St Jude’s in Midland is redeveloping and extending its aged care facility with a new 72-bed residential aged care building, a new car park and site works, together with refurbishment of the existing kitchen and laundry. The project is designed by T&Z Architects.
The brief
Aurum is delivering the electrical and electronic services design:
- Upgraded Western Power supply and a new main switchboard
- Generator provisions, earthing, lightning and surge protection
- 60 kWp rooftop solar PV
- DALI lighting control and computer-monitored emergency lighting
- Embedded energy metering
- Fibre backbone, structured cabling and MATV
- IP nurse call with dementia sensors and real-time location
- Access control, intruder detection, video intercom and CCTV
- Fire detection and emergency warning, with EV conduit provisions
The challenge
Residents can’t be moved out while the electrical backbone is replaced. The facility has to stay fully powered and safe throughout construction — and the existing authority transformer, shared with neighbouring buildings and street lighting, doesn’t have capacity for the expanded site.
The solution
A new point of connection without an outage-heavy cutover. A new main switchboard becomes the site’s point of connection, with the existing board kept in service as a sub-board so existing buildings stay powered.
A practical alternative to a permanent generator. Instead of a large permanent generator and fuel tank, Aurum proposed a changeover switch and connection point for a mobile generator under a hire agreement — giving resilience during works and emergencies at a fraction of the cost.
Supply upgrade secured early. Aurum assessed the site’s demand and lodged an application for a new district substation with Western Power.
Future-flexible fire systems. A new fire panel sized as a future main panel, with staged evacuation suited to aged care.
Care-focused lighting and nurse call. DALI dimming in corridors at low occupancy, motion-sensor night lights in bedrooms, and IP nurse call with smartphone messaging.
The outcome
- A staged electrical upgrade that keeps a live aged care facility operating
- Significant capital savings through a mobile generator strategy
- Modern nurse call, lighting and solar for a 72-bed facility
