Latest News
New Appointments
6 July 2010
As we enter into a new financial year, Umow Lai is pleased to announce the appointments of new Directors and senior staff, both from within the company and also leading practitioners in the industry who have joined our growing company
These senior appointments strengthen Umow Lai’s management team, and reflect the company’s continued growth and commitment to providing the highest level of value to our clients through our innovative, high quality, sustainable and cost effective design solutions that go beyond traditional boundaries.
Directors
Patrick Elliott
Patrick has 20 years project experience in the UK and various Australian cities.
A specialist Mechanical Services Engineer, Patrick has led several multi disciplinary projects, lead mechanical engineer and QA reviews.
Recent and current projects include the ‘New Horizons’ Research Facility for Monash University, Hume City Council Offices, Noble Park Swim Centre Redevelopment and Princess Park (CFC) Redevelopment.
Patrick is also an Accredited Green Star Professional and has a particular interest in the integration of Sustainability principles into engineering services design.
Andrew Oxley
Andrew a newly appointed Director of Umow Lai, is an industry leader in Fire Services and Fire Safety Engineering.
With 20 years experience in design and construction for multi discipline projects across a varied range of market sectors, Andrew has the experience necessary to provide practical fire engineering solutions and active participation to the design team for most projects. Andrew is also an Accredited Green Star Professional.
Some of Andrew’s recently completed and current projects include the Melbourne Markets Relocation Project, Upper West Side Apartment Complex, Frankston Hospital Master-planning and Port Philip Prison Salamander Unit.
Andrew Jenkinson
Umow Lai welcomes Andrew, an Electrical Engineer specialising in building services who has project managed multi discipline design teams. Andrew will be the Manager of the Queensland office of Umow Lai.
Andrew has been involved in a number of high profile project including Cairns International Airport ITW project, Brisbane International Terminal Building, Australian Catholic University, Banyo campus and Royal Brisbane Hospital Central Energy Plant.
Senior Principal
George Umow
One of the founding directors of Umow Lai, George is transitioning from his current role as Director to that of Senior Principal. He will continue to oversee the development of the Umow Lai group, maintain liaison with clients and provide strategic advice on major projects.
Associate Directors
Manus Freeman
With 21 years experience as a Mechanical Building Services Engineer in Australia and the UK, Manus leads a 24-member team of delivering Mechanical Services across a wide variety of industry and commercial sectors, Manus’s expertise includes offices, retail, education, government facilities, industrial processes and technology centres.
Manus enjoys the challenge of providing innovative solutions to the issues that arise during the development of building designs to meet the objectives of the Client, Architect and services designers and believes a holistic approach to the development of Building Services leads to the most complete design solution for both clients and the environment.
Brian McDonnell
Brian is a highly qualified Mechanical Engineer transferring to Brisbane to lead Umow Lai’s Queensland-based Mechanical team.
Brian has extensive project experience in both Australia and Ireland joining Umow Lai after gaining experience working with one of the largest engineering consultancies in Ireland.
He brings to the Brisbane office specialist skills in educational, commercial and telecommunications projects, and is also skilled in Vertical Transportation Services Design. He was the lead mechanical engineer for Innova 21, the new Engineering Building at The University of Adelaide the first project in Australia to receive a 6 Star Green Star Rating under the Education V1 Rating Tool.
Anthony Marklund
Anthony, is a Mechanical Engineer and Senior Sustainability Consultant who is transferring to Brisbane to lead Umow Lai's Queensland-based sustainability division.
He is a passionate advocate of green built environments with considerable ESD and mechanical engineering experience gained on a broad variety of projects in Australia and overseas. Highly skilled in developing innovative and efficient design strategies for complex buildings and significant precincts, Anthony delivers sustainability solutions encompassing expectional indoor environment quality, carbon & water performance.
Anthony is an accomplished project leader and lead Sustainability consultant for green healthcare, education, institutional, Government, laboratory, transport hub, commercial and mixed-use projects. In addition to the important South Australia/Victoria Green Star Healthcare Cost Benefit Analysis Project, Anthony recently delivered the sustainable design masterplan and feasibility studies for a number of high profile healthcare redevelopments, including the Royal Melbourne Hospital Redevelopment and Bendigo Health Redevelopment.
Senior Associates
Eben Simmons
Eben, Senior Associate and Sustainability Consultant with over 15 years experience in Australia and the UK, working on numerous sustainable projects in a variety of building sectors.
He is a passionate and articulate Sustainability Consultant with a detailed background and in-depth knowledge in practical & sustainable mechanical services design.
Given his reputation in designing sustainable buildings for government and the private sector, Eben is often sought after as a presenter at sustainability conferences and seminars.
Leon Han
We extend our warm welcome to Leon Han, one of our specialists Mechanical Engineers, returning to the Umow Lai family.
Prior to rejoining Umow Lai, Leon was dedicated to the Dubai Pearl project for the past 2 years.
Leon brings over thirty years experience in project planning and design of mechanical services for commercial buildings, industrial buildings, telecommunication facilities, laboratories, pharmaceutical, defence facilities, hospitals, educational and institutional projects. He also has extensive experience as a project leader for major multi-disciplinary projects in design and construction stages such as the $4.0 billion Dubai Pearl project.
Warner Burton
Warner joins Umow Lai as a recognized leader in sustainability design. A mechanical engineer by training, Warner has 14 years experience as a Building Services and ESD Consultant in Australia and New Zealand.
Warner has a particular interest in the development of sustainable design solutions in close collaboration with project teams to enhance the outcomes of building design based on proven and pragmatic solutions from concept design to aftercare. He has been responsible for the project management, design and implementation of building services systems and sustainable design strategies for small to large-scale mixed use and commercial buildings, educational, healthcare, institutional, residential, public, community facilities and precincts.
Warner has a particular interest in the development of sustainable design solutions in close collaboration with project teams to enhance the outcomes of building design based on proven and pragmatic solutions from concept design to aftercare. He has been responsible for the project management, design and implementation of building services systems and sustainable design strategies for small to large-scale mixed use and commercial buildings, educational, healthcare, institutional, residential, public, community facilities and precincts.
Associates
Im Chua
Im, a newly appointed Associate and Specialist Consultant for Umow Lai, has a background in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Strategic Management.
As Vice President, International Business she also has the responsibility to develop our involvement in landmark projects in the all-important Asia Pacific Region.
Im has 13 years experience in engineering consultancy, project management and general management in Australian and Asian markets.
Her particular strengths are managing sustainable buildings and cross cultural projects, providing strategic advice and solutions to clients to ensure that business gets done efficiently though managing people and resources.
Im believes in working to high professional standards of ethics, inspired to grow and driven to challenge businesses to maximize their potential.
UMOW LAI STATE OFFICE MANAGERS:
Victoria: Ken Loh
Queensland: Andrew Jenkinson
New South Wales: Anthony Matthews
Ken Loh and Andrew Jenkinson have been appointed as State Managers of Victoria and Queensland respectively.
Ken and Andrew with Anthony Matthews, the current State Manager for New South Wales, will be responsible for the operations of their respective States.
University of Adelaide – Innova 21 Achieves Australia’s First 6 Star Education Rating
4 May 2010
Innova 21, the University of Adelaide’s new $100 million building for the Faculty of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Science, has just been awarded a 6 Star Green Star Education v1 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. This makes it the first project in Australia to achieve 6 Star rating under the Green Star Education v1 tool, as well as the first University in Australia to achieve an Education v1 rating.
"This is a great sense of achievement for the consulting team and especially for the University, who set about materialising their vision of developing an engineering building of World Leading status," commented Magesh Gounden, an electrical engineer and Senior Associate of Umow Lai who headed the project team on behalf of the national building services engineering and sustainability consultants.
The eight storey, 14,000m2 Innova 21 building, located on the University’s North Terrace Campus, incorporates a range of environmentally sustainable features that complement the design that helped the University achieve its impressive rating as a world leader.
Key innovative elements include the use of Active Slab technology (hydronic cooling loops within the concrete floor slabs) combined with an Under Floor Air Distribution System utilising 100% fresh air ventilation, providing a healthy and comfortable internal environment. Heat rejection from the Computer Server rooms to the ground is achieved via Geothermal loops incorporated into the basement diaphragm wall. The building also has a low E double glazed curtain wall; a programmable (DALI) lighting system and a building management system (BMS) designed to reduce Energy consumption.
Another key sustainable technology is the Tri Generation Plant located at the roof level that will provide electricity, heating and cooling for the whole building, saving energy and with ongoing cost savings.
There is an extensive rainwater harvesting system with underground rainwater storage tanks. The collected water is used for toilet flushing & irrigation within the building.
These technologies within the building will be monitored via the BMS, this data will be available to students so that the building itself becomes a teaching tool in terms of its Environmentally Sustainable Design.
Materials selection as well as the furniture, fittings and equipment within the building were selected in relation to their environmental impact, as well as minimal PVC, VOC and formaldehyde content.
Innova 21 houses administration offices, staff offices, learning spaces, computer classrooms and social interaction areas for the Faculty of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Science. The administration and Dean’s office are also located within the building.
The Consultant Design team on the project consisted of:
| DesignInc | Architecture & Interior Design |
| Umow Lai | Electrical, Mechanical, ESD consultancy |
| Bestec | Hydraulic, Fire Services, Vertical Transportation |
| Aurecon | Structural Engineer |
| Outlines | Landscape Architecture |
Umow Lai provided mechanical, electrical, ecologically sustainable design, ICT, security and audio visual services for Innova 21. Led by Magesh Gounden, our team comprised Ken Loh, Shane Esmore, Brian McDonnell, Claudia Paulton, Damon Maloney, Sunil Kumar, Simon Umow, Gavin Donnelly, Tony Davison and Sanjaya Hettiarachchi. Umow Lai worked in conjunction with DesignInc, Bestec Consulting Engineers and the University of Adelaide. Joint venture partners, Bestec provided hydraulics, fire protection and vertical transportation services.
For media enquiries contact:
Melanie Cheshire, Marketing Manager
T: 03 9249 0288
E: melanie.cheshire@umowlai.com.au
Sustainability team generates heaps of pedal power
24 February 2010
Umow Lai’s Team A generated an impressive132.1 watt hours of pedal power energy for the AE Smith Business Centre and Internet Café competition held during the Green Cities 2010 conference, Melbourne Convention Centre, 22-23 February.
Shane Esmore, Damon Moloney, Chris Walker and Matthew Webb won their race against WSP Lincolne Scott and AE Construction and finished fourth in the competition overall.
Our Team B members Thorsten Padeffke, Lizzie Adams, Joe Cai and Claudia Paulton, competed in the AE Smith NABERS Accredited Assessor Medallion against Holleyoake and generated 83.3 watt-hours.
They were among the 36 teams competing to see who could generate the most power in 10 minutes riding a 12 bike pedal generator.
After his race, Shane Esmore, Umow Lai’s fit, versatile Head of Sustainability, jumped off his bike, changed clothes and headed into the conference to convene the ‘From classrooms to clinics – how physicians and principals can get keen on green’ session.
Clockwise from left: Chris Walker, Shane Esmore, Damon Moloney, Thorsten Padeffke, Joe Cai, Matthew Webb, Claudia Paulton, Lizzie Adams
Umow Lai Announces New Staff Appointments
14 January 2010
The Directors of Umow Lai are delighted to announce the following staff appointments in our Melbourne office, effective 1 January 2010.. These senior appointments strengthen Umow Lai’s management team, and reflect the company's continued growth and commitment to providing the highest level of value to our clients through our innovative, high quality, sustainable and cost effective design solutions that go beyond traditional boundaries.
Sean Wooster – Associate Director
Sean, Umow Lai’s Principal ICT Consultant, has over 19 years experience in the technology consulting industry, being responsible for the design and management of projects involving audio visual, communications, IT, security and building systems integration.
Sean specialises in performing studies of clients’ operational requirements, the preparation of high-level technology strategies in response to this including business case analysis, leading to detailed procurement and deployment planning.
Most recently, Sean was involved in developing the ICT delivery framework for the new $1.7 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital, and managed the delivery of ICT services at ANZ’s new 80,000m2 Docklands office. ANZ incorporated extensive state-of-the art Audio Visual systems, many of which had never been deployed in Australia previously on such a scale.
Sean has also undertaken several recent overseas study tours focussed on technology innovations such as ‘3D Visualisation’, ‘Telepresence’ and ‘Gesture Control’, which are now being considered for many of our new projects in Research, Healthcare and Education.
Tony Lenko – Associate
Tony has been involved in Building Services design and construction for over 9 years with experience in Mechanical, Hydraulic and Fire Protection Services.
In addition to Tony’s fire and hydraulics design skills, he also has a thorough understanding of the interaction with other engineering services elements and the innovation and cost-effective design solutions which can flow from careful interconnection of systems.
Tony is heavily involved in the Umow Lai Quality Management System in his role as the Melbourne Quality Manager and Fire Protection Services Department Resource Manager.
Mark Cook – Associate
Mark has over 17 years experience as an Electrical Engineer with extensive international project experience.
Mark is an accomplished Project and Team Leader, managing designs with the commercial, residential, retail, healthcare, scientific research, educational, media and cultural industry sectors. Design approaches have been sustainable, deliverable and innovative whilst retaining the client focus required with the challenging and changing environment.
Mark specialises in the Masterplanning of Energy and Utility systems for site campus, urban and regional site implementation. This includes design feasibility and concept through to schematic design. Whilst managing multidisciplinary projects his particular specialisation is electrical power distribution and the connectivity to and within buildings.
John Avramiotis – Associate
John, Umow Lai’s lead Security Consultant, has extensive experience in all fields of electronic, physical and operational security measures, most notably excelling in the field of Closed Circuit Television Systems (CCTV). He has been involved with numerous security reviews and the development of engineering solutions for numerous government, private and public institutions. John’s most recent role involves being the Project Manager for all Engineering Services (including Security) in the construction of two new prisons in Victoria and the Northern Territory.
He is certified by ASIS international as a Physical Security Professional (PSP) and has recently completed the ASIO T4 SCEC endorsement for security consultants.
Fujitsu Australia’s Tenancy Achieves 6 Star Green Star Rating
15 December 2009
Fujitsu Australia’s tenancy at 825 Bourke Street, Docklands has been awarded a 6 Star Green Star - Office Interiors V1.1 rating and has set a new benchmark in workplace innovation. The rating represents ‘World Leader’ in sustainable design and construction.
The $6 million office fit out was achieved by working collaboratively towards a common goal and by using our technological expertise to minimise the carbon footprint, a key priority for Fujitsu.
A highly streamlined project, it was brought in under budget and cost about the same as a standard fit out, even though it incorporates a high level of sustainability and innovation.
One of the most noticeable features of Fujitsu’s new Victorian headquarters is its fresh, spacious and light atmosphere, enhanced by a huge ‘liveable’ green wall and hedgerows of plants that separate groups of workstations, helping to improve indoor air quality.
Fujitsu’s environmental awareness, open attitude and willingness to engage the design team made a direct contribution to the fit out, allowing Umow Lai to design closely around the base building systems.
Umow Lai were able to adapt the existing passive chilled beams layouts to match the fit out design, minimising the need for additional heating and cooling and were able to eliminate the need for conventional air conditioning and achieve a level of energy efficiency that greatly exceeds current energy efficiency benchmarks. No air is circulated back into the building, so the quality of indoor air remains as fresh late in the afternoon as it was in the morning, a factor that is expected to positively contribute to increased productivity levels for Fujitsu in the longer term. It also highlights the benefit for tenants who have the foresight to occupy world leadership class base buildings.
Their offices have an open plan layout, floor-to-ceiling windows to take advantage of park and water views and use of carbon dioxide sensors in meeting rooms to ensure improved indoor air quality.
Umow Lai was engaged as both building services engineering and sustainability consultants for the 6 Star, 4,518m2 sustainable office fit-out. Designed by Woodhead Architects and constructed by Schiavello, the new Fujitsu offices are located in The Gauge at 825 Bourke Street, a 6 Star Green Star “World Leadership” – Office Design and As Built certified building.
Fujitsu’s tenancy is one of only three in Australia to be certified 6 Star Green Star – Office Interiors v1.1. The other two are Umow Lai's offices at 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra and Stockland Head Office tenancy in Sydney.
Berry Sports Hall Wins World Architecture Award
November 2009
Berry Sports Hall has received an accolade at the World Architecture Festival, held in Barcelona from 4-6 November 2009. The $1.3 million project, located in southern NSW, earned the World Architecture Award (Sport) award. Umow Lai's Sydney office provided a number of innovative design solutions, including the use of Passive Roof Ventilators to naturally ventilate the building, low energy lighting to ensure it has a minimum carbon footprint and rainwater harvesting.
2 Nexus Court Achieves 5 Star Green Star
November 2009
Umow Lai has provided building services and sustainable design advice for the new $20 million purpose-built 2 Nexus Court office complex in Mulgrave that was recently awarded a 5 Star Green Star - Office Design rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.
According to Umow Lai sustainability engineer Damon Moloney, this achievement demonstrates how relatively simple things such as adhering to best practice, implementing a highly efficient, cost efficient design plus a little additional expenditure, can result in a 5 star rated building.
Key design initiatives include a highly efficient facade with double glazing to reduce heat, materials selected for their low environmental impact, extensive recycling facilities, water efficient features such as rainwater harvesting tanks for toilet flushing, a highly efficient automatic lighting management system and check metering facilities on each tenancy floor to monitor electricity usage. A fully backed-up on-site diesel generator has been installed to protect the enormous data bases used by the principal tenant, IAG (Insurance Australia Group).
Developed by Salta Properties for IAG, the 7,500m2, three-level building in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs includes a ground floor cafe and basement parking for approximately 140 cars.
Award Winning Melbourne Recital Centre & MTC Theatre
September 2009
Umow Lai is proud to be associated with the Melbourne Recital Centre & MTC Theatre, which received the Engineering Excellence Award for Infrastructure (projects over $20 million) at the Engineers Australia Victorian Engineering Excellence Awards 2009, held on 17 September.
The $127.8 million development, located on the corner of Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, consists of two striking arts venues; a 500-seat theatre for the Melbourne Theatre Company and a 1000-seat recital hall, bearing the name of arts philanthropist Dame Elisabeth Murdoch.
Umow Lai provided building services engineering for the two buildings, which were designed by Ashton Raggatt McDougall.
Pixel
September 2009
On September 2, the federal and the state environment ministers came together in Melbourne to break the ground at Pixel, a landmark project that will become Australia’s first carbon neutral building.
Joining the Federal Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett were Victorian Minister for Environment and Climate Change Gavin Jennings, Victorian Minister for Planning Justin Madden, Grocon CEO and Property Council National President, Daniel Grollo and Umow Lai Director and Head of Sustainability, Shane Esmore.
“It’s great to now see the start of works and a very exciting project to kick off the redevelopment of the whole precinct. This once derelict site is fast becoming a vibrant precinct in Melbourne’s CBD,” Minister Madden said at the sod turning.
When completed, the four-storey building on the corner of Queensberry and Bouverie Streets, Carlton, will set a new benchmark in environmentally sustainable office space.
The Pixel is registered for Green Star Office Design Rating (World Leader). Umow Lai is providing services engineering and sustainable design advice. Developer Grocon will be the building’s first tenant, overseeing the whole CUB development that includes a landmark research facility, the RMIT Design Hub. Construction of Stage 1 is underway.