Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre 

“The Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre will revolutionize the future of brain health like never before. It will be a global hub of innovation that will accelerate the discovery of the next generation of treatments, prevention and possible cures to the world’s most debilitating brain conditions.”*

HH Angus is providing mechanical and Electrical engineering for this 118,285 ft2, three-storey above-grade structure. The building will be constructed within a dense urban campus between existing building wings and will be connected to the main hospital circulation spine, with flexibility provided to accommodate future expansion.

Our project scope includes:

• Expansions to existing infrastructure, including a new 1600 ton centrifugal 4160 volt Chiller;
• A major modification to the Emergency Power System to provide emergency power to at least one chiller and the chilled water distribution system;
• New steam service and high voltage electrical services to the new building from the existing power plant
• A significant Information Technology service and distribution system, including fibre cable connections to the hospital’s existing Core Distribution Rooms, new network hub room components, including network switches and all on-floor cable/outlet systems
• Significant expansions to the existing Building Automation System, central electrical metering system, fire alarm system, security system, CCTV system, nurse call system and Code White systems.

The new building includes:

• Mechanical and electrical services in the basement designed to provide for the current construction, as well as a possible future four-storey addition
• Adult In-Patient Mental Health Unit and PICU Unit on the ground floor, both with access to outdoor courtyards
• Child & Youth Mental Health Unit
• Circadian Study Unit on 1st Floor
• Neuromodulation Treatment Unit, Enhanced Examination, Teaching and Research units on the 2nd Floor

The Sunnybrook M&E services tunnel is a complicated space. Because this is a new building on an existing site and represents a major expansion to the campus, connections to existing buildings with multiple M&E ties are required.

Among the interesting challenges of this project was obtaining the required mechanical and electrical services spaces. The larger they became, the more they impacted the functional programming and the project budget. Compromises were made regarding ceiling heights, and collaboration with facilities management staff helped in obtaining the space required.

As well, the main entrance “glass box” presented some unique mechanical design challenges. Ventilating a two-storey structure with no exposed services required innovative engineering, including ventilating from below.

In designing the building systems for this project, our team devoted special attention to providing a living space that offers an excellent therapeutic environment for the brain-injured patient while, at the same time, ensuring the safety of both patients and staff; in particular, preventing any opportunity for self-harm by patients.

Within HH Angus’ lighting scope, LED linear fixtures set the stage for modern lighting aesthetics used throughout the new, state-of-the-art centre, including corridors, inpatient bedrooms, the main triple height lobby, and the exterior soffits. The efficient LED non-glare, dimmable lighting will be connected to a centralized lighting control system. The provided lighting management software enables facility managers to monitor, maintain and control the entire networked lighting control system, including schedules and energy usage.