Coles takes centre-stage at new Perth retail complex with 320m² Kooltherm wall

A 320-square-metre Kingspan Kooltherm K17 insulation wall is a highlight of the new Coles supermarket at the Trinity Village Centre in Perth, WA.

Located in Perth’s northern suburb of Wanneroo, the Trinity Village Centre is designed by architect Taylor Robinson, and built by Perkins Building with plastering work sub-contracted to Vista Ceilings.

On completion, Trinity Village will be home to 18 speciality stores including a chemist, medical centre and childcare facility as well as a 3500-square-metre Coles Supermarket fitted out with 1800 square metres of Kooltherm K17 insulated plasterboard from Kingspan Insulation.

The single, soaring wall of Kooltherm K17 is a hallmark of the tenancy. Installed by a team of just two workers, the insulation wall was accomplished in just three short eight-hour days. An additional two days went into the flushing and finishing work with the entire job involving only 80 hours of labour.

Initially, the project was quoted using a traditional clip and channel application. The estimate called for two tradespeople working 12½, eight-hour working days, with projections totalling a massive 200 hours of labour for the installation and flushing of the centrepiece wall.

According to Kingspan’s WA Specification Manager, Andrew Wisbey, the contractor was initially hesitant to accept the architect’s specification calling for Kingspan Kooltherm K17 insulated plasterboard since they were not familiar with the product and felt it would cause delays they could not afford. However, they gave it a try and were amazed by the short turnaround on the job.

Wisbey said Vista Ceilings saved an enormous 120 hours of labour using Kingspan Kooltherm K17 insulated plasterboard, while also gaining 7½ days on their initial project completion time estimation.

Overall, it was projected that over 600 hours were saved over the course of the project by using Kooltherm K17 in lieu of the more traditional clip and channel application.

“Kooltherm K17 is the latest innovation in wall insulation in Australia,” says Wisbey. “Once builders and architects understand the savings that can be achieved by moving away from traditional thinking, we truly start to see the benefits our products can help to achieve.”