SunCentral Automated Waste Collection System (AWCS)

SunCentral Automated Waste Collection System (AWCS) is unlike any other project in Australia, becoming the first high-tech, automated waste collection system for a CBD in the Southern Hemisphere. ⁠⁠

Hames Sharley proudly designed the industrial building to house the equipment for the Envac system - providing a design that was built for purpose and blended to its surroundings. ⁠

The result is a facility that allows collecting, compressing, and removing waste from the precinct through underground pneumatic pipes, negating the need for garbage trucks.

The fundamental design principle for this project was to make an industrial box visually noteworthy while still ensuring the construction was industrial and fit for purpose. A design language consisting of fenestrations, wide awnings and timber look elements softened the building and broke down the large-scale required to house the machinery within. The materials drew inspiration from residential architecture and helped blend the industrial building into its surrounding context.

A sustainable design aims to reduce vehicle traffic in the precinct and remove wasted space for garbage pick-up and truck turning—an additional benefit for the system users being that it is more cost-effective than traditional rubbish collection services.

Hames Sharley was part of a team that cohesively designed the building, with Lucid providing the service engineering and WGA providing the structural engineering.

I’m very proud the Sunshine Coast is leading the change in Australia with this innovative waste collection solution and I’m sure other cities and major urban projects will soon be following in our footsteps. As well as making our city heart more attractive, this technology has a track record of increasing recycling rates, so our natural environment will benefit too.