Building Statistics 1
General Building Information
- Building Name: Princeton University Medical Center
- Location & Site: Plainsboro Township, NJ
- Building Occupant Name: Business Group B, Institutional Group I-2
- Size (S.F.): 800,000 S.F.
- Stories Above Grade: 6 Stories
- Project Team
- Owner: Princeton University (princeton.edu)
- Construction Manager: Turner Construction (turnerconstruction.com)
- Architects: HOK & Hillier Architecture (HOK.com)
- Structural Engineer: O’Donnell & Naccarato (o-n.com)
- MEP Engineer: Birdsall Services Group (birdsall.com)
- Construction Dates: August 2009-May2012
- Construction Cost: $250 Million
- Project Delivery Method: Design-Bid-Build
Background
Princeton University Medical Center was in a big need for a change. The rapid growth of people, out dated building design and equipment were the main reasons to get rid of their old medical center. The University Medical Center at Princeton (UMCP) will also be joining the Pebble Project. For those of you who do not know what the Pebble Project is, it is a research effort between The Center for Health Design and selected healthcare providers to measure the layout and design of a hospital and how it can increase quality care and economic performance.
Landscape/Site Work
In this rural township were the building is located, the architect wanted to keep respect to the agrarian roots. Therefore, none of the American Elms were taken out of the site. Xeriscaping was used, so they wouldn’t stray far from capturing the language of the area. They used many local wild flowers and native grasses. There have been many gardens and courtyard areas added to the site; many plants and flowers have been added around the perimeter of the existing and proposed buildings. The courtyard and gardens are going to be reviewed and approved be the township staff to make sure they need minimal treatment that would be acceptable by the Plainsboro Township Planning Board. The design is liable to change to meet the needs of the hospital as well.
To build this project there was a lot of demolishing of existing structures. South of UMCP, before and across Plainsboro Road, the majority of exiting paved areas and sidewalks were removed. The four buildings to West of the UMCP were demolished, and the parking lots surrounding them, and North of the structure. A part of the old UMCP will remain, and be connected to the new UMCP.
After everything is demolished the site should contain UMCP connected to the exited building surrounded by multiple parking lots. US Route 1 runs North to South to the West of the building, but you will barley tell once you’re in the building since the building faces south and there are many trees between UMCP and US Route 1. All the parking areas that were taking out across Plainsboro Road were replaced with a public park; now the patients will have a Natural and peaceful landscape to view during their stay.
Project Team
The Owner, Princeton University, was in need of a new Medical Center; everyone they hired needed to cooperate fully with them so everything could run smoothly with the schedule. Turner Construction in the end won them over, and became both the General Contractor and the Construction Manager. The architects hired were HOK and Hiller architecture, so these groups had to work together throughout the building design coordinating from New York City to Princeton. Two other companies were employed for this project to do the Structural and MEP work. Turner and the rest of these companies have been working on this project since August 2007, and are expecting to close out the building in the near future.
Cost
The cost of this whole project is estimated to be $250 million. This may seem like a lot, but this includes all the demolishing, reconstructing the retention basin, and a state-of-the-art hospital. UMCP will include 269 private bed rooms and span 800,000 SF with 6 stories above grade; the average cost/SF of a hospital is not cheap. Turner has done many other projects affiliated with the Pebble Project, so there cost estimation should not be too far off.
Architecture
Anyone who walks by this building would be blown away by how much glass is on the facade. This six story tall building has a long and curving body that encases the parking lot to draw people into the building. Lighting is not going to be an issue during the day considering how much glass is used on the building. Also, it will provide a view to the outside for all the patients and workers in the building. The design of the building is simple, sleek, and efficient.
Codes Used
For the major code used on this building was the International Building Code (IBC) 2006 with New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. Also, the International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2006, and the National Electric Code (NEC) 2005 with local amendments. The 2006 international Energy Conservation Code with other local amendments was also used for the project. As well as the 2006 International Fuel Gas Code with local amendments. For the standard designs of a hospital building and use they referenced the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services - “Licensing Standards for Hospitals, N.J.A.C 8.43G” and the 2006 Edition - “Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities.”
Zoning
All of the surrounding trees and areas around the tree were to be protected by a tree fence during zoning. This was able to happen by taken detailed photos, and using these photos to create smart traffic patterns. Also, the traffic patterns getting in and out of the site could not block and roadways or sidewalks. For the portion of existing building that was being salvaged had to be protected from machinery and kept in a weather tight environment throughout construction. Lastly, safety and site water run-off fences were posted to help create safety to the students.
Historical Requirements
No historical requirements needed to be taken into account that I found through my research so far.
Building Enclosures
Building Facades
The Exterior wall is made up of a curving curtain wall with Aluminum windows. This wall contains metal insulated panels with aluminum sunshades. Other walls that do not have the curtain wall are face brick and ground face masonry units. All the glass used for the windows are highly insulated.
Roofing/Flooring Structure
For the roofing construction the structural engineer utilized a cast-in-place concrete in composite steel deck and composite steel roof. The roofing system has a typical EPDM roofing system to it. Similarly, the floor construction is pretty much the same as the roof with cast-in-place concrete in composite steel floor deck.
Sustainable Features
The glass curtain wall will provide a lot of passive energy. It will help heat the building during the winter, but also stay cool during the summer from the solar shades provided. Solar lighting will have a great impact on the buildings sustainability as well. The building has been designed with LEED concepts in mind, but I am not sure there will be any LEED certification given.
Building Statistic 2
Structural System
The foundation plan for the University Medical Center is built on 4” to 5” Slab-On-Grade basement floor with interior concrete piers stabilizing wide flange columns, and an exterior 2’ thick foundation wall partially incasing mini tension piles. The design of the superstructure is primarily steel framing. The framed floors consist of a 3 span 3.25” lightweight concrete composite decking system with composite steel framing. A typical beam spanning in the North/South direction, consists of a 26’ span then a 15’ span, and finally back to a 26’ span. The East/West girders span 29.5’ typically and Appendix 1 helps better understand the layout of the building. Floors two through six do not change in design other than the column thickness, all of the floors use a 3 span 3.25” lightweight concrete composite decking. This creates a one-way composite flooring system connected to composite beams. Even though the first floor has an additional atrium, the decking is still consistent to the floors above. Figure 4 shows the wide flange beams used in each span.
Construction
This massive project at Princeton is being constructed by Turner Construction. The delivery method is Design-Bid-Build with Turner as the prime contractor. The only construction of special systems for this project would be the massive curving curtain wall. The $250 million project started construction in Spring 2009 and it is planned to be finished by summer 2012.
Mechanical System
To manage the temperature of the UMCP building, steam power/heat is supplied by Princeton’s Energy Plant at 120psi steam and 50 degrees Fahrenheit chilled water. There are seventeen Air Handling Units in UMCP supplying 100% of outside air. In-duct UV air purification system is used to help keep the air clean for the occupants. To keep the patients comfortable steam humidifiers and CAV units are used in patient spaces. VAV Units are placed in every room other than the patients.
Lighting/Electrical System
UMCP is powered by Princeton's Energy Plant and supports a 13.2 kV electrical service to the building. This runs the voltage through a 277/480Volt system. There are two bus systems, one at 1600 Amp, 3 phase, 4 wires, and the other bus is at 1200 Amp, 3 phase, 4 wires. One systems supplies an emergency power system and the other supplies the general power system. There are various types of light fixtures used depending on the different occupant environment to provide safety and comfort.
Vertical Transportation
There are fourteen elevators and two stairwells placed inside the UMCP. The passenger elevators require a 4,500 lb. carrying capacity and a 200 fpm speed. The passenger elevators have a forty horsepower engine to help keep up with these requirements.
Additional Engineering Systems
Other engineering systems are used for their advanced equipment within their medical practice. More information will be posted when the proper material is acquired from the owner. |
