Buildings

Port Macquarie Base Hospital – PACS and Renal Redevelopment

31/01/2020 By EpesEditor

Port Macquarie Base Hospital – PACS and Renal Redevelopment Slide 1

Port Macquarie Base Hospital – PACS and Renal Redevelopment

Mechanical Services

The project consisted of the completed refurbishment of existing redundant theatre precinct and renal dialysis unit to provide new PACS (Patient Admissions Centre) and new Renal Dialysis unit (RDU) at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

The Problem

Due to the significant change in usage (existing theatre precinct) and the age of the original installation works (circa 1992) there was a significant step in the design process to gain a detailed understanding of the existing systems and how they operated.

We spent considerable time studying ventilation and smoke control standards which applied in 1992 to develop a strategy for the mechanical services design.

Project Information

Location: Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia
Client: Mid North Coast Local Health District
Engagement: Consultant
Sectors: Buildings, Hospitals and Healthcare
Services: Building Services, Commissioning Assistance, Construction and Design Consulting, Independent Reviews and Audits
Year: 2016

There were several issues identified during this analysis that required an integrated approach with the rest of the hospital, including ensuring that adjacent zones were not affected.

Existing systems serving the spaces were circa 25 years old and in poor condition.

Analysis and Implementation

We evaluated the suitability of existing systems for repurposing however decided that given the age of the existing systems and the likely time before the area would be accessible again, that the existing air handling plant and ductwork should be replaced with new. It was decided that new plant should be located for ease of maintenance consistent with existing maintenance practices already in place.

Existing capacity from central chillers, boilers and pumps were adequate given the change in usage being a lower load intensity than previously.

New systems would be introduced which satisfy current AusHFG requirements.

Outcome

EPES designed new mechanical systems for the new spaces with as much consistency and integration with existing central services as possible, as well as connectivity with BMS systems already in place at the site.

New air handling plant and smoke control systems were installed matching existing maintenance and operational practices at the site with minimal impact.

Taking time during design to understand the site, existing processes and the personnel responsible for managing assets allows design to closely consider the end user.

Systems serving healthcare facilities are required to be reliable, ensuring that design properly considers the end user greatly assists in achieving reliability.

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Camden High School – Cooler Classrooms

10/10/2019 By EpesEditor

Camden High School – Cooler Classrooms Slide 1

Camden High School - Cooler Classrooms

Mechanical, Electrical and Solar

School Infrastructure NSW (NSW Government) is rolling out the “Cooler Classrooms” program which aims to provide healthy and comfortable learning environments in NSW schools.

The scope of the program generally includes providing filtered outside air (for maintaining CO2 levels) and air conditioning to individual learning spaces. Additional power consumption is being offset through the introduction of solar power PV and batteries.

Project Information

Location: Camden, New South Wales, Australia
Client: School Infrastructure NSW
Engagement: Design Consultant
Sectors: Buildings, Education
Services: Building Services
Year: 2019

Camden High School is in Southwest Sydney and was constructed in 2001.

EPES were engaged by SINSW to deliver the design for ventilation, air conditioning, electrical and solar PV design and prepare contract documents for tendering.

The Problem

There are several challenges in retrospectively installing ventilation and air conditioning systems into a public high school, which was not originally provided with air conditioning:

Analysis and Implementation

EPES were required to undertake extensive inspections of the site to ascertain the best location and reticulation paths for providing air conditioning and ventilation to the nominated Learning Spaces.

Once air conditioning and ventilation requirements were determined, EPES evaluated the suitability of the existing power supply for new equipment and undertook detailed design of electrical supply upgrades required. This included ASP3 design with the Supply Authority, Endeavour Energy. Our design process included revisiting maximum demand assumptions and calculations to refine electrical demands.

Following the mechanical and electrical design, the required solar PV capacity was determined in order to offset the additional power use and solar PV design as undertaken.

Outcome

EPES received positive feedback from independent reviewers of the quality of documentation prepared for this package. We were also able to avoid expensive transformer upgrades with the supply authority by challenging assumptions in maximum demands.

Challenging assumptions used in the design process can enable significant cost savings and reduced construction work. Experienced design engineers can save significant cost in construction by challenging conservative design assumptions.

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Gosford Hospital – Operating Theatre Upgrade

03/09/2019 By EpesEditor

Gosford Hospital – Operating Theatre Upgrade Slide 1

Gosford Hospital - Operating Theatre Upgrade

Mechanical Engineering

EPES were engaged to undertake compliance reviews and testing of existing operating theatres precinct and baseline performance prior to opening of additional theatres. This included verification of theatre air handling systems with regards to NSW Health legacy and current (AusHFG) Engineering Services Guidelines as well as legacy and current Australian Standards.

Scope generally included:

Project Information

Location: Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
Client: Central Coast Local Health District
Engagement: Design Consultant
Sectors: Buildings, Hospitals and Healthcare
Services: Asset Management, Building Services, Commissioning Assistance, Construction and Design Consulting, Independent Reviews and Audits
Year: 2018

EPES provided recommendations and contract documentation for works to be undertaken to upgrade operating theatres precinct to maintain compliance with current AusHFG requirements. EPES provided ongoing technical support and guidance.

The Problem

Performing any works or investigations within an operating theatre precinct presents many logistical challenges in terms of access, interruptions and critical performance of air handling systems in these areas. Also, given the age of the equipment serving the existing theatres technical data was difficult to source from suppliers and manufacturers (they don’t exist anymore).

EPES have been involved in many projects where upgrade works have not considered the original design intention of existing systems. This creates expensive and disruptive problems negatively effecting system reliability and performance.

Analysis and Implementation

Communication with stakeholders is crucial to gaining the required access to critical areas such as operating theatre precincts, as well as being highly flexible with timing and short notice requirements (e.g. emergency theatre demands).

Additionally, at EPES we have engineers who’ve had experience working with air handling systems for over 40 years. This understanding enables us an advantage in being able to trouble shoot and define system operation largely in the absence of as-built documentation and supplier technical literature.

Outcome

EPES were able to prepare contract design documentation that supplemented the intended original operation of the system, whilst upgrading to current performance requirements.

Using experience engineers with a track record of working and modifying legacy systems is critical for successful outcomes.

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Port Macquarie Base Hospital – Mental Health Expansion

29/08/2019 By EpesEditor

Port Macquarie Base Hospital

Port Macquarie Base Hospital – Mental Health Expansion

Parts 4–9 Design Development and Construction Services

Health Infrastructure delivered a new 24 bed acute mental health inpatient unit and refurbishment of existing unit at Port Macquarie Base Hospital within the Mid North Coast Local Health District. This stage was handed over in February 2019.

Design requirements required to Building Code of Australia, Australian Health Facility Guidelines and NSW Health Engineering Services Guidelines.

EPES were engaged by Health Infrastructure to deliver the Mechanical Services and Medical Gases design and were involved in the Construction and Commissioning of the works.

Project Information

Location: Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia
Client: Health Infrastructure
Engagement: Mechanical Services Consultant
Sectors: Buildings, Hospitals and Healthcare
Services: Building Services, Commissioning Assistance, Construction and Design Consulting, Digital Engineering
Year: 2017

The Problem

There are several key design challenges with mechanical services within an acute mental health unit requiring careful and pragmatic considerations:

1. Safety precautions and special anti-ligature requirements

2. Restricted access into inpatient areas and ceiling voids

3. Potential high levels of disruption with maintenance access in the unit

4. Safety risks for staff accessing the space to perform maintenance

5. Sustainable focus on reducing energy use

6. Maximising value for tax payers

7. Minimising additional maintenance costs for the Local Health District

Analysis and Implementation

We considered several different options for delivering heating, cooling and ventilation to the facility, with careful review of how the site currently operated:

How is existing maintenance performed?
Can we design out maintenance access inside the unit?
What maintenance contracts are in place and with who?
How do maintenance staff think these problems should be overcome?
Is there opportunity to utilise existing systems to avoid introducing new plant?

The design solution dramatically reduced the need for maintenance personnel to enter the unit with all air conditioning and ventilation plant located within the building under croft accessible without having to enter the unit.

Interconnected new unit with high efficiency water cooled chillers already in operation with high levels of surplus capacity
Relocated all air handling plant and ventilation fans into the under-croft plant area so maintenance access into the unit was less than once a year and system issues could be resolved from outside the unit at any time of the day
Positioned the majority of fire and smoke dampers within the under croft for ease of access for inspections utilising fire rated boots below floor slab and minimising ductwork crossing of fire/smoke compartments.

Outcome

Benefits for the client and end users include:

Utilising existing chillers and boilers negated the need for any additional maintenance contracts or extension of existing agreements
Utilising existing BMCS provider
Engagement with maintenance staff and delivering a maintenance friendly solution will greatly improve reliability with lower costs
Energy savings will be significant as existing chillers offer much higher efficiencies than dedicated air-cooled options.

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Buildings

Port Macquarie Base Hospital – PACS and Renal Redevelopment

Mechanical Services

The Problem

Analysis and Implementation

Outcome

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Camden High School - Cooler Classrooms

Mechanical, Electrical and Solar

The Problem

Analysis and Implementation

Outcome

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Gosford Hospital - Operating Theatre Upgrade

Mechanical Engineering

The Problem

Analysis and Implementation

Outcome

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Port Macquarie Base Hospital – Mental Health Expansion

Parts 4–9 Design Development and Construction Services

The Problem

Analysis and Implementation

Outcome

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