Birmingham hospital unit expansion nears completion
Work to expand a Birmingham hospital unit is nearing completion ahead of its grand unveiling later in the year.
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Construction on the brand new extension to Good Hope Hospital’s Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) is well under way and on track to be finished for a summer opening.
And hospital bosses said none of the 491 tonnes of waste removed from the site during the works has ended up in landfill.
The MAU is where comprehensive assessments of patients, including physical exams, tests and medical history reviews, are carried out before being transferred to wards appropriate to their conditions.
So far, the old building housing medical records has been demolished and extensive excavation work has been completed. Modular buildings have also been carefully craned into place.
It is part of a £4 million capital investment at the site and the new area will adjoin the existing MAU creating a brand-new assessment space for patients.
All materials removed from the site have been recycled, including all the waste generated by the demolition works such as internal racking systems and electrical cables.
In terms of the soil, this was not contaminated so could also be reused off-site, maintaining the zero per cent figure going to landfill.
The hospital is working in partnership with modular building manufacturer McAvoy, who is working towards being carbon zero by 2050, and from November 2021, all electricity used at their manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland has been 100 per cent renewable.
So far this year, the company has diverted 99.76% of the waste created from all its project (a total of 9,814 tonnes) from landfill.
A Good Hope spokesperson said this aligns with their own green aspirations, with the hospital recently installing a giant 650kW air source heat pump, commissioning a new low-temperature-hot-water system and decommissioning an existing steam distribution system.
Tom Kearney, project manager for the MAU construction, said: “Sending zero per cent of waste to landfill to date is a brilliant milestone and shows the ‘green’ commitment of both McAvoy and Good Hope Hospital.
“The new modular buildings will offer a great space for excellent patient care, without a negative environmental impact – it’s a really positive outcome.”
