab had used two different technologies in one project: a smooth, joint-less, highly reflective, post-tensioned floor inside the building; and a jointed skid-resistant steel-fibre slab outside. This was reflected by the endorsements from Goodman as the property owner and K-Mart as the tenant. The whole project illustrated a very comprehensive understanding of warehouse and hard-standing slab performance and construction. Detailing around doors and columns are well thought out, while manhole covers and surface drainage were designed to provide unimpeded use of pallet trolleys, with their small hard wheels. Conslab Limited is a very worthy winner of the Society's Technology Award.

The K-Mart Warehouse is an outstanding example of how excellence in concrete flooring contributes to the overall efficiency and productivity of a warehouse for the tenant.  The design and construction have enhanced the value of the building to the owner with a highly durable concrete surface with low maintenance, flexible for any change in use and with a gloss that is attractive to future tenants.

The 12,923 square metre post tensioned internal floor was constructed to FM2 flatness to the European racking code EN15620 with no opening joints at all.  Externally the 11,333 square metre steel fibre reinforced yard slab has been designed and constructed to take stacked 40 foot containers and the loading from a straddle carrier to handle them.

Over the last 10 years Conslab's knowledge and experience in the design and construction of high quality concrete slabs has lifted the standard of concrete flooring in the industrial and commercial market.  The K-Mart Warehouse constructed for Goodman is one example of exactly this.