The South Island's First Private Nuclear Medicine Service

Reform Radiology was established in 2023 with a clear mission: to improve access to essential radiology services for patients across Canterbury. The facility is the South Island's first private nuclear medicine service and New Zealand's first dedicated, full suite of molecular imaging and therapy services. For patients across the Canterbury area, it means access to services that weren't available here before.

The team at Reform Radiology helps detect and stage cancers, including breast, colon, melanoma, lung, neuroendocrine and prostate cancer. They can identify heart problems, musculoskeletal issues, thyroid and parathyroid diseases, and even help differentiate between different causes of dementia. And through theranostics, a treatment approach that uses one radioactive drug to locate disease and a second to deliver targeted therapy directly to specific cancer cells, they are providing world-class oncology treatment to South Island patients for the very first time.

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The Concept

When Elite Built was brought on board, 144 Kilmore Street housed a language school. Getting involved early, before the design had fully taken shape, allowed us to work alongside quantity surveyor Attainable Ltd to develop a realistic budget framework and offer meaningful input on drainage, electrical, fire protection and fit-out scopes while those decisions could still be influenced.

"Early involvement allowed us to offer input on key scopes and helped shape a realistic budget framework that supported informed decision-making as the design evolved," says Shawn Cotton, Director of Elite Built.

The design was developed in close partnership with FocusPlan, who led the interior design, architecture and project management of the fit-out, and Inline Architecture, who handled the broader architectural and design scope. Structural engineering across the entire programme was led by Romulus, whose input was critical in a building that presented significant structural constraints from day one.

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The Build

The existing waffle slab, originally designed for a lightweight fit-out, imposed strict weight limits and could not be cut for drainage channels. Aquapro Plumbing and Drainage worked with us to thread all services through the building with considerable ingenuity, while starter bar placement required detailed planning to avoid intersecting existing reinforcing steel.

Radiation shielding was where the project demanded the highest level of precision. Concrete walls and ceilings were constructed and poured in the uptake rooms to safely contain radiation. SHP Plastering then installed lead-lined walls and ceilings with meticulous detailing, including lead flashings rebated behind sheet joins, lead sheeting contact-adhered between two layers of plywood before being secured to wall and ceiling framing, to maintain shielding integrity throughout the facility.

"Materials ranged from standard GIB board to highly specialised lead sheeting," explains Shawn. "These technical requirements demanded a high level of detail, collaboration, and sequencing to meet both clinical standards and building compliance."

Major electrical upgrades, including the installation of a new external substation, were integrated without compromising the existing structure. HVAC systems were tailored specifically to the requirements of a sensitive imaging environment. All of this against a hard deadline tied to the scheduled arrival of new CT machines.

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The Finished Space

Across its 380 square metres, the facility houses both PET/CT and SPECT/CT imaging modalities, two dedicated treatment rooms, changing cubicles, four uptake rooms, and full staff and administrative areas.

Patient comfort was central to the brief from the outset. Greytone Painting brought the interiors to life with a considered colour palette that runs throughout the facility, complementing the wave-patterned panelling in the reception area. Hush Interiors handled the fit-out of the treatment rooms, which feature vibrant lightboxes and wall graphics depicting peaceful pastoral and woodland scenes of rural New Zealand. In the uptake rooms, Empire Glass contributed to the soft, home-like environment with the installation of a backlit sheer curtain system.

The project was delivered on budget. The facility is now open and serving the Canterbury community five days a week.

"The finished facility sets a new benchmark for community-based molecular imaging in New Zealand," says Shawn, "and is a project we are extremely proud to have worked on and delivered to an incredibly high standard."

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A Team Effort

Last year, Elite Built was entered into the 2026 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards, only to take home a Gold Award in the Health Category. The event was run by New Zealand Master Builders and was held at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland. The night saw Elite Built compete against other major construction companies such as Leighs Construction and Naylor Love.

The award is not Elite Built’s alone, and is thanks to the following project partners and subcontractors:

Attainable Ltd — whose financial decisions from the earliest stages made the project possible.

FocusPlan — who designed and managed a fit-out that was technically exacting, clinically compliant, and patient-centred.

Inline Architecture — whose architectural scope gave the project its structural and design integrity.

Romulus — whose structural engineering underpinned every decision made on site.

Aquapro Plumbing and Drainage — who found a way through one of the most constrained drainage challenges on the project.

SHP Plastering — who delivered radiation shielding work to a high precision standard as required.

Greytone Painting, Hush Interiors, and Empire Glass — who brought the finished spaces to life and created an amazing environment for patients.

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Elite Built is a Christchurch-based commercial and residential construction company. If you have a project in mind, get in touch with the team at elitebuilt.co.nz.

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