December 2006
Framing Division
METSEC INFILLS IPSWICH HOSPITAL EXTENSION

Light gauge steel structural specialist, Metsec, has supplied 3000m² of its SFS site fixed, light
gauge, galvanised steel framing as infill walling on a £26m extension for The Ipswich Hospital
NHS Trust.

The Garrett Anderson Centre, the largest development at the hospital in 30 years, will provide a
new Accident and Emergency department, a critical care centre, day surgery suite, operating
theatres and beds.

SFS was specified to provide a fast dry envelope to the treatment centre. 200mm sections were
used to close in the structural columns of hot rolled steel to form a straight wall on the 7,500m²,
three storey building. Metsec approved installer BR Hodgson erected the infill within eight weeks
of the overall 89 week construction programme, allowing the follow on trades to start on first fix
work at the earliest possible stage.

Alongside speed of erection, minimising the use of wet trades was another important factor in the decision to specify SFS over traditional brick and blockwork.

Principal contractor on the project, Kier Eastern, wanted to maintain as clean and clear a site as
possible because of the proximity of the other hospital buildings that were operating as normal
during construction. All SFS sections are designed, manufactured and delivered to site to meet
that project’s specific requirements, eliminating cutting to length on site and minimising storage.
The design of the new treatment centre, with some curved walls, large strip windows and braced
bays, also called for a flexible build method. The curved walls were above and below ribbon
windows meaning that BR Hodgson had to close the stud centres to keep a constant radius for
the brickwork to follow. There were also some large openings that required heavy duty compound lintels formed from Metsec to span the openings.

As well as infilling the main structural frame, the SFS sections are providing lateral restraint to a
variety of external skins including terracotta, brickwork, steel cladding and Sto render on blocks.
Manufactured from 390 N/mm² guaranteed yield strength material, SFS offers a high strength to
weight ratio.

The Garrett Anderson Centre is part of the biggest hospital building programme in the history of
the NHS, demanding fast track construction methods which deliver a high quality building in the
minimum time, cutting project lengths and costs.

Derek Adams, Kier Eastern’s project manager, said: “SFS provides a much quicker turn around
of construction and a cleaner installation, allowing follow on trades to start work on the first fix
items earlier in the programme. The biggest advantage is that whilst the internal works are
proceeding, the outer skin of brickwork/blockwork/scaffolding can continue independently without
delaying them.”

Clayton Nunn, BR Hodgson’s commercial manager, explained: “Metsec infill progresses so
quickly that builders often do not realize or react to how fast the installation is. We erect the SFS
from inside the building and the contractor sometimes cannot erect the scaffolding quickly
enough to take advantage of our progress, so the external sheathing can slow down but that
doesn’t affect the internal fit out.”

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