Sustainability has become a necessity in buildings everywhere. It can widely see in residences and commercial outlets. Also, that has yet to penetrate public buildings like hospitals. It is imperative to bring about a change as hospitals are one of the major consumers of energy all over the globe. However, the wave of change has already begun with one hospital that is breaking all barriers and leading the sustainable movement- The NG TENG FONG GENERAL HOSPITAL AND JURONG COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, SINGAPORE.  

About the Ng Teng Fong and Jurong Community Hospital

• Architects: HOK  
• Location: Jurong, Singapore  
• Design Consultant and Medical Planning: HOK  
• Architects/Structural/Civil: CPG Consultants Pte Ltd 
• Design Consultant: Studio 505 Melbourne  
• Green Mark Consultant: ZEB Technology Pte Ltd Singapore 
• Mechanical and Electrical Engineer: Parsons-Brinkerhoff 
• Landscape: Peridian Asia Pte Ltd 
• Interior Design: Bent Severin and Associates Pte Ltd 
• Size: 1.84 million sq. ft. / 171,300 sq. m.  
• No. of beds: 700-bed main hospital, 200-bed community hospital  
• Total building area: 1,862,368 (includes Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Jurong Community Hospital, and Specialty Outpatient Clinic)  
• Cost of construction, excluding furnishing: $371.5 million 
• Number of residents, occupants, visitors: 1,100 
• Completion date: October 2015 

The Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) is the first medical campus in Singapore’s attempt at creating sustainable and energy-efficient hospitals. Though Singapore provides free healthcare, there might be possibilities of comprising patient care in certain unavoidable places. However, the performance-based design of NTFGH supports the health and well-being of patients above everything else. The building consumes 38% less energy than its peers and 69% less than any hospital in the U.S. This has been made possible by combining passive design principles with perfect orientation. The hospital’s services extend from out-patient care to post-acute care. The hospital was given a platinum rating by the Green Mark Program of Singapore. It was also selected for the sustainable design excellence award by AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) in the year 2017. 

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Site Planning Program

Steering away from regular planning concepts, HOK architects came up with a surprising saw-tooth plan that permitted them to furnish “every patient with an operable window”. The hospital encases three major towering structures within its grounds. Tower-A dedicates to specialist out-patient clinics and their supporting services. The tower rises to 8 levels above the ground. It also houses a training center, an auditorium, and an administration department. The Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) is present next door to tower A. It has 16 levels that contain 700 beds along with several diagnostic and treatment pre-requisites. Succeeding NTFGH is the Jurong Community Hospital (JCH) with 12 levels and 400 beds. Ancillary spaces such as kitchens are sharing to eliminate redundancies and reduces cost.

As seen in any conventional hospital, separate paths are available for walk-ins, in-patients, and other emergencies. Moreover, an independent ambulance drop-off leads directly to the core of the emergency department. The treatment rooms, being modular are convenient as they each accommodate a minimum of two resuscitation units along with other life-saving equipment. Also, special trauma lifts are present for transferring critical patients to the Operating theatres and Intensive Care Units. Jurong Community Hospital (JCH) has a mobility park that aids inpatient recovery. It is stocked with ramps, steps, and other textured surfaces to help patients go back to their normal lives. A bridge connects the community hospital to the regional and tertiary hospitals. These bridges are on the second level and are linked to each other by platforms inside the hospital buildings.

Connectivity of Ng Teng Fong and Jurong Community Hospital

JCH and NTFGH connect to Jurong East MRT station, Bus Interchange, and other nearby areas via J-walk, a bridge in the Jurong Gateway area. Jurong Health Campus’ integrated healthcare hub furnishes uninterrupted connectivity to the surrounding retail, dining, and entertainment spots.

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Sustainable Game Plan

Extensive analysis of climate, energy, shading, and fluid dynamics those conducted to optimize efficiency and patient experience. Firstly, the distinctive floor plan and orientation seize prevailing winds that allow for double the amount of natural ventilation. Further, thermal massing, ceiling fans, and cross ventilation ensure stable temperatures of the interiors. Therefore, resulting in 70% of the facility being naturally cooled.

Next, three levels of shading systems that used to prevent direct solar gain. Light shelves above the windows and projection of slabs past the edges provide prominent shading from the sun’s direct rays. Horizontal louvers protect against the low angled rays during morning and evening times. Vegetation that covers much of the site acts as supplementary shading devices against both high-altitude and low-angle sun. The entire entity behaves like a vertical garden by means of parks, green roofs, and vertical plantings. Additionally, the campus contains solar thermal water heating facilities and a large array of photovoltaic installations. 

Design of Wards at Ng Teng Fong and Jurong Community Hospital

A detailed study of sun angles was carried out to attain the best positioning of the ward towers to admit maximum daylight and reduce glare. Also, they spread out in a fan-shaped arrangement, where every patient bed gets a functional window. Therefore, instead of looking at passers-by, a patient can look out the window to see peaceful views of plant life. Such an orchestration also increases the natural ventilation and light in the building. In the event of hazy winters, the hospital can utilize a centralized air filtration system to provide clean air to the naturally ventilated rooms. This technology also removes unpleasant odors and pollutants.  

Kinds of Wards

There are two categories of wards- Subsidized and Private. The subsidized wards of Class C and B2 have 12 and 6 beds each. In addition, they offer shared toilets and other amenities. However, the private ward B1 has 4 beds in a group, sharing toilets and television resources. Lastly, the wards in class A are full of furniture with a living area, bathroom, and toilet.  

NTFGH has succeeded in pulling off net-zero energy in a project that doesn’t commonly know to do so. Moreover, the project has saved substantial amounts of money over a regular one. It has maximized sustainable design systems, true positioning ideals, and technological advances to create a healing habitat. Therefore, the Ng Teng Fong hospital can available as a model that can adapt to hospitals anywhere in the world. Also, the world needs more hospitals like NTFGH and JCH.

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