Anytime Fitness is one of the world’s largest gym networks, operating 24-hour fitness centres across Australia and internationally. The Geelong gymnasium fitout brings the Anytime Fitness brand to one of Victoria’s largest regional cities, providing gym members with access to modern fitness facilities in a purpose-configured commercial tenancy.
Commercial gymnasium fitouts involve specific mechanical engineering requirements around ventilation, cooling and indoor air quality that go beyond those of a standard office or retail tenancy, driven by the high occupancy and physical activity levels that characterise an active gym environment.
Dewick & Associates was engaged to provide Mechanical Engineering services for the fitout, supporting the mechanical service contractor Taylor Mechanical with compliant mechanical services design for a high-use commercial fitness environment.
Our focus was on delivering mechanical engineering services that addressed the specific ventilation, cooling and indoor air quality requirements of a commercial gymnasium, ensuring the fitout met the relevant Australian Standards and provided gym members with a comfortable, well-ventilated workout environment.
By Richard Gardner
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Taylor Mechanical engaged Dewick & Associates to deliver the mechanical engineering design for the new Anytime Fitness Geelong gymnasium fitout. Located within an existing commercial tenancy, the 450m² facility required a mechanical services solution that would accommodate the significantly higher ventilation and cooling demands of a 24-hour fitness centre while integrating with the building’s existing infrastructure. The project required a practical, compliant HVAC design that met the operational requirements of the Anytime Fitness brand and supported Building Permit approval.
Unlike a standard office or retail tenancy, commercial gyms generate substantially higher occupancy loads and heat gains due to continuous physical activity. Mechanical services therefore need to be designed in accordance with the National Construction Code (NCC), including the energy efficiency provisions of together with the ventilation requirements of AS 1668.2 and the indoor environmental quality requirements of AS/NZS 3666, where applicable. Existing HVAC systems are rarely sized for these conditions, making detailed load calculations essential to determine whether supplementary cooling and ventilation are required while maintaining compliance with both occupant comfort and energy performance requirements.
The engineering solution also needed to work within the physical constraints of the existing tenancy while coordinating with architectural, electrical and hydraulic services to achieve a practical, cost-effective installation.
Dewick & Associates provided a complete mechanical engineering design for the fitout, undertaking detailed cooling load calculations, assessing the capacity of the existing mechanical infrastructure and designing a compliant HVAC solution to suit the proposed gym layout. Our engineers specified the fresh air ventilation, exhaust systems and supplementary air conditioning required to satisfy the occupancy demands of a high-use fitness facility while supporting compliance with the NCC Section J energy efficiency provisions, AS 1668.2 ventilation requirements and other applicable Australian Standards.
Working closely with Taylor Mechanical and the wider project team, the design was fully coordinated with the building services and fitout programme, ensuring the mechanical installation could be delivered efficiently within the constraints of the existing commercial building.
The completed mechanical engineering design delivered a compliant, energy-efficient HVAC solution that provides comfortable indoor conditions throughout the gym, even during peak occupancy. By addressing ventilation, cooling capacity and system integration from the outset, Dewick & Associates helped create a healthy exercise environment while supporting regulatory compliance and a streamlined construction programme.
Whether you’re delivering a commercial gym, health club or fitness centre, Dewick & Associates provides mechanical engineering services for HVAC design, ventilation systems, Building Permit documentation and NCC compliance across Victoria.
The content in this case study has been informed by project documentation and client communication provided to Dewick & Associates during and following the completion of the project. Where external sources have contributed to our understanding of relevant standards or industry practice, these are listed below.
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Note: Some content in this case study draws on a combination of sources rather than direct quotation. Where this is the case, contributing sources are acknowledged above rather than cited inline.
NCC compliance assessment comparing minimum compliance reference building to the proposed design including review of insulation, glazing, shading and fabric provision.
Undertaken by CIBSE CEng Chartered Engineer / VBA Engineering Sign Off of the Design / Registered NSW Professional Engineer / Practising Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) Engineer
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