To cope with the pressures of the pandemic, Hull Royal Infirmary required two new intensive care units. They turned to light steel frame to provide the structure swiftly and safely.
Centred around offsite manufacture and delivering a wide variety of design, engineering, project management and installation services – the Tek Group use light steel frame (LSF) as an advanced offsite technology through its TekConstruct core structural solution. Along with light steel frame infill and loadbearing systems, as a dedicated steel sub-contractor we also specialise in hybrid structures which combine the efficiency of cold and hot rolled steel – delivering a rapid, robust and cost effective solution.
As part of their COVID-19 response programme, Hull Royal Infirmary urgently required two new intensive care units. TekConstruct engineered, designed, supplied, installed and project managed the entire structure which encompassed a hot rolled steel ‘skeleton’ frame with two-storeys of light steel frame loadbearing wall panels on the side elevations and a light steel frame infill system for the gable adjoining the existing building. TekConstruct also engineered, designed, supplied and installed floor and roof cassettes which measured 12m x 3m and were pre-fitted with Lewis Deck for the floors and oriented strand board (OSB) for the roofs. Wall panels were factory-fitted with Y-Wall – a BBA-certified A1 non-combustible sheathing board. Steel stairs were also engineered, designed and installed as part of the build. The structure which is central to the hospital site is bordered on three sides by existing intensive care units together with medical and surgical wards with the fourth side being a ‘blue light run’ for access to the accident and emergency department for ambulances.
Pre-planning is always crucial to offsite construction and was vitally important for the success of this project. “The very location within a confined site, immediately adjacent to an active healthcare facility that was under severe pressure – required an extremely considerate and sensitive approach,” says Andy Scholes, Managing Director at TekConstruct. “In addition, our team had to contend with the pressure of the short build programme due to the urgent need for the completion of the intensive care units. As a result of great planning from our project managers together with a concerted and dedicated effort by our engineers, designers and site teams – we completed the design and engineering of the system and delivered the completed project on schedule. The installation of the entire structure took just four weeks.”
Paul Hutchinson Company Director added: “Due to the success of this project we are now moving straight onto a second building for the same client and hospital trust. This was a particularly interesting build due to the nature of the hybrid structure. The wide diversity and size of components involved proved challenging as well as designing and engineering the interfaces between the various solutions to complete the integrated build solution.”
The very location within a confined site, immediately adjacent to an active healthcare facility that was under severe pressure – required an extremely considerate and sensitive approach.
To read full article and for more news, check out the latest Offsite Magazine
