1.0        *Featured Projects* :

2.0        *Articles of Interest* :

3.0        *Helpful Hints* :

4.0        Contact Info for *Bernstein & Assoc., Architects*

***************************

1.0        *FEATURED PROJECTS* :

Recently completed, this project was a renovation of a 12,000 sf former parking garage in Brooklyn, for the Catholic Medical Centers of Brooklyn and Queens (CMC), to house a new outpatient clinic and social service center. Highlights :

-      A main project goal was to accommodate the two programs --- clinical and social service --- in a way that provided separate facilities, in the context of an overall, cohesive environment.

-      Important project parameters : work within the designated project footprint, budget and schedule

-      Design features included : a.) vaulted and raised ceiling sections, highlighted by decorative up/down lighting, and a coordinating pattern in the VCT floor, b.) different color schemes to break-up/mark different areas of plan, c.) indirect lighting, and d.) visual break-up of corridors through creation of  "mini-atriums" throughout floor

-      Materials : new concrete floor, drywall partitions, VCT, ceramic tile, acoustic ceilings with drywall soffits, wood doors in hollow metal frames, medical casework, curtain track/fabric for patient privacy within rooms, millwork with wood trim, and mobile patient file system to maximize filing within a limited footprint, and new furniture 

-      Infrastructure upgrades were an important part of this project, and included : HVAC and fire alarm upgrades.

Recently completed, this project was a renovation of a 4,000 sf former open office area in the east 30's in Manhattan, for the New York University Hospital Centers (NYUHC), to house a relocated Employee Health center for the hospital's employees. Highlights :

-      Necessitating the relocation of the Employee Health center was the creation of a joint ED/Radiology project in the existing Employee Health location, also designed by Bernstein & Associates, Architects.

-      The overall project goal was to relocate the Employee Health service "in-kind", and to maximize the use of existing partitions and materials, for reasons of project economy. Nevertheless, within these modest goals, the facility was re-created in a very functional and attractive manner, which was noted and appreciated by the facilities department as well as  the Employee Health director

-      Materials : drywall partitions, patterned VCT floors, carpet, acoustic ceilings with drywall soffits, hollow metal doors and frames, new millwork with wood trim, and new furniture. 

-      Infrastructure upgrades were an important part of this project, and included : sprinkler and telecommunications upgrades.

2.0        *ARTICLES OF INTEREST* :

-      Laboratories are "prodigious consumer(s) of natural resources. …laboratories typically consume 5 to 10 times more energy per square foot than do office buildings. And some specialty laboratories, such as clean rooms and labs with large process loads, can consume 100 times the energy of a similarly sized institutional or commercial structure." 

-      "Assuming that half of all American laboratories can reduce their energy usage by 30% … the nation could reduce its energy consumption by 84 trillion BTU … (this) would save $1.25 billion annually and decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 19 million tons--- equal to … removing 1.3 million cars from U.S. highways or preventing 56 million trees from being harvested."

-      "Emphasize the use of life-cycle cost analysis as a basis for energy investment decisions : … example …a constant volume (CV) air-supply system may have the best 5-year life-cycle value … (while) VAV systems usually have the lowest life-cycle cost … of 10 years or more."

-      "Establish energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources as fundamental project goals."

-      "Conduct a project-specific codes and standard review with energy considerations in mind."

-      "Understand the energy consumption implications of narrow operating ranges … in some instances, owners … mandate an extremely narrow range without appreciating its operating cost penalty. For instance, maintaining an exceedingly tight relative humidity (RH) range consumes a large amount of energy and requires extra cooling and reheating coils in the air-supply system that would not otherwise be needed."

-      "Catalogue the energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities for non-lab spaces in the building."

-      "Separate energy-intensive process operations tasks with mini-environments … provide for HVAC-intensive zoning … segregate areas that require very tightly controlled temperature and humidity conditions from spaces that are simply providing human comfort."

-      "Insist on the clarity and convenience of mechanical systems distribution … undersized or convoluted duct runs can increase the resistance to airflow and unnecessarily increase the fan energy required to distribute the supply air … locating HVAC service chaises and access corridors cannot be an afterthought … among HVAC planning strategies with significant architectural and formal implications are the use of double-loaded utility corridors, the insertion of partial or complete interstitial spaces and --- in the case of some retrofits --- the addition of exostitial volume on the building perimeter."

-      "Try to isolate office and non-critical support spaces from lab modules and, when feasible, cascade airflow from offices to labs … when possible, attempt to mechanically isolate offices and support facilities from the lab module to reduce the building's HVAC requirements."

-      "Plan architectural adjacencies with mechanical system requirements in mind."

-      "In many labs … (and) in office zones, daylighting, which provides a major opportunity for energy savings, can displace or reduce the need for artificial illumination."

-      "Be sure to right-size equipment .. engineers may have a tendency to oversize central heating and cooling equipment … but … oversizing increases energy consumption, hurts life-cycle economies, and can actually diminish comfort … "right-sizing" is by far the better strategy …among other attributes, right-sizing respects the principle of diversity, that is, the assumption that all of the laboratory's equipment is unlikely to be operating at rated capacity simultaneously. While single-room labs should always  be sized for full 100% capacity, studies and practical experience have shown that, in large laboratories with many fume hoods, about 30% to 70% of the hoods are either closed or only partially in use at any one time, yielding an overall diversity factor of approximately 50%."

-      "Select equipment with part-load operation and variable conditions in mind … engineers can size chillers in incremental modules that activate singly or in tandem to meet variable loads while continuing to run at maximum efficiencies. Similarly, as a sizing strategy, instead of specifying identical chillers, consider installing two chillers of unequal size that provide more flexibility in matching variable loads. Still another option is to choose variable-load equipment, such as screw chillers, specifically engineered for high part-load efficiency … on the heating side, specify module boilers to meet part-load requirements and to improve overall system reliability. Other devices that can be operated by adjusting them according to demand and occupancy include VAV supply and fume-hood exhaust systems and variable frequency drives (VFD's) on pumps and fans."

-      "Specify premium high-efficiency equipment … investments in high-efficiency HVAC equipment today invariably pay off tomorrow … it is particularly cost effective to specify chillers with low kW/ton profiles in the expected range of operation, low face-velocity coils and filters, and efficient motors and pumps … avoid using reheat coils … cooling air only to reheat it is inherently inefficient …a better approach … is to vary the volume of air by using VAV supply and exhaust systems … specify energy-efficient products with the EPA/DOE Energy Star label, or those indicated in the DOE Federal Energy Management Program's product efficiency ratings on the web, when purchasing new windows… HVAC, or lighting equipment … "

-      "Carefully consider the number, size, location, and type of fume hoods; each one uses as much energy as an entire house … design systems that permit hoods to be moved as required … VAV hoods have become standard practice for energy-efficient operation …"

-      "Stress low-pressure drop design …  set a system-wide maximum pressure drop target … consider specifying slightly oversized supply ducts and pipes that both reduce pressure drop and anticipate future needs … avoid devices that create large … drops such as balance valves and fittings … use low face-velocity coils and filters … use … HEPA filters with the lowest pressure drop available …"

-      "Take advantage of the unique conditioning approaches offered by your climate and location."

-      "Separate low- and high-temperature cooling loops … (often) chilled water is required for both air-conditioning and process cooling. However, the temperature requirements of these applications are often quite different. Typically, 45 degree water might be need as part of an air-conditioning cycle … while 60 degree water might suffice for a process cooling  load … install a dedicated chiller to meet process requirements, rather than tempering cold water produced from a low temperature source …"

-      "Consider energy recovery from exhaust air or process cooling water, when this is permitted."

-      "Incorporate energy monitoring and control systems with direct digital controls."

-      "Require whole-building commissioning."

-      "Benchmark, monitor, and report annually on building energy performance."

-      "Investigate the application of on-site power generation."

-      "Consider using renewable energy."

-      "Purchase green power."

       Highlights from the HFM article, written by Craig H. Kampmier :

-      "In its … 2001 revisions to the emergency management requirements, the (JCAHO) …. indicates that the emergency management plan must address 'facilities for radioactive or chemical isolation and decontamination …"

-      "A decontamination room accommodating one to several patients may suffice for a staggered arrival of patients. The receipt of mass numbers of contaminated patients may cause the decontamination process to extend from the decontamination room to the ED parking lot, with the more serious patients being processed through the decontamination room."

-      "A decontamination room of this size can accommodate a hospital staff member who has been contaminated by a hazardous material at work, an industrial exposure patient transported to the ED by (EMS) or a patient who presents at the ED on his or her own …"

-      "Planning efforts for decontamination that would extend outside the ED entrance should involve the fire department …"

-      " Perspectives involving the feasibility of mass decontaminating 10,000 - 100,000 people vary, and are beyond the scope of these suggested design considerations…"

-      Other decon room applications : a.) burn debridement, b.) gross contamination from body fluids associated with trauma, c.) ability to wash a patient caked with soil, d.) ability to wash a patient when hygiene hampers a clear visual patient assessment…, e.) isolation needs"

-      (Ideally) the ED (which) provides immediate access to staff, supplies and continuing patient care …"

-      "A dedicated entrance from the  ambulance entrance/dock is strongly recommended to avoid contamination in the emergency department and potentially throughout the hospital … "

-      "Alternatives to a decon room within the ED may include commercially available structures … can (it) … be placed proximate to the ED entrance ? … will staff have to travel 200 feet ?… how quickly can the triage nurse provide access to a temporary structure ?…"

-     "An 8 x 10 room should accommodate one patient gurney" (WB note : this room size would be minimal, depending on staff and equipment requirements … rooms for special procedures such as this are usually minimum 120 sf)

-      "Coating the floor, walls and monolithic ceiling surfaces with an inert material enables all surface areas to be washed down with a long-handled brush, soap and water, and rinsewater from the hose wand …"

-      "The decon room should be under negative pressure, with a minimum of 12 air changes per hour. Fresh air should be ducted into the room, proximate to the ceiling, but away from the exhaust …"

-      "Explosion-proof fixtures will minimize any immediate potential problems associated with the off-gassing of flammable vapors from a patient who may arrive with clothing contaminated with solvents or other flammable or combustible liquids …"

-      "By (pendant-mounting) the (lighting) fixtures on the monolithic ceiling, the ceiling's integrity is maintained …"

-      (Also recommended) : "installing the light switch outside of the room …"

-      (Also recommended) : "explosion-proof receptacle outlets …"

-      "The water supply for decontamination activities should be tepid …"

-      "A faucet on the outside of an exterior wall will allow garden hose attachments and a tepid water supply for decontamination activities, which may extend to the parking lot or ambulance entrance …"

-      "A grossly contaminated ambulatory patient … will require gross flushing. An emergency eyewash and shower should be in the decon room."

-      "A hose and wand attachment from a wall fixture at the head of the patient gurney will permit staff to wash the patient …"

-      "A floor drain with chemical PVC directs decontaminated water to a commercially available 500-gallon hazmat-compatible holding tank of a material such as polypropylene. The tank would have a sample port for determining the hazardous nature of the contents. Depending upon the substance, quantity and concentration, the contents may meet local sewer authority wastewater discharge limits. In this case, a bypass valve that would allow authorized staff (e.g. safety director) to empty the tank's contents into a sanitary sewer line … if wastewater limits are exceeded, the contents of the tank must be disposed of as chemical hazardous waste …"

-      Recommended : "a bank of four or six outlets supplied from a dedicated air compressor would allow an appropriate number of staff members to function … the air supply cannot be connected to the hospital's medical air supply. Currently … NFPA 99 … specifically prohibits the use of medical air for any purpose other than direct patient care …"1

-      "There are commercially available decontamination boards designed to fit on gurneys. The patient is raised above the decontamination process run-off, while the sideboards protect staff from unnecessary contact with the run-off …"