Medical Construction & Design

NOV-DEC 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/909550

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 44 of 62

40 Medical Construction & Design | NOV EMBER / DECEMBER 2017 | MCDM AG.COM At the same time, the design for clinical departments pro- vides energy-effi cient consider- ations for specifi c temperature requirements without increas- ing the overall energy con- sumption of the building. For example, VAVs in the pharmacy compounding area incorporate cooling coils to maintain the appropriate temperature for this sensitive area, even when other areas of the department reach the seasonal temperature setback point. This saves en- ergy by providing supplemen- tal cooling only where needed, rather than across the entire air handler and chilled water system. The mechanical system design uses heat recovery chillers, also known as heat pump chillers, to recover heat from the chilled water return line and uses the compressor to drive the heat into the heating water system, eff ectively reducing the temperature diff erential of both systems. This strategy reduces the load on boilers at the district energy plant, saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint of the medical center campus. It also reduces the load on the district plant and its cooling towers that would otherwise consume water to compensate for evaporation. In addition, the MEP design provides a locally zoned domestic hot water system that uses energy-effi cient instantaneous heat exchange technology rather than a conventional gas-fi red central water heating system and hot water loop. A dedicated supplemental hot water heater is provided for the kitchen, which requires hotter water (140 F). Overall, these MEP strategies optimize patient comfort and operational fl exibility, while reducing energy use. The energy model projected a 23 percent energy savings between the base building design and proposed building design — roughly $240,000 in energy savings per year for the medical center compared with the ASHRAE 90.1 2007 baseline performance of conventional systems. Optimizing energy use with LED controls, scheduling applications LED lighting is becoming the new standard in the healthcare fi eld, but automated control has been limited because of safety concerns in patient-occupied spaces. The building management system designed for Dell Seton integrates lighting control, patient tracking, departmental scheduling systems (e.g., OR) and room occupancy sensors to safely enable automated on/off lighting control and appropriate VAV setbacks throughout the medical center. The MEP system also provides for full metering of energy consumption and natu- ral resource consumption with daily BMS dashboard reporting and display of integrated data trends to facilitate the medical center's operational perfor- mance reviews. Lowering water consumption with AHU condensate recovery, plumbing equipment The medical center is also designed to reduce water consumption and enhance site sustainability. For example, the MEP system incorporates low- water-use plumbing equipment and an AHU condensate recovery system, which will produce an estimated 3 million gallons a year for onsite landscape irrigation. In addition, all storm drain- age systems drain to bioswales rather than the city storm sewer system, reducing the medical center's impact. The medical center was recently commissioned to verify system performance. After the fi rst year, Dell Seton will review energy trends with the design team to compare operational results against the energy model targets for optimization of the controls. As healthcare organizations come under increasing pressure to improve patient care, outcomes and satisfaction while improving operational performance, sustainability is no longer a project amenity, but a necessity. And just as out-of-the-box thinking and innovation have driven advancements in healthcare, they will drive the greening of healthcare facilities. For Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, innovative MEP strategies are designed to contribute to sustainability in support of the medical center's patient care and building performance goals. Shaun Grimm is a senior vice president of WSP USA, and managing director of the buildings practice in its Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas offi ces. The building management system designed for Dell Seton Medical Center integrates lighting control, patient tracking and room occupancy sensors for optimal energy performance.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Medical Construction & Design - NOV-DEC 2017