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Mater Hospital, Dublin

CASE STUDY

Atrium

Atrium

Providing total solutions across the healthcare sector

The main building works of The Mater Hospital commenced in September 2009 and the project was fully completed in 2014. A strategic approach was taken in the design and build of the New Mater Adult Hospital in Dublin from the outset to designing out waste and delivering high levels of recycling.

The comprehensive site waste management plan included sharing the responsibility for waste with all the subcontractors to encourage good practice throughout, high levels of segregation which have to date ensured that 93% of waste has been diverted from landfill, and a strong focus on design features that prevent waste.

444

Space basement carpark on two levels

120

Patient bedrooms

12

Operating theatres

Theatre rooms

Theatre rooms, Mater Hospital
Cranes and lifting

The site was inner city and tight, and cranes oversailed the existing hospital and neighbouring sites, including a private hospital. Sisk ensured that the works were well-serviced and managed without interfering with our client's or neighbours' operations.

Aerial view, September 2011

Structural steel

Due to the highly sensitive research and treatment equipment in use, we focused the use of structural steel for providing fast and efficient service risers and plantroom structures, additional floors on existing buildings, and the main entrance foyer.

Theatre rooms

Theatre rooms, Mater Hospital
Temporary works 

There were some very challenging temporary works brought about by the introduction of the enabling works for Metro North on one section of the site. These works isolated a key section of the site, both for access and egress, and could have had a critical and adverse delaying impact on the construction of the A&E department, “Hot” Lifts, Imaging and Operating Theatres. 

However, by altering the foundation design, and delivering a temporary façade and services function, Sisk completed the construction and completion of 70% of these Departments to make them operational, and then at a later stage “bolted on” the outstanding 30% without impacting on the use of the Departments during that later construction process.

Courtyard

Courtyard

Specialists in operating theatres and clinical equipment services

Mater Hospital-Oncology Day Ward/Compounding Unit

The works, which were carried out entirely within a live hospital environment, involved the complete fit-out of an Oncology Day Ward in a previously constructed shell-out area. The works comprised structural alterations, demolitions, services diversions, erection of partitions and provision of finishes to healthcare standards. 

Services in the form of mechanical ventilation, LPHW heating and general power systems were provided together with comprehensive life safety, ICT and security systems all of which were tied into and fully integrated with existing systems. An Aseptic Compounding Unit served by dedicated plant and systems was also provided complete with 5 No. Cytotoxic Isolators and constructed to rules governing Medicinal Products in the European Union.

Open seating area

Mission critical mechanical & electrical services

A hospital revolves around the provision of suitable services, which are life and mission critical. A full complement of mechanical and electrical services was included in the contract along with installation of lifts and escalators. The Energy Centre comprised the installation of four 2.5MW dual fired boilers, three 2,500Ltr calorifiers complete with all associated pipework, pumps, electrics and controls. 

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Also included were medical gases, UPS and IPS units, back-up generators incorporating a huge range of resilience and redundancy. This included all the services for the A&E Department, 12 Operating Theatres including a state of the art Hybrid Theatre, ICU and HDU Departments. A fully integrated IT Communication System was also included within the scope of works. This integrates all the building systems and includes patient records, and also an asset management capability.

Treatment areas

Treatment areas
Stakeholder management

With two live hospitals either side of the site, along with residential streets adjacent, managing the security and challenge of such a large site took a great deal of planning and communication. In advance of commencing the works, Sisk detailed the different phases of the programme of works by way of story boards and drawings, and explained how the site would be managed to all the local stakeholders.

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Monthly meetings were held thereafter to update the key stakeholders, and every 4 months a local newsletter reported back on progress and also outlined in more detail the eventual outcome of the design process. 

Matters became more complex with Metro North taking part of the site and this too was coordinated on site. At various stages we had to form the physical junctions between the old and new buildings and also to link all the old services. This required detailed planning to allow the shutdowns, connections, testing and “go-live” happen, and all these process were managed by Sisk’s team.

Waste area

Waste area

"As a design and build contract, Sisk were able to maximise the potential for construction efficiencies and waste prevention at the design stage. This combined with waste minimisation strategies implemented on site with our subcontractors has provided financial benefits to all parties, while reducing the developments' impact on the environment."

Donall Dowd
Waste Champion for the Mater project