International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC)
Project
- Refrigeration Maintenance & Repair
Key Challenges
- Time-critical repairs required to avoid stock spoilage in high-demand kitchens.
- Harsh working conditions inside sub-zero environments complicated manual tasks.
- Technicians operated in tight spaces
alongside over 100 chefs during event prep.
Outcomes
Reduced refrigeration system downtime across three buildings
Seamless coordination within one of Australia's busiest kitchens
Improved hygiene compliance through advanced inspection methods
The Client
Australia’s first fully integrated harbourside convention, exhibition and entertainment venue. The ICC is a state-of-the-art 250,000 sqm event space in one of the city’s most vibrant and central precincts, Darling Harbour. It comprises three gorgeous award-winning buildings, housing a convention centre, an exhibition space and the award-winning Aware Super Theatre.
Downer Group is a leading provider of integrated facilities services across Australia and New Zealand. At the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney, Downer oversees all building and facilities operations for one of the country’s premier venues for international exhibitions, conferences, and entertainment events.
With three interconnected buildings and one of the largest commercial kitchens in the Southern Hemisphere, ICC Sydney requires highly dependable infrastructure support. AE Smith has partnered with Downer for over three years at this iconic site, providing specialised refrigeration maintenance and repair services essential to its continuous operation.
What we achieved with our Customer
AE Smith was engaged to maintain and repair all refrigeration systems across ICC Sydney’s expansive site, which spans three large commercial buildings. Given the facility’s high refrigeration demand, particularly in pastry clean rooms and bulk cold storage areas, the operational reliability of these systems was critical.
To reduce potential downtime, AE Smith developed and implemented a spare parts strategy, cataloguing all major refrigeration components and maintaining on-hand inventory. This proactive approach enabled rapid repairs during breakdown events and helped prevent perishable stock loss.
AE Smith technicians work in close coordination with the Downer FM team and ICC Sydney’s head chefs to ensure minimal disruption. Maintenance was strategically scheduled around food prep windows, often requiring precise timing and flexibility. Inspection cameras were introduced to detect early signs of rust or mould in hard-to-access areas, supporting both hygiene and preventative maintenance goals.
Despite the physical demands of working in freezers and the fastpaced environment of Australia’s busiest kitchen, AE Smith consistently delivered high-quality service. The team’s technical expertise, responsiveness, and collaboration with on-site personnel were central to the project’s continued success.
