Medical Construction & Design

NOV-DEC 2013

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

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green sustainable bioswales and culverts. A recent visitor to the campus noted that the sight of butterflies was complemented by the pleasing sounds of chirping birds and breezes rustling through the parking lot plantings. It was a notably different sensory experience compared to many hospital parking lots. Within the building, the use of highly efficient water fixtures and controls will reduce domestic potable water use by at least 30 percent. Besides the environmental benefits, water conservation efforts save real dollars for the duration of building use as water supply and sewer rates are quickly escalating across the country. The building is orientated on the site to effectively address issues of solar gain and reduce mechanical loads while concurrently providing opportunities for enhanced natural daylighting and direct views to nature from patient rooms. The selection of energy-efficient glazing helps reduce heat gain in the building, a benefit augmented by roofing that helps to decrease heat island effect and solar heat gain. The indoor healing environment is further enhanced through the use of low-VOC finishes and sustainably sourced materials, which include substantial recycled content to reduce resource extraction and regional content to support the local manufacturing economy. While long-term environmental impact was of critical importance to the team, patient experience remained central to every decision. This is one of the main Patient rooms feature abundant daylight. Demountable partitions and modular components specific to task ensure that caregiver areas are flexible and adaptable. reasons behind the unique offering of a convenient outpatient-like facility within the industry-leading inpatient facility. Specifically, a dedicated entrance with its own reception and waiting area is located at the north side, adjacent to the Medical Arts Building and separate from the main entrance, and with adjacency to the interventional platform. This allows for a "non-hospital" patient experience that maintains the efficiency of combined inpatient and outpatient clinical operations but offers an environment more like standalone surgical centers. Bringing vision to reality From the inception of the project, the leadership's vision was to bring a technologically advanced, full-service, acutecare hospital to the region's residents, all with an eye on the future. Achieving this required the team design to the highest standards of function and also with the goal of fully integrated aesthetic excellence. In bringing Einstein Medical Center Montgomery to life, partnership was central to success. For convenience, the hospital was co-located with a 75,000-square-foot developerfunded and managed Medical Art Building, which was built using an accelerated design process between 32 Medical Construction & Design | November/December 2013 Perkins+Will, Einstein and Alter+Care, a healthcare real estate developer. The 363,000-square-foot inpatient hospital was built utilizing Federal Housing Authority financing. Being eligible for this financing required that the team comply with the schedule, which was achieved through a deep commitment to collaboration and a common sense of rigor throughout. The project was completed on time and under budget. This spirit of collaboration was also integral to fundamental aspects of the design process and informed the shape and configuration of patient rooms and units. The project's owner, caregivers, planners and designers participated in an ongoing exchange of ideas, resulting in a building that integrates efficient function with pleasing aesthetics, with priority given to both. As a result, a successful balance can be seen throughout the facility. Vistas to daylight and views are accessible throughout. The location of nursing support areas was carefully coordinated. Supply and utility rooms were placed in ways to afford the highest levels of convenience for staff, without compromise to the patient's sensory experience. Benefits correlate specifically with increased patient comfort: these areas were planned to enhance acoustical and visual comfort. Since support room www.mcdmag.com

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