National Rehabilitation Centre

Our work on the landmark National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) in Loughborough, showcases the transformative power of digital construction and our expertise in meeting clients’ sustainability requirements.

Our IHP healthcare joint venture are acting as main contractor on the centre, which is set to be game-changing in terms of the quality of life potentially achievable by patients after serious injury or illness.  

The 70-bed facility has the potential to transform clinical rehabilitation across the NHS in England and Wales. Procured via the P22 Framework, it will combine clinical rehabilitation, research, development and commercial innovation, along with training and education, all under one roof. 

One of the earliest new hospitals being built under the New Hospitals Programme, the NRC will be the first operational carbon neutral building in the NHS, driving forward the health service’s climate commitment as it aims to reach net zero by 2040. 

The building is all-electric, features three air source heat pumps (ASHPs), 900m2 of solar panels that are predicted to provide 10% of the building’s energy needs, and is highly insulated. Through these energy sources, and by producing much of its own power, the building is expected to make significant savings on energy costs, adding value to the NHS. 

Collaboration is a principal goal for the entire project team: our contract involves a Partnering Agreement overlay which is intended to foster close cooperation between the New Hospitals Programme team, client Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and IHP, helping everyone work together productively to solve problems. 

Harnessing the power of digital

Digital construction has played a pivotal role in the project's success, with our team leveraging advanced technologies to:

• deliver data driven insights that improved workflow efficiency and risk mitigation
• spot bottlenecks and identify root causes
• enact mitigation plans and measure success 

IHP used AI-powered progress tracking system Buildots as part of an integrated tech solution designed to identify and mitigate potential causes of delays, support lookahead meetings with objective data, and boost productivity with smarter planning. 

As with all mission critical healthcare projects, the fit-out phase involved a highly complex web of tasks and activities, all of which had to be delivered with minimal delays and while providing maximum taxpayer value. This required precise coordination to prevent overruns, clashes and other inefficiencies.​ 

And with the project a ‘first-of-its-kind’ for England and Wales, the development generated many learnings along the way, which required design and scope revisions, all of which had to be navigated without undue impact on the project schedule.  

The team used data-driven analysis to measure their impact to refine their execution. By comparing the 360 degree site imagery generated by Buildots against the project BIM model and schedule, the team were able to identify at-risk activities, allowing us to take corrective action to avoid delays. 

The team were also able to detect the root cause of potential delays, ensuring resources were directed appropriately to avoid escalation. This included addressing one issue that had the potential to result in a 16-week set back on the project. 

The NRC highlights our commitment to leveraging digital construction and sustainable practices to deliver high-quality, environmentally responsible buildings.