SAHMRI gets an Imaging
Makeover
15 December 2017
NDY: Australia has several world leading medical research facilities. As the poulation ages, the need for effective health solutions will become even more important. This is why it is vital to keep our medical research facilities on the cutting edge, by constantly improving their capabilities.
The
South Australian Health and
Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) is one of Australia’s premier
medical research institutions, with ongoing projects that seek to
investigate the causes and treatment of cancer, premature births,
infectious diseases, depression, heart disease, Aboriginal health
disparities, diabetes, and dementia. To ensure they have access to the
very latest in technology and capabilities, SAHMRI has collaborated with
Dr Jones & Partners to form the Clinical and Research Imaging Centre
(CRIC).
SAHMRI facility manager, Peter Pannach sees the CRIC as a mutually
beneficial partnership for both SAHMRI and Dr Jones & Partners.
“The ability for SAHMRI researchers to have access to leading edge
imaging technology – along with the expertise to use it – in an
environment that we knew was designed to ensure effective operation, is
incredibly beneficial,” says Pannach.
“The CRIC also benefits from having access to SAHMRI’s cyclotron, which
enables imaging staff to use new shorter half-life compounds in various
scans. This gives the imaging team access to better quality materials,
lowers the radiation dose patients are exposed to, and streamlines the
diagnostic process,” he adds.
As with most health projects, the implementation of the fitout had to
follow a strict timeline, and it had to be done while the building was
in full operation. The 24/7 nature of SAHMRI precluded off-hours
building, so the design had to consider how the fitout would be
constructed in a ‘live’ environment, without reducing the operational
status of other sections of the building.
To achieve this, all services had to integrate seamlessly with the base
building infrastructure, and it had to be done correctly on the first
attempt. NDY was the Lead Services Consultant for the base building,
providing Mechanical, Hydraulic, Acoustic, Integrated Building Systems
and Fire Engineering in the original design.
Bringing NDY on board meant that the team had first hand knowledge of
SAHMRI’s base building, which shortened the lead time to a completed
design, while ensuring that the service designs were compatible with the
base building infrastructure.
A tight fit
The space available was a double height section of approximately 470 sq
m. This wasn’t adequate to fit in all the required equipment and patient
spaces, which would total approximately 800 sq m. The solution was to
create a mezzanine level that would accommodate the necessary patient
waiting room, as well as the conference and training spaces. This
allowed the specialist imaging equipment to be housed on the lower
level.
Mr Pannach believes the mezzanine option was the perfect solution to
meet the needs of both SAHMRI and CRIC.
“From a commercial perspective, the amount of useable space was
maximised, ensuring that all the leading edge imaging technology was
kept in one location, making it cost effective and convenient for
researchers and patients alike,” he says.
“Patients don’t need to travel to different sites to receive a variety
of scans; they are able to have their treatment needs addressed in one
location, and our researchers can consistently gain access to leading
edge technology producing the highest quality data for their research
requirements.”
Integrating the mezzanine level services into the base building required
careful coordination due to the small service space, and the unique
requirements of the expensive and sensitive scanning technology
involved.
“The MRI machine in particular needed very specific services,” says NDY
Office Manager and Project Director John Versace. “This included a
helium purge line that would allow the machine to rapidly cool in the
event of a malfunction. Usually the helium would vent externally when
the machine overheats, but due to the location of the machine, we had to
take the pipe up through the ceiling, back along the room, down through
the service riser and then terminated it outside in the car park level
below. It’s quite a long quench pipe, but it’s engineered to provide
safe heat ventilation of the machine, even in catastrophic situations,
ensuring the machine and occupants are protected.”
A “Beast” of a machine
The placement of the MRI machine was a particular challenge for the
project. Because the machine was required for clinical research, it had
to be extremely reliable. This machine also required complete isolation.
Sound, radio signals and vibration could all ruin a scan, or compromise
the research being conducted.
“The MRI was problematic due to the magnetic field it produces,” says
Contech Architect Ben Klingberg. “There were a number of factors to
consider on where it was placed. Vehicles moving in the car parking
level below would interfere with the scans. Likewise, the adjacent train
line caused vibration that would spoil the scan. To counter these
issues, we moved the MRI so that it sat above the service space and
placed it on a concrete isolation slab to minimise vibration and improve
the acoustic isolation of the space.”
Given the MRI machine uses magnetic resonance to work, the slab below
the machine had to have minimal amounts of ferrous material, including
the normal steel reinforcing. “Too much ferrous material in the slab
would distort the image,” says Ashby Baron, Project Manager for SHAPE
Australia, the builders for this project. “We had to ensure vibration
was minimised as well. To that end, a vibration isolated slab was
constructed with 36 springs and housings, that separate the unit from
the existing structure and nearby Adelaide railway station. Significant
rework to the area below the MRI was also required, 18mm thick steel
sheeting was installed below the unit to shield the space and ensure it
could be occupied safely by occupants of the SAHMRI floors below”.
Acoustics were addressed with acoustic foam and steel shielding, with
the signal isolation achieved by lining the room with copper wiring,
creating a simple faraday cage. This would capture radio signals and
dissipate them into the earth, protecting the sensitive instruments
inside.
“The doors to the MRI room are specialist items,” says Klingberg. “They
have copper linings to fully shield the radio signals. When closed, the
room is completely isolated from any interference.”
With such a high degree of isolation and no natural air currents, the
HVAC solution was vital to patient comfort. Creating an effective design
was also a challenge due to the constraints of the project.
“The design couldn’t have any metal pieces,” says Versace. “Any metal
object or excessive noise would compromise the machine’s effectiveness.
Also, the split mezzanine just above meant there was little room for
services. We had to carefully coordinate our designs with the architect,
builder and call on our knowledge gained from involvement in the base
building design to enable the CRIC staff to get the most out of this
machine; and all of this had to be accomplished whilst maintaining a
24/7 operation.”
The other scanning equipment to be housed included a CT Scan machine, a
PET CT machine, X-Ray and ultrasound machines. Each required a safe,
surge free power supply, and modelling of the load placed on the floor.
A professional and comfortable environment
The conference and training areas on the second level sit next to the
patient waiting areas, so ensuring that the activities within didn’t
disturb the patients was also a key design goal.
“Practically every zone had to be acoustically treated,” says Versace.
“This also meant that the HVAC environmental systems had to have minimal
noise transference between zones. It also had to have a pleasant visual
appeal to keep in line with the patient-centric purpose of the space,
and reinforce the professionalism of CRIC.”
The solution in this area was to have semi-exposed services with
horizontal slats forming a floating ceiling that obscured the service
structure, yet did not obstruct the operation. Linear diffusers sit
above the batons for Architectural considerations, along with the added
benefit of lower air velocity, which means less noise generation in
these areas.
The visual appeal of the Mezzanine level was carefully considered, with
an emphasis placed on making a comforting and professional space.
Incorporating the structural flower columns was a challenge, but rather
than hide them, the designers used them to enhance the space.
“Instead of hiding the columns, we had them rendered in cement. It’s a
technique used on the base building that worked really well,” Klingberg
says.
The waiting room also brings in a lot of natural light, and includes
views of the surrounding precinct.
“People who arrive are often seen wandering around enjoying the space
instead of waiting in their seat,” says Klingberg. “This is exactly what
we were trying to achieve in this area.”
The project team are aware that this project offers immediate and
significant benefits to the research SAHMRI undertakes, as well as the
health and treatment options for people across Australia. This was shown
with the strong focus on a collaborative approach to ensure every aspect
of the project was built to specification, on time and as designed.
“In my time at SHAPE, I’ve worked on some highly complex and challenging
projects,“ Ashby Baron says. “This was the most technically challenging
project I’ve delivered in the health space. Coordinating between all the
parties on the project was vital to its success. I also found it to be
personally rewarding, as one of the most innovative health projects in
South Australia, offering great potential benefit to
the community.”
“It was a huge collaborative effort,” proclaims Versace. “The time frame
and precision was a challenge that would not have been possible without
the professional manner and expertise from all parties involved.”
Ben Klingberg is also proud of the outcome. “The final result is of a
very high standard,” says Klingberg. “It looks and feels like a
professional, well appointed space. It sets a new standard for fitouts
in the health industry. I’m also proud of the fact it reflects Contech’s
culture of working together with our partners to create a fantastic
result on a tight deadline.”
The CRIC project is a fine example of collaboration between
organisations to create a mutual benefit. SAHMRI now has access to
cutting edge medical imaging, Dr Jones & Partners has new and developing
technologies that they can explore along with their medical research,
and the people of South Australia have facilities that match the best in
the world.
--ENDS--
Source: Norman Disney & Young - www.ndy.com
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