NHS Whipps Cross Hospital, London - Refurbishment
In response to chaotic scenes of the Covid Pandemic and the across the country’s A&E departments, SEA Consulting were asked to assess the ventilation and heating services at Whipps Cross Hospital with a clear brief to improve fresh air circulation and help reduce potential trans-mission of the Covid 19 virus amongst patients and staff.
The refurbishment involved working with the NHS to adjust the layout of the A&E department to be Covid-19 secure. As part of the work, the existing ventilation system was recon-figured to work with the new layout of the department whilst it was in full operation.
Planning the alteration to the ventilation ducts was a particularly challenging, as many were located above patients heads. This had to also factor in the Covid-19 safety protocols being enforced by the hospital.
Careful consideration was given to the air flows within the department to reduce cross contamination to maximise safety for both staff and patients.
A major design flaw was also highlighted to senior NHS management, where the exhaust air was being ejected next to a supply air grille for one of the hospital wards. To prevent contamination to the rest of the hospital Ultraviolet treatment of the exhaust air was added to the design.
SEA Consulting would like to thank all the NHS workers along with other key workers for their hard work and dedication. We got to see first hand some of the challenges they were having to face during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Whipps Cross Project Highlights
Completed in 2 months
Time was a crucial factor, due to the pandemic. The team pull out all the stops to complete the project as fast as possible
Health Improvement
The case highlights the importance of good MEP Design, especially ventilation in the overall health of a building and the wellbeing of its occupants.