Port Melbourne

Gallerie Melbourne provides a product selection studio and interior design services for small- to medium-sized building companies. Located in a former warehouse in Port Melbourne, it has a 780-square-metre display area with a ceiling up to nine metres high. The client engaged Mod Cons to design and deliver a heating and cooling solution that would provide a comfortable and consistent temperature in the large open space and integrate with the architectural design.

Mod Cons installed four AirSmart indoor environment systems between the two storeys at the front of the building where they are concealed from view. The air is then delivered through four ducts that run the length of the building, suspended halfway between the floor and ceiling. To minimise the visual impact, the ducts were custom-designed to half the typical size and clad in black-powdercoated Colorbond to blend with other architectural features.

To optimise thermal comfort in such a large and open building envelope, the heating and cooling system was designed to minimise air stratification and achieve consistent temperatures throughout the space. Mod Cons achieved this with AirSmart’s air delivery system, which harnesses the Venturi effect to mix internal air through a change in pressure, rather than moving large volumes of air. The result is a temperature difference through the nine-metre height of less than one degree and an internal environment free from drafts and other uncomfortable air flows.

Heating and cooling operation is regulated through a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat controlling all four systems. The thermostat has a passcode lock to prevent individual vendors from adjusting the temperature, while the Wi-Fi technology enables the building manager to access it remotely.

Due to the architectural integrity, effectiveness and ease of use of this solution, the client is installing similar systems in subsequent Gallerie spaces. “They’ve adopted this approach for the new Gallerie in Adelaide, and there are plans to do the same for future Galleries in Brisbane, Sydney and New Zealand,” says Mod Cons director Dylan Sims. “It’s just a great solution for them.”