COLUMN. Sahlgrenska Academy needs to invest in its premises to continue to be an attractive alternative for students and researchers in the future. This is the conclusion of Eric Hanse, Vice Dean for infrastructure and premises, in his column that provides a summary of current premises development projects.
Soon, Sahlgrenska Academy will need make a decision about upgrading our teaching and research premises so they address the needs of the future and become financially sustainable. The type of buildings we need at Sahlgrenska Academy are not standard buildings; in our investments we need to allow for both advanced lab technology and current requirements regarding the environment and accessibility. We also have some premises today that are not up to standards.
As a result, we need a plan for both long-term and short-term premises requirements. To this end, Sahlgrenska Academy hired an external consulting firm this autumn to better understand the issues of our premises and look at the cost aspects. That work continues. At an open meeting of the Academy on December 10, the consultants will present a comprehensive analysis. You can read more about the General Academy Meeting in this invitation.
Our colleagues at the Faculty of Science are expanding their presence at Medicinareberget with the construction of new buildings. Recently the project reached a milestone when the University of Gothenburg and Akademiska Hus signed a rental agreement for an area of 28,000 square meters. The estimated cost on which the rent is based is just under SEK 1.7 billion. The University of Gothenburg’s budget for implementing the project is about SEK 240 million. This sum includes interior design, equipment and working hours. The rental agreement also means that the project has entered the next phase. At the construction site, however, no major change will be noticed for a long time. We expect preparation of the site with blasting to continue until after the summer of 2020. A total of 260,000 tons of blasted rock will be transported from the site. So far 100,000 tons have been removed. The project is on schedule, with occupancy planned for 2023.
At Medicinarelängan, where the new building will be located, 2,000 square meters will be rebuilt. The premises will accommodate a new restaurant, among other things. Reconstruction under way at Medicinarelängan will also create new premises for the Centre for Cellular Imaging (CCI), which is part of Core Facilities. Other parts of Core Facilities are preparing to move into pavilions being set up in the parking lot behind the Lundberg Laboratory at Medicinaregatan 9C and 9D, next to Medicinarelängan.
Reconstruction of the Lundberg Laboratory, which is proceeding at full speed, aims to prepare the premises for the Institute of Biomedicine’s research teams.
For the Experimental Biomedicine (EBM) building, an in-depth preliminary study that will be launched shortly that will look at ways to rebuild the existing premises in small steps without excessive disruptions in activities.
You can read more about new construction and reconstructions in Academiliv (Academy Life).
In the Campus Development project, smaller development projects are currently under way at Medicinarelängan, including development and improvement of some of the student study environment.
Work on the Sahlgrenska Life project continues and should be completed by the end of the year. The work under way now involves fine-tuning requests, costs and needs. This will form the basis for the decision to move on to the next phase of the project. In parallel, the City of Gothenburg’s work on a detailed development plan is ongoing, with decisions expected by the Property Management Committee next year. The environmental impact assessment currently being carried out will examine demolition of older buildings at Medicinareberget and the Sahlgrenska lot. We need a decision on a detailed development plan before Sahlgrenska Life can be implemented.
At Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Östra Sjukhuset, a number of different construction projects are under way and planned. Sahlgrenska Academy is part of the development at Östra through a recently completed preliminary study and through our representatives in the various construction projects’ steering groups.
In summary, we have a real challenge ahead of us and several factors to consider. The choices we make regarding our premises should be based on financial responsibility in both the short term and long term. Unfortunately, all scenarios involve cost increases. We regard investments in premises as strategic initiatives that help us to offer high quality education and create research environments that make Sahlgrenska Academy an attractive alternative for students and researchers in the future.
Eric Hanse
Vice Dean for infrastructure and premises
Here is how to stay up to date on construction projects at Medicinareberget:
- Akademiliv publishes information related to ongoing construction projects every other week.
- Construction work at Medicinareberget – page on the Staff Portal that provides written updates, photos & video. You will also find frequently asked questions and answers here.
- Email questions about construction to medicinareberget@gu.se. The Communication Unit will ensure the right person responds to your query.
- Questions related to operational planning and how the consequences of construction activities will be handled should be addressed to managers.
