remote renal facility design

biomed kitchen publishes resources for those who want to build remote medical infrastructure in a sustainable way. Each document contains general guidance based on lessons we’ve learned in the field. Our practice involves the implementation of this guidance to each unique remote context.

Better Renal Services

The Australian Government is managing funding for the development of remote renal facilities under the Better Renal Services (BRS) grant.

The Government has published the 2024 Renal Facility Design Guidelines for Remote Areas. This Guideline is intended for remote health services who may seek to submit an Expression of Interest to be funded under future rounds of the BRS grant.

The Guideline recommends that any interested renal service assemble a design team that should, “gain local expert input early in the design process.” While the Guideline recommends that expertise be sought specifically when designing water-treatment, renal RO and electrical systems, we recommend that suitable expertise is retained throughout the design process, as it is critical that all systems are properly integrated in order for a remote renal facility to be able to run smoothly with limited personnel.

We have added additional guidance documents here for service providers who seek to follow the recommendations of the Guideline but who need safety and reliability in the recommended but specialised domains: water-treatment, RO, sustainability, and in the integration of the whole system.

Additional notes on the Renal 2024 Facility Design Guideline for Remote Areas

biomed kitchen has prepared an Application Note to support dialysis service-providers who are designing remote renal facilities.

2026 Application note: Medical systems integration for remote renal facilities

This document expands on the recommendations published in the Guideline and adds additional guidance for specialised domains:

  • Remote context: Logistics, water-quality, rainfall and temperature

  • Rainwater harvesting and sustainability

  • Gardens and irrigation

  • Renal water-treatment systems

  • Plant rooms and access

  • Technical support programs

  • Integration and redundancy across services

Specialised water-treatment systems for remote dialysis

This document details the design choices and risks that are inherent to configuration of renal water-treatment systems. These systems require expertise to integrate

  • Automated water-treatment equipment

  • Redundant subsystem configurations

  • Centralisation of Reverse Osmosis units

  • Operation, downtime, maintenance and shifts

  • Remote technical support and maintenance programs

  • Remote monitoring and technical support

  • Integration with other systems

Rainwater and sustainable dialysis

The Guideline refers to “Rainwater” on many occasions, either as an alternative water source for irrigation or as a sustainability measure for a water-intensive remote health service.

biomed kitchen has created a guidance document specifically to address the challenges and utility of rainwater harvesting and how it might be used in remote renal services for patient treatment and as a sustainability measure for irrigation and to offset mains-water usage.

2026 Application note: Water-conservation and rainwater in remote dialysis

It discusses:

  • Rainwater capture analysis

  • Mains supply offsets and benefits

  • Rainwater use in dialysis-water treatment

  • Storage, tanks and temperature

  • Rainwater, greywater and reclaimed wastewater

  • Integrating water-treatment systems