Project Description:
St Vincent’s Clinic, located at 438 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, is an 11-level specialist medical facility supporting more than 300 healthcare professionals. With its electrical infrastructure reaching end of life, Kerfoot was engaged to design and deliver a new Main Switchboard and associated electrical distribution systems within a fully operational healthcare environment.
The project involved staged replacement of the existing Main Switchboard, installation of new fire-rated consumer mains, and delivery of new Main Distribution Boards for essential and non-essential services. Existing submains were upgraded and reconfigured to suit the new infrastructure.
Detailed investigations, power logging and discrimination studies informed the design and staging methodology. Non-essential services were transitioned during a planned long weekend shutdown, while essential services were maintained via temporary supplies and transferred during a major Christmas shutdown.
Additional works included switchroom compliance upgrades, new cable tray installations, generator integration, testing and commissioning, as-built documentation and client training.
Delivered in close collaboration with stakeholders, the project achieved a modern, compliant and maintainable electrical system with no loss of critical services and minimal disruption to operations.
Specific items within the scope of this project were:
- Investigation, design, supply, installation and commissioning of a new Main Switchboard (MSB).
- Installation of new fire-rated consumer mains from the existing substation to the new MSB.
- Supply and installation of new Main Distribution Boards for Essential (MDB-ESS) and Non-Essential (MDB-NE) services.
- Upgrade, extension and reconnection of existing MIMS and conventional submains.
- Integration and commissioning of the existing standby generator system.
- Integration and commissioning of the existing load-shedding system.
- Detailed power logging of the existing electrical network to inform design and staging requirements.
- Completion of electrical discrimination and protection studies.
- Development and implementation of a detailed staging and changeover methodology within the live clinical environment.
- Installation and management of temporary essential power supplies to maintain critical medical services.
- Coordination and execution of staged electrical changeovers and planned shutdowns.
- Maintenance of continuous essential electrical supply throughout the works, with no disruption to critical clinical operations.
- Switchroom modifications and compliance upgrades to meet current standards and project requirements.
- Installation of new cable containment and associated electrical infrastructure.
- Comprehensive inspection, testing and commissioning of all new and modified electrical systems.
- Preparation and handover of detailed as-built documentation.
- Client training covering the operation and ongoing maintenance of the upgraded electrical infrastructure.
Project Accolade:
- Delivered a complete Design & Construct Main Switchboard and electrical distribution upgrade within a fully operational 11-level specialist medical facility.
- Maintained continuous power to critical medical services through engineered temporary supplies, staged changeovers and a tightly controlled four-day shutdown.
- Engineered the new Main Switchboard within a highly constrained existing switchroom, achieving compliant clearances, safe access and a future-ready installation.
- Undertook detailed power logging and discrimination studies to optimise system performance, improve selectivity and reduce the risk of nuisance tripping.
- Delivered major infrastructure upgrades including new fire-rated consumer mains, essential and non-essential distribution boards, replacement of legacy MIMS cabling and compliant riser infrastructure.
- Successfully integrated and recommissioned the clinic’s existing generator and load-shedding systems, improving resilience while avoiding unnecessary replacement and capital expenditure.
- Managed the project as Head Contractor, coordinating electrical, mechanical, fire, lift, security and specialist rigging contractors throughout the works.
- Delivered a modern, compliant and maintainable electrical system with minimal disruption to clinical operations, reinforcing Kerfoot’s long-standing relationship with St Vincent’s Clinic.
