23


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© KLH


“The site has been used for mental health services since the


early 20th century, so the use is familiar to the local commu- nity. However, it’s still essential that the community is involved in and understands the importance of therapeutic mental health facilities.” KLH landed a place on the North Essex Partnership NHS


Foundation Trust’s framework agreement only in 2010, but has seven years’ experience of providing design solutions for special- ist mental healthcare. Schemes designed by KLH include a centre in Norwich pro-


viding psychiatric intensive care and low secure services that opened in May 2009, winning a local design accolade and being nominated in the National Building Better Healthcare awards. The bidders for the construction contract on that scheme


included Barnes, ISG Jackson and Kier, with the former bag- ging the deal. When procurement on the Colchester scheme started, a tender list was drawn up by October 2010 and the same trio were again among the firms on the shortlist. This time and at the turn of the year, ISG Jackson pipped Kier’s Eastern


division to the job. The scheme comprises a 25-bed unit built around two court-


yards featuring a central games area. The unit will also include two wards plus dining areas, therapy and contemplation rooms, classrooms and administrative areas, and the central games area will feature three green planted walls – one of a number of envi- ronmentally friendly features designed to secure that BREEAM rating, which is written into ISG Jackson’s contract. Elsewhere, the project includes a 150 kW ground source heat


pump, which will supply low temperature hot water for the build- ing’s heating. The pump uses 20 boreholes driven down 150 m and linked up to horizontal pipes and a plant room instead of a more traditional array underneath the floor that is the feature of many ground source heat pumps. As back-up for the heat pump, the building will also include high efficiency gas condens- ing boilers. The design also specifies sun pipes and a heat recovery system,


while the finished building will feature 30 sq m of solar thermal collectors to provide the pre-heat for the hot water requirements


continued on page 25


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