Inside Sheffield’s new health innovation hub Extreme heat The growing challenge for NHS estates Decarbonisation Turning whole-life targets into contractual obligations Walls and door Designing resilience into healthcare settings Also in this issue: OCT 2026 | £8 healthcaredm.co.uk healthcare design & management hdm Cover Oct 2026 v2.indd 1 09/10/2026 09:34
We know healthcare. For over 120 years, innovation has been our inspiration, and product excellence our goal. Our expert knowledge, pioneering attitude and established partnership with Armitage Shanks have inspired our market-leading healthcare products. Our solutions are designed to meet the requirements of HBN 00-10 Part C, while suiting your individual budget and requirements. Trusted by healthcare facilities in the UK and around the world for over 60 years. marketing@venesta.co.uk Call us on 01474 353333 www.venesta.co.uk Speedy installation. All Vepps Healthcare units are pre-plumbed at our manufacturing facility, meaning on site installation times are reduced by 50%. Healthcare compliant. All products are HBN 00-10 Part C compliant and parts used throughout the range are WRAS listed or self-certified as compliant. Easy maintenance. With lockable, hinged doors and panels, it’s quick and easy to access concealed duct space to complete ongoing maintenance work. Guaranteed quality. Offsite manufactured in the UK, with perfect panel and door alignment, all with a rock-solid 10 year guarantee for added peace of mind. CDQMA Partners with Adverts hdm OCT.indd 2 08/10/2026 12:44
healthcaredm.co.uk 3 Publishers Stable Publishing Limited SBC House, Restmor Way Wallington, Surrey SM6 7AH, England. t. 020 8288 1080 f. 020 8288 1099 e. sales@healthcaredm.co.uk healthcaredm.co.uk Editor Helen Adkins Production Nicola Cann Design Gemma England Media Sales Manager Terry Stafford Head of Sales Julian Walter Managing Director Toby Filby National Centre for Child Health Technology – The Spark The publishers do not necessarily agree with views expressed by contributors and cannot accept responsibility for claims made by manufacturers and authors, nor do they accept any responsibility for any errors in the subject matter of this publication. healthcare design & management Designing for the future is an obvious ambition for any new healthcare building. The difficulty lies in deciding what that actually means in practice. We know that healthcare buildings need to be flexible. They need to accommodate changing services, equipment and ways of working, while continuing to meet the demanding technical, clinical and operational requirements placed upon them. But The Spark in Sheffield takes that principle into particularly interesting territory. On page 12, we look at how the new National Centre for Child Health Technology – The Spark – brings clinical care, research, technology development and commercial collaboration together under one roof. It is not simply a healthcare building with research space attached, but a facility deliberately designed to bring different disciplines and organisations into closer contact. That creates some interesting tensions. A building intended to encourage collaboration must also provide privacy and security. Highly specialist clinical and research areas sit alongside spaces designed to bring people together. And an environment capable of accommodating sophisticated technology still needs to feel welcoming and reassuring to the children and families who will use it. Perhaps most interestingly, the technology has not simply been fitted into the architecture. In parts of the building it has helped determine it. The requirements of the Gait Lab, for example, influenced the structural design, while moveable walls and adaptable services have been incorporated to allow spaces to change over time. There is something important in that approach. Healthcare technology is often discussed in terms of the devices, systems and innovations themselves, but their successful adoption also depends on the buildings in which they are expected to operate. The Spark offers a useful example of what happens when those considerations are brought into the design process from the outset, and when flexibility is treated not as an abstract aspiration, but as something that has to work at structural, technical and operational level. Helen Adkins Editor Helen.Adkins@stable-media.co.uk Editor’s letter October 2026 The Spark – designing for the future hdm Leader Oct 2026.indd 3 09/10/2026 09:36
29 12 18 22 32 hdm Contents Oct 2026.indd 4 08/10/2026 10:41
IN THIS ISSUE... October 2026 7 News A round-up of the latest news, projects, appointments and developments from across the healthcare design, construction and estates sector. 12 The Spark – home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology Bringing clinical care, research and technology development together under one roof, The Spark creates a highly flexible, child-centred environment in Sheffield. Helen Adkins talks to HBC Construction, Whittam Cox Architects and HLM Architects about the thinking behind the project. 18 When hospitals overheat As extreme heat places growing pressure on NHS buildings, infrastructure and services, healthcare estates need to look beyond short-term cooling measures. James Bate, sustainable healthcare lead at Turner & Townsend, considers how climate resilience can become part of long-term estate planning. 22 Making whole-life carbon a contractual commitment Rekha Thawrani OBE, global director at NEC Contracts, examines how collaborative contracting can support PAS 2080 and whole-life carbon management. She also considers how contractual mechanisms, including NEC Option X29, can help translate sustainability targets into measurable project requirements. 26 Layering energy savings in a live healthcare estate GFM managing director Ian Sayers explains how a phased programme of lighting, controls, cooling and equipment upgrades reduced energy consumption by 21% at a live oncology centre, while allowing critical clinical services to remain fully operational throughout the works. 29 Designing wall and door resilience into healthcare settings Healthcare interiors must meet demanding requirements for fire safety, robustness, acoustics and compliance. Steve Warriner, head of specification at Siniat, considers how early specification, appropriate testing and collaboration with manufacturers can reduce risk and help internal wall systems perform as intended. 32 Balancing security and accessibility in healthcare Hospitals and care facilities must remain accessible around the clock while ensuring sensitive and restricted areas are properly controlled. Simon Wilson, business development manager – healthcare at Abloy UK, examines how access systems can balance security, usability and the demands of a 24/7 healthcare environment. 7 26 2 hdm Contents Oct 2026.indd 5 08/10/2026 10:41
DESIGN BUILD FINANCE At MTX, our full-service construction solution brings together design, build, finance, operation and maintenance expertise for healthcare building projects throughout the UK. From financial structuring to long-term facilities support, we offer NHS Trusts one single, streamlined route from concept to completion – ensuring every stage of delivery is aligned. With a proven track record of delivering high-quality results on time and to budget, we’re committed to shaping the future of NHS estates to meet the demands of modern healthcare – better, faster and greener than ever. East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Adverts hdm OCT.indd 6 08/10/2026 12:44
healthcaredm.co.uk 7 NEWS Government investment, NHS estate modernisation and growing demand for community healthcare facilities are expected to support continued growth in the UK healthcare construction market, according to new analysis from Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB). The consultancy’s latest Construction Market Intelligence report identifies healthcare as one of the more resilient areas of the construction sector, despite continuing uncertainty across the wider market. Following a challenging period, healthcare construction returned to modest growth in 2025, with public sector investment accounting for a significant proportion of activity. RLB expects growth to strengthen through 2026 and beyond, although at a measured rather than rapid pace. New hospital developments, estate rationalisation, community healthcare facilities and backlog maintenance are among the areas supporting demand. The report identifies modernisation of the NHS estate as a key driver, with a significant proportion of healthcare buildings requiring major refurbishment or replacement. The New Hospital Programme is expected to remain an important source of construction activity following its reset in 2025, which introduced a revised timetable for delivery. Capital investment is also supporting the market, with funding being directed towards backlog maintenance, equipment replacement, operational improvements and strategic developments. RLB also points to the shift towards community-based care as a growing source of construction activity. Investment in community diagnostic centres, neighbourhood health facilities, mental health services and primary care estate is expected to generate further opportunities as the NHS seeks to provide more services outside acute hospitals. Adam Hurst, national head of healthcare at RLB, said: ‘The outlook for the UK healthcare construction market is positive. While funding constraints and delivery challenges remain, healthcare benefits from strong underlying demand, political priority and a substantial pipeline. ‘Public investment in health infrastructure is expected to remain a key contributor to construction growth through the remainder of the decade.’ However, Hurst said delivery would depend on the availability of a sufficiently skilled workforce, healthcare construction experience and the ability of the supply chain to respond to changing NHS procurement, sustainability and modern methods of construction requirements. ■ www.rlb.com/europe Healthcare construction market set for continued growth 7, 8, 9, 11. News.indd 7 09/10/2026 09:37
8 healthcaredm.co.uk NEWS A new community diagnostic centre in Braintree has been completed and handed over to Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, and opened to patients in September. Located at Braintree Community Hospital, the centre is expected to provide around 75,000 additional diagnostic appointments in its first year. Services will include CT and MRI scans, ultrasounds, blood tests and heart and lung checks, with the centre operating seven days a week. The Trust will now complete the final fit-out and installation of diagnostic equipment before the first patients are welcomed. The Braintree Community Diagnostic Centre forms part of the Governmentfunded national programme to increase diagnostic capacity and provide more tests outside acute hospital settings. Construction was carried out by McLaughlin & Harvey, with the project delivered through the Crown Commercial Service framework. ■ £17.8m Bridgwater diagnostic centre opens A new £17.8m community diagnostic centre has opened in Bridgwater, Somerset, providing additional MRI and CT capacity and almost 25,000 extra scans a year. Developed by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, the Bridgwater Diagnostic Centre is located alongside Bridgwater Community Hospital and was funded by NHS England as part of the national community diagnostic centre programme. The facility has been developed through the Trust’s managed service partnership with Ergéa UK, with Actiform involved in its delivery using modern methods of construction (MMC). As well as MRI and CT services, the centre will house Somerset’s first dedicated urology investigations unit, which is due to open later this year. Adam Turner, head of imaging at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘This facility will help us provide faster access to vital diagnostic tests, support earlier diagnosis and make it easier for patients to be cared for closer to home. It is also helping us free up capacity across our two acute hospitals in Somerset, supporting better care for inpatients.’ The centre follows the opening of community diagnostic facilities in Taunton and Yeovil and forms part of the Trust’s programme to increase diagnostic capacity across Somerset. Actiform said the use of MMC enabled different stages of construction to progress in parallel, reducing the time required to deliver the new facility. ■ Braintree community diagnostic centre completed A new £15.2m community health centre has opened in Belper, Derbyshire, bringing a range of outpatient and clinical services together in a purpose-built facility. Commissioned by Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, the centre includes 15 consulting rooms, six treatment rooms and a health education group room. Services include community nursing, phlebotomy, midwifery, podiatry and physiotherapy as well as continence advice, and speech and language therapy. The facility has been built on the site of the former Belper Clinic at the Babington Hospital site on Derby Road and will accommodate existing outpatient and clinical services previously provided at Babington Hospital. Jim Austin, chief executive at Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘The project to develop new health facilities in Belper has been many years in the planning. We are delighted now to have such an impressive building from which to deliver healthcare to local residents for many decades to come.’ Designed by Race Cottam Associates and constructed by Henry Brothers, the centre incorporates photovoltaic panels and uses locally sourced and recycled materials where possible. The project was procured through the Pagabo Major Construction Works Framework. ■ £15.2m community health centre opens in Belper 7, 8, 9, 11. News.indd 8 09/10/2026 09:37
healthcaredm.co.uk 9 NEWS A new £26.5m endoscopy unit has been completed at Lincoln County Hospital, increasing diagnostic capacity for patients across Lincolnshire. The 1,972 sq m purpose-built outpatient facility provides four endoscopy procedure rooms, with space for a further two, alongside 12 preparation and recovery pods. Located alongside the main hospital, the unit also includes decontamination facilities, a patient interview room, staff facilities and a training suite for clinical education. The development is intended to increase diagnostic capacity, reduce waiting times and provide greater privacy for patients. Professor Karen Dunderdale, chief executive of Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group, said: ‘Our endoscopy diagnostic services can help to detect cancer, so it is vital that we invest in these services to continue to support our patients with fast and comfortable diagnostic services. ‘This new unit will enable us to increase our diagnostic capacity, improve patient experience by offering even higher levels of patient privacy and provide a great working environment for our staff.’ The scheme has achieved BREEAM Excellent certification and Secured by Design Gold accreditation. EDGE provided project management, NEC supervision, design coordination, programme support and healthcare planning services through the NHS ProCure23 Framework. The wider project team included P+HS, Price & Myers, Derry Building Services and contractor Bowmer + Kirkland. ■ £26.5m endoscopy unit completed at Lincoln County Hospital A new £26m community diagnostic centre has opened at St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping, providing increased access to diagnostic tests outside an acute hospital setting. The facility, developed for The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, provides MRI, CT and X-ray scanning, nonobstetric ultrasound, cardiology and respiratory diagnostics, and increased capacity for blood tests. A further £6m extension is now under construction and is due to complete in early 2027. This will provide additional ultrasound and X-ray capacity, alongside a fibroscan service and facilities for transnasal endoscopy. The centre has been created by refurbishing and extending an existing bungalow on the St Margaret’s Hospital site rather than constructing an entirely new building. Thom Lafferty, chief executive of The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said: ‘The CDC is just the start £26m diagnostic centre opens in Epping of our ongoing commitment to provide integrated care to our community, closer to home.’ Morgan Sindall Construction delivered the project through the NHS ProCure23 Framework and used its CarboniCa digital carbon analysis tool during design and construction. Changes to the parapet, drainage and secondary steelwork designs resulted in reported embodied carbon savings of around 175 tonnes CO2e. The St Margaret’s facility forms part of the Government-funded national community diagnostic centre programme to increase diagnostic capacity and provide more tests and scans in community settings. ■ 7, 8, 9, 11. News.indd 9 09/10/2026 09:37
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healthcaredm.co.uk 11 NEWS A new purpose-built county mortuary in Northamptonshire has been completed, and is described as the first standalone specialist facility of its kind in England. The multi-million pound facility at Riverside Business Park has been delivered for West Northamptonshire Council through its New specialist mortuary completed Community Health Partnerships (CHP) is investing almost £1m to create additional clinical space at The Stone Castle Centre in Doncaster. The £996,715 project will remodel underused first-floor space to create five flexible consulting rooms for Conisbrough Group Practice, as well as upgrading mechanical ventilation. The scheme is part of the first wave of the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme and is expected to complete in early 2027. The additional space is expected to provide capacity for thousands of extra patient appointments each year. The Stone Castle Centre currently houses two GP practices, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), eating disorder support, pharmacy provision and community clinics. CHP is working with NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, Conisbrough Group Practice, Doncaster Estates Partnership (LIFTCo) and Sewell Advisory to deliver the project. Jane Fitch, regional director for North East at CHP, said: ‘By creating extra clinical space, it will enable more appointments, improve access and support the delivery of joined-up care closer to where people live.’ ■ £1m investment to expand Doncaster health centre framework partnership with healthcare specialist contractor Stepnell. The project was developed in collaboration with University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, Northamptonshire Coroner’s Service, Northamptonshire Police and local funeral directors. Bringing the county’s post-mortem services together under one roof for the first time, the facility will provide a central hub for coronial and forensic mortuary services across Northamptonshire. It is intended to reduce pressure on hospital sites and will also have capacity to support cases from elsewhere in the UK and internationally. The building incorporates specialist mortuary systems and advanced scanning technology, alongside dedicated viewing and identification rooms, cultural washing facilities and private spaces for bereaved families. Tom Sewell, director at Stepnell, said: ‘As the first standalone mortuary of its kind in England, this highly specialised facility demanded exceptional coordination from our healthcare delivery team. The project required the seamless integration of complex mortuary systems and advanced scanning technology, alongside the creation of a building that delivers uncompromising technical performance while maintaining dignified spaces for bereaved families.’ Stepnell achieved a silver rating under the Considerate Constructors Scheme for the project. ■ 7, 8, 9, 11. News.indd 11 09/10/2026 09:37
12 healthcaredm.co.uk PROJECT The Spark Building for the future of children’s healthcare Bringing clinical care, research and technology development together under one roof, The Spark is a new kind of healthcare environment. Helen Adkins, editor of hdm, talks to the team behind the project – HBC Construction, Whittam Cox Architects and HLM Architects – about creating a highly flexible, child-centred facility designed for the future of healthcare The Spark – home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) in Sheffield – is due to become operational on 12 October 2026. The building brings together children’s healthcare, research, technology development and commercial collaboration under one roof. Delivered by HBC Construction in partnership with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, the purpose-built facility spans approximately 43,000 sq ft at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. It includes outpatient and therapy facilities alongside research and development areas, specialist technology spaces, collaborative environments and business and administration functions. This unusual combination of uses presented the project team with a brief that did not fit comfortably within a conventional healthcare model. For Ryan Fish, associate director/ architect at Whittam Cox Architects, which led the design of the building shell and external architecture, that mix helped determine the organisation of the building from the outset. He explains: ‘That mix of uses was one of the most interesting parts of the brief. The building needed to provide highly functional clinical and research spaces, but also create somewhere that encouraged collaboration between clinicians, researchers, technology partners and businesses. ‘From the outset we wanted the ground floor to feel open, welcoming and accessible, with the more collaborative and outward-facing uses helping activate the building at ground level. As you Caitlin Cadman Mathew Clarke Ryan Fish 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The Spark.indd 12 09/10/2026 09:38
healthcaredm.co.uk 13 PROJECT move through the building the spaces become more private and specialist, accommodating the outpatient, clinical and research functions required by the Trust. It created a simple organising principle for what was actually a very complex and completely unique brief.’ Caitlin Cadman, senior interior designer at HLM Architects, which developed the interior architecture, describes a similar hierarchy: ‘The Spark is organised to bring clinical care, research and innovation together under one roof. Innovation and technology development spaces are located on the ground floor around a central hub and atrium, outpatient and therapy facilities occupy the middle floors, and business and administration functions sit above, all connected through a layout designed to encourage interaction and collaboration.’ A DIFFERENT HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT From a construction perspective, The Spark also sits somewhere between healthcare and the life sciences sector. ‘I wouldn’t say this project was particularly different – it’s more of a hybrid of the kind of jobs we do in the healthcare and life sciences sectors,’ says Mathew Clarke, construction director at HBC Construction. ‘Certain areas of the building have a traditional clinical feel, albeit with an abundance of natural light and a very modern, vibrant and inviting character for young people. Other areas focus more on R&D, sitting at the cutting edge of innovation, while still operating as a treatment facility to HTM standards and healthcare requirements throughout the clinical areas.’ One of the challenges for the architects was therefore to establish an identity for a building that did not have an obvious precedent. Fish says: ‘We deliberately avoided trying to make the whole building overtly playful. The architecture still needed the sophistication and importance appropriate to a national centre for healthcare, technology and research. Instead, the playfulness comes through in more controlled moments. The colour at the upper level, the staggered windows and coloured panels, the large doubleheight entrance and the use of natural light all help soften the architecture and give it a very different character to a conventional hospital. ‘The aim was to create a building that does not feel childish but still makes clear that children and young people are at the heart of its purpose.’ Externally, the building also needed to respond to its setting at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park (SOLP) and the wider architectural character of Attercliffe. Fish continues: ‘The red brick, deep bays and reveals give the building that solidity and permanence, connecting it back to the wider heritage of Attercliffe. The staggered windows and use of colour then pick up on some of the architectural language already established across SOLP, including the University Technical College (UTC), the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC), the Oasis Academy and Steel City Stadium. DESIGNING FROM THE INSIDE Inside, the design had to work for a diverse group of users, from children and families to healthcare professionals, researchers and industry partners, while avoiding an overly clinical feel. Cadman says: ‘Our approach was centred on wellbeing, connection and innovation, creating spaces that feel welcoming and accessible to everyone using the facility. We developed a timeless palette of materials and colours that avoids feeling overly clinical while remaining suitable for children, families, healthcare professionals and industry partners alike – and suitable for a healthcare setting.’ That emphasis on comfort had to be balanced with the practical demands of a working clinical and research environment. ‘We wanted the building to feel warm, >> 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The Spark.indd 13 09/10/2026 09:38
14 healthcaredm.co.uk PROJECT open and engaging, so we used natural light, nature-inspired materials, colour and informal furnishings throughout the interior. While the design had comfort at its heart, these elements sat alongside the robust planning, acoustic performance, infection prevention measures and the controlled access arrangements needed to support clinical and research activities.’ Children and young people also contributed to the design. Cadman adds: ‘The Stage 3 design was informed by feedback gathered through client and end-user engagement, helping to shape the developing proposals. This meant hearing from children and young people about what they would want from this kind of space. User involvement also continued into later design stages, particularly around the detailed layout of individual rooms.’ CREATING CONNECTIONS Collaboration between disciplines is fundamental to the purpose of the NCCHT and this is reflected in the way the interior is arranged. ‘Collaboration is really at the heart of the building,’ says Cadman. ‘The central atrium and hub are surrounded by meeting spaces, discussion pods, workshops and social areas that create opportunities for clinicians, researchers, industry partners, patients and carers to come together and share ideas. The internal layout was purposefully designed to encourage collaboration and communication.’ However, openness had to be balanced against the security and confidentiality requirements of clinical, research and commercial users. Cadman continues: ‘One of the key challenges was balancing the desire for collaboration and openness with the need for commercial confidentiality and security. This was addressed through carefully planned zones, controlled access and privacy measures. These design features allow different users to work alongside one another while still meeting their individual operational requirements.’ For Cadman, one part of the building encapsulates this approach particularly clearly. ‘The central atrium and feature stair best capture the vision for The Spark. More than simply connecting floors, they create opportunities for movement, interaction and chance encounters, reinforcing the building’s role as a place where healthcare, research and innovation come together.’ TECHNOLOGY DRIVES DESIGN Some of the most demanding aspects of the project came from the specialist technology the building will accommodate. Fish says: ‘One of the interesting aspects of the project was that some of the technology within the building placed very specific requirements on the architecture and structure. ‘The CAREN machine and particularly the Gait Lab required specialist structural consideration. With the Gait Lab, vibration was assessed very prescriptively because the equipment needed an environment where movement within the building structure was tightly controlled. The shell and structural design therefore had to be developed so that vibration remained within the required tolerances. ‘It is a good example of what made the project different. In some areas, the technology was directly influencing how the building itself needed to perform, rather than simply being installed within a completed space.’ For HBC, this required close working with specialist equipment providers throughout construction. Clarke says: ‘A notable example of our collaboration on this project was our work with Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sports Engineering Research (CSER) on the Gait Lab. Their principal research fellow, responsible for this technology, became a familiar face on site, working alongside our teams to ensure the new technology was incorporated seamlessly at every key stage – from designing the 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The Spark.indd 14 09/10/2026 09:38
healthcaredm.co.uk 15 PROJECT At a glance Project: The Spark – National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) Location: Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield Client: Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Project value: £17 million Size: Approximately 43,000 sq ft Contractor: HBC Construction Exterior architecture: Whittam Cox Architects Interior architecture: HLM Architects Facilities: Outpatient and therapy facilities, research and development areas, specialist technology spaces, collaboration spaces and business and administration facilities Environmental target: BREEAM Excellent Funding: Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity Opening: Due to open on 12 October 2026 structure and casting the floor slabs, through MEP installations, to the final finishes – ensuring, for example, that the pressure pads incorporated into the floor aligned perfectly with the vinyl flooring and were barely visible.’ FLEXIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE A building dedicated to developing healthcare technology also needs to accommodate technologies and working practices that may not yet exist. Cadman says: ‘Flexibility was a key consideration from the outset, particularly given the pace at which healthcare technology evolves. Spaces such as the Advanced Simulation Centre and Gait Analysis Multi-Use Lab incorporate moveable walls, allowing layouts to be reconfigured as requirements, equipment or ways of working develop over time.’ HBC took a similar approach to the building services. Clarke says: ‘Alongside a high level of accessibility built into the design, there were also flexible spaces developed especially for the R&D areas in the facility. This created the capacity for simple modification and reconfiguration through moveable walls, meaning the structure of the building can be changed to fit the needs of the teams at any time. Additionally, the MEP design was planned to accommodate multiple uses over time – meaning we had to be both flexible and future-facing throughout construction.’ A significant construction decision was made to prefabricate the main plantroom. Clarke says: ‘We made a decision early to prefabricate the main plantroom, which delivered programme benefits and off-site quality control, with factory acceptance testing (FAT) witnessed by ourselves and MEP partner HEB Group. The structural requirements to receive the plantroom worked seamlessly, with a single day of crane lifts delivering a fully complete plantroom building. ‘The design was developed in close liaison with the Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust’s estates staff, with maintenance in mind from the outset. This formed part of the developed plant access, maintenance and plant replacement strategies.’ ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE The Spark is targeting BREEAM Excellent, with sustainability considered as part of both the architectural and construction strategies. For Fish, this included resolving the relationship between daylight and energy performance. ‘Sustainability was considered as part of the architecture rather than something added to it later. A good example was glazing. We wanted generous openings and good levels of natural light, but that obviously needed to be balanced against solar gain, overheating and overall energy performance. That became part of the development of >> 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The Spark.indd 15 09/10/2026 09:38
16 healthcaredm.co.uk PROJECT the elevations, specification of the glazing and introduction of solar shading where required. ‘More widely, the project targeted BREEAM Excellent, incorporating photovoltaics, all-electric heating, SuDS and biodiversity enhancements, alongside a strong focus on reducing both operational and embodied carbon.’ Clarke adds: ‘The building has a highly sustainable design, with a particular focus on whole-life costing and embodied carbon – for example, through the use of cellular steelwork beams and composite timber windows. The design achieved an EPC ‘A’ rating, showing its level of ambition regarding sustainability. Low-carbon mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) installations, including air source heat pumps (ASHPs), further supported this sustainability focus, alongside close attention to construction management and delivery to maximise sustainable practice and reduce waste.’ BRINGING THE BUILDING TOGETHER The division of architectural responsibilities required close coordination between Whittam Cox and HLM. ‘The relationship worked really well because there was a clear understanding of where each team could bring the most value,’ remembers Fish. ‘Whittam Cox had already been involved in the historic development of the SOLP masterplan and took the lead on the building shell, external architecture and the wider architectural principles for The Spark. The atrium ultimately brought together many of the architectural, interior and technical ambitions of the project, but also presented HBC with an unusual materials challenge. ‘Our team faced the challenge of detailing a non-combustible material while achieving the vision of a highquality timber finish, something that had to be integrated into the stair and landing balustrade construction, too,’ says Clarke. After extensive investigation, the team selected an aluminium product manufactured in Australia, despite a 20-week lead time. ‘As the despatch date drew near, the conflict situation in the Middle East began to escalate, causing considerable concern within the team over the shipping of materials and the tracking of the intended route,’ Clarke explains. ‘The team was reminded, quite literally, that ‘the world is round’ and took the decision to accept a one-week diversion via South America to secure guaranteed receipt of the product.’ For Fish, what ultimately distinguishes The Spark is broader than any individual architectural feature. ‘The Spark brings together children’s healthcare, research, technology and innovation in a distinctive setting, creating the opportunity for an equally distinctive architectural identity. The design needed to reflect the importance of the work taking place within, while remaining welcoming, accessible and reassuring for children and families. ‘Its potential impact extends well beyond the building itself – supporting new technologies, improving children’s healthcare and creating lasting benefits for Sheffield and the wider community.’ ■ www.hbcconstruction.co.uk whittamcox.com www.hlmarchitects.com 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The Spark.indd 16 09/10/2026 09:39
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18 healthcaredm.co.uk SUSTAINABILITY When hospitals overheat Why extreme heat is becoming an NHS challenge As extreme heat places growing pressure on NHS buildings, infrastructure and services, healthcare estate teams need to look beyond short-term cooling measures and make climate resilience an integral part of long-term estate planning. James Bate, sustainable healthcare lead at Turner & Townsend Limited, explains climate impacts translate directly into service pressures. As temperatures rise, hospitals must continue operating while managing increased demand, protecting vulnerable patients, maintaining critical infrastructure and ensuring staff can work safely and effectively. In practice, climate risk manifests as an operational resilience challenge, with every impact ultimately landing somewhere within the built environment. WHEN THE BUILDING BEGINS TO FAIL One of the most important lessons from recent heatwaves is that overheating rarely affects only a single space or system. As temperatures rise, buildings experience multiple interconnected stresses. Clinical environments become uncomfortable. Ventilation and cooling systems face increased demand. Electrical infrastructure operates closer Extreme heat is emerging as one of the most significant operational resilience challenges facing the NHS estate. Hospitals are designed to provide safe, uninterrupted care regardless of external conditions. Yet during summer 2026, temperatures exceeding 30°C inside wards, clinics and staff areas forced services to adopt workarounds, relocate equipment and manage growing risks to patient and staff wellbeing. Following five heatwaves in a single year, overheating is no longer simply an estates issue but a question of organisational resilience. The challenge extends beyond comfort. As temperatures rise, healthcare buildings face growing pressure on critical infrastructure, digital systems, clinical equipment and workforce productivity. For an estate largely designed around historical climate assumptions, extreme heat is quickly becoming a tangible operational risk that organisations can no longer afford to ignore. FROM CLIMATE RISK TO ESTATE RISK The healthcare sector often discusses extreme heat through the lens of public health, and understandably so. An estimated 2,877 heat-associated deaths were recorded across England during heat episodes in May and June 2026 alone, while future projections suggest annual heat-related mortality could eventually reach 10,000–20,000 deaths per year without effective adaptation measures.² However, for healthcare estates and operational leaders, the more immediate challenge is that these 18, 19, 20. Climate Change:James Bate.indd 18 09/10/2026 09:55
healthcaredm.co.uk 19 NEWS to capacity, while critical building, clinical and digital systems become more vulnerable to disruption. Operational teams often introduce temporary workarounds to maintain services. The NHS has already experienced how quickly these pressures can escalate. During the UK’s first recorded 40°C day in July 2022, cooling failures affecting digital infrastructure at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust contributed to a major IT outage that disrupted clinical services and forced teams back onto paper-based systems.³ It illustrated how overheating can trigger a chain reaction across buildings, technology and services. What begins as a facilities issue can rapidly become a digital, operational and clinical resilience challenge as interdependent systems lose the environmental conditions they require to perform. This is why overheating should not be viewed as a comfort issue or an isolated estates concern. It is an organisational resilience issue. When a building cannot maintain suitable environmental conditions, the consequences can extend far beyond thermal comfort, affecting equipment reliability, operational continuity, workforce productivity and ultimately service delivery. WHY IT MATTERS NOW The urgency of this challenge is amplified by the fact that NHS estates evolve slowly. Hospitals remain operational for decades, major refurbishments require substantial capital investment and many organisations are already managing significant backlog maintenance. Climate risks and impacts, however, are changing far more rapidly. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer in duration, while many buildings continue to operate with infrastructure designed for a very different climate. As a result, Trusts are increasingly being asked to deliver safe and effective services in conditions their estates were never intended to experience. Decisions made today will therefore shape resilience outcomes for decades to come. Every refurbishment, lifecycle replacement and capital investment represents an opportunity either to reduce vulnerability or lock it in for the future. THE HIDDEN CHALLENGE OF ADAPTATION The instinctive response to overheating is often straightforward – install more cooling. Yet adaptation is rarely that simple. Many organisations facing immediate pressures have turned towards localised cooling measures, portable air conditioning units and reactive interventions. While these approaches can provide short-term relief, they risk creating a new challenge if deployed at scale. Cooling is energy intensive, and poorly planned air conditioning installations can significantly increase operational energy demand and running costs, making net zero targets more difficult to achieve. In the worst cases, adaptation and decarbonisation can become competing objectives, with organisations reducing climate risk in one area while increasing it in another. This is particularly important given the NHS’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions and the financial pressures already facing estate teams. Adaptation cannot become an excuse for highercarbon buildings. Instead, the priority should be reducing the need for cooling in the first place. Measures such as solar shading, highperformance glazing, improvements to insulation, reflective roofing materials, facade optimisation and passive ventilation strategies can all reduce heat gains while simultaneously improving energy performance. Unlike standalone cooling solutions, these interventions tackle the underlying causes of overheating rather than simply managing the symptoms. The most effective adaptation measures are therefore often those that support both resilience and decarbonisation. The objective should not be to choose between adaptation and net zero, but identifying interventions that strengthen both. Trusts that successfully align these agendas will be better positioned to manage future climate impacts while continuing to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and operating costs. A WHOLE-SYSTEM APPROACH No single intervention will solve the overheating challenge. Building fabric improvements, passive design measures, efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and operational controls all have a role to play. Within this wider resilience strategy, intelligent building operation is becoming increasingly important. Historically, healthcare buildings have often relied on relatively static control strategies. HVAC systems are programmed around standard operating assumptions and adjusted only when performance issues emerge. In an era of increasingly volatile weather, that approach is becoming difficult to sustain. Modern building management systems (BMS) create opportunities to manage heat much more proactively. Through real-time environmental monitoring, >> ‘What begins as a facilities issue can rapidly become a digital, operational and clinical resilience challenge as interdependent systems lose the environmental conditions they require to perform’ SUSTAINABILITY 18, 19, 20. Climate Change:James Bate.indd 19 09/10/2026 09:56
20 healthcaredm.co.uk SUSTAINABILITY predictive controls and integrated HVAC optimisation, organisations can identify overheating risks before they become operational problems. Just as importantly, BMS platforms provide data. Many NHS organisations know they have overheating problems, but relatively few have detailed evidence showing exactly where, when and why they occur. Without that information, investment decisions often rely on anecdotal reports and local complaints rather than objective risk assessments. BMS are not a solution in isolation, but they can provide the visibility and control needed to support a broader resilience strategy. The ability to quantify overheating events, identify vulnerable assets and understand building performance in real time will increasingly become a prerequisite for effective adaptation planning. The NHS has spent decades planning for rising healthcare demand. It must now plan for rising climate risk with the same focus, investment and long-term thinking. Extreme heat is no longer a future challenge but part of today’s operating environment. The question is no longer whether healthcare buildings need to adapt, but how quickly they can do so. ■ www.turnerandtownsend.com References 1. Royal College of Nursing, Extreme heat making NHS an impossible environment as nursing staff collapse in workplaces ‘not fit for humans’, August 2026. 2. UK Health Security Agency heat mortality monitoring data and UKHSA climate projections, referenced in BMJ, The NHS must adapt as extreme heat becomes inevitable, August 2026. 3. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. 2023. Review of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ IT critical incident: final report from the Deputy Chief Executive Officer. The organisations most prepared for future heatwaves will be those that treat overheating as a whole-system issue rather than a facilities issue alone. Simply installing additional cooling capacity is unlikely to be sufficient. Success will come from understanding overheating as a whole-building resilience challenge and taking a strategic approach to managing risk: • Not every asset, service or building has the same consequences if it fails. Identifying vulnerable clinical spaces, critical infrastructure and high-risk building systems allows investment to be prioritised where it will deliver the greatest resilience benefit. • Measure overheating in operational terms. Understanding the impacts on productivity, equipment performance, energy consumption, business continuity and service delivery helps establish a much stronger case for investment. • Embed resilience into estate planning. Climate adaptation should not sit within a standalone programme waiting for dedicated funding. It should be embedded within backlog maintenance programmes, lifecycle replacement projects, refurbishments and major capital developments. • Align adaptation and net zero objectives. The goal is not simply cooler buildings. It is buildings that can remain safe, resilient and operational during extreme heat while continuing to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. High-performance building fabric, efficient HVAC systems, intelligent controls, responsive BMS platforms and passive design measures all have a role to play. What does good look like? 18, 19, 20. Climate Change:James Bate.indd 20 09/10/2026 09:56
Trusted across the NHS estate Langley is part of the LHC RS5 framework, the largest roo ng framework in the country, and an approved procurement provider, both nationally and regionally. Langley. For People, For Places, For Our Planet. Upward Thinking for Healthcare Long-term support for your roof. One point of accountability for the life of the roof, not just the install. Benefit from a TrustMark approved Insurance Backed Guarantee. 5-year maintenance checks and aftercare. Continuity in care. Roo ng upgrades without impacting patient care. Roofs that generate more. Turning roofs into new power sources. Safety, without compromise. Building Safety Act alignment, CCPI, TrustMark, SafeContractor, ISO, ame-free installation. Scan to discover Langley’s expertise in the Healthcare sector and browse our case studies langley.co.uk contactus@langley.co.uk Adverts hdm OCT.indd 21 08/10/2026 12:44
22 healthcaredm.co.uk DECARBONISATION Making whole-life carbon a contractual commitment Rekha Thawrani OBE, global director at NEC Contracts, explains how collaborative contracting can support the implementation of PAS 2080, the standard for carbon management in buildings and infrastructure. Plus, She also explains how specialist contract clauses, such as NEC Option X29, can support the successful adoption of this standard As healthcare projects face growing pressure to reduce carbon while delivering resilient, high-performing buildings, the challenge is turning environmental objectives into decisions that can be managed and measured throughout the project lifecycle. Decarbonising healthcare is no longer simply a question of setting ambitious targets. For clients, designers, contractors and suppliers, the challenge is increasingly how to translate those targets into practical decisions about design, materials, construction, operation and the future performance of an asset. The NHS provides a clear illustration of this shift. Its Net Zero Building Standard has applied since October 2023 to relevant investments in new buildings and upgrades to existing facilities costing £25 million or more that are at pre-strategic outline business case approval stage and subject to the HM Treasury business case process. It also applies to Neighbourhood Health Centre and New Hospital Programme projects. The Standard places whole-life carbon within project decision-making, including requirements around whole-life carbon assessment and upfront carbon limits. This is happening alongside substantial investment in NHS estate decarbonisation. Since 2020, more than £1.4bn of additional capital funding has been secured through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, supporting more than 100 projects. Yet the challenge extends beyond the NHS. Across the built environment, clients are looking for ways to make carbon performance an integral part of project delivery rather than a separate sustainability objective. For healthcare and other major construction and infrastructure projects, this means considering how carbon requirements are established, communicated and managed across the project team and supply chain. A FRAMEWORK FOR WHOLE-LIFE THINKING PAS 2080:2023 provides an established framework for managing whole-life carbon in buildings and infrastructure. Developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Green Construction Board, it takes a value-chain approach, recognising 22, 23, 24. NEC Contracts Comment.indd 22 09/10/2026 09:24
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