OFF-SITE CONSTRUCTION & PREFABRICATION


Pioneering with prefabricated heating solutions


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Tony Falconar, national sales manager at Baxi Packaged Solutions, looks at how an enterprising NHS Trust is pioneering the use of prefabricated plant room solutions to minimise disruption, keep building operation running efficiently, and support its Net Zero journey


se of prefabricated heating and hot water solutions is continuing to rise as a means of addressing some of the biggest challenges for both new build and refurbishment projects. And with easier installation and maintenance, minimised disruption and enhanced quality assurance just some of the benefits of this approach, it’s hardly surprising. By bringing together all key stakeholders at the outset, the process allows all project requirements, along with any limitations and future plans, to be addressed from the outset for a future-proofed design that does exactly what it says on the tin. Prefabricated, pre-tested and pre-assembled, the largest externally sited packaged plant room or skid- mounted heating and hot water solution can be installed quickly and safely to keep the building running efficiently. One NHS Trust who understands the power of


prefab to provide flexible solutions for improved energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions across its estates, is NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC). The largest Health Board in Scotland, NHS GGC operates the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital which was built on the site of the former Southern General Hospital in Glasgow’s Govan district. While most of the facilities date back to the hospital’s opening in 2015, some buildings, including the Maternity Unit, were retained from the previous hospital.


Complex refurbishment challenge


When the time came to replace the ageing boiler plant serving the 1970s facility, a series of factors increased the complexity of the refurbishment challenge for the NHS GGC estates team. Improving the efficiency of the existing heating system was the urgent requirement and one that could be achieved through the installation of more energy-efficient modern condensing boilers. However, while this was an immediate concern, a master plan for the overall site, potentially including future connection to a district heating system, was already in development. Asbestos issues that could present a safety risk to the boiler replacement project and future maintenance work also needed consideration. Continuity of the heating service was a critical requirement for patient care, meaning that disruption had to be kept to an absolute minimum. Installing temporary plant to avoid shutdown of plant was not an option due to the size of the building.


Future proof solution


To future proof the boiler replacement solution at the Maternity Unit and overcome all other project challenges, the NHS GGC estates team decided to install the new boilers in a bespoke prefabricated plant room.


Baxi Packaged Solutions (BPS) was selected to design and build the externally sited packaged plant room. This contains three Remeha Gas 620 Ace boilers, with a total output of 3,600 kW to provide the required high output space heating, complete with all pipework, an air/dirt separator and a dosing pot, along with power and lighting via a small distribution board. The plant room is designed to connect to a new low loss header and plate heat exchangers in the main building and provides sufficient space to accommodate this equipment if required at a future date. “We approved the appointment of Baxi Packaged Solutions due to their experience and expertise as specialist providers of prefabricated plant room solutions,” said project consultant Craig Gallacher at WGM Consulting Engineers. “In terms of the boilers,” he continued, “we specified the Remeha Gas 620 Ace boilers because of the positive feedback we received from the NHS GGC estates team on the higher output Remeha models and the ease of maintenance. The boilers are also quiet in operation which is an important consideration when installing boilers in a containerised solution.”


Phased approach


The NHS GGC estates team understands that refurbishing older buildings and their heating systems may need to happen in stages. This is reflected by the plans put into place for this particular project which will has been designed to deliver multiple benefits.


First, the container will last for 20 to 25 years, so


there is the opportunity to use it for other sites, meaning that the intermediate solution for the Maternity Unit is not wasted. BPS has designed the solution specifically to ensure flexibility for future use.


Second, the plant room is a safe space for operatives, helping the NHS estates team ensure


16 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JULY 2023


best practice compliance with all health and safety regulations. Third, BPS’s offsite fabricated solution is factory- made, fully tested and quality-assured. Thanks to the use of specialist machinery, improved control procedures and comprehensive end-of- line testing, the highest build quality has been achieved with greater efficiency and with a lower carbon footprint. Importantly, using this prefabricated solution has considerably reduced installation time at the Maternity Unit compared with traditional onsite methods, minimising onsite labour and making it easier to meet the tight schedule.


Exceeding expectations


“We’re delighted with how the project has gone at the Maternity Unit as well as with our experience working with the Baxi team,” Craig Gallacher added. “The prefabricated plant room not only looks great, but it successfully meets the immediate and longer-term project requirements. The key drive behind this method was that of minimising disruption and enabling building operation at the Maternity Unit to keep running efficiently.”


The NHS GGC estates team is equally pleased with the progress. Baxi’s complete solution exceeds expectations, with the Remeha boilers improving the efficiency of the heating system and the containerised solution creating a safe – and future-proofed – flexible space for the NHS operatives to work in.


“It is essential that, when dealing with existing healthcare estates, we use pioneering techniques and out-of-the-box thinking to arrive at solutions which cater for a range of requirements,” they said. “From patient care, safety and continuity of services, through to retrofitting new, sustainable plant into existing buildings and systems, the complexities can be overwhelming. This plant room solution covers everything from the immediate needs of the building as well as wider Board views, giving us the flexibility to develop the existing estate in line with the overall NHS net zero values and targets.”


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