Heritage Meets High Performance

Breathing New Life into North Sydney Olympic Pool 

When North Sydney Olympic Pool was originally constructed in 1935, it became an iconic landmark along Sydney’s coastline, perfectly situated between the waterfront and Luna Park with views across the harbour and Sydney Opera House. It played host to two Empire Games, with 86 world records being achieved at the pool and many of Australia’s swimming champions beginning their career at the facility. Due to ageing and damaged infrastructure, the pool needed a significant upgrade to ensure its future. Repairs were made to the existing structure, and new facilities were added to modernise the pool, such as a sauna and spa, a 970-seat grandstand, and an expanded café. 

The project team, Brewster Hjorth Architects and LGR Roofing, required high sustainability credentials when approaching the refurbishment and were aiming for a level 5 Green Star benchmark standard. To determine the most effective strategies for sustainability, a comprehensive review of other successful aquatic centres in Australia was conducted. Using this research, they adopted sustainability methods such as water and energy harvesting, heat pump technology and the use of Kingspan products that have been successful in contributing to energy efficiency on other projects. 

Kingspan Products: 
A wide range of Kingspan products were installed on this project. LGR Roofing who have worked with Kingspan products on multiple projects across Australia. Michael Sinnott, Director at LGR Roofing commented: 

Hook-On Cassette and Recess Fixed Cassette have been installed around the perimeter of the main building, forming part of the wider façade. These panels are secret-fix solutions that provide a smooth, continuous appearance, contributing further to the project’s aesthetic qualities. If required, these aluminium panels can be fully recycled and can be easily removed without damaging any surrounding materials. 

The cassette panels were fixed onto KS1100 Karrier Panels, providing an insulated rainscreen substructure for the façade. Comprising a PIR insulation core and two steel facings, the panels are a through-fix installation, contributing to fast build times. The panels have a thermal conductivity of 0.022 W/m.K at 23°C and a Global GreenTag GreenRate™ Level A certification. 

KingZip Standing Seam was installed on the smaller buildings around the complex and on the main roof. KingZip is a steel standing seam system that enables angular, curved and tapered architectural forms, ideal for projects with high aesthetic requirements. It is made from locally sourced Colorbond steel and can be rolled on-site, saving material and labour costs. It was also specified for its durability and anti-rust protective coating, with Michael Sinnot noting: 

“Over the life of the facility, no other company could offer the warranties or the products this close to the water. KingZip was chosen for this project because of its location in the harbour. It’s a premium product that can be used in many complex designs.” 

KS1100 Roofliner Panel was installed underneath the KingZip Standing Seam roof to provide insulation for the roofing system. With a thermal conductivity of 0.022W/m.K, Roofliner Panel and all other Kingspan products combined to contribute to sustainability credentials such as BREEAM and Green Star. 

To discuss how Kingspan Insulated Panels products can support your project, please contact our technical team here: