Construction|

The Cancer Center was constructed by the general contractor, L.F. Driscoll. This project cost in total $53,000,000 and utilized the design-bid-build delivery method. Construction began in August 2016 and was completed recently in July 2018. This project was not phase intensive and construction proceeded through very smoothly. Minimal detail on construction was provided for this project.

 

Structural |

The Cancer Center, which consists of a North Wing, South Wing, connector and 2-Vault Linear Accelerator, is primarily a two-story steel framed structure. Typical floor to floor heights is 14 feet with an overall height of 28 feet plus the height of the parapet which varies around the building. The stair tower head houses an elevator head houses extend above the roof level. The typical steel framing consists of structural steel wide flange beams and girders, ASTM A992 grade 50 with all other structural material being ASTM A36.

 

The foundation system is made up of shallow reinforced concrete spread footings with an allowable bearing capacity of 4 ksf. Localized undercuts and replacement with structural fill were required to achieve the bearing capacity in the area of the linear accelerator. The primary building columns are supported on shallow reinforces concrete spread footings, bearing approximately 3 feet below the ground floor at interior columns and 3 feet below the exterior grade at exterior columns. There is a continuous foundation and concrete cast-in-place knee wall below all perimeter walls to extend below the frost depth. The grade transitions 12 feet from the north-west corner of the site to the south-east, so retaining walls were placed at the building perimeter. The retaining walls have a minimum 1’-4” wide stem and 1’-4” thick base approximately 5’-0” wide. This width helps to allow for retaining of the soil and support for the exterior façade. All of the concrete for the retaining walls and foundations have a compressive strength of 4,500 psi. The Ground Floor slab consists of a five-inch thick concrete slab on grade. The concrete is normal weight and reinforces with 6x6-W2.9xW2.9 welded wire fabric.

 

For the superstructure of the building, there is an expansion joint on the north side of the connector that separates the North Wing and South Wing. It is 2 inches wide to allows for 1 inch of building movement in each direction. There is also an expansion joint between the South Wing and 2-vault Linear Accelerator. The floor construction consists of 3-1/4” lightweight concrete slab on a 2”, 18-gauge
galvanized metal floor deck spanning between beams. The slab is reinforced with 6x6-W2.0xW2.0 welded wire fabric conforming to ASTM A185. The roof consists of 3-1/4” thick lightweight concrete of 2 inch deep, 18 gage metal deck, and reinforced with 6x6-W2.0xW2.0 welded wire fabric. The roof also supports of the mechanical equipment for the building. The entry canopy has a special column feature to support the rood which is made up of pipes welded together and hot-dipped galvanized. The linear accelerator vault structure consists of cast in place concrete walls poured monolithically. Wall thickness ranges from 2’-6” to 6’-0” around the vault perimeter.

 

The primary lateral force resisting system for the North Wing consists of ordinary moment frames in both directions. The columns are W14’s with W24 girders. The primary lateral force resisting system for the South Wing consists of ordinary steel braced frames in both directions. It is configured in a chevron or inverted “V”. The braces are typically W10’s and HSS8x8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 18: 3D View of the Framing of the Building

 

Mechanical |

There are various mechanical systems used throughout the Cancer Center. The buildings cooling system includes two 175 ton high-efficiency air-cooled chillers which serve the air handling units and fan coil unit cooling coils. A variable volume duplex pumping system distributes chilled water to the various cooling coils. A water to water heat exchanges package with integral pumps and city water switchover is installed to distribute process chilled water to the medical equipment. Hot water is generated by two high efficiencies, natural gas fires, condensing boilers. The hot water is distributed to the building via a variable volume, duplex, pumping system. Air distribution for the Cancer Center is provided by giving variable air volume air handling units that are located on the roof. Other systems used throughout different areas of the building include fan coil units, how water air curtains, and chilled water with integral humidification. All the mechanical equipment has vibration spring insulators and all floor mounted mechanical equipment is installed on concrete housekeeping pads. A BAS system for DDC controls the air handling units, air volume control boxes, exhaust fans, boilers, chillers, and pumps. The mechanical system was designed with considerations to provide an energy efficient building, meet energy code requirements, and achieve the LEED Silver certification.

 

Electrical |

Normal power (13.2 kV) is derived from one new high-tension electrical service from PECO Energy. A new 15 kV feeder, concrete encased duct bank and manholes from the PECO 15kV pole to the new 15kV fused disconnect switch were installed. PECO approved metering compartments were mounted adjacent to the 15 kV switch. A 1500 kVA transformer is sized for the entire building load. The transformer feeds a 2000 amp main breaker in a 2000 amp switchboard. The switchboard has custom metering with a 0.5% accuracy minimum and a surge protective device. The switchboard distribution sections feed to the majority of the building which will be described later in the report. There are four mechanical panels that feed various 480/277 volt loads with the first-floor mechanical panels feeding all first floor and rooftop 480/277 volt loads. Transformer N1 is 225 kVA, 480 to 208/120 volt and feeds an 800 amp panel NDPL with an 800 amp frame main circuit breaker. Panel NDPL feeds four 225-amp, 120 pole panels, NGN, NGS, N1N, and N1S. These panels serve the 208/120 volt normal branch circuits throughout the building. Panel RAD1 is an 800 amp main lug only panel located on the ground floor south electrical room and has a minimum of six 250 amp frame breakers that feed the radiation oncology equipment.

 

A 500 kW/625 kVA, 480/277 volt, diesel generator with sound attenuated skin tight exterior enclosure is used for emergency purposes. The main circuit breaker is a 1200 amp frame, 800 amp trip, and 100% rated. The generator has a 2000 gallon skid mounted base tank to provide 48 hours of generator run time. There is a 1200 amp emergency feeder that runs from the generator mounted main circuit breaker to the exterior mounted 1200 amp NEMA 3R switchboard “EM1”. The switchboard is main lug only with three 1200 amp frame, 800 amp trip, 100% rated circuit breakers. These breakers serve the cancer center building, the load bank connection cabinet, and the temporary generator connection cabinet. The cancer center building breaker has a feeder that goes to the building’s emergency distribution switchboard “EDP”. This switchboard fees the elevator equipment branch ATS, equipment branch ATS, critical branch ATS, and life safety branch ATS.

 

Lighting |

The lighting design for the Cancer Center strived to meet all requirements to provide adequate illumination for associated tasks and general lighting in each space. Illumination design criteria for the exterior and interior of the facility was based on the recommended standards per the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Lighting Handbook and good engineering practice. Influences of glare, task complexity, surface reflectance, ceiling brightness, and area usage all were address when developing the lighting design. Lighting energy power densities were based off the standard from ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC. Additionally, illumination levels and controls were designed to meet LEED for Healthcare Silver requirements. All lighting utilizes 120V power and all electronic type ballasts utilized to minimize harmonic distortion to less than 10%.

 

The interior lighting design concept utilizes energy efficient lighting solutions to create a relaxing environment for both patients and staff. The design allows for visual acuity while still maintaining occupant comfort. In the perimeter administrative and circulation areas, daylight was a major component of the interior lighting concept providing general illumination through most occupied hours and minimizing energy consumption from electric lighting sources. Photocells are used to dim electrical light sources. Lighting within the house public spaces and waiting areas create an environment that compliments the architecture. Accent lighting on displays, artwork and perimeter walls are provided to create a more visually stimulating environment. All fixtures used throughout this building are LED’s and have dimming drivers for increased flexibility and patient comfort.

 

The exterior lighting includes a combination of building mount and pathway luminaires to provide uniform lighting layout for security and public safety at building entrances and surrounding circulation areas. Garden lighting is also incorporated in the landscaping. All the fixtures are listed with full cut-off optics to minimize sky-glow and visibility glare and to achieve LEED credits. Additionally, all exterior luminaires operate at reduced light output during non-peak time periods to minimize energy consumption.

 

Emergency lighting throughout the Cancer Center is accomplished via strategically located luminaires within corridors, tenant and support spaces. These luminaires are connected to the life-safety branch of the emergency distribution system. At the exterior entrances, the luminaires contain multiple lamp sources in accordance with code to prevent a lamp outage from rendering the egress path dark.

For the public areas and corridors, a centralized lighting control system controls all lighting as required by ASHRAE 90.1 energy code. The control system is remote circuit break panelboards with microprocessor programmable modules. The system has the capability to override programmed time schedules via local overrise switches for housekeeping services. In general, more areas are controlled via local switches and multilevel switching and dimming is incorporated to provide occupant preferred lighting levels in select spaces.