Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness

Brampton, Canada

The new Peel Memorial Centre is a state-of-the-art, three-storey healthcare facility providing specialized outpatient-based care, including urgent care, day surgery, and specialty clinics.

Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness

Brampton, Canada

The new Peel Memorial Centre is a state-of-the-art, three-storey healthcare facility providing specialized outpatient-based care, including urgent care, day surgery, and specialty clinics.

The Peel Memorial Centre’s first phase comprised urgent and emergent care departments where patients with non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries can be treated. Day surgery, dialysis, diagnostic services (including CT, X-Ray, and ultrasound, laboratory, pharmacy, neurology/cardiac diagnostics, and family health), mental health and addiction services, seniors’ wellness, and family health services are also available. The second phase included in-patient care, the addition of patient beds, and an education centre.

An important goal of the project was a focus on sustainable design and construction, with a target of achieving LEED® Silver certification. The rich program and sustainable features are enveloped in a welcoming and pleasing design punctuated by a principal façade of light-coloured brick and a spectacular multi-layered, multi-coloured glass entry.

location

Brampton, Canada

Budget

$491 M

LEED Certification

Targeting LEED® Silver

Size

54,906 m² (591,000 ft²)

Architect

Diamond Schmitt Architects; RKTL

Client

William Osler Health System

Role

Structural Engineering and Building Envelope Consultant

Challenge

The owner’s project requirements targeted a high R-value for the exterior wall to reduce heat loss, limiting the range of cladding options while being economical to build.

Solution

Our team worked collaboratively with the architect and contractor during a series of design workshops to guide the team towards a durable wall system design that solved numerous construction sequencing, assembly, and economic challenges. Wall designs were then analyzed for heat loss and condensation potential to confirm the design proposals complied with project requirements, including durability and LEED® credits. During construction, site testing was performed to verify that design requirements were successfully implemented on site.

Challenge

An accidental fire during the construction phase of Peel Memorial Hospital exposed some of the reinforced concrete structure to fire, fueled by the formwork and other combustibles. At the time, the structure had been erected up to the second-floor slab. The structural stability of the building had to be assessed and repaired to an as-new condition.

Solution

The structure was assessed through visual inspection at site-visits as well as tests on individual members to determine which elements of the building were unaffected, requiring repair, or to be demolished entirely. This was done in close collaboration with the constructor and other key project stakeholders. Testing methods included petrographic examination of concrete samples, rebar tensile testing of samples cut from the existing structure on-site, chain dragging, hammer sounding, Schmidt hammer testing, and compressive tests of concrete samples taken from the floor slab and shear walls affected by the fire. The result was a repair regime for affected structural elements which sought to minimize construction schedule.