We are pleased to present this book which showcases ... - WSP Group

PROPERTY
Aspen Pharmacare, South Africa
NEW PLANT CELEBRATED FOR ITS DESIGN EXCELLENCE
In 2002,Aspen Pharmacare,Africa’s largest pharmaceutical
manufacturer, appointed WSP to undertake the building services
design for a new Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) plant to be constructed
next to Aspen’s existing pharmaceutical plant in the industrial area of
Korsten in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.The plant was to conform to
South African and European regulatory standards to allow the plant
to produce tablets for export to European countries.
The quantity, quality and extent of the services in this building
are extremely onerous, due to the exacting demands of the
manufacturing process.Therefore the general layout and size
of the structure were heavily influenced at concept design stage
by the services requirements, resulting in a number of innovative
and unique solutions.
This extremely services-intensive project was completed on time
and within budget, and the client was able to apply for and receive
international certification for the plant from the US FDA (United
States Food and Drug Administration), the UK MHRA (United
Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority) and the
WHO (World Health Organisation). International auditors praised
the plant’s quality of construction and systems, rating it as good as
any other in the world.
The achievement of USA FDA approval has enabled PEPFAR Funding
(President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) to be made available to
purchase products from this plant.This has contributed to the plant
already exceeding growth plans and a further similar plant is now
being considered.
Client:
Aspen Pharmacare
Project team:
Architects: Danie Bekker & Associates CC
Main contractor: Grintaker LTA / Boshard J.V.
Quantity surveyor: Randall, MacLennan & Potgieter
WSP services:
Building services design
Fire engineering
■ Main services plant rooms are centrally located to minimise
lengths of services runs and spatial coordination issues;
■ Vertical services runs between floors are separated by gratings to
allow flexibility for future changes. Fire protection design for this
“chimney” structure within a conventional masonry building was
agreed with the local fire chief;
■ Walk-in ceiling voids allow access to services which, due to
hygiene considerations, cannot be accessed from within the high
cleanliness (Grade D) production areas;
■ The Special requirements of the tablet compression area preclude
the use of walk-in ceiling voids for services maintenance. Services
are therefore routed via adjacent areas where there is adequate
ceiling void and a sealed but demountable metal pan ceiling, which
gives access to the ceiling void if absolutely necessary;
■ A single 3000 kg capacity lift with separate and interlocked
doors provides transport of raw materials, new equipment
and maintenance equipment, with one side opening to plant
and services spaces and the other to access production areas.
Two lift lobbies per floor are separately air-conditioned and
service the dual purpose of an air lock so pressure regimes
can be maintained throughout;
■ Air-conditioning ducting for Grade D systems was fabricated
under closely controlled conditions then cleaned before being
sealed for transportation to site;
■ Air-conditioning parameters are maintained and logged, with
sensors in all production rooms to show pressure differential,
temperature and humidity, remotely displayed at the entrance
to each room;
■ Process and instrumentation (P&I) diagrams for the air
conditioning system were provided for each room to detail
stringent air flow requirements and the effects of dust extraction
on the air balance quantities. P&I diagrams were also a
requirement of the quality assurance system.
The design for WSP’s MEP services at Aspen Pharmacare
won the South African Association of Consulting Engineers’
annual Design Award Competition for Design Excellence
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