Building Statistics - Part 1

The new Children’s Hospital is a five-story building affiliated with the Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Located adjacent to the existing Cancer Institute, the Children’s Hospital is a 263,556 square-foot addition offering top pediatric care throughout the region.  The ground floor of the hospital is situated below grade and houses the central pharmacy, the blood bank, and the main utility rooms that operate the building.  The main entrance and lobby area are located at grade level allowing access to University Drive.  Occupying the second level are five operating rooms, a catheterization lab, and several pre-operation rooms while patient rooms can be found on the remaining levels.  The exterior of the building makes use of spandrel glass and an aluminum curtain wall system.  The main curve of the façade for the Children’s Hospital helps to accentuate the existing curve of the Cancer Institute.  Upon completion, this facility is expected to obtain LEED Certified certification based on the LEED-NC, Version 2.2.

2006 International Building Code (IBC)
2006 International Fire Code
2006 International Mechanical Code (IMC)
2006 International Electric Code utilizing the 2005 National Electric Code (NEC)
2006 International Plumbing Code (IPC)
2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
2003 ICC/ANSI A 117.1 Accessible and useable Buildings and Facilities (also IBC Ch.11)
2000 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code
2006 AIA Guidelines for Design and Construction of Healthcare Facilities

Lot requirements for the Children’s Hospital are located in Chapter 225, article XX § 225-83 for the Medical Campus District of the Derry Township Zoning Ordinance:

Minimum lot area: None
Maximum Floor Area Ratio: 0.25 per developable acre
Minimum Set Backs:

Minimum vegetative cover: 30%
Maximum impervious cover: 60%
Maximum Building Height: 95 feet
Minimum lot width: 100 feet
Minimum lot depth: 150 feet

The main façade of the Children’s Hospital is comprised of various materials which include metal cladding, granite, limestone, and an aluminum curtain wall.  The granite and limestone cladding assembly is used on the lower two levels allowing the building to express the strength of the foundation visually.  Above this the exterior changes to 3” insulated metal paneling along with an aluminum curtain wall system.   Incorporated into the mullions of the aluminum curtain wall is L.E.D. lighting which help to highlight the façade of the Children’s Hospital.

The roofing typically consists of a Multiple-Ply Built-Up Roofing System.  The roofing system sits on top of a 2” deep, 20 gage composite metal deck with a 4 ½” slab thickness.

The Penn State Hershey Medical Center Children’s Hospital is expected to obtain LEED Certified certification based on the LEED-NC, Version 2.2.  The close proximity of the site to other buildings on the medical campus helps to preserve existing land conditions.  As a result the impervious surfaces are condensed to a specific area, eliminating the need for walkways and roads to travel between buildings.  Other features include a vegetated roof garden situated on the third level above the existing Cancer Institute along with a Children’s Hospital courtyard located on level one.

There are six phases planned for the construction of the Children’s Hospital: initial start, sub-grade preparation, structure start, building envelope, building water tight, and site improvements.  The project delivery is a design-bid-build through L.F. Driscoll Co, LLC as the General Contractor.  Since the existing Cancer Institute will still be performing daily operations, special care must be given to noise and vibration control.  The use of noisemaking tools and equipment will be restricted to hours that will minimize complaints.

Lighting for the Children’s Hospital utilizes over a hundred different types of lighting fixtures depending on the use of the room.  All fluorescent lighting fixtures will utilize T8 lamps with electronic ballasts.  Electrical power for the building is supplied from a 15 KV feeder off of the existing campus loop.  A 13.8 KV “K” Dry Type transformer running a 3-phase (480/277V) system will provide power to the Children’s Hospital. 

The mechanical system for the Children’s Hospital utilizes five primary air handling units located on the penthouse with an output of 350,000 CFM.  All units are variable air volume systems taking in 100% outside air due to the critical spaces requirements of the building.  There are two primary chilled water pumps which are located below grade on the ground level with a capacity of 3300 GPM each.  On the penthouse are two hot water pumps with a capacity of 1200 GPM each.

The primary structure for the Children’s Hospital is a steel moment resisting frame with a composite floor system.  The foundation consists of micropiles with concrete grade beams between pile caps.  The slab on grade is typically cast in place concrete with a thickness of 5”.  The thickness of the floor slab increases to 6” around the elevator pits.  The composite floor system for all floors is designed with a 2” deep steel deck with 4 ½” of concrete topping thickness.  The main lateral force resisting system is composed of several moment frame connections which run in the East to West direction.  There are four additional diagonally braced frames which run in the North to South direction.  The roof system utilizes the same construction as the typical floor.  The roofing material consists of a muliple-ply built-up roofing membrane on top of insulation.  There is a 8” thick parapet wall that runs around the perimeter of the roof level.

The Children’s Hospital is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system installed on all levels in accordance with NFPA 13.  Smoke alarms and visual and audible alarms will be installed in all rooms and corridors.  The main sprinkler system is a dry system with a 100 square foot per head requirement for all hazard areas.  All piping, fittings, and valves shall be rated for a system pressure ranging from 175 psi to 350psi.  All structural elements including staircases and elevator shafts are design with a two hour fire rating. 

Children’s Hospital at the Hershey Medical Center has a low voltage system that consists of PA system, Nurse Call System, CCTV and CATV, Fire Alarm System, Security System, Tele/Data System, and Code Blue System.

The Children’s Hospital will utilize three stair towers and numerous service and passenger elevators.  There will be three operational service elevators when the building opens for occupancy use.  In addition to the service elevators, two passenger/patient elevators will be installed upon completion.  Upon the expansion of two additional floors, an additional service elevator and passenger elevator will be installed.  The Children’s hospital is also equipped with three stair towers that extend from the basement to the roof.  These towers can be located at either end of the building as well as in the center adjacent to an elevator bank.  Each of the stair towers is designed as a means of egress.