Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178323
Nanaimo Regional General Hospital – Emergency Department COURTESY STANTEC ARCHITECTURE LTD. by Laurie Jones hen the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) expanded its emergency department in 1991 to handle 15,000 patient visits, the increased capacity worked for the population at that time. Over the years, as the city grew and the hospital became the primary regional referral centre for the Central Island Region, the number of visits rose to more than 53,000 and the department was bursting at the seams. This will change in September 2012 with opening of the 65,000-square-foot emergency department that will set a new benchmark for emergency medical services in B.C. Beyond the LEED Gold certi ication, a key component generating excitement is daylight – a feature built into both levels of the two-storey structure. Ray Pradinuk, principal with Stantec Architecture Ltd., says that the inspiration for the NRGH emergency department came from a hospital in Switzerland, the Basel Rehabilitation Center. "The thing that I found so intriguing with that building is how the care areas are designed with many sizes of rooms, including smaller units within larger areas, not between them. The daylight is infused into all areas rather than just making it available on the exterior," says Pradinuk. When the NRGH emergency department project began in September 2010, over 70 stakeholders were brought together for strategy meetings. "The people we enlisted for contributions included physicians, nurses, general staff, maintenance workers, ambulance services, home-care people from the community and advocates who have used the emergency department," says Jim Morris, project manager. "We had a 'visioning session' to determine what the facility should look like and how it could perform. Aspects considered were the need for the facility to be elder-friendly, barrier-free, culturally sensitive, have timely service and a number of other patient care elements. These became the core values of the design." The layout is simple with spacious walking areas. The natural light reduces the sense of walking in a corridor, which is unusual for a hospital. A window wall on one side visually connects users with the outside courtyard. Interior light wells connect workers to the natural elements. Daylight has added bene its. "Documented statistics indicate that working in natural light reduces sick time and overtime, improves staff W Nanaimo Regional General Hospital – Emergency Department p.92-95CityPlace_Nanaimo Regional.indd 95 recruitment and retention, and reduces medication errors," says Morris. Installed for patient cubicles, an E-door system incorporates a glass wall to create an environment of privacy and infection control. "In most emergency departments, patient areas are divided by curtains that provide little privacy and no con identially," says Morris. "Sensitive information can be heard by everyone within earshot, and the spread of bacteria is easy with the cloth dividers. The glass enclosures on the new patient rooms eliminate these issues." These electronic doors have a unique option for privacy at the touch of a button. "When the electricity is turned on, the doors are clear, but when the switch is turned off, an opaque band appears in the middle of the glass wall providing privacy for patients and medical teams. Clear sections above and below the band maintain the light low to avoid a feeling of being boxed into a small environment." Displacement ventilation within each cubicle creates a low-velocity exchange of incoming air from vents near the loor, which is drawn from the room through vents in the ceiling, again reducing the spread of bacteria. The new emergency department is a purpose-built facility for people with mental health or addiction issues. "Psychiatric emergency service patients are seen in an individual area, separating them from other patients, including families," says Morris. "We also have a six-bed unit that is designed for patients who require psychiatric intensive care." A sophisticated geothermal exchange system is designed to reduce energy costs. "We installed the system in an insulated, underground space where a labyrinth of over 50 water containers creates a heating and cooling exchange of air drawn into the earth tube by three fans," says John Higgins, project architect with Stantec. "This passive energy system saves the cost of preheating the intake air before it is released into the hospital's ventilation system. The energy cost will be reduced by over 50 per cent." The building also has a state-ofthe-art system of blinds on the outside of the windows that move based on solar radiation and can also be controlled by a mechanical system. Site superintendent, Bernd Pohl, orchestrated a strong contingent of tradespeople, resulting in a positive tone on the site. "The natural light is a key component. It creates a comfortable ambiance with nice working conditions. Other LOCATION 1200 Dufferin Crescent Nanaimo, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Vancouver Island Health Authority ARCHITECT Stantec Architecture Ltd. GENERAL CONTRACTOR CMF Construction Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Stantec Consulting Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT HB Lanarc TOTAL AREA 65,000 square feet TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST $21 million hospitals on Vancouver Island have a courtyard feel in the entrance, but that is lost in the serviceable areas." The facility is seismically secure to hospital standards. "The structural steel component was intensive. We worked on the concrete for almost a year with pouring and forming, but the end result speaks for itself," says Carla Smith, project manager and president of CMF Construction Ltd. "We used 218 tons of steel and the rebar in the concrete slabs will exceed 200 tons. The concrete volume exceeds 2,900 cubic metres." Morris emphasises many people contributed to the facility. "Everyone involved is very proud to be part of such an amazing project. The quality of work and detail in design is outstanding and we know residents and medical personnel will be pleased with the results." ■ AUGUST 2012 /95 7/13/12 10:44 AM