Located on the waterfront and close to the Wellington CBD, the Toll Freight Forwarding warehouse is roughly the size of a rugby pitch.  At 8,400 square metres, the impressively sized warehouse is serviced by road, rail and inter-island freight.  A critical component of the company’s national coverage, it plays a key role in transshipping freight from regional branches to the major metropolitan centres of Auckland and Christchurch.

The warehouse is home to a team of 70 warehouse staff and drivers.  Annually, the facility is able to process over 800,000 items.  On any given day, there is a high number of vehicles entering and exiting the warehouse.  Each emits noxious fumes into the atmosphere and represents a threat to the health of the workforce.  This raises the obvious need for stringent Healthy & Safety protocols and was a major factor in the design of the building.  Added to the design requirements was a need to keep any potential water ingress from rain out, along with any water which might be blown in from the adjacent waterfront.

The solution was delivered via the use of a double bank drainable louver with an electrically operable damper on the back. The dampers are linked to the building management system and open on demand, as ventilation is required.

A two stage system, the VL-2SD is designed for a high level of weather protection in exposed locations, such as that of the Toll Aotea Hub. With Class A level rain defence (BS/EN:13030) at volumetric airflow rates of up to 1.5m3/second it can handle both high wind speeds and heavy rainfall. The VCD Series of low leakage airflow regulating dampers maintain the high level of protection when the louvres are open. The design was completed with added safety features, such as mesh to prevent anything interfering with the blades and actuators, with current overload sensors to detect obstructions.

With high capacity levels and a very fluid working environment, the Toll Aotea Hub is the backbone of the freight giant’s New Zealand operations. Perfectly located for distribution but not necessarily the weather conditions Wellington waterfront is known for, an engineered ventilation system has proven successful in minimising the threat and helping to keep freight moving.