Costco Distribution Centre, Oakdale

The Costco Distribution Centre, Oakdale, is the largest facility operated by Costco in Australia and functions as the cornerstone for the company's national expansion efforts. The comprehensive development project entailed a sprawling 14-hectare site, a warehouse building boasting a substantial gross floor area of over 35,000 square meters, office space, amenities, a guard house, switch and plant rooms, loading docks, and extensive car parking facilities. The warehouse was designed to accommodate dry and wet depots, including freezer areas, to fulfil a wide range of operational requirements.

The project unfolded in two distinct stages, with Stage 1 reaching completion in 2019 and Stage 2 in 2023. Our fire engineering team navigated unique challenges to ensure the project's success. These challenges included evolving building codes and Australian standards throughout the construction timeline, as well as the vast scale of the facility and internal zones with varying temperatures. Such intricacies called for a flexible and comprehensive fire safety approach. Continuous review and adaptation of fire engineering strategies ensured compliance and effectiveness throughout both stages.

Our team devised tailored fire engineering solutions to address vehicular access, extended travel distances, fire-fighting equipment, and smoke hazard management. We leveraged smoke and egress modelling to demonstrate the provision of a safe environment for occupants and fire brigade personnel.

The completion of the Costco Distribution Centre is a testament to the seamless integration of tailored fire engineering solutions in large-scale, multi-phase developments, promoting operational efficiency and safety.