GLUMAC - Engineers for a sustainable future

Leonard Klein, P.E., LEED^® AP,Portland Associate Principal

MEP DESIGN

Design goals for the mechanical and electrical systems included maximizing the air quality for patient health, providing high standards for maintaining relative space pressurization, improved energy efficiency, and reduced maintenance requirements. To accomplish this, the primary ventilation system for the Cancer Center utilized 100% outside air handlers and low pressure venture type air valves for premium zone relative space pressurization control.

All air handling and large exhaust systems were designed for low velocity/low pressure drop, and incorporated "Fan-wall" fan system arrays, resulting in reduced energy consumption, improved redundancy, improved maintenance requirements and the elimination of any required sound-traps. Low pressure drop/high media content pre and final filters were incorporated into these units. Wrap around hydronic heat recovery coils were used to pre-heating or pre-cooling the outside air. Daylight controls were used at many of the public spaces to allow for continuous dimming such that light fixtures use as little as 30% of the connected power load. Ratios of several types of low-e glass with different shading coefficients were "tuned" in collaboration with the energy modeling efforts to maximize day-lighting potential by exposure while providing specific combined shading coefficients (by exposure and area type) in order to maximize free heating.

COLLABORATIVE DESIGN PROCESS

A collaborative effort between the Owner, Design Team, and Construction Team added significant value to the project during the design process. As an example of this collaboration, the team deviated from the typical design review process by hosting "Collaborative Design Review Sessions" in lieu of the typical requests for review comments from individual reviewers.

During each major milestone drawing issuance, separate "Collaborative Design Review Sessions" were held for review of the mechanical, plumbing/medical gas, and electrical documents. Experts from of the project team (Owner€™s Project Manager/Design and Construction, Owner€™s Facilities/Maintenance and Operation, Architect, MEP Design Team, Contractor and Sub-contractors, Cx Agent) attended these sessions.

For each review session, a real time collaborative review comment document was created live, summarizing the joint discussion and path forward for the specific elements of each system. This allowed free communication between all the parties, encouraging open questions and sharing if insight from all perspectives. In addition to providing a single document that provided clear direction to the design team, the team was able to learn from the expertise of individuals and significantly improved the design review process by bringing immediately resolution and eliminating conflicting design review comments.