Engineering Services Report for the University Health and Wellbeing Hub

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Engineering Services Report for the University Health and Wellbeing Hub

Daniel Thompson

University of Salford

Sustainable Building Services Engineering

Dr. Helen Cartwright

May 8, 2025

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Introduction

The recently completed Health Building of the University of Salford, located at the Frederick Road Campus, is an example of investment towards improving well-being facilities integrated with sophisticated, sustainable engineering. This is a specialized report concerning the heating, ventilation, and drainage services design, including a detailed explanation of policies and strategies for sustainability (Challender & Challender, 2024). During the analysis, I focused mostly on the achievable spatial layout and self-containment regarding the building’s net carbon emission targets aligned with UK government policies by the year 2050. The building has a floor space of 5,000 square meters and contains an inbuilt requirement for systems that are indeed efficient, flexible, and resistant to environmental change. I focus on the comfort and health of the occupants, environmental mitigation, including surface water runoff, and mechanical steps towards renewable energy. The methodology utilized in this analysis takes into account both relevant operating services technology innovations and fundamental engineering concepts, principles, and practices (Falorca, 2021). The focus of the considerations helps address operational needs alongside targets for sustainability, which aids in creating appropriate recommendations. Renewable energy consumption is maximized, while the use of fossil fuels is reduced to a bare minimum. Flexible and mobile, multifunctional, responsive mechanical systems remain harnessed, even though their multifunctional capabilities require them to respond agilely to various functional requirements.

Task 1: Heating Systems

The heating systems design work of the new health building should consider energy efficiency and environmental sustainability from the very outset. Modern heating systems provide better performance, long-term cost benefits, and greatly reduced carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel-based systems (Wilby et al., 2023).

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This project requires a combined heat pump system with a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) utilizing underground resources, supplemented with electrical boost heaters during peak consumption. The steady temperature of subterranean regions is advantageous for GSHP systems due to the seasonal heat extraction and rejection cycle. Energy efficiency is high in this system, which achieves an improved performance coefficient and lower expenses compared to conventional systems [Fitton, 2021]. With its low emissions and ability to accept renewable power inputs, GSHP systems with renewable power help the UK achieve its 2050 carbon emission targets.

The offered approach to solving the problem is an advanced heating system with a flexible expansion and dynamic capability solution. The building has an adjustment problem for its multifunctional health and wellbeing hub regarding the different heat load profiles of the various zones. Integrating metering with control strategies enables a GSHP (ground source heat pump) system to make major demand-based revisions. The system functions to provide adequate and comfortable indoor spaces irrespective of outdoor environmental conditions while maximizing available energy through precise heating (Long, 2021). Apart from overcoming the heating inefficiencies that traditional systems struggle with, this system’s off-season functionality shows unparalleled effectiveness.

Another of the GSHP’s key advantages is its low maintenance effort. Once commissioned, underground piping installed into boreholes or horizontal trenches requires little further work. This results in lower operating costs and less disruption to occupants over the system’s life cycle. Integration possibilities among various systems of renewable energy are considered the most important angle, as photovoltaic panels and GSHP can be easily linked together (Miller & Cook, 2021).

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Additional goals of sustainability, along with the renewable-electricity-connected-to-the-heat-pump aim, further reduce the environmental impact in conjunction with the overall environmental footprint.

Safety measures include backup electric heaters for buildings that require enhanced thermal comfort during peak demand periods or in the event of heat distribution system failures. Regarding electric heaters as secondary backup, these depend on the dry contact relay switch, which provides direct on-off control, so “plugging in” is intuitive and immediate; this is because they are less energy efficient than GSHPs (Washbourne & Wansbury, 2023). The use of GSHP heating systems integrated with peak load electric heaters provides cross-performance adaptive advantages.

The design considerations now incorporate the possible difficulties of placing a GSHP in an urban campus context. For the system to be optimally designed, thorough geotechnical investigations along with thermal conductivity measurements of the local subsoil will be essential. If the site conditions are not optimal, alterations may be necessary, such as reducing the installation depth or enlarging the borehole diameters to improve heat extraction. Moreover, addressing issues of noise and vibration related to the heater compressor of the pump systems is very important in a health-centered environment (Jones, 2022). This issue can be solved by proper planning of the site along with the application of sound-insulating materials.

The successfully proposed form of a hybrid heating system unifies all the health institutions while demonstrating an unrivaled integration of renewable technology and sustainable building practices. There is a simple way to reduce the carbon footprint and operational expenses, as well as preserve energy durability in a changing world.

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The GSHP (ground source heat pump) serves as the undisputed best alternative because it offers operational efficiency with minimal maintenance requirements while easily interfacing with other renewable energy sources. The system is fitted with auxiliary electric heating elements that enable compliance with thermal comfort standards while meeting indoor heating needs.

Task 2: Ventilation Systems

An air quality control system and an indoor space wellness design must be put in place in a health and wellness center, as this facilitates the movement of air. Such systems ensure spatial and holistic air quality optimization through a constant fresh air supply and pollutant removal that is independent of external conditions (Challender & Challender, 2024). Mechanical circulation systems provide the fresh air required by the space, which is free from pollutants like carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and biological contaminants. In particular, these systems guarantee the safety of sensitive persons from external environmental threats.

Natural ventilation methods provide energy savings due to their ease of use in window placement. However, these options are entirely dependent on outside conditions and people’s actions. For the primary benefit of health facilities, hospitals, or laboratories, the controlled frameworks of air exchange rate set by operators have mechanical systems with defined parameters. The application of DCV techniques can make mechanical ventilation work even more efficiently (Falorca, 2021). DCV regulates airflow dependent on actual measurements from the space, such as CO₂ concentrations, ensuring energy is not wasted when the space is low in use, but checks air quality during busy times.

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The University of Salford project has highlighted a balanced ventilation system with heat recovery (BVHR) as an optimal solution. Fresh air is well supplied into the system, and energy is also recovered from the exhausted air, which increases energy efficiency. This system warms the incoming air by utilizing outgoing air heat while simultaneously pre-cooling the supply airflow meant for furnace delivery through a heat recovery process (Wilby et al., 2023). With this configuration, the system reduces the operational burden on heating systems during winter and on cooling systems during summer. Such a system is very beneficial for a seasonal facility due to these operational characteristics.

A number of elements influence the selection decision of a BVHR (balanced ventilation with heat recovery) system. The system itself conserves a significant amount of energy since it reclaims 90 percent of the heat from exhausted indoor air. It provides uninterrupted, managed airflow, which controls the environmental conditions and guarantees stable, consistent air quality, which is beneficial for the health and productivity of the building occupants. Lastly, these systems feature modern sensors and control devices that enable monitoring and adjustment of the system in real-time, thus enhancing automated building management approaches (Fitton, 2021). Taking all these aspects into account, the efficiency, reliability, and comfort of the occupants suggest that the BVHR system is the best option for modern sustainable buildings.

Task 3: Occupants and Users – System Integration and Benefits

During the evaluation of the heating and ventilation methods used, the focus has always been on the comfort and wellness of all the users of the building, such as staff, students, patients, and even visitors. Thanks to the cooperation of electric resistance heaters and ground-source heat pumps, the occupants are able to maintain a comfortable indoor environment.

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Regardless of the outside temperature, the system ensures operational efficiency, which means that certain buildings can maintain their preferred comfort zones despite drastic changes in weather conditions outside (Long, 2021). The system achieves softly changing set points and homogeneous temperature distribution, which protects the health of occupants while also providing efficient conditions for care activities needing constant healthcare environment stabilization.

Similarly, the self-sustaining BVHR system has been chosen for its energy efficiency as well as for its capability to sustain high standards of indoor air quality. In cases where patient care is most important, unacceptable removal of indoor pollutants and the supply of fresh, clean, filtered air are fundamental. Under higher occupancy conditions, the BVHR system is able to maintain a sufficiently strong flow of air through rate, thus ensuring that all pollutants are adequately diluted. Using mechanical exhaust ventilation reduces the chances of acquiring respiratory infections that come from contaminated air. With central ventilation working non-stop, people’s well-being is better managed with regard to humidity and condensation (Miller & Cook, 2021). Mechanical exhaust ventilation works efficiently within the bounds of safety with regard to the environment and existing medical conditions by ensuring contamination does not impact exposed patients.

The incorporation of heating elements with ventilation systems provides additional comfort for the occupants. A BVHR ventilation system works effectively with a constant heat supply to reduce the intake of heated air. This level of conservation results in controlled indoor conditions that assure peace of mind, in addition to equilibrium between air, temperature, and humidity, which can be moderated.

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Energy costs are significantly reduced, infrastructure maintenance is less frequently required, and the environment is designed to optimally support the health and productivity of occupants (Washbourne & Wansbury, 2023). The systems have been designed and constructed with the ability to accommodate a wide range of use patterns, flexibility, and dynamics to changes in building occupation so that enduring performance and resiliency are achieved.

Ultimately, applying design thinking principles happens through the respective engineering solutions. Any facility design needs to be user-friendly from a security, comfort, and health perspective. Through their combined approach of employing sustainable heating technologies, along with modern mechanical ventilation, the occupants will enjoy optimal comfort while maintaining performance and sustainability.

Task 4: Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)

Considering the problems of health services, paying attention to drainage issues is one of the most important points in constructing new facilities. This is especially so with the problems of peripheral surface water from urban flooding. The goals of storm water management in SUDS, which is described as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, are proactive as well because the system should, in an optimal case, improve the quality of the site’s waters, promote water integration within the site, augment ecological habitat, and enhance natural cleaning nature processes actively (Jones, 2022). In these terms, SUDS represents one of the most comprehensive methods of dealing with peripheral surface waters in line with modern environmental policies and legislation.

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The SUDS solution for this project demands all the following features that integrate green roofs, bio-retention areas, and detention basins with permeable pavements. Permeable pavements facilitate the subsurface drainage of rainfall, which assists in the replenishment of water tables while minimizing surface runoff. This method of drainage helps relieve stress on conventional drainage systems, reducing the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall. The synergistic effect of roof greening helps in capturing rainfall runoff, thus enabling the alleviation of drainage needs (Challender & Challender, 2024). Rain gardens act as bio-retention systems, capturing contaminants through a soil and vegetation filtration process prior to releasing or soaking the water. Additional drainage peak reduction is provided by detention basins, which retain excess rainfall and release it in controlled volumes.

These SUDS components were chosen for their multifunctional use as efficient, environmentally friendly, and low-impact drainage systems. The various methods used at the building site enable positive structural interaction with the urban environment, allowing for various levels of precipitation to be adequately managed. Moreover, sculpted green spaces improve the outlook of the area’s landscape and support life for local plants and animals (Falorca, 2021). Such environmental aspects correspond to the greater sustainability efforts directed at improving urban area biodiversity.

Another benefit of SUDS is its ability to lessen the reliance on conventional gravity-based drainage systems, which are typically stressed during periods of intense rainfall. When the water management system is divided among different components that each deal with particular features of surface water flow, there is greater efficiency in the system as a whole, making it better suited for dealing with severe weather (Wilby et al., 2023). This shift not only aids in mitigating the impacts of localized flooding, but also improves climate resilience for the University campus.

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Consideration of specific parameters such as soil permeability, topography, and historical rainfall patterns is critical in the design process of SUDS components. The specific arrangement and dimensions of each piece will be refined with the help of computational modeling and hydraulic simulations. Custom-fitting systems to the specific environmental conditions of the campus will alleviate flooding risks while maximizing ecological and visual enhancements (Fitton, 2021). Also, these systems are less complex to maintain than standard drainage systems, which improves their value in terms of operational and lifecycle costs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the constructed health building underwent enhanced sustainability through the inclusion of the new health building’s Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, which offer a solution to surface water management using an environmentally friendly approach. These sustainable strategies combine drainage efficiency and resilience to further the multifunctional sustainability of the campus ecosystem. This is the best example of modern urban drainage design because it minimizes water runoff, supports nature, combats pollution, and helps the environment.

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References

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Washbourne, C. L., & Wansbury, C. (Eds.). (2023). ICE manual of blue-green infrastructure. ICE Publishing.

Wilby, R., Smith, S., Petersen, K., Misal, H., AbdulRafiu, A., Alam, A., … & Yarr, R. (2023). Assessing climate risk and strengthening resilience for UK Higher Education Institutions. https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/9838/