The new University of North Carolinas Hillsborough Hospital will be a 68-bed community hospital serving the North Chapel Hill and West Durham areas. It is the first hospital subject to the newly enacted (10/08) North Carolina General Statute 145, requiring that all new state buildings be 30 % more energy efficient and 20 % more water efficient than ASHRAE Standard 90.1 2004 (the requirement is based on energy BTU -- usage).
Currently the project is in the programming phase. The Schematic Design phase is scheduled to be completed by December 2009, and the Design Development phase will be approximately 50 percent complete by the time of the 2010 ASHE PDC conference. The Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) is to be submitted at each design phase milestone: Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documents. Energy models will be developed at each phase of the project. The major decisions concerning systems and methods to achieve the required energy and water savings will be made at the Schematic Design phase. The Design Development Phase will further define the model and the Construction Document phase will model the final building layout with the systems and options selected in order to more closely predict our anticipated energy and water savings. Major decisions and their impact on energy and water savings will be determined during the Schematic Design phase.
The HVAC system design cannot obtain the required energy savings exclusively. Up to half of the savings must come from the architectural components including building envelope (walls, glazing, and roof), building orientation, shading, low-e and high efficiency windows, day-lighting, etc. It will require intense collaboration between each of the design disciplines to achieve the new energy mandate. Some options selected may have a negative Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) but be required to meet the energy mandate. The HVAC system is also further hindered by the required supply and outside air change rates listed in ASHRAE HVAC Applications Chapter 7 Health Care Facilities, ASHRAE Standard 170 Ventilation of Health Care Facilities, and the AIA Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Healthcare Facilities.
This presentation will review the systems and options studied, their estimated project first cost, and anticipated energy savings associated with each. The systems being analyzed and considered include:
Architectural: Building sighting, wall insulation, roof type and insulation, high efficient glass, building shading, day lighting, automated shades, etc.
Mechanical: Enthalpy wheels, affect of occupied versus unoccupied schedules, chilled beams in administrative areas, premium efficient motors, etc.
Electrical: Occupancy sensors, high efficiency transformers, digital ballast, photo luminescent exit signs, etc.
We will submit a follow-up presentation for ASHE PDC 2011 updating the projects progress, the anticipated energy savings achieved to date and the impact on the projects first cost.