Toyota (Tri-Gen)

A Toyota initiative to reduce emissions in its non-production facilities saw the installation of a 65kW micro gas turbine tri-generation plant at the company’s Port Melbourne headquarters.

The tri-generation system provides electricity for building operations, and waste heat from the gas turbine is used to assist in the heating and cooling of the building.

A.G. Coombs was appointed Head Contractor for the project, responsible for the design & construction works including the supply, installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance of the plant.

Provision was made for a gas supply line extension within the facility, and electrical grid connections required for the new plant were agreed with the electricity supply authority, CitiPower.

The system itself is based around a Capstone micro turbine and a Broad absorption chiller. The heat exchangers, pumps and variable speed drives were pre-assembled off-site on a skid mount in A.G. Coombs’ prefabrication facility to reduce site installation time. The system was then installed and commissioned in a live environment.

Toyota has a longstanding commitment to improving our environmental footprint across all of our operations. The new tri-generation system at our corporate headquarters looks set to contribute to significant carbon emissions reduction and energy savings. A.G. Coombs’ seamless delivery of this project was critical to these targets being met and, ultimately, the facility being set to achieve a 4 Star NABERS rating.

Aldo Tiesi, Corporate Operations Manager, Toyota

Project Overview

Project Name: Toyota (tri-generation)

Location: VIC

Client: Toyota Motor Corporation Australia

Project Value: $1.1m

Year Completed: 2012

Project Type

Construction - Head Contractor (multi-services contract); Design & Construct works including supply and installation; Integrated commissioning and testing; maintenance works; electrical works; prefabrication

Outcomes

  • Successful installation of the 65kW tri-generation system, with minimal disruption across the facility.
  • System infrastructure is designed to allow for potential expansion should Toyota wish to install a second 65kW turbine.
  • Significant reductions in the facility’s projected operational carbon footprint, owing to the use of natural gas and the system efficiencies from heat recovery. The facility is on track to meet a reduction in carbon emissions by some 720 tonnes (20%) and to reaching its targeted 4 Star NABERS Energy rating.
  • Close communication maintained between A.G. Coombs, Toyota Australia, the Project Manager and CitiPower, which was pivotal to success.
  • The successful installation supported the securing of a 5-year extended warranty for the maintenance of the system.

Latest News & Publications

July 20, 2026 in Advisory Notes

Are You in Control of Your BMCS?

Building Management and Control Systems (BMCS) underpin the reliable and safe operation of commercial and institutional buildings. The technology cont...

See all news & publications

Latest Case Studies

new

Healthcare

Cabrini Hospital Chilled Water Infrastructure Upgrade

Strengthening cooling resilience and operational flexibility within a live healthcare environment....

read more

Commercial

101 Collins Street — Electrifying an Icon

101 Collins Street is a Melbourne landmark attracting some of Australia’s blue-chip corporations to occupy its prestigious location. In an age of gr...

read more

Education

Presbyterian ladies' College — Electrical Services

The Joan Montgomery Centre is a new state of the art sports, aquatic and learning facility at Presbyterian Ladies’ College (PLC) in Burwood....

read more

Government

Holding Court

A leading provider of technical facilities management services, Integrated Technical Management (ITM) is well accustomed to providing innovative engin...

read more

Arts, Recreation & Sport

National Museum of Australia Roof Replacement

A major hailstorm occurred through Canberra with wind gusts of up to 116km/h recorded at the Canberra Airport. Hail stones as large as golf balls fell...

read more

Education

Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Gardener Point campus’ Trigeneration system had become unviable as a result of market shifts in gas and e...

read more

Transport & Infrastructure

Sydney Airport International Terminal T1 Chilled Water Plant Optimisation — 34% Operation Energy Reduction Recognised by AIRAH and CIBSE Awards

The Chilled Water Plant Optimisation project at Sydney Airport involved using the latest machine learning and simulation techniques to improve the con...

read more

Transport & Infrastructure

Town Hall Station Metro Tunnel Project

The $13.4B Metro Tunnel Project is one of the centerpieces of the Victorian Government’s Big Build agenda. Located 27m beneath Swanston Street – ...

read more

Pharmaceutical and Controlled Environments

University of Queensland PACE Chiller Replacement

UQ PACE is Queensland’s leading facility for pharmaceutical research, education and commercialisation. These facilities aim to create a unique healt...

read more

Commercial

540 Wickham Street Fortitude Valley QLD

The Australian commercial building market is on a clear path towards electrification. So, when it came time for an iconic property in Brisbane to dec...

read more
See all case studies