A Cairns Cold Storage business cut their electricity usage by 30% by upgrading plant and equipment such as efficient chillers and pumps, variable speed drives and smart controls. Additional benefits include emission reductions of 150.3 t CO₂-e per year.

Total Food Network (TFN) supplies a wide range of fresh produce, meat, small and dry goods to the retail and resource sectors via distribution centres in Cairns, Brisbane, Port Moresby and Lae. Temperature controlled warehousing plays a major role in the TFN supply chain and ensures that produce is stored in optimal condition.

The Cairns TFN distribution centre is located in a temperature controlled warehouse that is currently owned by Metcash Limited. In 2010, a new water cooled refrigeration plant was installed, although over the past five years the system had begun to struggle to maintain the ideal temperature and operate to the expected standards of reliability and energy efficiency.

In 2014, TFN in association with Metcash Limited began investigating an upgrade of the site-wide refrigeration system. Jackson & Jackson Refrigeration Pty Ltd (J&J) was engaged to design and construct a new primary cooling system to meet the key criteria detailed below. McClintock Engineer Group (MEG) was sub-contracted by J&J to provide technical support and design assistance throughout the process.