Christchurch Hospital Energy Centre

Our Canterbury team built the shell and core for Christchurch Hospital’s new energy centre. The IL4 energy centre houses two 7.5MW biomass boilers, an LPG/diesel back-up boiler, fuel handling facilities and associated infrastructure to provide 8.3bar steam to the Christchurch Hospital campus.

Collaboration was key, with the entire project team working effectively to find efficiencies and solve problems, especially when Covid-19 disrupted deliveries. We worked in parallel on site with the Austrian-based boiler contractor, Polytechnik, constructing the building as they installed the plant. We also shared resources, traffic management plans and resource consents and provided local materials and BIM modelling.

With up to seven large cranes on site involved in the base build and plant installation, meticulous coordination and planning was essential. Our BIM team amalgamated separate models into a single 4D BIM model covering the entire project from site establishment to final commissioning. Our team also provided planning and fit-out methodology for the complex services installation.

The site was close to laboratories housing delicate instruments, so vibration was a significant risk. Through vigilant monitoring and close communication with key stakeholders, we managed to promptly identify and resolve any issues.

The new energy centre cuts the hospital’s overall carbon emissions in half by using sustainably produced wood biomass in place of coal.