The project involved construction of a £29 million ($46.33 million) phase II of Institute of Life Science and a £22 million ($35.14 million) Centre for NanoHealth (CNH). The company has built a seven storey building that has a total footprint of 6000 square metres.
The Institute of Life Science Phase II building houses a clinical research facility, a clinical imaging suite (with CT and MRI), the Centre for Health Informatics, Research and Evaluation and (CNH). The building also has operational business incubation units. The new developments have brought about a three fold growth in the space for development of new products and services for healthcare at the University.
The new building has a full-height glazed atrium which cuts a path through the tower of the structure, and serves as a link between the University and adjacent Singleton Hospital. The tower houses high-quality incubator offices and meeting spaces and in-patient facilities for clinical research purpose. The fifth floor of the tower has a cafe and an open terrace overlooking the Swansea bay.
The building’s envelope permits seamless installation of the specialist equipment (such as MRI and CT scanners) with services at the ready, including delivery of chilled water from the plant room as part of the ILS2.
The ground floor of the building houses the Centre for NanoHealth. It has perpendicular orientation to the main tower. The CNH has state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, a high-tech clean room and nano probe and e-beam machines.
Leadbitter, for the construction of CNH, used exacting specifications and special construction techniques that ensured efficient operation of the equipment. The facility’s foundation and floor has been made with anti-vibration concrete. It has a series of isolated slabs supported by a cluster of piles.
Construction of tower and CNH was done in tandem and both facilities were delivered to the university on time. Based on several green aspects, the building was awarded BREEAM Excellent rating at design stage. The green elements of the building include natural ventilation, rainwater recycling and a sophisticated building management system that monitors and controls lighting, heating and ventilation throughout the facility.
Leadbitter used timber coffer void formers in construction, which were re-used and recycled, and improved the sustainability profile of the building and contributed towards BREEAM rating.
