High-Performance Mechanical Design for Prime House, Joondalup

Located at 8 Davidson Terrace, Joondalup, Prime House is a 9,600sqm A Grade office building that now serves as the new home of the Western Australian Department of Finance under a 15-year lease agreement.

This development was designed to meet 5 Star NABERS and 5 Star Green Star performance targets, with Froster Engineering engaged to provide the mechanical services design and spatial planning input to support energy efficiency, long-term maintainability, and seamless integration with the architecture.

Mechanical system strategy

Froster Engineering developed a high-efficiency chilled and heating water mechanical system, closely coordinated with the architectural design to ensure effective plant access, serviceability, and installation efficiency.

Typical office floors are conditioned by a hybrid 'skin' chilled water fan coil system:

• Perimeter zones use chilled and heating water fan coil units, offsetting glazing and façade loads. These units were sized carefully to maintain comfort and work harmoniously with the perforated screening system that wraps the façade.
• Internal zones are managed via Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes, delivering controlled airflow and temperature balance across open-plan and enclosed office areas.

Central plant design

The building’s central plant includes:

• High-efficiency water-cooled chillers
• Induced draft cooling towers
• High-efficiency boiler plant
• Complete pipework, pumpwork, and water treatment systems

These systems were selected and configured to align with the project's strict energy targets and operational goals, ensuring long-term performance with optimised running costs.

A building with purpose

With a clear purpose and technical precision, Prime House was brought to life as a future-focused government workplace. Froster Engineering is proud to have contributed a mechanically integrated, energy-efficient solution that supports the performance standards and vision of both the developer, Primewest, and the anchor tenant, Department of Finance.