Great Scot 160 September 2020 | Page 48

DEVELOPMENT

SUBSTANTIAL SCOTCH UPGRADES : LESS VISIBLE , BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT

ABOVE : UPGRADES
INCLUDE FIRE PUMPS , ELECTRICAL
PILLARS ,
CONDUITS AND TRENCHES RIGHT : NEW
UNDERGROUND WATER
STORAGE TANK
‘ Future-proofing ’ the School and allowing Scotch to grow
While many of the School ’ s recent development projects have been highly noticeable , attractive additions to the campus , there has been a great deal of less ‘ glamorous ’ but necessary work proceeding behind the scenes ; upgrades that will ensure the School is well placed to meet the challenges of any future development .
The School was aware prior to the construction of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science that the Senior School had reached its electrical capacity , such that a new transformer was not only necessary for the Science Centre , but also for the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology and the Keon-Cohen Dining Hall as well , and , indeed , for all future projects .
A new transformer has therefore been installed , together with a new Senior School main switchboard – a far-from-simple process which involved complicated excavation , disconnection of electrical feeds , redirection of cables and a total upgrade of electrical infrastructure .
A more extensive review of the School ’ s electrical needs also revealed that , critical to all future projects undertaken at Scotch , other upgrades were essential , including an upgrade of the electrical substation and external kiosk in the upper areas of the School .
This led to significant underground work connecting electrical cables of the James Forbes Academy ’ s two sub switchboards , each located within the basement of Music and Drama ; additional cables were laid underground following the service road from the JFA to the Montgomery Building , where they were finally connected to the existing Junior School and boarding main switchboard .
In addition to this , new data conduits were laid while excavators were on site trenching , again making provision for the future expansion of the School ’ s optical fibre network .
Significant electrical work was not the only focus of upgrades at Scotch : a review of the School ’ s fire mains , with consideration given to the impact any recently constructed or proposed building work might have on the School ’ s capacity to deal with fire , resulted in extensive work being undertaken across , and underneath , much of the Hawthorn campus .
These works included the creation of a new fire main , connection of this main to the existing fire hydrant line to create an extensive ring main , so that , in the event of a burst main , sections could be isolated . To ensure that adequate water pressure and flow rates are sufficient to service the needs of all current and future fullysprinklered buildings at Scotch , further extensions to the fire line were necessary . To this end , a 120,000 litre static water tank was installed in the basement of the Keon-Cohen Dining Hall .
These projects are sometimes many years in the making , especially those which involve dealing with external authorities and government bodies . Scotch is fortunate indeed that we have an outstanding Property Manager in Bill Sciarretta , along with his team , to oversee these highly technical and complicated undertakings that seek to ‘ future-proof ’ the School and allow Scotch to grow .
PATTY WALLACE-SMITH BILL SCIARRETTA
46 Great Scot Issue 160 – September 2020