Medical Construction & Design

SEP-OCT 2017

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.

Issue link: https://mcdmag.epubxp.com/i/871544

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 36 of 78

32 Medical Construction & Design | SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2017 | MCDM AG.COM construction manager, to determine the true fi rst cost of each scenario. Perhaps the most interesting and surprising result of the cost study was that all active chilled beam options cost less than the baseline project (VAV system with 70 percent glass). This convinced UVMMC administrators to pursue active chilled beams wherever possible in the building. Dynamic (electrochromic) glass The dynamic glass utilized on the project works in a similar way to transition lenses in eye glasses; it tints darker as the sun gets brighter. During fabrication, multiple thin layers of metal oxide are added to form an electrochromic ceramic coating on the inside of the glass. When a tiny electrical charge is applied to the glass it causes ions in the ceramic to move between the layers. This movement results in a tinting of the glass. As the tint darkens, more solar radiation and glare is refl ected, which results in greater temperature control and energ y savings for the building. The control system, which titrates the amount of tint in each window, is directed by algorithms that factor information such as the time of year, sun angle and building location and orientation. In addition, real-time sensors mounted on the roof anticipate and respond to cloud cover to maximize daylight when possible and reduce solar gain and glare when necessary. In addition to and working with the dynamic glass, the building also utilized a high-performance curtainwall system with triple-pane glazing off ering the maximum thermal performance for glazed areas of the façade. These innovative methods of measuring, analyzing and evaluating various systems were critical in the design and construction process. The results were highly successful in terms of UVMMC's attainment of its sustainability goals, as well as enhanced patient safety and comfort through improved air quality and natural light exposure throughout the building. The continued use and development of these and other systems and technologies will undoubtedly have an ongoing positive impact on the long-term sustainability of this critical sector of the economy. Michael Pulaski is vice president of Thornton Tomasetti. Bill Repichowskyj is a partner with Environments for Health (E4H) Architecture. A bridge connects the new University of Vermont Medical Center Miller Building to the existing hospital, allowing for easy patient transport. The area underneath the bridge includes a rain garden, designed to collect run-off and roof overfl ow, complementing the landscaping. State of Sustainability ISSUE FOCUS 20% Percentage of U.S. fl oorspace in the healthcare sector that Hospital Alliance members represent — www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/alliances 1986 Year electrochromic glass was introduced — marketsandmarkets.com.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Medical Construction & Design - SEP-OCT 2017