Healthcare Design - December 2022 - 20

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improve circulation, the project team replaced
the existing one-corridor layout with a new onstage/off-stage
approach that created separate
pathways for public and staff traffic.
Taking cues from the hospital's location in
New Orleans and the area's rich music history, a
" healing power of music " concept was developed
to guide some of the interior elements. " Music is
used throughout in subtle ways so it's something
that stands the test of time, " Wilkinson says. For
example, abstract nods to piano keys and musical
notes in natural materials and textures are
used throughout the facility, including in the
wall graphics and flooring details.
Another aim of the project was to deliver
a more energy-efficient building. This was
achieved through several strategies, including
replacing all the T12 and T8 fluorescent lamps
with LED lighting, introducing chilled beam
cooling technology in the new grand concourse,
and replacing the old tube-style boilers with new
modular condensing-type natural gas boilers. As
a result, the building's total energy consumption
decreased from an energy usage intensity (EUI)
of 325 kBtu/square foot to 188, which equates to
a 42 percent reduction, says Vince M. Rea, operations
manager, TLC Engineering Solutions, the
mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection,
and technology firm on the project.
PIVOT POINTS
Despite its detailed planning efforts, the project
team encountered several unexpected challenges
along the way, too-adding more phases to
the already complex schedule. For example, the
COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida hit during
construction, leading to delays and schedule
complications. With its location near the banks
of the Mississippi River, the project was also impacted
by record rainfall seasons, which delayed
digging on the site on several occasions.
Other challenges were linked to the intricacy
of renovating and expanding a facility that was
still operational. For example, the main utility
spine connecting the hospital buildings ran
directly through space designated for the infill
tower. To keep the existing hospital and adjacent
MOB fully operational during construction,
and before a new four-level central utility plant
(CUP) was built, a plan had to be developed to
reroute utilities using temporary chillers and
generators by relocating the spine temporarily
in order for construction to continue. Then, as
floors were added in the new tower, permanent
lines were run through the building and to the
other parts of the campus via the new CUP.
20
DECEMBER 2022
Private patient rooms
feature bright furnishings,
warm materials,
and large windows to
maximize daylight.
" IT WAS LIKE A PUZZLE TO KEEP IT
ON TRACK AND MAKE SURE ALL THE
PIECES STILL FIT. "
-DAVID DEIS, PAGE/EYP
MORE
ONLINE
For more on the
project, including an
online exclusive on
Children's Hospital
of New Orleans' new
central utility tower,
visit hcdmagazine.
com/childrens-neworleans-cup..
Workflow
issues at the hospital also impacted
the phasing. For example, there were times
when the project team was going to start renovation
on a particular floor when flu season hit and
the hospital asked them to focus on another area
until cases subsided. " So we would shift things
around, " Deis says. " It was like a puzzle to keep it
on track and make sure all the pieces still fit. "
A key to handling all these changes were weekly
phasing meetings where project team members
addressed specific conflicts and mapped
out new options. " Those were powerful meetings, "
Deis says. " It was everyone coming to the
table to discuss what was coming up and how we
were going to deal with it and problem-solve. "
Kristol says the team also made a habit of looking
back at lessons learned from previous phases
where things didn't go as expected and considering
how to do it better next time. " Any time you
spend five-plus years doing something, you have
a lot of opportunity to reflect, " he says. " We had a
lot of meetings, but I think every project has a lot
of meetings. It was taking the time to think about
things that aren't checking the boxes that was
the most beneficial to us. " 
Anne DiNardo is executive editor of Healthcare
Design. She can be reached at ANNE.DINARDO@
EMERALDX.COM.
HCDMAGAZINE.COM
PROJECT DETAILS
Project name: Children's
Hospital New Orleans,
Modernization and Addition
Project location:
New Orleans
Project completion date:
November 2021
Owner: Louisiana Children's
Medical Center Health
(LCMC Health)
Total building area:
400,000 sq. ft.
Total construction cost:
$225 million
Cost/sq. ft.: $562.50
Architecture: Page/EYP
Interior design: Page/EYP
General contractor: The
Lemoine Co.
Engineering: TLC Engineering
Builder: The Lemoine Co.
Art consultant: Plaid Inc.
Project details are provided by
the design team and are not
vetted by Healthcare Design.
http://hcdmagazine.com/childrens-new-orleans-cup http://www.HCDMAGAZINE.COM
Healthcare Design - December 2022

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