Viking Day Unit, Margate
The new Viking Day Unit at the QEQM Hospital provides chemotherapy, specialist nurse support, counselling, and complementary therapies for cancer patients.
The architectural concept was to design a contemporary and environmentally conscious healthcare building. From its inception, the building has been guided by energy efficiency and sustainable building design techniques. For these reasons, it exceeds NHS best practice guidelines. A few of its sustainable design features include:
- Reduction of dependency on energy consuming plant: The plan arrangement maximizes the number of rooms that have natural light and ventilation.
- Large internal areas of exposed dense materials. These retain heat for longer in winter, and when coordinated with passive night-time ventilation, remain cooler during summer’s days.
- A modern condensing gas boiler serving an efficient underfloor heating and domestic hot water system.
- A landscaped green roof outside the staff room that retains rainwater, thus helping storm water attenuation on the site.
- The use of eco-friendly untreated larch timber cladding and zinc as external building materials.
- A low energy lighting system with controls such as occupancy sensors.
The project received a Green Apple Award from the International Green Commission and was shortlisted for a RIBA Award.
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