South Tipperary General Hospital, Ireland

Client's requirements

This design and build project involved the completion of Ireland’s largest modular ward extension – a state-of-the-art 3,300 square metre, 40-bed ward building at South Tipperary General Hospital.

The development consists of a two-storey accommodation block linked to the main hospital. It features 40 en-suite bedrooms, reception and lounge areas, kitchen facilities, staff changing rooms, store rooms and drug preparation facilities.

Our contribution

Appointed as the employer’s representative, we were responsible for administering the contract on behalf of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and to represent their interest at all times in accordance with the public works contract.

To achieve a naturally ventilated building, all bedrooms were designed on the building perimeter and fitted with large openable windows, with the main clinical rooms centrally located and fed from an air-handling unit. Working with the geography of the site, the new building was split into two blocks to allow access from the corridor of the new building on the ground floor directly to the central corridor and stairwell of the main hospital.

Making the difference

We worked closely with the specialist modular contractor, who manufactured all building components off site, to ensure the programme was on schedule. This significantly reduced timescales and allowed the tight 12-month programme with a value of €9m to be achieved.

We also closely monitored the interface between the modular (buildings) and on-site construction elements (site works) to minimise disruption to the live site and enable the hospital to remain fully operational throughout. This involved instructing the development of a transportation, crane and access strategy from the contractor.

Maria Barry, General Manager, South Tipperary General Hospital:

This new building provides the hospital with a modern department that will facilitate the delivery of safe, effective and efficient patient care. It will assist in reducing significantly the numbers of patients who are currently treated on trolleys in clinically inappropriate spaces and it will reduce the level of over-crowding on the wards and within the Emergency Department. 

We have a strong track record of successfully completing several similar health projects for the Health Service Executive. Utilising our health sector design and build knowledge and leveraging our expertise of managing modular projects, we successfully ensured this project was delivered to a fixed programme and budget.