The Project
Strengthening NHS Infrastructure with Specialist Ventilation Expertise
As part of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s continued investment in estate enhancement and clinical resilience, King’s Mill Hospital continues to benefit from targeted upgrades to critical infrastructure.
Within this broader context of phased development and modernisation, Mansfield Pollard was selected to contribute its specialist healthcare ventilation expertise, building on a long track record of delivering compliant, resilient air handling solutions for complex hospital environments nationwide.
Aligned with the Trust’s strategy to create high-performing, energy-efficient clinical settings, this latest collaboration complements one of the most advanced central plant systems in the NHS estate and reinforces the shared commitment to long-term patient care excellence.
Project Highlights
The bespoke air handling solution was manufactured to meet the demanding specifications of a live healthcare environment, with performance values of D2 casing strength, L2 air leakage, and T2/TB2 thermal and thermal bridging classifications. A specialist TB2 thermal-break aluminium framework was used throughout to enhance thermal performance and limit condensation risk, ensuring system longevity and hygiene integrity.
Cooling and heating were provided via a reverse cycle DX coil, delivering 17.8kW capacity with R32 refrigerant. Coil face velocities were selected to remain below 2.0m/s, and all fan selections were made to accommodate dirty filter conditions. The unit incorporated EC plug fans, with a spare fan assembly pre-wired to quick-release Commando sockets to allow rapid changeover in the event of failure, improving system resilience and minimising downtime.
Air leakage testing was completed in accordance with BS EN1886 to Class L2 at 700Pa positive pressure. All access sections included integrated bulkhead lighting and double-glazed viewing windows for safe inspection. Internal wiring was factory-installed using LSZH cable within stainless steel conduit, with inter-section cable joints pre-terminated for ease of onsite reassembly.
A fully integrated, 6.9metre-long maintenance corridor was constructed to provide safe and weather-protected access to all sections. Built in four sections, it measured 1.98metres high and was manufactured from TB3 pentapost framing with 25mm double-skin panels and an internal lining of 304 stainless steel.
The flooring comprised 4.5mm aluminium chequer plate with recessed sumps to house condensate traps, and full-height double access doors were fitted at either end, complete with internal emergency egress hardware.
