In August 2015 MTX were successfully awarded the contract to design and build a 24 bed modular ward extension. The project was completed within 24 weeks.
The Requirements
Yeovil District Hospital recognised the need to keep up with their ever increasing patient intake during the winter months and commenced a feasibility study in order to identify potential areas for an additional 24 patient spaces. The outcome, on this very condensed site, was a ground floor flat roof top area above the main entrance and outpatients department located at the front of the hospital. The new ward was to become an EAU (Emergency Admissions Unit).
The Solution
Yeovil District Hospital appointed MTX along with our architectural partners IBI Group to work with the trust and their FM partners Interserve to design all internal and external aspects of the scheme in order to lodge a planning application to the local department for consideration. With permission granted, MTX were appointed main contractor in mid-August 2015 and immediately commenced survey works to establish the structural configuration of the existing building below where the new facility would reside.
After four weeks of GPS surveying, visual and invasive surveying works, the existing column gridlines were then exposed and plotted. Our structural team quickly established that a transfer structure would be required in order to transpose the imposed loads of the new building to the existing. As this was an extremely fast track programme, MTX working alongside our supply chain partners designed, procured and installed the 1800m2 transfer structure in just 8 weeks. The structure incorporated an existing plant deck and had numerous interfaces both above and below the roof area.
The eighteen building modules were successfully installed as part of a continuous 24 hour, two day lift and shift process to help minimise hospital disruption at the end of November 2015 to the delight of all involved.
Once the modules were craned in to position works began in earnest to fit out the building, at which point MTX were asked to accelerate the programme in order to achieve an internal completion date of 5th February 2016, giving just 9 weeks to complete the project including the Christmas holiday period.
The internal configuration of the building comprised of the following spread out across a 868m² floor area:
- Bespoke reception area
- 5 No. Diamond configuration 4 bed wards with separate toilet and shower rooms
- 4 No. Single bed rooms with en-suite toilet and showers
- Clean & dirty utility rooms
- Store rooms
- Staff hub
- Drugs prep room
- Staff toilet
- Quiet room
- Kitchen
- Cleaner room
The EAU department is HTM compliant and designed around the P21+ engineering module both electrical and mechanical and boasts design features such as:
- Natural ventilation that is also supplemented by mechanical ventilation throughout by the use of windows to all bedded areas and an air handing plant.
- Constant temperature heating derived from the site distribution and utilised also to serve air the handling plant.
- Variable temperature heating to serve room radiant panels derived from the site distribution network.
- Domestic services taken again from the existing local distribution network.
- Medical gasses to all bed spaces comprising of oxygen, medical air and vacuum with departmental AVSU and staff reception alarm repeater unit.
The project was successfully completed with an MTX team of 11 core personnel with additional head office support as and where required. The core team consisted of the design and installation of all mechanical and electrical plant for the new facility which was completed by MTX and our key supply chain partners.
By utilising pre-engineering of mechanical and electrical services off site this helped to reduce the social and environmental impact of the site work itself.
Main Considerations
As with any existing structure built prior to modern day project capturing (Health & Safety files), ‘As Built’ information available on this particular project was limited to say the least and we would strongly advise any organisation wishing to undertake a similar scheme with large aspects of interface within existing structures to collate as much information as can be found, engage early with a specialist contractor with similar experience to MTX who can quickly and effectively gather an understanding, in order to progress design obstacles early to avoid unnecessary delays.
