Delivering a high spec high tech emergency services building in Maryborough

30 March 2022

David Rowlinson

Construction is well underway at the new Maryborough Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Complex, the first building of this type built in Australia using engineered timber solutions.

The contract to deliver Maryborough’s new $12.1 million fire and emergency services station was awarded last year to timber manufacturer Hyne Timber and building firm Hutchinson Builders.

Designed by Kim Baber of Baber Studio, an academic based at University of Queensland’s School of Architecture, the complex showcases interdisciplinary collaboration within the Centre for Future Timber Structure and with the timber construction industry.

As part of CFTS’s contribution to the project, a moisture monitoring campaign of the innovative CLT buildings was set up and recently started by researchers from UQ’s School of Architecture and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Forest Product Innovation (FPI) team.

Maryborough Fire Station’s new buildings include an admin building, an engine shed, a new data room and a gym section added to the original front brick building, which are made from Australian engineered wood products (EWPs), including cross-laminated timber (CLT), glued laminated timber (glulam).

The building is currently under construction and offers the opportunity to investigating hygroscopic characteristics of EWPs and their moisture variation during and post-construction.

Article originally appeared in Australasian Timber

David Rowlinson

David hails from Lancashire, England and has lived in Australia since 1994. He studied Architecture at Sheffield University and also has an MBA from Macquarie University and a Master of Marketing from UNSW. Prior to joining Planet Ark in 2016 David was Marketing Manager then CEO of a major Sydney-based manufacturer of modular carpets used in all commercial building applications. His proudest achievement was the development of an industry-leading environmental sustainability agenda, including the unique Earthplus product reuse program.