UniSA Health Innovation Building investing in tomorrow’s future today

“In mid-2015, UniSA began building a new $247m health and research facility to support a collaborative and holistic approach to health research.”

The development, designed by BVN Architects and Swanbury Penglase, involved the construction of a 15-storey health and education building along the Riverbank Biomedical Precinct at North Terrace.

Direct Fire worked with Promat to establish a suitable and cost-effective fire proofing solution for the electrical penetrations on behalf of NSG Boffa the contracted Electrical Specialists by using PROMASEAL^® Bulkhead Sealer System Batts and PROMASEAL ^® SupaWrap for the majority of penetrations throughout the construction.

The fire protection system that Promat approved for this project included the PROMASEAL^® Bulkhead Sealer System which is the simplest of all fire stopping products to install. It is also one of, if not the most economical product to use. It can be installed in both concrete/masonry floors and walls (with an equal or greater fire resistance level) and has been tested up to 120 minutes with various penetrating applications. In many buildings, power cables (e.g. information technology and telecommunication services) are continuously added, altered and removed. PROMASEAL^® Bulkhead Sealer System enables this process to be carried out with the minimum of mess and inconvenience.

Special Gasses Enterprises completed the fit out for the medical gas copper pipework penetrations which were protected with PROMASEAL SupaWrap40.

Copper pipe and electrical penetrations were fire rated by using Promat Systems achieving a fire rating to the -/120/120 FRL required.

The building opened in 2018 and has already caused an array of excitement for health and medical researchers.

“The elegant new building, designed by architects Swanbury Penglase and BVN Donovan Hill, is home to UniSA’s research-rich School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, the globally recognised Centre for Cancer Biology (an alliance between UniSA and SA Health), UniSA’s technology-based business incubation hub (in collaboration with DXC and the State Government), the Innovation and Collaboration Centre, and a new and unique future-focussed public museum, MOD.”

Other interesting constructions details include NSG Boffa Electrical’s process of the initial design and installation of all electrical and communication infrastructure, including:
• Base Building Fit-Out & Design
• Switchboard Installation and Design
• Total Power Reticulation
• Deiseal Generator Installation
• Uninterruptible Power System
• Advanced C-Bus Lighting Control System
• Specialty LED Lighting (including Exit & Emergency Lighting)
• Road / Building / Pedestrian Perimeter Lighting
• AV System Install
• MATV System Install
• Public Address System
• Access Control & Security
• Advanced Solar System Design, Supply & Install
• Wind Turbine Design and Installation
• Signage and Advanced Exterior Lighting on Building Façade

In fact “The site has over 500 km of data cable, 2000 km of submain cabling, and 7000 network points. A comprehensive solar array which during peak performance, contributes 50 percent of the hot water energy demand for the building at full occupation (750 people).”