BENDIGO HOSPITAL PROJECTNEWSLETTER: WINTER 2015

After being something of a landmark for the past two years, Bendigonians will soon see a different skyline at the hospital construction site as the final two cranes disappear from view. Crane 1, Ben, was dismantled at the end of May, and the final crane, Maximus, is anticipated to be removed in the coming weeks.

The steel roofing frames have now been installed across the entire structure. Minor penetrations have been left in some roofs for the installation of major pieces of plant and equipment. The hospital is quickly transforming from a skeleton to a solid construction as the façade is installed. As the cladding of the building continues apace, so too does the work internally. Indeed, the workforce continues to grow, with more than 500 workers now on site. Their numbers will continue to increase by an average of 10 each week for several more months.

More than 400 pre-cast concrete panels have now been installed to the façade of the inpatient unit and 300 panels to the area below. The sheeting of partition walls has commenced on ground floor and Level 1 of the East and West Clinical Buildings. Ceiling framing has also commenced on the ground floor, along with painting. On the upper floors, duct work is being installed. Windows to the mental health and oncology department internal courtyards will be fitted in the coming weeks and the glass installation to the roof of the street has been completed.

During the course of the construction, more than 224,000m2 of plasterboard will be installed and more than 42,000m2 of vinyl will be laid to the floors throughout the new hospital. A further 30,000m2 of vinyl will be laid on walls.

In the west building, partition and ceiling framing is also underway. The kitchen fit out is progressing well with exhaust canopy installation underway and the cool rooms nearing completion.

The commissioning of four lifts has been completed (one of which will be used as a builder’s lift during the construction activities); two more are due to be ready for use as builder’s lifts in early June and a further four are under construction.

The civil works to the tank farm are also complete and the installation of the pump sets has occurred. The tanks are onsite and will be assembled over the coming weeks. The tank farm contains four tanks, two 50kL potable water break tanks and two 100kL non-potable water break / storage tanks that are a backup water supply.

Bendigo Hospital Project construction update

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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

One of the essential components in the Bendigo Hospital Project deliverables was environmental sustainability. This aspect was one of eight components that the bidding teams used to guide the project to become a world class facility. In this edition, we take a look at some of the environmentally friendly features and highlights that set the Bendigo Hospital Project apart from other hospital construction projects. It’s all adding up to a healthier environment for patients, staff and the community.

Using Solar panels to power a hospital is relatively new in Australia. The Bendigo Hospital Project will have 200kw of roof mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed onto the roof – the equivalent to taking 60 cars off the road in CO2 emissions.

Every bit of power produced by the panels will be fed into the facility’s main power boards and will be used throughout the hospital. They will also help to reduce electricity demand during peak periods, such as in summer when air conditioning use is at its greatest.

Powering the new hospital will also involve a cogeneration plant and trigeneration plant. Traditionally, during separate production of electricity, some energy must be discarded as waste heat, but cogeneration (combined heat and power) puts this thermal energy to use by using a heat engine or power station to generate electricity and useful heat at the same time.

The trigeneration (combined cooling, heat and power) will allow the simultaneous generation of electricity and useful heating and cooling from the combustion of a fuel or a solar heat collector.

A Food Dehydrator (pictured above), will ensure there is no unnecessary food waste from the kitchen ending up in bins and landfill. The dehydrator turns food waste into a compost powder which will be used as a safe and effective fertiliser on the hospital’s gardens and green areas.

The hospital’s large roof area makes rainwater harvesting a logical choice, especially when Bendigo and its surrounds have suffered through strict water restrictions because of drought for most of the past decade. Ninety five percent of the roof area will be harvested and stored in two 100kL tanks.

Hybrid heat rejection units (pictured right) will be installed in the new hospital to reduce high water consumption during the use of air conditioning.

GREEN FOOTPRINT AT THE FOREFRONT OF HOSPITAL DESIGN PROCESS

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Artist impression: Main Entrance, Mercy Street

Did you know? The Bendigo Hospital Project tank farm will store more than 300kL of potable and non-potable water.

Check out the live feed webcam at: www.bendigohospitalproject.org.au

Unlike older air conditioning systems, which use large amounts of water to create evaporation to cool the units, the hybrid style is designed to cool units by using less water and can operate for much of the year without consuming any water. They will also be connected to the hospital’s harvested rainwater, meaning less water will be drawn from the city’s mains supply.

Not only will the hospital roof aid sustainability through capturing water and energy, it will also be used to help promote patient healing through 1000m2 of green roof space (artist impression pictured right).

The green roof garden is believed to be one of the largest installed in a hospital in Australia. Nearly 30 species of grass and shrubs will provide views and habitats, creating a tranquil and natural environment.

The green roof area will be complemented by community garden spaces in other areas of the hospital and landscaping works that are being developed in conjunction with the Dja Dja Wurrung people and the Chinese community.

The landscape design also includes a community garden concept, where vegetables will be grown.

BENDIGO HOSPITAL PROJECT NEWSLETTER: WINTER 2015

FINAL STEEL BEAM GETS SIGN OFF FROM HEALTH MINISTER AND CRANE KIDS

L-R: Crane name competition winners Patrick Schilling, Neve Nisbet, Victoria Scicluna, Minister for Health Jill Hennessy, Harvey Smith and Bendigo East MP Jacinta Allan sign the final steel beam to be installed on the Bendigo Hospital Project.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE BENDIGO HOSPITAL PROJECTHow high will the new

hospital be?

Taken from the future entrance of the hospital to the roof, the height is around 36.5m. The height of the building however is not uniform – for example the part of the building that fronts Arnold Street will be lower.

Is the design of the hospital finished?The overall design is finished, but the project team is still working with the hospital staff and consumers to fine tune elements of the interior fitout.

What capacity will the new hospital have? The new hospital will have 372 inpatient beds and 10 operating theatres, an integrated cancer centre, a mental health unit and a helipad on top of a new multistorey car park. The new purpose-built 80 bed mental health facility will bring together mental health services currently split across three sites and provide an additional 33 psychiatric inpatient beds.

Where will the front entrance be in the new hospital?The front entrance to the new hospital will be in Mercy Street and is visible currently behind Gate 1 of the construction site. The new entrance will lead people into an internal street and reception desk.

Where will the Emergency Department be in the new hospital?Entrance to the Emergency Department will be in Drought Street. This will also be the central transfer point for Ambulance arrivals and patient transport vehicles.

What hours will construction activities be taking place? Unless otherwise approved, construction activity on the site is restricted by our planning permits and will generally occur between 7am – 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. Work is permitted to occur up till 7pm weekdays and until 5pm on Saturdays.

Will any more cranes be erected?No. All four cranes used in construction of the hospital have been erected. The bulk of their work is now complete and they have been demobilised in the last few months. Only Crane Maximus, remains in operation on the site.

How do I contact the project?If you have any questions over the course of the projectyou can contact us via the following:-Telephone: 1300 624 246Email: bendigohospitalproject@bendigohealth.org.auWebsite: www.bendigohospitalproject.org.au

Children from Jenny’s Early Learning Centre, Bendigo Hospital put their artistic talent on show during a community project last month led by Exemplar Health.

The children visited the Schaller Studio and Bendigo Art Gallery to learn about art and try and interpret some of the eye-catching work.

Artist Mark Schaller, director of the Bendigo Health Foundation Jane Anderson and Bendigo Art Gallery director Karen Quinlan took a closer look at the kids’ efforts.

“The brief was to do anything they like, but if I’m any kind of inspiration then that’s a deep compliment,” Mr Schaller said. “The works they have produced are really optimistic and vibrant and full of life. It’s a wonderful thing.”

Mr Schaller said he was very impressed with the kids’ enthusiasm. “They are really inspiring for me and they do it with a fresh approach,” he said. “They’re unaffected by anything and they are very proud.”

Artworks went on display at the Schaller Studio, before being auctioned off at a cocktail party hosted by Exemplar Health.

Due to the success of the project, plans are now in progress to make it an annual event.

Money raised went to the Bendigo Health Foundation and will be used to purchase Book Boxes, a program to aid literacy development in young children.

“We put this on because we thought it was a great way to see the facilities work together and integrate it with the existing hospital,” Exemplar Health chief executive Michele Morrison said.

“The kids were eager to put paint to canvas and to go to the studio and art gallery was exciting for them.”

SCHALLER INSPIRES YOUNG MASTERPIECES

Four-year-old Sam Creme shows mum, Kath, his work of art for the auction.

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L-R: Exemplar Health chairman Stephen McDonough, Jenny’s Early Learning Centre director Darren Reid, Exemplar Health development coordinator Sally Christie, Artist Mark Schaller, Bendigo Art Gallery director Karen Quinlan and Bendigo Health Foundation director Jane Anderson.