www.meinhardt.com.au
Practical Imagination:
New Aged Care Ideas that Work
About Us
When you come to Meinhardt you get new ideas that work. It is what we call ‘Practical Imagination’. Meinhardt is a multi-disciplinary engineering and professional technical services consulting firm. Formed in Australia in 1955, our Australian business operates throughout the country and internationally with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Perth. We are part of the Meinhardt Group of more than 30 offices in 5 continents across the globe. We place great emphasis on collaboration and share and transfer knowledge, expertise and resources between offices.
Practical Imagination Practical Imagination is our brand promise to you. It’s not just about what we do. But the way in which we do it. Our clients tell us that they appreciate dealing with our personable, approachable staff who provide them with clever, practical ideas and solutions which save time, money and provide better project outcomes. So that’s what you get when you come to Meinhardt.
The Personal Touch
“
Meinhardt’s design for Keon Park was considered and thorough. As Builder, we found their documentation complete, clear and concise. The Meinhardt team are true team players and interaction with our construction team, in particular our Site Manager, benefited and contributed to the success of the project” — —Ian Watson, Design & Development Manager | Total Construction
When we speak to clients, they tell us that it is our people that make the difference. They tell us that they are personable and enjoyable to work with. That is why we ensure our teams always have the right mix for your project; people with the technical know-how and expertise; people with creativity and imagination; and people who are approachable, friendly and responsive.
Capability
Aged Care
Aged Care
Capability
Our Capabilities
Our Structural Capabilities
The art of structural engineering requires an empathy with the creativity of the architect, an understanding of the pragmatism of construction, an appreciation of the economic imperatives of the client and the ability to work pro-actively and holistically in a design team.
Current knowledge of construction materials and technology is an essential tool in the structural engineer’s kit. But clients tell us that they also place value on effective communications, the ability to look holistically at a project and a commitment to work in a team to achieve a defined outcome in a designated time; these they say are the hallmarks of a creative structural engineer. We strive to deliver innovative, creative solutions that take into consideration all of your project’s performance parameters, such as cost and commercial viability, buildability and efficient use of construction resources, durability and functionality, long term operating flexibility and efficiency and environmental sustainability. This includes detailed input into value management studies as well as life cycle and recurrent costing requirements.
Our full service includes: ¡¡ Assistance with Town Planning applications ¡¡ Façade Engineering ¡¡ Preparation of Design Briefs ¡¡ Certification services ¡¡ Masterplanning ¡¡ Peer Review ¡¡ Concept Design ¡¡ Proof Engineering ¡¡ Detail design and documentation
Our Civil Capabilities
Good civil design is the cornerstone of any successful project. An intimate understanding of the site and its surrounds assists in the up-front resolution of difficult design issues and results in cost effective solutions.
Design is about unlocking the potential of a site and about maximising the value for the client, the community and the environment. We always look at projects both practically and imaginatively, balancing requirements to deliver a design which can help give you that market edge. Beginning with an in depth analysis and understanding of your site, we identify the opportunities and constraints for your project. You can then capitalise on our multidisciplinary capabilities and integrated design approach to achieve solutions, which are holistic, pragmatic and in-touch with the demands of modern day land development.
Our full service includes: ¡¡ Site Analysis ¡¡ Master Planning ¡¡ Civil and Environmental Engineering ¡¡ Water Sensitive Urban Design ¡¡ Sub-Division Design ¡¡ Sustainable Community Design and Advice
We deliver you a financial return on your investment while respecting and addressing economic, social and environmental aspects.
¡¡ Construction Phase services ¡¡ Building Information Modelling (BIM) ¡¡ Due Diligence Inspections
Capability
Aged Care
Aged Care
Capability
Our Services
Our MEP Capabilities
Our Planning Capabilities
When it comes to building services engineering, we tackle client issues as a business problem. How can we apply known systems, technologies and regulations in a way that is best suited to give you the optimum, most creative outcome?
Whether you just need accurate and honest advice at an early stage in your project, or guidance throughout the planning approval process, we can tailor our approach to your specific needs. Meinhardt’s Planning team thrives on solving your problems.
We work closely with your architects to create engineering solutions that help the functionality of your developments without being intrusive and with your contractors to ensure our designs are practical to build and cost-effective. Our senior staff take a ‘hands on’ approach, retaining project ownership and regarding relationships with clients as the highest priority so you can be assured of a personal service. Our designs will incorporate the latest building materials and energy systems technology for environmentally sustainable outcomes. We will recommend best fit solutions for the various elements of the building backed up by our experience and computer modelling of heat loads and system performance and daylight models.
Our full service includes: ¡¡ Mechanical Engineering ¡¡ Electrical Engineering ¡¡ Fire Protection Engineering ¡¡ Hydraulics Engineering ¡¡ Communications Services ¡¡ Security Systems ¡¡ Vertical Transportation ¡¡ Fire Performance Engineering ¡¡ Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD)/ Building Sciences ¡¡ Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Capability
Aged Care
Successfully delivering projects in existing urban areas requires the ability to construct a vision for a development site and keep this in mind while navigating the complex web of issues and challenges typically associated with redevelopment projects in built up areas. Meinhardt’s team of planners work hard to form a deep understanding of our client’s aspirations and specific needs for their projects. We couple this knowledge with our broad expertise in managing the planning issues that can arise throughout the project lifecycle to ensure that we deliver the optimum outcome for our clients in a manner which ensures their initial vision is not compromised. We understand that delays can have significant implications for a project’s commercial success and that every lost day costs. Our team are committed to ensuring a swift, smooth planning process – we achieve this by identifying potential roadblocks as early as possible so that they can either be designed out or we can leverage our positive, constructive relationships with local and state government planners to negotiate acceptable outcomes.
Our full service includes: ¡¡ Provide advice on planning issues throughout the project life cycle, from project inception through to construction ¡¡ Leverage an array of existing senior-level relationships within planning departments at most of inner-urban Councils and relevant State government departments ¡¡ Access a broad network of other consultants depending on the problems our client’s face ¡¡ Demonstrate a proven track-record of successfully securing planning approvals in challenging inner-urban locations with a focus on avoiding a lengthy and costly appeal process
Aged Care
Capability
Our Aged Care Understanding
Marketability, lifestyle and connectivity, and service delivery as the key factors in helping the client team arrive at quality aged care solutions. We work closely with a range of large aged care operators, project managers and architects to translate changing business drivers into future-proofed spaces. Recent changes in the aged care sector mean greater transparency for future residents – changes such as the publication of residential accommodation deposit (RAD) prices, consumer directed care for home care packages and a surge in new premium aged care developments in metropolitan centres. Knowledgeable consumers desire spaces that are well thought out. Meinhardt brings a proactive, positive and insightful approach to engineering design. We look to business drivers first, understand how these translate into spatial concepts, then find the engineering solutions to make those spaces work.
Marketability The aged care and retirement landscape is changing. The retirement age population is expected to grow rapidly. It is anticipated the number of retirees requiring supported care will also continue to grow through changes as part of the government’s “Living Longer, Living Better” strategy.
Lifestyle and Connectivity Traditionally, retirement communities were provided to meet the primary care and support needs of retirees. However, retirees now are seeking accommodation options which provide lifestyle choice and connection to the community based on experience in their current (non-retirement) accommodation.
The supply of retirement accommodation will grow to reflect demand. Retirees now are offered more choices in accommodation options than ever. Competition between accommodation providers is fierce. An aged care community needs to be specifically designed to ensure it is differentiated within the marketplace by providing a facility attractive to retirees, staff and the wider community.
Services such as gymnasiums, cinemas, libraries and sporting facilities provide choice for retirees and enhance lifestyle within the retirement development. Giving retirees choice within their spaces enables personalization to fit their lifestyle. Developments also need to be sensitive to the local demographics
¡¡ Flexible – to adapt to the differing needs of a young retiree and the older retiree “aging in place”. ¡¡ Environmentally sustainable – to appeal to the growing environmental conscience, particularly among young retirees ¡¡ Incorporate technologies – to assist with connectivity to community, and enhance service delivery.
Capability
Aged Care
Retirement living communities should promote connection with the local families and community. Communication technologies, such as skype, provide retirees with connections to family and friends further away. Facilities within the retirement village such as “Well-being” centres could be used by local clubs to encourage integration within the wider community. The delivery of age care services is complimented by a strong connection to the local health network and can provide further community integration through this connection.
Aged Care
Capability
Our Projects
Carlton Wellbeing Precinct
Tight Timeframe Delivery
Reduced Manual Labour Costs
Melbourne, Victoria
The Carlton Wellbeing Precinct Project, now known as Rathdowne Place, provides three standalone buildings arranged around a new central public park, and will consist of retirement living, aged and assisted care accommodation and community services. Meinhardt is providing structural and civil engineering services for Building 5. Early on in the project we worked with the architect to eliminate costly transfer structures and create a flat plate situation for the slab, thus reducing formwork and manual labour costs. As the most expensive part of a building is labour, having thicker slabs and higher material quantities but a simple build is more cost effective. By reducing steps and changes in geometry in the slabs it sped up the cycle time to build suspended floors. This process reduced the cost to the building and as such allowed more architectural features to remain part of the building post tender, creating a more attractive end product. Scheme to tender was achieved in just 6 weeks.
Capability
Aged Care
Waterbrook Retirement Village
Sloping Site
Minimise Costly Transfer Structure
Greenwich, New South Wales
Client: Australian Unity Architects: Jackson Architects with dwp | Suters Services Provided: Structural & Civil Engineering
Exclusive Retirement Village 5km from Sydney city centre set on 1.3 hectares of landscaped gardens. The development is a mixture of 79 spacious two and three bedroom apartments and penthouses and includes a car park, restaurants, recreation facilities and medical facilities. Meinhardt provided structural engineering services with Marchese to produce D&C tender documents. Meinhardt were then novated to the builder and completed the Detail Design and Construction Phase services. The major challenge on the site was to accommodate the development on a sloping site. The buildings were all on different levels with linked underground carparks. Meinhardt needed to establish a construction technique that allowed for temporary stability of the site and permanent retaining structure.
Client: Parkview Constructions Architects: Marchese + Partners Services Provided: Structural Engineering
Another challenge was to minimise costly transfer structure over the carpark. Meinhardt worked closely with Marchese + Partners to determine the structural system and to locate columns to minimise the transfers demonstrating our collaborative problem solving capabilities with Baptcare’s architects.
Aged Care
Capability
Our Projects
Keon Park Melbourne, VIC
Structural Redesign
Hybrid Solution
Mayflower Village Redevelopment
Staged Redevelopment
Minimised Construction Zone Disturbance
Westmead, NSW
We were brought on board to redesign the existing structural and civil proposals for a 96 aged care bed development at Keon Park, including a respite facility and administration area, to provide a more efficient solution. The builder requested a change to the foundation system – originally a stiffened raft on ground system with deepened edge beams – due to the highly reactive surface clay with a significant risk of being unworkable. Our hybrid solution is less impacted by poor soil conditions during winter/wet periods therefore less down time and has more certainty of construction materials required for construction ensuring a more practical, buildable outcome.
Client: Southern Cross Care ( VIC) Architects: Smith & Tracy Architect Services Provided: Structural & Civil Engineering
This project sees the total redevelopment of existing single-storey and low-rise aged care and independent living facilities. It will provide high-quality apartment units, aged care, community and childcare facilities in 5 multi-storey blocks up to 10 levels high with 3 levels of basement carpark to maximize the efficiency and development potential of the 13,500m² site. Redevelopment is being carried out in stages to maintain current operations and occupancy. Staged development required minimising construction zone disturbance on functioning buildings and minimizing duration of dislocated occupants. Priority given to rapid construction techniques and off-site preparation. Structural solutions incorporated pre-stressed slabs, modular and precast construction, and prefabricated wall systems. Excavation for basements also utilised piered wall shoring/ retaining systems to reduce extent of battered construction zones. This allowed maximum preservation of existing buildings in the adjoining staged zones from demolition.
Client: UnitingCare Ageing Architects: Marchese + Partners Services Provided: Structural & Civil Engineering
Provided a strategic civil engineering approach to enable the client to manage the staged development. In particular, civil elements included the design of onsite stormwater detention tanks, water sensitive urban design, existing and proposed services coordination as well as general civil works.
Capability
Aged Care
Aged Care
Capability
Our Projects
Living Choice Fullarton Adelaide, South Australia
Best Practice Design Principles
$400K Cost Saving
Hervey Bay Aged Care Facility
Long Term Relationship
Collaborative Design
Hervey Bay, QLD
$112 million new retirement village, advertised as “Adelaide’s finest retirement living”. The village comprises 141 Independent and Supported Living apartments plus a wide range of luxury leisure facilities including Indoor heated pool, Gymnasium, Cinema, Library, Hair, beauty and wellness centre and bowling green. Peace of mind is assured with 24-hour on-site care, emergency response buttons and three medical rooms for visiting practitioners. Meinhardt was contracted by Living Choice in the early stage of the project to redesign the building services. The aim of our involvement was to provide greater value to Living Choice while simultaneously enhancing occupant amenity, personalisation and usability.
Client: Living Choice
New 145-bed aged care facility, including a sauna, cinema, library, hairdresser and gymnasium.
Client: Padman Health Care
Architects: CED Building Design
The 9,000m² development is an integral part of a larger residential project and complements the new medical precinct, which includes the construction of Australia’s first fully-digitised hospital.
Architects: Kirkbride Boyce
Services Provided: Building Services Engineering
The project builds on five previous projects delivered for Padman Health Care over the last three years. It will be designed and delivered collaboratively by our Brisbane, Adelaide and Gold Coast offices.
Services Provided: Building Services, Structural & Civil Engineering
The solutions proposed included high efficiency building services coupled with best practice design principles, delivering a facility with low energy use and simple maintenance requirements. Building services and controls were relocated to back of house areas to preserve aesthetics of building. The process resulted in a cost saving to Living Choice of approximately $400,000 over the original design with Meinhardt maintaining involvement with this project and Living Choice.
Capability
Aged Care
Aged Care
Capability
Our Projects
Southern Cross Care South Australia
Reduced Running Costs
Sustainable Design
Adventist Retirement Care Facility
Operational During Construction
Staged Construction
Victoria Point, QLD
Philip Kennedy Centre: 2-level 52-bed extension integrated into the existing nursing home. Lourdes Valley Aged Care: Two storey nursing home building with 55 rooms, 50 undercroft carparks. Huntfield Heights Aged Care: New 180 bed nursing home (stage 1), with provision for an additional 40 beds (stage 2). The main considerations of the MEP designs were focused around sustainability and reducing running costs of the facilities. This has included: ¡¡ VRV air conditioning, which, with inverter technology, achieves significant savings in energy, running costs and space ¡¡ T5 fluorescent lighting, a high performance solution which has the potential to cut the energy use in lighting by 65% ¡¡ Solar Hot Water Units, which have been used to reduce one of the largest impacts on the nursing home’s energy bill, as well as cut their emission of Greenhouse Gases
Capability
Aged Care
Client: Southern Cross Care Architects: Kirkbride Boyce Services Provided: Electrical, Mechanical, Hydraulic, Fire and Lifts Engineering
The extension to the Residential Aged Care facility at the Adventist Retirement Village, Victoria Point, is a two stage development. The design for the new building has evolved from a thorough analysis of the site, the existing buildings and infrastructure. The client’s current and future operations and service delivery requirements were a key component of the planning for the development. Stage 1 of the redevelopment involved a 3-level building which includes undercover car parking, a new kitchen, administration area, cafe and 38 residential aged care beds. It also involved refurbishment of part of the existing facility to create a new administration area, chapel and café. The new extension and refurbished area resulted in a seamless integration with the existing facility. Stage 2 involved demolition of a redundant high care building and construction of an additional 52 aged care beds.
Client: Paynter Dixon QLD Architects: MPS Architects Services Provided: Structural & Civil Engineering
Careful planning was required to ensure existing facilities remained operational at all times which required staged construction & demolition so that residents could be relocated to the new section prior to any demolition. The project won the Lifestyle Accommodation for Seniors Category at the QMBA Awards. Aged Care
Capability
Our Projects
Lifecare Masterplan South Australia
Stakeholder Engagement
Masterplan study for a $180m capital works program over five sites and involves a shift in Lifecare’s thinking from traditional to new levels of service development, integration and delivery, while identifying and introducing design and development changes to our existing buildings. Meinhardt was engaged by Marchese to conduct inspections at each existing site and report on future trends in building solutions which could assist Lifecare in achieving its foundational principles for the master plan project. Proposed developments will incorporate leading edge assistive technologies and environmental sustainability initiatives. We have recently been engaged by Lifecare on a number of projects across multiple sites. Our approach is to conduct workshops with key stakeholders within the organisation to arrive at the solutions best for Lifecare, not simply replicating previous designs. Workshops include: ¡¡ Options for air conditioning systems, and risk minimisation in heating water systems ¡¡ Onsite power generation/emergency power generation ¡¡ Nurse call and communication systems
Capability
Aged Care
Leading Edge Sustainability Focus
Client: Lifecare / Thinc Projects Architects: Marchese Partners Services Provided: Building Services & Infrastructure Engineering
Central Park Aged Care Melbourne, Victoria
Staged Works
The redesign and upgrade of the building’s services plant in a series of staged works so that an additional level to the building can be created while the building is still occupied. By removing toilet flushing water tanks on the roof and replacing flushing valve type toilets with cistern type toilets, this design solution has saved space on the new roof plantroom, reduced construction cost and especially reduced the building water consumption due to the reduced amount of flushing water used by each cistern type toilet. Created space on the additional level for numerous sewer stacks, roof rainwater downpipes to continue through the additional level to the roof to vent or receive rainwater. This has demonstrated our design approach of a close and full coordination with the architect.
Reduced Construction Cost
Client: Japara Holdings Pty Ltd Architects: Peck Von Hartel Services Provided: Building Services & Structural Engineering; ESD Consultancy
Consideration has been given to minimize the disruption of the domestic cold and hot water supply to residents while the installation is being undertaken. To achieve this, an installation sequence has been documented and installation of additional isolating valves and temporary connection pipework has been specified.
Aged Care
Capability
Our Sectors Property & Buildings
Land Development
Infrastructure
Environment
Mining & Resources
Australian Offices Melbourne 501 Swanston Street Melbourne 3000 Victoria contact@meinhardtgroup.com t: (61-3) 8676 1200 f: (61-3) 8676 1201
Brisbane Level 2, 135 Wickham Terrace Spring Hill 4000 Queensland contact.qld@meinhardtgroup.com t: (61-7) 3018 5000 f: (61-7) 3018 5099
Sydney Level 4, 66 Clarence Street Sydney 2000 New South Wales contact.nsw@meinhardtgroup.com t: (61-2) 9699 3088 f: (61-2) 9319 7508
Adelaide 60-70 Queen Street Adelaide 5000 South Australia contact.sa@meinhardtgroup.com t: (61-8) 8227 1544 f: (61-8) 8227 1488
Perth Colin House Ground Floor, 33 Colin Street West Perth, Western Australia 6005 t: (61-8) 6261 7484
Gold Coast Level 1, 34 Thomas Drive Chevron Island Queensland, 4217 t: (61-7) 5528 6411 f: (61-7) 5528 6422
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