A meterboard upgrade is rarely just about meters. At Crestmead Central, Commercial Switchboards delivered a centre-wide meterboard upgrade across roughly 16 tenancies that gave retailers three-phase power, brought metering up to modern standards, removed asbestos and reduced risk across the whole site. This case study covers the scope of the meterboard upgrade and how it was delivered with Energex over two nights without disrupting trade.
The brief: a centre-wide meterboard upgrade
Crestmead Central is a multi-tenant shopping centre, and like many centres of its age its tenancy boards had fallen behind what modern retailers need. The work covered three main boards feeding around 16 tenancies. Many of those tenancies were limited to single-phase supply, the metering was outdated, and the older boards still carried asbestos backing panels. The brief was to bring the lot up to a safe, modern and tenant-ready standard in one coordinated upgrade.
Three-phase power for every tenancy
The core of the meterboard upgrade was making three-phase power available to each tenancy. Three-phase supply is what modern retail tenancies need for refrigeration, air conditioning, kitchens and fit-out plant, and a tenancy stuck on single-phase is far harder to lease and fit out. Upgrading the boards to offer three-phase availability lifts the value and flexibility of every tenancy in the centre.
Modern three-phase metering
Alongside the supply upgrade, the meters were brought up to three-phase metering. Accurate, modern metering means each tenant is billed correctly for what they actually use, and it gives centre management clean data across the site. The metering work was coordinated with Energex so the new arrangements were approved and connected correctly.
Asbestos removal and risk reduction
The older boards used asbestos backing panels, which are a health and safety liability. As part of the meterboard upgrade these were removed under a licensed process and replaced with compliant materials. Combined with new switchgear and protection, the result is a measurable reduction in risk for tenants, staff and contractors working on the boards in future.
Delivered with Energex over two nights
Supply-side work on a centre of this size needs the network operator on site. An Energex crew worked alongside our team over two nights to carry out the supply and metering changeovers. Running the work after hours across two nights meant the tenancies kept trading through the day, and each changeover was staged so no tenant lost power during business hours.
The outcome
The centre came out of the upgrade with around 16 tenancies offering three-phase availability, modern three-phase metering, asbestos removed and boards rebuilt to current standards. Centre management gained a safer, more lettable and fully documented set of tenancy boards, and the whole upgrade was completed without a day of lost trade. For the underlying switchboard standard, see Standards Australia.
Tenancy and meterboard upgrades for shopping centres
A centre-wide meterboard upgrade ties together supply upgrades, metering, asbestos management and network coordination, and it pays to have one contractor carry all of it. Commercial Switchboards delivers switchboard and meterboard upgrades and supply upgrades and metering for shopping centres across Brisbane and South-East Queensland. To scope a tenancy upgrade, request an initial project review.
Meterboard and metering upgrades: frequently asked questions
What is a centre wide meterboard upgrade?
Replacing or upgrading the metering and distribution across the tenancies of a centre, often with network coordination and asbestos removal, staged so trading continues.
Does a meterboard upgrade involve the network operator?
Usually yes. Where supply or metering changes, the work is coordinated with the network operator.
Can it be done without closing the centre?
Yes. The work is staged over after hours windows so the centre keeps trading.
Who should do a centre wide meterboard upgrade?
A specialist switchboard contractor who can manage the metering, safety and network coordination, not a general electrician.
Related guides
Standards and references
Anthony Nuich is the owner of Commercial Switchboards, the specialist switchboard division of SEQ Sparky Pty Ltd, holding QLD Electrical Contractor licence #90899. With 10+ years working on commercial and industrial switchboards across Brisbane and Queensland, Anthony reviews every project personally.
