CASE STUDY QUADRAM INSTITUTE
the ground-floor canteen o ers an informal
environment for conversation and the atrium
provides additional space to host events and
exhibitions.
ENERGY REDUCTION
Addressing energy use was another principal
objective for the project, as a way to mitigate
against the complex and energy-hungry areas,
from clinical to bio-containment, which are
typical for a project of this nature. From an
energy point of view the biggest challenge was
to design the heating, cooling and electrical
systems for a single building with multiple
requirements and standards.
As energy reduction was crucial to the design,
the level of internal environmental control and
analysis was carefully considered; opportunities
to safely reduce the traditionally applied
laboratory air change rates were an important
element.
The air change rate is the biggest source
of energy consumption in a healthcare
environment; if the amount of air moving
around the building is reduced, this changes
how o en it needs to be heated or cooled. This
was particularly applicable in the laboratories
– rather than the hospital – as HTM standards
would inform the hospital’s design. In existing
facilities, the use of 12 air changes per hour
in laboratories was common. At the Quadram
Institute, the team were able to reduce this to
six air changes per hour, which enabled them
to use the night set mode and thus override the
system. This allows the system to be reduced to
lower levels for scientists working at night.
Energy e iciency strategies were employed
across the facility by considering the use of
26 JUNE 2020
natural light. Large internal glazed openings
promote connectivity between the research
teams and those involved in patient care.
All spaces are flooded with natural light and
views through the building to the exterior,
with wellness for users at the heart of the
design. The intention is to connect building
users directly with their environment while
maintaining a level of comfort that supports
the Quadram Institute’s best work.
MANAGING MAINTENANCE AND BEING FIT
FOR THE FUTURE
In addition to monitoring energy levels,
it was important for the client to create
systems that would support the facilities
team once the building was operational.
With the pace of research evolving at an
unprecedented rate, it was essential that
the building services could adapt to future
needs.
The Quadram Institute uses a single
building management system, providing
a consistent operational platform across
each of the resident organisations. While
each organisation has its own requirements
for temperature levels and airflow in key
spaces, the open-plan o ices are set at
a temperature to allow a good band of
comfort. The laboratory systems operate
over a variety of di erent time periods and
temperatures. These can be manipulated
by the facilities team or via user override
switches to reduce the need to cool
unoccupied spaces.
The laboratories are designed with
exposed high-level services in the open-plan
areas, allowing the use of fabric ducts for
dra -free air distribution, easy maintenance
and adaptability. This also creates a
striking feature and an enhanced feeling
of spaciousness. Spare capacity has been
provided within the utility distribution, with
distribution zones at regular intervals. This
allows for system upgrading without major
disruption to the installation and building
operation.
The client’s need to respond quickly and
innovatively to the latest user needs requires
a flexible approach to delivering highperformance
spaces, and an approach was
identified early on to allow workspaces to be
modified as teams changed and developed.
Open-plan o ices are easily configurable
to accommodate di erent research groups
due to a reduced number of cellular o ices.
Similarly, each laboratory can flex and adapt
to accommodate a range of uses.
LOOKING AHEAD – TO A POST
COVID-19 WORLD
Ground-breaking new research from the
Quadram Institute is already making an
impact within the community and benefitting
wider society. This is exemplary of the huge
potential that the Quadram Institute has in
its new home. Bringing diverse disciplines
together under one roof will undoubtedly
foster collaboration, as well as contribute to
major progress in the fight against diseases
such as cancer and diabetes.
The groundwork has undoubtedly paid
o , as scientists from the Quadram Institute
have volunteered to join the flight against
COVID-19 by working with sta at the NNUH
to process thousands of COVID-19 tests –
demonstrating how vital a resource it is to
the UK’s healthcare service, as a catalyst for
collaboration.
Photos: Quadram Institute ©Nick Gutteridge
REFERENCE NOTES
(i) www.burohappold.com
(ii) www.nbbj.com
(iii) https://quadram.ac.uk
(iv) www.norwichresearchpark.com/
(v) www.uea.ac.uk
(vi) www.nnuh.nhs.uk/departments/
gastroenterology/
/
/www.nbbj.com
/quadram.ac.uk
/www.burohappold.com
/www.uea.ac.uk
/
