Aurecon named one of Australia’s Most Innovative Companies for 10 consecutive years
For 10 years, Aurecon has been named in the AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list, reflecting the company's sustained investment innovation.
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The Sunshine Coast University Hospital has received another accolade with the International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE) awarding the facility Healthcare Building of the year.
Global engineering and infrastructure advisory company, Aurecon, provided civil, structural and mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) engineering, and environmentally sustainable design (ESD) services to the project.
The AUD 1.8 billion hospital was delivered by the Queensland Government as part of a Public Private Partnership contract with Exemplar Health, a consortium comprising of Lendlease, Siemens and Capella Capital, with partners Spotless Facilities Services and Aurecon.
Since opening in April 2017, the hospital has become the largest public healthcare facility in Australia to achieve the building industry's highest honour with 6 Star Green Star Healthcare v1 Design and As-Built ratings.
Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) is the largest healthcare facility, in gross floor area, in Australasia to achieve such a high accolade in sustainability ratings. It is also the largest non-industrial Green Star certified project in Australia.
The hospital’s sustainability credentials were highlighted as part of the award ceremony, held in conjunction with the IFHE Congress in Brisbane, which this year adopted the theme of “Healthcare Engineering – Building on Sustainable Foundations”. Aurecon collected the award together with Queensland Haealth and Lendlease at the IFHE Congress and delivered it to the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service (SCHHS) last week.
Built on a 20 hectare greenfield site at Kawana, the tertiary teaching hospital services the Sunshine Coast region, as the hub in an integrated network of accessible healthcare.
“The scale of the project is difficult to comprehend; the facility comprises a total area of 400,000 m2 – the equivalent of about 100 football fields,” said Adrian Jenkins, Major Projects Director, Aurecon. “It has been designed to connect with and enhance the local community through its accessibility and role as a place of healing in a natural setting.”
The hospital opened in 2017 with 450 beds and has been designed for future expansion with an anticipated 738 beds by 2021.
Upon full occupancy of the hospital in 2021, the predicted reduction in energy consumption is estimated to be at least 20 percent, with a 40 percent peak energy demand reduction.
Aurecon’s Sustainable Design Leader, Queensland, Quentin Jackson, said that a myriad of engineering design approaches worked together to achieve the sustainability outcomes.
“This includes renewable and energy efficient infrastructure, rainwater harvesting and water reclamation systems, solar hot water systems, energy efficient lighting and ventilations systems,” Jackson said.
The hospital has also been designed to enhance physical and mental health and wellbeing, through clever use of ventilation, natural light, soft landscaping and non-toxic materials.
“The intent was to create a building that feels more like a home than a health facility,” Jackson said. “The benefits for patients and staff include reduced recovery time and better treatment outcomes.”
Aurecon has a strong track record in the healthcare industry, playing key roles in delivering major projects including the Gold Coast University Hospital; Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, Brisbane; Mater Children’s Hospital, Springfield; The New Children’s Hospital, Perth; The New Royal Adelaide Hospital; the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute; Royal North Shore Hospital, New South Wales; and Northern Beaches Hospital, New South Wales.
“It is a sector that is easy to feel passionate about – we all have family and friends who use hospital and healthcare services – delivering world class facilities is something we are hugely proud of,” said Aurecon’s Client Director, Health Australia, Ben Coxon.
Additional awards Sunshine Coast University Hospital project has won:
Group Director, Brand, Marketing & Communications
For 10 years, Aurecon has been named in the AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list, reflecting the company's sustained investment innovation.
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