PlusLife’s new state-of-the-art bone and tissue bank in Midland has been crowned Western Australia’s best industrial building in the Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards.
The prestigious award for the Best Industrial Building ($5 million to $10 million) was presented to Balcatta builder PS Structures at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday night. The project was PS Structures’ first ever cleanroom development.
Designed by award-winning architects Cameron Chisholm Nicol, the purpose-built facility includes two tissue processing cleanrooms, freezer storage, a tissue testing laboratory and a dedicated research laboratory, linked to PlusLife’s heritage listed administration building.
The award also acknowledged the efforts of cleanroom design experts, engineering firm Asia Pacific Consultants.
PlusLife managing director Anne Cowie said the award was worthy recognition of the outstanding design and construction work undertaken for PlusLife’s new home.
“This is a welcome and timely win as we prepare to launch our annual awareness campaign for DonateLife Week 2018 next week to help raise the profile of tissue and bone donation in WA,” Mrs Cowie said.
“We congratulate PS Structures, Cameron Chisholm Nicol and Asia Pacific Consultants for their outstanding workmanship on the PlusLife project and are proud to have worked with some of the finest and most knowledgeable minds in the construction business to see our new headquarters reach fruition. This award is due recognition.
“PS Structures and the entire project team, including PlusLife’s Chris Bombak, worked hard to ensure the building was completed on time and on budget. From start to finish it took less than 12 months.
“Three years ago we were working from a cramped, outdated site in Nedlands. We had outgrown our workspace and were faced with the prospect of having to close a vital West Australian health service.”
In 2016, the State Government committed $10 million to build a new workspace for PlusLife.
“This new building means mean we can continue our important work managing bone and tissue donations in WA and we will strive to meet growing demand for our services,” Mrs Cowie said.
PS Structures project manager William Lillie said the company was proud to receive such high recognition for the construction of its first ever cleanroom.
“As the first cleanroom facility PS Structures has ever attempted, we embraced this as a great opportunity to broaden our company’s position into a market in WA and work with one of the state’s most important health providers,” Mr Lillie said.
“We are beyond thrilled to be named the winner of such a prestigious award that recognises the best of the construction industry in Western Australia.”
PlusLife bone and tissue transplants are required almost every day to treat patients with spinal deformities, young people with bone cancers (often preventing the amputation of a limb); and many more patients with arthritic joint disease and sporting injuries.
Last year, PlusLife supplied 634 people with bone and tissue transplants.
“Each of these transplants has the ability to make very real differences to the lives of others, but despite these positive outcomes many people do not realise that tissue donation is even possible,” Mrs Cowie said.
One deceased tissue donor has the potential to improve the wellbeing, sight and mobility of up to 60 people through the donations of bones, tendons, corneas, heart valves and skin.
PlusLife has two donor programs. Living patients having hip replacement surgery can donate the ball part of their hip, which is used commonly in a ground-up form for children with spinal deformities. And, like organ donation, bone, tendons and ligaments can be donated after death with consent from next-of-kin.
To register as a bone, tissue or organ donor, visit www.donorregister.gov.au or via Medicare online.