The new $25 million state-of-the-art blood centre that Ngāi Tahu Property is developing for the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) is progressing with work well underway on the internal fit-out.
The purpose-designed facility comprises a donor centre, manufacturing and testing laboratories along with specialised warehousing and support function offices.
Due to the specialist nature of the building, the internal fit-out has had many challenges. These include the installation of an irradiator facility and refrigerated areas that will go as low as minus 40 degrees. The irradiator facility allows NZBS to provide irradiated blood components to specific vulnerable patients, who may be at risk of white bloods cells engrafting in their bodies, leading to a condition known as graft versus host disease. This disease occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to eliminate the foreign cells, which can be life threatening. Exposing the cells to a dose of irradiation prevents the white cells engrafting in the recipient.
The specialist nature of the interior also means that unlike usual building sites, it is absolutely essential that the highest level of cleanliness is maintained during the construction and fit out to ensure no trace elements, including dust or other building or non-building materials, are left behind to contaminate the site. Once this building is complete, Ngāi Tahu Property will have an on-going role as landlord. The project is currently on budget and schedule and the new centre is expected to open at the end of 2014.
NZ Blood Service perspective of the front of the completed building.
NZ Blood Service construction – looking towards the front entrance.