Eddy De Coster
Department Head of Technical Services
The Technical Department is responsible for all UZ Leuven buildings and their equipment, and for all purchases of a technical nature. Our team consists of 250 people, from engineers and site managers to carpenters and electrical engineers. Together, we do about a third of the work, while the rest is outsourced. Especially in periods of boom – in recent years we have taken 100,000 m² new buildings in use, accounting for 25 percent of our total surface area – we rely heavily on external services.
"For the accredited hospitals in Flanders, energy supply and its security is an important item. That's why we've been working with Ingenium for over 10 years."
We were introduced to Ingenium more than 10 years ago, when we started our 'energy master plan'. After all, for the accredited hospitals in Flanders, energy supply and its security is an important item. The master plan of that time has been continuously adjusted in recent years together with Ingenium. In the meantime, our infrastructure has been almost completely renewed, and we are focusing on optimization.
"Monitoring, following up and ensuring compliance with the agreements made is the most important thing that a partner like Ingenium can unburden us in."
It is very important, especially in the healthcare sector, that you can agree on something and that those agreements are complied with. To do this, you don't have to plan ahead, but behind it, with the date on which something has to be operational as a starting point. Usually it is a matter of looking for a realistic timing together with the design office and the architects. Monitoring, following up and ensuring compliance with the agreements made is the most important thing that a partner like Ingenium can then unburden us with. It is not feasible for us to constantly have to chase people ourselves. But for that, as an engineering firm, you also have to have the necessary clout yourself, in case someone falls ill or if additional work turns up.
By focusing heavily on BIM at an early stage, Ingenium ensured that the error rate and the number of changes on site itself were seriously reduced. But they have also proposed to train our own people to work in BIM. That's a double win, because it puts us even more on the same wavelength. Moreover, the distance between Leuven and Bruges no longer matters by working digitally. Nevertheless, personal contact is still necessary to bring a project to a successful conclusion. Because of their desk at the station in Leuven, Ingenium is also really close to us."
With some engineering firms or architects, we sometimes get the feeling that they know it all better and come and tell us how to do it. But our 30 engineers think it is important that their opinion and knowledge are also taken into account. The people of Ingenium do not 'float' above our people, but they stand between them. Out of genuine interest, they form a team with us and always look to make more than 2 out of 1 plus 1.
