MAT delivers full MEP building services package for new orthopaedic surgery centre

Medical Air Technology (MAT) specialises in the design and delivery of operating theatre suites that meet or exceed the guidelines contained within HTM 03-01 (2021) Specialised ventilation for healthcare buildings. The team at MAT brought its expertise to bear when working with a large district hospital and specialist healthcare construction firm Darwin Group to provide two new ultraclean ventilation (UCV) operating theatre suites and a six-bed first-stage recovery, complete with staff room and staff change, as part of a brand new specialist orthopaedic surgery centre.

The project represented a sizeable investment of £5.3million. It aimed to increase theatre capacity by 50% and allow operations to take place seven days a week to help reduce waiting times. The hospital chose to use modular construction for the new two-storey building that houses the theatres and associated services so it could be up and running as quickly as possible, bringing the most advanced surgical facilities to people living in the area.

The design, installation and commissioning process

After negotiating the technical and commercial aspects of the project with Darwin Group, MAT coordinated with the healthcare Trust to bring the necessary heating, cold water mains, power and medical gas services to the edge of the new plantroom from the existing hospital infrastructure. Facilitating the new theatres required the laying of more than 19 miles of cabling, three miles of data cables, 1,200 metres of fire alarm cable, 1,000 metres of pipework and 1,350 metres of medical gas lines.

For this full mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) building

services package, MAT worked closely with Darwin Group’s

experienced in-house design team to ensure all new plant and

building services were adequately sized and positioned to minimise

costs, maximise efficiencies, and ensure future maintenance of

equipment would be catered for.

MAT provided three new dedicated air handling units, ductwork

distribution and BMS control systems to serve the operating theatre

suites, first stage recovery and clinical staff support areas. In addition

to the new critical ventilation systems, MAT also provided the

domestic hot and cold water pipework distribution, above-ground

drainage, sanitaryware, toilets, showers etc, which completed the

mechanical services package.

From an electrical perspective, all general internal and external

lighting, power and controls wiring, small power, medical IT and UPS,

specialist equipment wiring, room-in-use signage, fire alarm, nurse

call, data and containment were provided.