The Rio Tinto Offices and Remote Operations Centre are an architectural marvel, featuring technology for energy and lighting efficiency and aiming for a 5 Green Star Rating.
The Rio Tinto Remote Operations Centre and Office Complex prioritises technological innovation and sustainability. The facility houses a data and remote control center alongside 3,500m² of support offices. Our unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility is exemplified by our goal to achieve a prestigious 5 Green Star rating for the entire office complex, symbolizing a significant stride toward a greener, sustainable future.
Rio Tinto commissioned the design of the Operations Centre to facilitate their advanced communication, visualization, and collaboration systems used for the remote operation of trains from Pilbara mine sites in Western Australia.
The building was constructed with concrete tilt panels for cost-effective, fast construction. Steel columns and trusses spanning over 27m create an open floor plan with unobstructed views of the main operations monitor. Two deep concrete trenches sunken in groundwater allow service ducts under the main floor area between the back rooms and the operations space.
The facility was designed to meet best environmental sustainability practices, including displacement ventilation for the control room air conditioning. This system distributes cool air via floor diffusers around each operator console, providing efficient cooling given the high heat output of the computer equipment.
The main control room spans 1800 square meters and accommodates 124 operators seated at consoles arranged on a tiered floor facing a 40 meter wide screen. Surrounding the control room are breakout and conference spaces, with back-of-house facilities including data centers, uninterruptible power supplies, backup generators, air handling units, and cooling infrastructure located peripherally.
The three-story office building over a ground floor parking garage has approximately 4000 square meters of floor space. To achieve a 5 star Green Star rating, the base building and tenant fitout were designed in an integrated manner. Hunt allowed optimization and cost savings from the combined approach.