Toowoomba TAFE Gas Fitting Workshop

The end part of the existing Block K building was refurbished to provide training for gas fitting. Gas training in this space involves installations for Natural Gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas. Both gases have different properties and training requirements. Working and training with gases requires consideration of compliance requirements for ventilation and flues, and safety systems for gas detection and shut off valves. There are separate areas to permit training for hot water units, domestic cookers, commercial cooking appliances, gas purging, manifolded continuous flow hot water systems, and boat and caravan installations.

An innovation for this project that was driven by the Toowoomba TAFE teaching team for training of domestic installations is the gas pods, which resulted in a separate structure near the entry of the building. Each pod contains a variety of domestic appliances in one small space and enables students to demonstrate all their skills to achieve their certification.

The existing semicircular window at the end of the building was preserved to provide a feature window in the ground floor teaching space.

The refurbishment has brought new life to a disused end of an existing building and is purpose built for training of gas fitting trades for the future.