MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION


The ‘demo’ ward was disassembled in July and relocated to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, where the two building modules form part of a new ward building.


point that almost nothing goes to landfill. In addition, the enhanced quality achieved through factory manufacture results in improved building performance, lower running costs, and lower carbon emissions. Less time at the construction site also means there is much less vehicle movement during the build programme, greatly reducing emissions and on-site waste. In addition, green and innovative technologies are fully compatible with modular buildings. Sustainable extras such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, rainwater harvesting, battery integration, and solar or biomass energy, can be added to the design of your building. All these elements together mean an offsite build project can easily achieve EPC ‘+’ and BREEAM ‘Excellence’ ratings.


A permanent solution With a 50-year design life, HMflex buildings have been developed with aesthetic flexibility which lends well to architectural flair. With experience working alongside architects, as well as offering an in-house architectural service, Wernick Buildings can bring even the most complex of healthcare buildings to life.


Historically, modular buildings have often been mistaken as being temporary, low-quality, demountable buildings or cabins, but by utilising modern technologies and designs, today they can be indistinguishable from traditionally built structures. Externally, buildings can accept a wide array of cladding options, including rainscreen, brick, timber, or render, catering for modern or more traditional aesthetics. Buildings can also feature pitched or barrel roofs, atrium areas, and a range of glazing options, including curtain walling.


Matching existing aesthetics HMflex can be overclad to provide an aesthetic identical to that of the existing buildings. Our latest project at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth has


58 Health Estate Journal August 2021


been designed this way, with a finish that perfectly matches the surrounding 10- year-old, traditionally-built hospital.


Hospitals already benefiting from new systems


Hospitals like George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton are already benefiting from the new HMflex building system. The hospital required a 30-bed, fully HTM and DDA- compliant ward – which was manufactured, delivered, and installed, by Wernick Buildings in 2020. Delivered under strict funding and time constraints, the building was completed in just 14 weeks, with the delivery and installation process taking place during the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown.


The building was delivered knowing another floor and theatre extension would be required later, and phase two works are now going on at George Eliot Hospital for a UCV operating facility. This has meant Wernick having to develop a 4 metre-high volumetric system with a concrete floor.


Andy King


Andy King, deputy MD at Wernick Buildings, has 24 years’ experience of working within the modular construction sector, and has valuable knowledge of the special features of modular design and building systems development. Wernick Buildings has ‘decades of experience’ delivering modular accommodation to the healthcare sector. Andy King has also been Chairman of the Technical Committee for the Modular & Portable Building Association (MPBA) for 15 years, working with other members of the industry to improve the professionalism of the industry, and raise awareness of the benefits of modular buildings.


He works regularly with the Government and other regulatory bodies such as the NHS to ensure that new regulations and legislation are compatible and practical for the modular building industry.


The finish ‘perfectly matches’ the 10-year- old, traditionally-built hospital.


Again, this suite has also been designed to allow for further expansion, and has been future-proofed for laparoscopic operating equipment installations, enabling the Trust to offer an even wider range of services should they wish to in the future.


Demonstration ward


To showcase the innovation of the HMflex building system, and to allow healthcare professionals to get a feel for the facility, Wernick set up a demonstration ward at its factory in Port Talbot in South Wales. The building contained a fully compliant and fully fitted four-bed ward for healthcare professionals and other interested parties across the country to experience first-hand.


Proving how easy the relocation of building modules can be, the ‘demo’ ward was disassembled this July and relocated to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, where the two building modules form part of a new 72-bed ward building.


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