Rochedale State High School, QLD

As the teachers and students at Rochedale State High can tell you, in this part of the world every effort that is made to keep them cool and dry as they move between classes is welcomed. And they should know – the school recently installed a LYSAGHT® Covered Walkway between two of its classroom buildings.

Given the heat and humidity (and occasional downpours of rain) that Queensland experiences each summer, it makes perfect sense that a lot of schools in the Sunshine State are installing covered walkways on their premises.

“The LYSAGHT® Covered Walkway System is a fully engineered solution for creating safe, durable and aesthetically pleasing covered walkways,” said Marko Lalovic, Lysaght Segment Manager Infrastructure and Home Improvements, who designed the structure for Rochedale High School.

As he explained, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution, the system provides a means to design and customise structures for each individual application. It incorporates Lysaght’s design software, which carries out all the relevant engineering checks as the design is developed.

The software provides design flexibility along with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that, when completed, the covered walkway will be structurally sound.

“The design service is a standard part of our offering. It really simplifies the whole process for the customer and ensures we get the job done as efficiently and inexpensively as possible,” said Marko.

“This is important because these jobs can get quite complicated in terms of customisation. On this job, for example, there was a lot of back and forth about the attachments to the buildings, which were unique. The Lysaght design software allowed me to complete the task without any major difficulties.”

From the customer’s perspective, the other benefit of working with Lysaght on this type of project is that they are only required to sign one contract.

“We manufacture the product and complete the design. Then we pass this design on to one of our dealers who actually sell the product to the customer. In this case, the dealer was RHM Building Innovations, who are also builders,” Marko said.

“Rochedale State High School signed a single contract – with RHM Building Innovations. This was a real plus for the school. It simplified the whole process for them.”

In terms of materials, the structure included FIRMLOK® beams¹ (made from COLORBOND® steel Thredbo White® in a High Gloss finish) and SmartParts™ connectors, SPANDEK® roofing (made from COLORBOND® steel Surfmist® in a Classic finish) plus various fixings, guttering and posts. While these products are standard, materials can be customised to suit the specific application.

“We chose the LYSAGHT FIRMLOK® beams mainly for aesthetic reasons. It’s a roll-formed beam that looks particularly attractive from beneath, looking up,” said Marko, adding that another of its benefits is that it doesn’t provide opportunities for birds to nest within it".

The new LYSAGHT® Covered Walkway has been a popular addition to Rochedale State High School. Well-received by teachers and students alike, it has made life a lot more comfortable for all concerned.