CPFT Resource Centre Fulbourn Hospital

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) welcomes a new two storey, 1,200m2 mental health facility, which sits on the site of the previously demolished Kent House. Fundamentally, the project needed to support the Trust’s sustainability targets outlines in their ‘Action 50 Green Plan’. The plan requires the Trust to halve their carbon emissions by 2032 and achieve net-zero by 2045. To ensure the project upheld this, the new facility, which houses a gym, offices, Café and therapy rooms, was made from recycled modular units already owned by the Trust.

Key Stats

Delivered on time and budget
Saving 144t of carbon through reuse of existing NHS Modules
Client satisfaction 10/10
CCS 45/45
40% local spend

At a Glance

Client

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation NHS Trust (CPFT)

Budget

£6.1m

Completion

February 2023

Location

Cambridge

Framework

N/A

Sector

Health

Social value

£5.4m

Sustainability

99% Waste Diverted from Landfill

Our Approach

The Trust had 25 modules safely stored in Alconbury which had been previously used at Papworth Hospital, a facility which had been decommissioned a few years prior. These modules had been stripped and repaired by the team to realise the Trusts ambition to reuse these modules for a future project. By deploying our Intelligent Solutions approach, the project team were able to devise an innovative and unique strategy that reused the modules for this new Mental Health Facility at Fulbourn Hospital.

The new Resource Centre has co-located teams from existing departments such as physiotherapy, art and music therapy and the pharmacy team. Over 25 people will be working in the building, each with their own unique requirements, which will assist patients who require intensive mental health support.

One Team Approach

To turn the vision into reality and ensure programme savings were maximised from the reused modules, it required support from specialist consultants adopting a ‘one team approach’ system. Our team worked with specialist modular consultants and our supply chain at an early stage, as well as more than 50 stakeholders, to help complete this project.

"We brought specialist support to the project by working with consultant, Avie, a specialist modular structural engineer who were able to advise the best approach when it came to renovating the modules as well as Algeco; who are already a strategic supply chain partner and have worked with us on past modular projects. Northmores project management experience was also vital in this projects success. Their collective expertise alongside our team has helped us to be as efficient as possible when re-purposing the old modules.” – Alex Pett, Site Manager

Engaging with the hospital team and all necessary stakeholders was a crucial consideration for the project’s success.

The project team had all come across from the previous George MacKenzie House project on the same campus, which meant that they were familiar with the location, its proximity and had a pre-existing relationship built. As George Mackenzie was also a mental health facility, the project team were able to incorporate lessons learnt from this scheme, such as the need for anti-ligature windows.

Over 144 Tonnes of carbon saved on the project

Over 144 Tonnes of Carbon had been saved through reuse of the existing modular units. By opting to recycle these modules, it negated the need for new material to be manufactured or transported to site. This significantly reduced waste to landfill and carbon emissions from the transportation.

Other carbon reducing activities included the use of HVO fuel., The team used approximately 2,000 litres of fuel during the project which emits 97% less carbon than traditional diesel. In addition, there are 22 PV panels on the roof of the North Module block along with electric car charging points on site during construction.

Lightweight screed had also been used on the project, which not only is better suited to a modular build (as it’s less weight-intensive on the building structure), , it also dries faster and uses less cement, which again reduces the carbon.

Leaving a lasting legacy

The project team committed to a lasting legacy for the local community and were also able to achieve £5.4m in Social Value. Such initiatives included our Graduate Site Manager, Sharla Swinbourne overseeing the creation of a Memorial Garden in remembrance of a senior member of the Trust who had unfortunately passed away.

The project team Supported the local 5k Park Run and hosted a BBQ for the runners. This was a way to thank those impacted by the construction as we needed to temporarily update their route, which crossed through the project.

The project team also raised £560 for YMCA and Romsey Hill as part of a sleepout to support homelessness. Organised by LandAid, Deidre Farmery who represented the project team from Morgan Sindall took part in the charity event.

The new Resource Centre is a fantastic addition to our Fulbourn site. The buildings have been re-purposed and transformed into a place which I believe staff, service-users and visitors will really enjoy" Alison Manton, Associate Director of Estates at Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust