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A.G. Coombs and the Sydney Airport have shared a long and successful partnership. Now, as passenger numbers return to pre-pandemic levels, A.G. Coombs is ensuring the airport’s mechanical services infrastructure is ready for takeoff.
After the COVID-19 pandemic caused border closures and severe interruptions to international and domestic air travel, passenger numbers are bouncing back.
A total of 3.06 million passengers passed through Sydney Airport in June 2023, representing an 89.9% recovery compared to the same period in 2019. Even year-on-year, passenger traffic is rapidly increasing – highlighted by the throughput of Sydney Airport’s T1 international terminal, which saw almost half a million more passengers in June 2023 compared to June 2022.
Behind the scenes, A.G. Coombs is ensuring the airport’s building services are capable of catering for this increasing demand.
Originally engaged in 2013 by Sydney Airport to complete a major upgrade of the site’s central services building and chilled water plant in 2014,
A.G. Coombs then commenced a service and maintenance contract for base building mechanical services in the T1 (international) and T2 (domestic) terminals, as well as ancillary buildings.
More recently that engagement has expanded to include the T3 (Qantas domestic) terminal, while A.G. Coombs Advisory has provided technical advice in relation to energy efficiency.
Given the Group’s longevity and familiarity with the precinct, A.G. Coombs also acts as the independent mechanical consultant for the airport on occasion, preparing design tender documents for various projects.
While this level of engagement was reduced significantly as the pandemic impacted domestic and international travel, the Group has worked collaboratively with the Sydney Airport Corporation Limited (SACL) over the course of the last 18 months as it sought to invest in airport infrastructure improvements.
“Those pandemic years were difficult on airports, and of course A.G. Coombs as a business, but the relationship between ourselves and Sydney Airport has only become stronger in the period since,” says Gary Economos,
A.G. Coombs General Manager New South Wales.
“We proved to be flexible and reduced maintenance to an acceptable minimum during the pandemic, but as the country bounced back and travel resumed, we’ve been pleased to support Sydney Airport in the post-pandemic return to activity, as well as in its infrastructure investment.”
While a regular service and maintenance schedule has returned,
A.G. Coombs Advisory has been engaged in major energy optimisation works, particularly in relation to chiller plant servicing the T1 terminal.
Following data capture and monitoring, the implementation of optimisation strategies will deliver significant energy savings with short payback periods. Other opportunities including carbon roadmapping and electrification have also been identified.
The work of the service and maintenance team, as well as A.G. Coombs Advisory’s leadership in energy efficiency optimisation, has recently led to the Group securing the contract for a major chiller plant upgrade of the T3 terminal.
“The technical capability of A.G. Coombs’ on-site team, and their ability to identify and present solutions rather than problems, has been valuable as Sydney Airport operations return to pre-pandemic levels,” says Mark Xuereb, A.G. Coombs Contract Manager for Sydney Airport.
This article originally appeared in BE – Building Efficiency 2023-2024 magazine
