Shaping 14
ISSUE
A MEINHARDT AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE www.practicalimagination.info
The Healthcare Issue COVER STORY: BOX HILL HOSPITAL DESIGNING FOR REMOTE LOCATIONS 8 TIPS FOR BUILDING UPGRADES SOLUTIONS FOR LIVE ENVIRONMENTS
SEPTEMBER 2014
01 | INTRODUCTION
Message From The Top Welcome to the Healthcare 2014 Edition of Shaping Australia.
A
ustralia’s healthcare systems are changing rapidly. “The industry is constantly battling to build on healthcare delivery value, employment generation and infrastructure development,” says a new Frost & Sullivan report.
Australia’s healthcare industry is therefore tackling increasing patient populations, budget constraints
and resource shortages. This makes efficiency a vital component in hospital management and effective service delivery.
This issue of Shaping explores the often complex challenges of working in a live healthcare
environment, the importance of pre-planning and solutions for ensuring ‘Operations Come First’. This was also the theme of our recent imagin8 seminar for which we thank our partners Billard
Leece Partnership and Built for making such a success. You can read more later in the magazine. As always we welcome your feedback. Denis Young, Managing Director – Australia denis.young@meinhardtgroup.com
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Contents Case Studies
03. 06.
BOX HILL HOSPITAL
Enabling staged works on an existing campus.
03.
WARRINGAL PRIVATE HOSPITAL Flexibility and future-proofing.
Features & Opinion
09.
OUT ON A LIMB: DESIGNING FOR HOSPITALS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS Working in remote, rural locations throws up its own set of unique challenges.
13.
8 TIPS FOR BUILDING SERVICES UPGRADES
29.
WHAT ROLE CAN FAÇADE DESIGN PLAY IN THE HEALING PROCESS
06.
Getting it right before, during and after.
How to strike a balance between function and aesthetics.
imagin8
15. 17.
OPERATIONS COME FIRST
A recap of our healthcare seminar. ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS FOR LIVE ENVIRONMENTS
Whilst there is often an obvious way to achieve something, it is not always the best way.
23.
DEVELOPING BROWNFIELDS Identifying challenges with the
brownfield hospital developments.
23. SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
03 | BOX HILL HOSPITAL
Box Hill Hospital: Staged For Success A huge, complex hospital demanding in-depth understanding of healthcare processes to enable staged work and the continuing operation of the existing campus.
Rudy Susanto Senior Structural Engineer rudy.susanto@meinhardtgroup.com
T
he Victorian Governments $447.5 million
redevelopment is a flagship project designed to significantly improve healthcare facilities for the
community. The Meinhardt team has provided structural
and civil engineering services for the 45 metre tall building (total area in excess of 52,000 square metres), which
connects to the west wing of the existing hospital via an atrium and four linkways.
FORWARD THINKING SAVED TIME & MONEY
Sometimes good judgement and foresight can reap significant
benefits and this was the case with the foundation designs as Senior Engineer, Rudy Susanto explains:
“The structure was already half built – we were at around
both cost and construction terms to having to strengthen the structure later on.”
This forward thinking meant that the team was able to
incorporate the extra floor without any significant additional works or modifications, ensuring minimal impact to the budget and programme schedule.
“ It is much better to plan for eventualities rather than react to the unknown.
”
level 3 – when the project secured additional funding to
THE BOILER HOUSE: THE HEART OF THE HOSPITAL
that the builders were on site while designs were still being
house. If you shut it down, you shut the hospital. Core to the
enable the addition of an extra floor,” said Rudy. “The fact
Integral to the operations of Box Hill Hospital is the boiler
refined meant we knew that there was always the chance of
engineering solution was consideration of how to carry out
a change in scope.”
works without affecting its operation.
It is much better to plan for eventualities rather than react to
The challenge was two-fold. Intelligent sequencing of the
foundations, we thought it was worth adding an additional 15%
but the structural solution also had to work around the
in the grander scheme of things and certainly preferable in
meant designing a bespoke framing system to get around
the unknown,” he added. “Therefore, when we designed the
demolition and construction was one issue the team solved
of concrete around the footings. The cost to do this is minimal
complexities of the actual boiler house structure itself. This
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
View of Building A from site cam (Jan 2014)
Building A viewed from Rodgerson Road (Jan 2014)
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Roofworks for drop-off area (Jan 2014)
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05 | WARRINGAL PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Box Hill Hospital Rendering the existing ducts and pipework and footings that avoided critical underground services infrastructure, such as the
Box Hill Hospital 2014 Box Hill Hospital officially opened on the 12th of August, months ahead of schedule.
high voltage cabling.
BRIDGING THE OLD WITH THE NEW
The third key challenge the team successfully solved was
the improvement works to a platform spanning two of the hospital’s existing buildings, which housed mechanical
equipment essential to the smooth running of operations. To further improve servicing, 80 tonnes of additional
equipment was proposed for the existing platform. The
bridge was not designed to cater for such a load. This meant strengthening the existing frame to support the extra weight,
enabling the existing buildings to in turn carry the now heavier platform, while at the same time ensuring no operational disruptions. This was made all the more challenging as
underneath the bridge was the maternity ward and at one end were a series of major operating theatres.
The expanded hospital – designed by Silver Thomas Hanley with Jackson Architecture - accommodates 621 beds,
an increase of more than 220 beds, and provide a larger
emergency department that includes treatment, assessment and short stay beds; a dedicated precinct for women and children’s services; eleven new operating theatres; a new
intensive care unit; expanded services for cardiology, cancer and renal patients; additional inpatient wards; and two floors of parking under the building with 225 patient car spaces. SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
FROM BOX HILL HOSPITAL:
“The Meinhardt team has contributed
substantially to the extremely successful
hospital project at Box Hill. Their personnel have integrated completely into our “one
team” approach and have participated in the
problem-solving value-for-money environment that has been the basis for its success. This
has not been an easy project and the team has had to be flexible in its approach particularly
when there was a request to grow the building during its construction which required
Meinhardt to pull out all the stops to find a solution that would not delay the project.”
Liz Maddison, Project Director Box Hill Hospital Redevelopment Project
Warringal Private Hospital: Engineered for Growth With demand continuing to grow for private hospital services, the redevelopment considers existing operations while providing future-proofed flexibility.
Rennie Darmanin Discipline Leader – Structures rennie.darmanin@meinhardtgroup.com
T
he redevelopment, designed by architects Silver
challenge since works began and it will be a significant
will transform Warringal Private into a full-service
expanded onsite parking capacity at Warringal, particularly
Thomas Hanley with Built as main contractor,
“flagship” Ramsay Healthcare hospital. Custom-designed
and purpose-built, it will offer some of the most modern and progressive infrastructure, incorporating state-of-the-art
improvement for our patients and their families to have an given the high demand for parking within the medical precinct we share with Austin Health.”
facilities with fresh and contemporary design.
MODIFYING THE EXISTING TO ALLOW FOR NEW WORKS
IMPROVING PATIENT ACCESS
connect the existing facility with the extension to allow
The project has been designed to be built in stages with the car park handed over first. This lack of amenity space was
seriously compromising the client’s business and the ability to fast track this element was a critical selling point.
“It was a challenging schedule,” admitted Rennie Darmanin,
Discipline Leader – Structures at Meinhardt. “We had to make
allowances in the programme to ensure delivery prior to all other works. This meant the steelwork, supporting structure and civil
engineering requirements all needed to be 100% completed and safe to enable the car park to begin operations.”
Warringal CEO Petra Snelleman said that hand over has been eagerly anticipated, “Patient access has been a
A key component of the design has been a walkway to more efficient access, both improving operations and the user experience.
This suspended steel walkway carries over the top of
an existing building. The only way to support this was
through the existing floor slab. This posed two challenges: ensuring no disruption of critical hospital infrastructure
such as oxygen pumps, which had to be relocated, and
the continued operation of the space below the overhead construction. The successful solution dropped the
supporting posts down behind the corridor walls to ensure this passageway remained useable.
FUTURE PROOFING: THE EXTENSION
As a private hospital, the client is reliant on occupied beds SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
07 | WARRINGAL PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Warringal Private Hospital Rendering
Warringal Private Hospital 2014
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
This lack of amenity space “ was seriously compromising the client’s business and the ability to fast track this element was a critical selling point.
”
Warringal Private Hospital Rendering
for financial sustainability. They cannot afford to have beds out of action and fall below required utilisation rates.
The design was already significantly progressed when
approval was given for a second stage. A full feasibility
proposal and redesign had to be developed in collaboration with the builder without any increase in programme. At the
same time it also had to enable the future addition of 3 levels
Included as part of the $54 million redevelopment are: • 64 private single rooms with en-swuites • 5 state-of-the-art integrated operating theatres • 12 bay recovery unit • A custom-designed central sterilising department • Multi-level car parking of 270 car spaces
while the floors below remained in use as hospital wards.
The top level that has now been constructed (5th floor) was
therefore designed as an all-encompassing solution with no restrictions on how the expansion can be built.
“You have to find a trade-off,” explained Rennie. “Although it is more expensive initially, it will deliver greater benefits longer term. There is maximum flexibility from a design
perspective, there will be no disturbance of the wards below and it will make things easier for the builder to construct.” On completion the hospital will expand to 215 beds and a total of 11 operating theatres.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
09 | FEATURES & OPINION
Out On A Limb: Designing Hospitals for Remote Locations Working in remote, rural locations throws up its own set of unique challenges as Les Simonsen, Deputy Manager – Structures, discovered while working on four regional hospitals for Queensland Health. Les Simonsen Deputy Manager- Structures les.simonsen@meinhardtgroup.com
E
ach of the sites at Mt Morgan, Baralaba, Biggenden and Winton, designed in collaboration with architects Thomson Adsett, comprised large single-storey structures, utilising a combination of slabs on ground and suspended slabs with steel wall and roof frames. “Ultimately, the idea was to simplify and prefabricate as much as possible and then bring the components from the factory to site,” said Les. “This was because of the lack of skills and materials locally. Initially though we investigated the use of steel portal frames. This would have enabled a more future-proof solution allowing internal walls to be easily pulled out if required since they are not loadbearing. Upfront costs, however, became the primary business driver. Prefabricated walls and roof trusses, with internal frames to cater for larger spans, such as where x-ray machinery had to hang, were determined to be the best solution to meet this client requirement.” SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEP 2014
Given the similarity of the projects, the team duplicated as many of the details as possible to enable the design of the four hospitals to happen concurrently and speed up the programme. Programme planning, unsurprisingly was critical, as all four sites had existing hospitals that had to remain operational. Staged demolition and construction was instrumental in achieving this successfully. The demolition and site clearing also necessitated that all heritage and environmental issues were properly managed with the rural locations throwing up very particular challenges. In Winton, for example highly reactive geotechnical conditions were encountered which posed restrictive design parameters and required clever structural thinking to overcome. This was done successfully through a heavy grid of footings to reduce any building movement. Mt Morgan, on the other hand, is situated on the
Going The Distance MT MORGAN HOSPITAL
BARALABA HOSPITAL
BIGGENDEN HOSPITAL
WINTON HOSPITAL
FLY
519km 519km Fly to Rockhampton
+
DRIVE
39km Drive to Mt Morgan from Rockhampton
=
Fly to Rockhampton
+
+
999km Fly to Longreach
+
141km 283km 179km Drive to Baralaba from Rockhampton
TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED (ONE WAY)
=
Drive to Biggenden
=
Drive to Winton from Longreach
=
558km 660km 283km 1178km “ Given the similarity of the
projects, the team duplicated as many of the details as possible to enable the design of the four hospitals to happen concurrently and speed up the programme.
”
side of a hill. This tricky topography meant a design which simplifies\d construction techniques, with high block retaining walls and suspended slabs over steel beams. This was imperative in aiding a quality build outcome within the timeframe needed. Baralaba, meanwhile, is by a river prone to flooding. With no record of what the flood level was, the team had to base the solution on anecdotal evidence. Research uncovered details of the town’s biggest flood in the early 20th century. “We have designed 500mm above this level to ensure, as realistically as possible, hospital operations will never be affected.”, said Les. All of this work had to be done in the context of detailed project and programme management to coordinate site inspections and reduce cost and travel requirements to these remote areas.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
11 | FEATURES & OPINION
8
Tips for Building Services Upgrades Daniel Moore Associate – Building Services daniel.moore@meinhardtgroup.com
1
Lee Watson Senior Electrical Engineer lee.watson@meinhardtgroup.com
Prepare for the Live Environment
2
Co-ordinate Closely With The Architect
In such a complex environment, high level
co-ordination from the outset with the architect is imperative to ensure effective delivery of critical components, such as the production of room
data sheets, and technically challenging areas, such as achieving the required pressurization
within the room and providing sealed services to avoid air leakage.
Services should be kept off the floor and
recessed to avoid collection of dust and assist with infection control.
3
Plan Plant Equipment Requirements
The solution needs to consider whole of life costs
and how the existing systems can be kept running as long as possible while transitioning to the new system. New plant should be located outside of sterile/clean zones but where?
Fighting for new space for this equipment can
be a challenge. It often means encroaching on
space already being used by Hospital personnel
Working in any “live” environment is a challenge.
for whatever reason. Often the initial reaction is to
what areas are affected by the works, what systems
representative but this can become a lengthy
Preparation is the key here. The client needs to know
just request this space via the Hospital’s project
are affected by the works, and the timeframes for each.
process. Ultimately, however, it is our responsibility
Engineers need to essentially become projects
requirements until a happy medium is reached.
to manage stakeholder concerns and review
managers in this regard. They have to forward
Good interpersonal skills are therefore a must.
give an indication of the shutdown periods of
And perhaps most important of all is pre-order
risks involved to the patients.
affect programmes, if not planned in advance.
think the process of the construction works and systems, not to mention the added review of the
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
equipment. There are long lead times that can adversely
4
Explore The Benefits of BIM
6
Allow Flexibility To Integrate New technologies
Healthcare is a rapidly evolving sector. New
With many clients now seeing the benefits of BIM,
we have delivered a number of these projects using
Autodesk REVIT software to coordinate the building
technologies are constantly coming onto the
market. They provide significant opportunities
services, structural and architectural in 3D using
to improve staff effectiveness. It is important to
project delivery is especially valuable in a healthcare
into design solutions to incorporate these new
services, such as medical gas, is required.
7
a virtual model of the building. This approach to
understand the challenges of planning flexibility
setting where coordination with additional specialist
technologies, many of which are yet to be realized..
In addition, good housekeeping around records of existing services is key when trying to make
modifications in the future. BIM can assist as a
building management tool, albeit this functionality is
not used much yet. Having good records will reduce the risk of variations for the client.
5
Optimise Building Management Systems
ESD is intrinsically linked to more cost-effective operations and improved patient and staff wellbeing. The design features of the building and
building services systems need to correspond
Ensure PostDisaster Functionality
with thorough consideration of issues such as
indoor environment quality, daylight access and
thermal comfort. Energy benchmarks need to be
set that significantly improve on current practice.
Services should be designed to provide a high level of reliability and redundancy. This means future gazing and future proofing. Buildings
services systems should have the ability to be
progressively upgraded, while facilitating future expansion. Key areas of consideration may
include a Central Energy Plant including chillers,
thermal storage (ice), steam boilers and back-up generators with significant expansion capacity.
8
Maximise Generator Capacity
Generators are normally sized to cover “essential” electrical loads, but often the generator can be
“ Buildings services systems
should have the ability to be progressively upgraded, while facilitating future expansion.
”
oversized so as not to fall short of requirements or to allow future spare capacity. But, in the case of power failure, how can the Hospital make use of
the difference between the essential load and the available capacity of the Generator and thereby
optimising the power available? An intelligent power
control and power monitoring system is fundamental.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
13 | IMAGIN8
imagin8 is a series of educational seminars designed to share the latest global thinking in the built environment space.
T
he speakers are sector and discipline specialists,
who encourage interactive debate, with the aim of
giving you imaginative, but practical ideas, to help
meet your challenges and give you an edge.
White papers and presentations from the events will be available to download.
visit site
A g “ way to conve build
Feedback from our imagin8 semin
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
great to create ersation and networks. ”
nar.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
15 | IMAGIN8
Operations Come First
OUR SPEAKERS
Held in partnership with Billard Leece Partnership and Built., we recap our seminar – Operations Come First: Solutions for Live Healthcare Environments.
W
hether it is patient welfare or the business of the
hospital, working in a live healthcare environment can be challenging. How do we keep beds
operational? How do we ensure no disruption of critical infrastructure? How do we design for future flexibility?
The following articles are case studies from the seminar.
Michael Brand
Senior Project Engineer – Meinhardt
Engineering Solutions for Live Healthcare Environments
“ Pre-planning is a critica
facing our organisation th to give most consideration
Sandra Hilton - Redevelopment Liaison Nurse | E
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Mark Mitchell
Shayne Young
Guy Finnis
Developing Brownfields
Maintaining Business As Usual – From a Builder’s Perspective (Pt. 1)
Maintaining Business As Usual – From a Builder’s Perspective (Pt. 2)
Director – Billard Leece Partnership
Construction Manager – Built.
Project Manager – Built.
al issue hat we need n to.
”
Epworth Healthcare
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
17 | IMAGIN8
Engineering Solutions for Live Healthcare Environments Michael Brand, Senior Project Engineer at Meinhardt, discusses the importance of operations in live healthcare environments.
Michael Brand Senior Project Engineer michael.brand@meinhardtgroup.com
I
n 1860, the Metropolitan Railway Company of London
existing hospital. At the heart of this is maintaining hospital
King’s Cross. The solution, which chief engineer John
role for the surrounding community.
decided to build a train tunnel under Euston Road at
Fowler came up with, was to simply dig it up. And so Euston Road was shut for two years (Figure 1).
If all the train lines in design were constructed in this way, it was projected London would become a “temporary” excavation for the next 60 years. It was obvious a new
approach was required. This led to some clever engineers of the day devising the Tunnel Shield method (Figure 2),
which took over soon after this, allowing the rest of London to continue being a major city while the tube network was constructed underneath.
Whilst there is often an obvious way to achieve something, it is not always the best way.
This is true with live operating hospitals. As engineers it
is the way we achieve the required outcome that is most important. More often than not, the critical factor is to
design for minimum impact on the core operations of the SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
beds - they bring in the revenue, and they perform that vital
As part of the early works prior to the major campus
redevelopment at Box Hill Hospital, the operating theatres in the 70 year old North Wing desperately required brand new
plant equipment upgrades. However, access was impossible. Operations were being performed in the North Wing, the
West Wing is a live hospital ward and, meanwhile, babies were being born on the ground floor in Biralee House.
The obvious and easiest solution was to take the John Fowler approach and simply shut down the operating theatres for 4
weeks, rip the ceilings out, decommission the old equipment and replace it with the brand new technologies.
Of course, Box Hill Hospital couldn’t fathom the thought
of operating theatres being knocked out for 4 weeks. The entire process needed rethinking.
Figure 1: Euston Road
Figure 2: Tunnel Shield method SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
19 | IMAGIN8
“
Much of this future planning and strategy can and should be teased out before much design work is carried out.
”
By positing large beams between the two, separate existing
But the beauty of this solution, despite the potential
platform up at this level so that all the new kit could be installed
engineered outcome but more the way that it was designed.
brick buildings, a bridge was created forming an external plant while the hospital remained fully operational (Figure 3).
A construction sequence drawing was developed which
headaches for engineers and builders, was less the final
It allowed all the construction activity to take place while babies were being born and the operating theatres were
only down for one weekend rather than the 4 weeks if the
showed how the lightweight roof was to be protected with
obvious, simple path had been trod.
lightweight aluminum scaffold 2m from the edge demonstrated
At Warringal Hospital, similarly, emphasis was on the ‘how’.
outside, with no access through the wards required for this task.
Foresight in the design phase will hopefully pay big
plywood during construction. Little things like positioning a how this would facilitate installation of the platform from the
In addition to this, a hanging walkway was built at the lower level. The existing roof over the birthing suites was not
strong enough to take the load and the ability to put columns through here was just not appropriate. The steel structure
was designed for quick installation using a mobile crane with minimum noise and vibration disturbance. It also created a new access connection which could be utilised to transfer
mental patients, negating the need to use ambulances that were previously required for this task (Figure 4).
Connecting big steel beams to 70 year old existing brick walls is not a simple task. Typical connections were
complex because differential movement between the two buildings had to be allowed for (Figure 5).
dividends in the future, with the capacity for 3 future floors
to be added down the track. But instead of just stopping at designing the columns for the additional load, as would be
typical, holistic consideration was given to the occupational health and safety issues around major construction work over a functional hospital building.
The solution is a roof slab to act as a future construction
deck; designed for a 20kPa live load rather than a traditional roof load of 3kPa. The cost-benefit analysis showed that
whilst there was a small increase in the initial capital cost,
the long-term time and cost benefits would be outweighed by this future proofing.
Much of this future planning and strategy can and should be teased out before much design work is carried out.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Construction zone
Figure 3: The hospital operations were maintained around the construction zone thanks to some smart design
Figure 4: New bridge (plant platform)
Figure 5: Bridge bearing connection
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
21 | IMAGIN8
Figure 6a
Figure 6b
Before: disjointed buildings, no carparking.
Now: houses a 3-storey basement carpark.
Figure 7a
Figure 7b
A traditional roof would pose OH&S issues during construction in the future.
The 20 kPa construction deck will allow 3 additional levels to be constructed in the future, without affecting the live hospital beneath.
Physiotherapy department
Future basement connection Figure 8a Traditional underpinning.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Figure 8b Physio department including the therapy pool stayed operational throughout.
“ For no additional cost to
anyone, by arranging the retention wall system in the basement, it will allow an easy connection to the future expansion of the hospital with just a simple cut.
”
Monash Children’s Hospital Epworth Rehabilitation Hospital is another case in point. A conglomerate of old brick buildings has been transformed into a brand new facility, which opened last year (Figures 6a and 6b). But what you can’t see from the unassuming street view is the enormous 3-storey basement car park excavation below (Figures 7a and 7b).
The site was pushed to its limits by digging out the
maximum possible footprint, hard up against the existing
hospital on 2 sides and the main roads on the other sides. It certainly wasn’t the easiest approach, especially when
significant amounts of rock were encountered, but it was worth it for the subsequent benefits.
Of primary benefit was again minimising impact on key hospital operations.
And, of course, major car parking problems at the hospital are now a thing of the past.
A final example is at Monash Children’s Hospital in
Melbourne where a 3-storey extension, incorporating 24
new beds including an intensive care unit, was built over the existing single storey main entrance of the hospital. The way it was designed made all the difference. Here, the hospital entrance remained functional by stacking new columns directly over the existing columns, and
utilising composite steel construction for minimum weight
to enable the fastest construction timeframe. The tired old
existing entrance has now been dressed with a new canopy and a double storey curtain wall to deliver a welcoming experience.
The physiotherapy department, which included a pool in this
Four very different approaches but they all demonstrate how
pier system allowed the massive hole to be dug vertically right
all times. It is this ‘minimum disruption option’ that more and
case, is crucial to any rehabilitation hospital, and the bored
next to it, without affecting the department’s daily activities (Figures 8a and 8b).
smart design solutions can keep core operations running at more hospitals are demanding as key to the final solution.
For no additional cost to anyone, by arranging the retention
wall system in the basement, it will allow an easy connection to the future expansion of the hospital with just a simple cut.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
23 | IMAGIN8
Developing Brownfields Mark Mitchell, Director of Billard Leece Partnership Architects, discusses some issues to look out for in brownfield hospital developments. Mark Mitchell Director mark@blp.com.au www.blp.com.au
Royal Melbouorne Hospital SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
L
i ke health organisations, hospital architects need
fund replacing this one? Over the years we have looked at
vision. For every stakeholder there will be a list of
pulling it inside out and rebuilding it piece by piece. Staged
to keep an eye on the big picture, the client’s
issues, the key drivers for success. Opportunities for cost
effectiveness, quality issues, attracting and retaining staff,
patient surveys that guide the hospital’s performance from a consumer perspective, reliable infrastructure, interaction with neighbours . . . More and more, in brownfield hospital projects, we find it’s about doing more with less. WHY BROWN IS THE NEW GREEN
Having masterplanned some of the most intensive and
complex sites in the country, inevitably the start up meeting includes a suggestion to push it all over and start again.
relocating it wholesale, moving services to the suburbs,
redevelopment works included, as a first priority, inpatient accommodation - but where to put it? Stacked, generic, a
couple of floors funded at a time, but no shut down time for
future stages. Then operating theatres – how to extend them (on the third floor)? Then there are the multiple other players
on a major campus: the researchers, the staff support – they need to be close. The answer involved a carefully planned
progressive barn dance where spaces are decanted out of
the way, built and/or refurbished, then plugged back into the hospital chassis.
However healthcare providers have a vested interest in
MINIMISE DISRUPTION
means they can focus their investments on tightening
during construction, so it is paramount that new components
making their built infrastructure work hard for them. It
recurrent costs, and updating equipment. The first clue is in a smart site strategy.
In regional areas, there is no other place to send patients do not interrupt the patient, public and logistics flows of
the existing hospital. This should not be to the detriment
of patient amenity. Key strategies for the Albury Wodonga
Greenfields offer a lot of opportunities, but some say that if
Cancer Centre included building away from the main building,
replacement cost of the built assets on the Royal Melbourne
to wards wherever possible offering long term advantages for
you build it all at once, you need to replace it all at once. The
but connect back in late in the project and placing wards next
Hospital site (left) is some $3-4 billion. So who wants to
staffing and operational efficiency.
Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre
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25 | IMAGIN8
“ The key success factors of
a project are time, cost and quality. In brownfield projects, another factor needs to sit in this ensemble: the response to the site.
”
Ballarat Base Hospital
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Mornington Centre
Werribee Mercy STANDARDISATION
A key strategy for patient safety is standardisation. Question
DESIGN FOR THE BUDGET, THE TIMEFRAMES AND THE SITE
one. It doesn’t take long for yesterday’s state-of-the-art
quality. In brownfield projects, another factor needs to sit
we looked at the most popular of design discussions – the
there is likely to be a number of constraints just waiting to
one is whether to match the old standard, or create a new
The key success factors of a project are time, cost and
to become today’s old practice. At Ballarat Base Hospital,
in this ensemble: the response to the site. In a brownfield,
perfect ward:
be turned into opportunities. For the Mornington Centre, we
• Start of a major vertical expansion on a space-
first floor. This enabled privacy from the ground floor rehab
constrained site
• Grid – 3x7 modules, projected up for future expansion • New processes from research and experience • Consider variety of cohorts • New model of care and technology tools – test these in existing building, then build them in the new one.
• Short term pain (but rip the band-aid off quickly) There is often a discussion on brownfield projects about
staging and program. Most hospitals will suffer some short term pain of disruption if there is some longer term gain - a bit like ripping off a band-aid. This period of pain needs to be very carefully planned and managed – any extensions
of time for these portions can leave the hospital business highly vulnerable.
For St John of God Berwick, some 13 stages of
refurbishment followed the new component, as the hospital wanted to avoid any shutdown. This meant patients and
doctors working around a construction site for the best part of a year. The lesson learned here was that larger areas of
construction/fewer stages may have been a more successful outcome – same pain, but over a shorter period of time.
called on the slope of the site to put the dementia ward on the program, and also enormous scope for outdoor spaces for
training – learning to post a letter, wait for a bus, wandering,
pacing. Sunny courtyards are intimate in scale and like outdoor meeting rooms, with seasonal gardens. These places respond to human needs, they are places for people. FUTURE PROOFING
Future proofing needs to be carefully considered for a
brownfield project. It can be the difference between saving a bundle down the line or throwing money down the drain.
Not every healthcare provider wants to invest in a masterplan document, but inevitably design discussions return to future
expansion scenarios. Some kind of loose fit expansion strategy is required – an identification of potential growth avenues. In the case of Werribee Mercy, the brief was to double
the capacity of what was developed as a prototype single storey 120 bed community hospital, one funding batch at a time. So the first batch needed to cover a whole lot of
infrastructure - planning for carpark infrastructure, electrical
and other services infrastructure, and building infrastructure – like a new front door. The current “ground scraper” left
little land available for development, so the future proofing strategy needed both horizontal and vertical expansion. Space for spare lift shafts was allowed for and the roof
structure and façade system carefully detailed for effortless expansion in the future.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
27 | FAÇADES
What Role Can Façade Design Play In The Healing Process? Typical building façades require the design team to strike the right balance between a host of parameters that pull the design in different directions, including structural, aesthetic, thermal, technological, acoustics, security, and more.
Mathieu Meur Managing Director – Façades, Singapore mathieu.meur@meinhardtgroup.com
T
ypical building façades require the design team to
This involves the deployment of a variety of design
that pull the design in different directions, including
laminated double-glazed units, exterior shading screens,
strike the right balance between a host of parameters
structural, aesthetic, thermal, technological, acoustics,
security, and more. Healthcare facilities have not only these to contend with but a unique set of challenges that require
consideration of multi- stakeholder needs, including patients, operators, health authorities, builders and architects, with often conflicting demands.
Through a combination of early façade consultant
engagement and the incorporation of imaginative thinking and the latest technology, the façade can literally unify these demands.
PATIENT COMFORT
Patient comfort is one of the prime concerns when
designing hospitals and healthcare premises. Patients
require a quiet atmosphere, plenty of natural daylight, as well as thermal comfort in order to recover in the best possible environment.
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
solutions such as multi-functional low-emissivity coatings, or even responsive façades, if budget allows.
This may involve a slightly higher capital expenditure, but
has the potential to reduce operating expenses, as well as provide the actual benefits sought for patients, hospital staff and visitors.
The design brief for a recent healthcare facility required
the courtyard to be accessible to patients in all weather, despite the hospital being located in a tropical location, with frequent storms. This was intended to allow the
patients to take a stroll or get some exercise every day. “We elected to adopt ETFE cushions instead of glass panels for the skylight covering the courtyard, so as
to minimise the framing sizes and maximize the panel
modulations,” said Mathieu Meur, Managing Director at
Meinhardt Façade Technology. “This provided an elegant
Figure 3. staggered, overlapping glass louvers, with open gaps between the glass blades. SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
29 | FAÇADES
Figure 1. RWS EFTE canopy
The solutions devised by technical “ teams need to constitute not only a
translation of the architectural vision for the buildings, but also the synthesis of the multitude of requirements by the various stakeholders.
”
solution, without the need for additional columns or heavy steel members, all within budget.” (Figure 1)
Natural daylight is often cited as helping with patient
recovery. Achieving high access to daylight within the rooms, while ensuring the thermal comfort of patients is essential. “In one case, our strategy has been to adopt highly
spectrally selective glass, and spandrel panels extending up to the bed level,” said Meur. “In another project, the
strategy has been to have planters running horizontally
along the façade at every other level, and having rows of
creeping plants extending up onto stainless wires in order
to provide shade to the patients, while offering a soothing, natural experience.” AESTHETICS
More than many other buildings, the appearance of
healthcare facilities is of the utmost importance. Whether you patronise them as a patient, go there daily as a staff,
or visit a sick acquaintance, the last thing that you hope for is a drab-looking building. The building envelope should
be as pleasant and welcoming as possible, so as to make the experience of staying, working or visiting the building as agreeable as possible.
“This, of course, depends largely on the architectural
design, combined with the technical know-how of the
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Figure 2. Yishun section specialist design team,” explained Meur. “The right colour
between them in case of major rainstorm. This can happen
of the building at minimal or no additional expense as
manually whenever required.
scheme and material selection can uplift the appearance compared with traditional unappealing solutions. This is
automatically using rain sensors, or can be operated
particularly noticeable on hospital façade refurbishment
SECURITY & OPERATIONAL NEEDS
through a simple and clean re-cladding exercise.”
essential premises that need to be designed to remain
projects, which can be completely transformed visually
INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Air infiltration is another key consideration when designing healthcare facilities, as some of these buildings impose much stricter air infiltration or exfiltration limits as compared to other building types.
This could be due to the need to prevent harmful bacteria affecting patients, or conversely to prevent infectious diseases from spreading to the outside. Designs are
thoroughly tested, both on- and off-site, to ensure that the design parameters are met.
In one recent hospital project, the brief called for naturally ventilated wards, but a façade solution which should still keep rainwater out. Given the additional requirement for ample natural daylight, the developed design involved staggered, overlapping glass louvers, with open gaps
In many countries, healthcare facilities also represent operational in the face of disasters.
In particular, we have had to design hospital façades
to resist terrorist threats, such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs). This involves the implementation of
hardening measures in and around the buildings, including the building envelope itself.
“The solutions devised by technical teams need to
constitute not only a translation of the architectural vision
for the buildings, but also the synthesis of the multitude of
requirements by the various stakeholders,” concluded Meur. “The building envelope is designed so that patients enjoy a
peaceful and pleasant environment favourable to their recovery. And at the same time, the hospitals themselves garner a welcoming and attractive, yet highly efficient outcome.”
between the glass blades (Figure 3). This allowed for
cross-ventilation while keeping the rain out. Alternate glass blades were operable so as to reduce or close the gaps
SHAPING | HEALTHCARE - SEPT 2014
Your Contacts
Denis Young
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Bob Ellis
Tom Harrington
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Director - Property & Buildings (Aus) john.corrigan@meinhardtgroup.com
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