Northrop

 

The Melonba Educational Campus, a cornerstone of the rapidly growing Marsden Park community, represents one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by School Infrastructure NSW (SINSW). As one of the largest school developments ever completed by SINSW, the campus needed to be delivered within a tight timeframe, ensuring students can enjoy the facilities Day 1 - Term 1 2025, all while addressing complex design challenges. Northrop played a pivotal role in overcoming these hurdles, providing Structural, Civil, Facade and Sustainability consulting to get the school up and running. 

 

Northrop was engaged to address challenges faced in the project, our structural team collaborated closely with architect NBRS and other key consultants to reassess existing designs, resolve outstanding issues and ensure the project remained on budget. Through this collaborative effort, the team successfully compressed the design program, allowing for the incorporation of critical changes requested by the builder without compromising the structural integrity of the buildings. This strategic approach was vital in keeping the project on schedule. 

 

Sustainability was a core focus of the Melonba Educational Campus, reflecting the broader environmental goals of the Marsden Park community and SINSW. Our Sustainability consulting team provided crucial insights and solutions to address challenges related to the building fabric and insulation. By conducting research, creating simulations and performing thorough analysis on the site and materials, we were able to offer practical advice to resolve these issues during construction. The building’s efficiency and optimisation were due to close collaboration with the architecture and contracting teams resulting in a 5 Star Green Star rating and positioning the campus as a model for future educational developments. 

 

One of the standout features of the Melonba Educational Campus is its sustainable stormwater management system. The challenge was to meet Blacktown City Council’s stringent water quality requirements while maintaining cost efficiency. Our solution involved simplifying the stormwater design across the campus and integrating a water quality chamber within the rainwater tank, developed in collaboration with Ocean Protect. The system filters stormwater run-off ensuring that pollutants don’t enter the surrounding waterways. This value-engineered approach meets compliance with environmental regulations and contributed to the project’s overall sustainability, aligning with the broader goals of the local community council. 

 

Given the scale and complexity of the Melonba Educational Campus, waterproofing was a critical concern, particularly for areas exposed to the elements or containing essential services. Our team developed a comprehensive waterproofing strategy that covered both internal and external surfaces, including WCs, showers, mechanical plant rooms, outdoor learning areas and retaining walls. The team conducted an independent gap analysis of the architect’s waterproofing schedule, identifying additional areas that required waterproofing to meet the National Construction Code (NCC) standards. By selecting and testing suitable membrane systems and collaborating with suppliers, builders and architects, we ensured the long-term durability and performance of the campus. 

 

By offering engineering consulting services which consider the people and environment, Northrop has successfully managed this complex, large-scale project within tight deadlines while maintaining a commitment to quality and innovation. The Melonba Educational Campus will offer local children the opportunity to a public education for years to come, meeting the future population growth in Sydney’s Northwest.  

 

Completion: 2025 

 

Architect: NBRS 

Builder: Richard Crooks Constructions 

Stormwater Solution Product Supplier: Ocean Protect