Project Hydra
M&E Upgrade
Project Overview
Project Hydra involved the large-scale replacement of critical mechanical infrastructure within a live acute hospital environment. Delivered under strict operational and clinical constraints, the works required meticulous planning, rigorous quality assurance and close coordination with hospital estates and clinical teams to ensure continuity of essential services and zero disruption to patient care. The project formed a key part of the hospital’s long-term infrastructure resilience programme, improving reliability, operational efficiency and future maintainability of critical heating and mechanical systems. Taylor and Fraser were appointed to deliver the M&E installation across key facilities, including the Electrolyser Building, Energy Centre, and Management Building. Our works ensured that all building services were fully integrated, reliable, and compliant with the high safety and performance standards required for handling hydrogen.
Client
Undisclosed
Location
Confidential (Live Acute Hospital Environment)
Programme Duration
30 months
Taylor And Fraser Role
M&E Subcontractor
Taylor and Fraser Role
Taylor and Fraser delivered the mechanical replacement programme across the operational facility, including the renewal of approximately 4,500 metres of heavy-duty mild steel pipework serving key hospital systems. The works also included the design, manufacture and installation of a 1MW prefabricated heat station, significantly enhancing system resilience, operational efficiency and future serviceability.
A BIM Level 1 digital model was developed for the project, incorporating full COBie asset information to support the hospital’s long-term facilities management and maintenance strategy. Extensive off-site prefabrication of pipework and modular assemblies was undertaken, supported by stringent pre-installation Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) to ensure compliance with healthcare standards prior to installation.
Throughout the project, strict water quality management and Building Management System (BMS) integration were maintained in accordance with Scottish Health Technical Memoranda (SHTM) requirements.
Key Challenges
The primary challenge was delivering a complex mechanical replacement programme within a fully operational acute healthcare environment, where continuity of service was critical and system shutdowns were tightly controlled.
Installation activities required careful coordination around live clinical areas, operational departments and essential hospital services, alongside strict infection control, water quality and governance requirements.
Our Approach
To minimise operational risk and reduce installation durations, Taylor and Fraser adopted a prefabrication-led delivery strategy, enabling significant off-site manufacturing and testing prior to installation. Detailed BIM modelling supported early-stage coordination, clash avoidance and accurate installation sequencing, ensuring efficient integration with the existing infrastructure.
Close collaboration with hospital estates teams, combined with phased installation planning and comprehensive commissioning procedures, ensured system integrity was maintained throughout the works and that all installations met the stringent performance and compliance standards required in a healthcare environment.
The Outcome
The project successfully delivered the replacement of critical mechanical infrastructure with no disruption to hospital operations or patient services. The installation of the new prefabricated heat station and upgraded pipework network has improved long-term system resilience, reliability and maintainability, while the provision of structured digital asset data supports ongoing facilities management and lifecycle planning.
Project Hydra demonstrates Taylor and Fraser’s capability to safely deliver complex engineering upgrades within high-risk, live healthcare environments, reinforcing our position as a trusted delivery partner for critical infrastructure programmes.
