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A PUBLICATION OF
Dear Readers,
The design and construction industry is going through profound changes. Just one year ago, most firms were in hiring modes with high salaries and signing bonuses being the standard.
However, our clients quietly began to face tightened access to financial lending. Similarly, not-for-profit organizations were experiencing lowered bond ratings that made lending more expensive. As a result, the architectural, engineering and construction industry dramatically slowed, in terms of new projects, by the fall of 2008.
The real estate development industry continues to face further fallout due to refinancing and the lack of access to permanent lending for projects currently under construction. Banks are still reeling from the subprime mortgage debacle. Some banks that thought they were immune because they had not invested in subprime loans are finding that they have loans with companies that do have exposure. All in all, the financial markets have not completely stabilized.
Many firms are concerned about the next few years as they face an uncertain future. HKS is seeing this time as a reinvestment in our services to our clients. We are focused on bringing value to our clients. We continue to be financially strong and will also look for meaningful mergers and acquisi-tions that can build our firm for the next five to 10 years. We will continue to give our clients great service while providing exciting architecture. Our architecture will not only be aesthetic, but techni-cally proficient and buildable.
Most of all, we will be minimizing energy usage to support our commitment to sustainability while offering innovative scheduling – allowing quicker and less-costly project delivery for our clients. It is an exciting time for architects. We look forward to coming out of this recession with raised levels of client service.
In this volume of INNOVATE, we celebrate the opening of America’s stadium – Cowboys Stadium. We are privileged to talk to Editor-in-Chief Robert Ivy of Architectural Record to discuss the past and the anticipated future of our profession. We take a look at learning both in and out of the classroom with learning environment specialist Terry Hajduk. We also investigate how to design green healthcare projects without breaking the bank. In addition, we hope you enjoy our staple Design Details, Around the World and On the Boards sections.
Please enjoy this issue of INNOVATE.
Sincerely,
H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP
INNOVATEVolume 6 Number 1Fall/Winter 2009
Table of Contents
Design Details Seeing Green in Sports Lessons in Learning Night at the MuseumHKS’s TSA Two-StepChanneling HKSW Hotel Goes to the Dogs
Around the WorldWhat is going on in the Middle East? Paul Hyett speaks to four HKS employees active in the field to give us the scoop on the Middle East’s rich mix of state and private investment.
Robert Ivy: A Writer. An Architect. A Contributor. It’s clear that Robert Ivy chose a profession in which he exudes talent and is deeply rooted and committed. Want to know how he parlayed a passion for architecture into becoming the editor of one of the world’s largest and most respected magazines?
Experiential LearningTerry Hajduk, vice president and learning environment specialist with HKS, allows us to view learning as expe-riential and dynamic – relying not just on the classroom environment, but on personal activities, experimentation and observation.
Cowboys Stadium: Game-ChangerWhen Cowboys Stadium was viewed by all on Aug. 21 at the preseason opening football game, it was an event and game-changer for the NFL. Learn more about the stadium’s bold new design and fan amenities.
Designing Green without Breaking the Bank: A Look at Today’s Healthcare OptionsGoing green isn’t just the latest craze. It’s here to stay. HKS green experts Kirk Teske and Roy Gunsolus answer clients’ questions related to going green in the healthcare industry without going broke.
On the Boards: Veleiro do Sul Symbolism, local culture and contextual response are the drivers behind this unique design located in famous Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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HKS is committed to being a good steward of the environment. INNOVATE is published on recycled paper which is FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council), and printed using soy-based inks.
On the cover: Veleiro do Sul – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
credits EDITORIAL HKS Communications; DESIGN HKS GrafxLab; PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION cover: HKS, Inc.; pg. 1: HKS, Inc.; pg. 4: (1) HKS, Inc.; (2) HKS, Inc.; (3) compliments of Montage Resorts Beverly Hills; (4) DFW Terminal D-Brad Feinknopf; Texas Center for BrainHealth-HKS, Inc.; (5) HKS, Inc.; (6) HKS, Inc.; pg. 6: (top) istockphoto.com: Alex Jeffries; (bottom) istockphoto.com: wsfurlan; pg. 7: istockphoto.com: dblight; pg. 8: compliments of Architectural Record; pg. 12: BittBox LLC; pg. 14/15: BittBox LLC and Neubau Welt; pg. 16/17: HKS, Inc.; pg. 18/19: HKS, Inc.; pg. 20: (all photos) HKS, Inc.; pg. 24: (both photos) HKS, Inc.; pg. 26-29: (all images) HKS, Inc.; page 30: (top two) HKS, Inc.; (lower three) Ed LaCasse; PUBLISHING Innovative Publishing Ink. Contact Aran Jackson at 502.423.7272 or [email protected]
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hks’s tsa two step (4)
Two HKS projects received the distinction of being named Texas Society of Architects (TSA) Design Award winners from the Texas Society of Architects including the University of Texas Center for BrainHealth and D/FW International Terminal D. Dan Noble, director of design at HKS notes, “The two TSA honor awards are evidence of the hard work, dedication and talent prevalent in our offices today, and an indication that our commitment to design and quality is being recognized by the industry.” Winning projects were recognized at a ceremony in Houston during the TSA Convention, Oct. 22 through 24.
channeling hks (5)
Need to know more about HKS? Tune in and watch the HKS Architects YouTube channel. Highlights range from the unveil-ing of the Cowboys Stadium to a real-time design charrette session to the fast-paced HKS chair race. To subscribe or become a friend, go to www.youtube.com/hksarchitects. Also, don’t forget to visit www.hksinc.com, follow us on Twitter and become an HKS Facebook fan. If you want to view HKS community event images, go to our Flickr page. The firm is also on LinkedIn. Or, you can simply enjoy this issue of INNOVATE.
w hotel goes to the dogs (6)
The prominent W Dallas-Victory Hotel & Residences in uptown Dallas has always welcomed pets. On Friday, May 15, however, one lucky canine began enjoying the sleek and modern luxury of the W at home in the form of a custom-made “D” Hotel dog house designed by HKS, Inc. The unique canine home was auctioned off for charity at Fashion Group International’s first ever “Four Legged Fashion: Canine Meets Couture” event at the Dallas Trade Mart’s Grand Pavilion. Half of the event proceeds go towards a grant fund for small animal rescue organizations.
seeing green in sports (1)
The turf isn’t the only thing that is green about today’s sports venues. Five HKS Sports & Entertainment Group projects are all on-target for Silver- or Gold-LEED Certification. According to Kirk Teske, HKS’s Chief Sustainability Officer, the sports venues are going green through strate-gies that include increasing the amount of natural daylighting in the seating bowl, installing visible storm-water-harvesting systems and integrating renewable, on-site wind and solar energy tech-nologies. “Because the venues host thousands of eco-conscience fans, owners want to score big on the sustainable field,” he said.
lessons in learning (2)
Eastfield Community College looked to its fu-ture on Feb. 5, 2009 when it celebrated the grand opening of its new 55,000-square-foot Learning Center. On April 17, the facility was given national exposure when the Dallas County Community College District and the Eastfield College com-munity sponsored an all day-symposium entitled “New Environments for Experiential Learning.” A national cross-section of higher education speakers explored the accepted concept that the character of physical space where learning takes place affects the learning experiences and out-comes for teachers, students and administrators.
night at the museum (3)
For the price of a night’s stay, dinner or even zilch, travelers today are getting free admission to museum-quality art collections, found on dis-play in hotel public spaces, restaurants, spas and guest rooms around the world. The HKS Hill Glazier Studio-designed Four Seasons Hualalai, Montage Laguna Beach and Montage Beverly Hills each have priceless, expansive collections of original paintings, drawings, sculptures and vintage photography that artfully reveal the his-tory and culture relevant to each hotel’s location. Storytelling through art is the specialty of Julie Cline, who served as art advisor and curator on all three projects.
So, what is going on in the Middle East? Which sectors are “moving?” What levels of construction are underway and anticipated and what architec-tural trends are in motion? Paul Hyett reports after speaking to four HKS employees active in the field: David Kellogg, a development finance specialist; medical doctor Mik Pietrzak; and archi-tects Emanuel Mikho and Mark Kiszonak, who are based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.
Following the fivefold increase in oil prices of the early 1970s, the “developed” world held its breath and tightened its belt as the consequences trig-gered the end of a heroic period of socio-political experiments. “First-world” welfare spending was halted, and the new post-modern era had begun. Architecture’s modern movement had lost its principal patron.
Next, grave concerns emerged that oil supplies would simply run out. Finally, and most recently, a new and awful truth emerged: before the oil and gas runs out, we will, at the present rates of consumption, asphyxiate ourselves.
So, what has this got to do with architecture, planning, development and construction for companies operating at the global scale – even in an economic downturn? Simply this: oil and gas revenues remain, for the present at least, the drivers and generators for a huge portion of the world’s construction and development. Towns and cities along the economic “fault lines” that mark the most readily available oil reserves are where the action is, and increasingly will be.
And, where are these fault lines? Draw a line from the Kara Sea north of Russia, straight down through Kazakhstan, Turkmenskaya, Iran and Iraq, then divide it with one branch along the
Paul Hyett is a principal of
HKS Architects Limited in London
* According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2007 figures,
the top five producers of oil in the Middle East are:
1. Saudi Arabia†: 262.3 Bbbl
2. Iran: 136.3 Bbbl
3. Iraq: 115 Bbbl
4. Kuwait: 101 Bbbl
5. United Arab Emirates: 97.8 Bbbl
Bbbl = billion barrels of oil in reserve
† Saudi Arabia alone accounts for almost a quarter of the world’s proven
petroleum reserves and is the largest exporter of petroleum in the world.
...oilandgasrevenuesremain,
forthepresentatleast,thedrivers
andgeneratorsforahugeportion
oftheworld’sconstructionand
development.
North African coast and the other down through the Gulf Region into the Indian Ocean. Here lies unparalleled wealth in fossil fuels.*
But, perversely, just as rising oil prices brought crisis and turmoil to the western socio-political programs of the 1970s, so oil revenues are bring-ing a quiet social revolution to today’s Middle East and Gulf communities located at the heel of this fault line.
Here, two imperatives exist. First, learn and learn well from the decades that followed the ’70s. Invest in education and healthcare, create robust business economies and develop the built infrastructure necessary to support economically and socially sustainable communities. Open up to inward and outward investment – exchange and trade globally in terms of ideas, services and economic activity, and create great companies such as Dubai’s ETA – which operates through a multitude of subsidiaries ranging from civil engineering to product manufacturing, shipping and saline treatment plants.
Second, learn from events of the moment. Dubai, whose development is some five to 10 years ahead of surrounding Gulf countries, has been hit par-ticularly hard by the recent economic downturn. As a result, its neighbors are taking a much more sober view of their real development needs. Gone are the three-year horizons that generated waste-ful surpluses of retail malls, and in are the 10-year and beyond planning strategies for attracting long-term investment and built infrastructure that are good for the people, good for the economy, are enduring and economically sustainable.
Roads, public transport, communications, healthcare and education buildings, commercial
offices, hospitality and sports developments are all on the move. And, not only are facilities being built to attract and service communities drawn from the Middle East. New York University, for example, is opening a campus in Abu Dhabi that will offer the same standards as its sister institute in the USA. Its ambition is to attract students from around the world.
Put simply, the oil economies of the Middle East are, and will for the foreseeable future remain, cash rich. But their governments are becoming far more sophisticated about the use of surplus oil revenues. Yes, money will increasingly f low out to markets in Europe, America and Asia as Middle East investment companies pursue opportunities around the world. But the reverse is also true, as the Middle East continues to attract inward investment for well-planned development work.
And, what we will see as the Middle East contin-ues to open up is a rich mix of state and private investment in evermore sophisticated and bet-ter thought-out projects. For those who wish to contribute to these laudable agendas, the oppor-tunities are indeed great. Here, as a new era unfolds, is a real chance to lay down enduring foundations, in built form, for communities that offer a wonderful and unique richness of charac-ter and culture.
The world is “shrinking” at an alarming rate but the Middle East (short-term economic hiccups aside) is growing ... growing well ... and growing fast.
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A WriterAn ArchitectA Contributor
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His first goal was to marry his college sweetheart, Holly. However, his other future plans were put on hold in 1970, when he enlisted as a Navy Intelligence officer during the Vietnam War.
Three years later, after a stint in the Philippines, Ivy arrived back in the United States with an even greater sense of purpose and destiny. Next, he began a soul-searching journey for a mean-ingful career.
Taking his cousin’s advice, he looked back to his hometown of Columbus, Miss. where one person he admired and felt was successful both intrinsi-cally and extrinsically was local architect William Rosamond. After ref lecting on his portfolio of work, dealings with interesting people and exten-sive travels, Ivy’s decision was solidified.
Three and one-half years later, he graduated with a master’s degree in architecture from Tulane University.
Ivy’s first intern position took him to a success-ful firm with offices in Jackson and Greenville, Miss. Following his internship, he moved back to his beloved hometown of Columbus, where he became a partner for the largest architectural firm in the state, Dean Dale Dean and Ivy.
Regardless of where he worked, Ivy held a dual role as architect and writer. He wrote his first archi-tectural critique free-of-charge for The Mississippi Architect. Immediately, his ability to translate
architectural aesthetics into meaningful and ex-pressive composition was recognized – notably by the national publication, Architecture Magazine.
In 1980, he became a contributing editor of the magazine, writing primarily about Southern ar-chitects including Mack Scogin, Merrill Elam, Samuel Mockbee and the esteemed Arkansas designer Fay Jones. Ivy’s book on Jones received the top award from the Art Library Society of North America, which cited its “high standards of scholarship, design and production.”
In addition to his freelance work with Southern Living, Southern Accent and myriad inf luential publications, Ivy was responsible for launching the Architecture South magazine before being offered the role of editor-in-chief of Architectural Record in New York in 1996. Six years later, he was named vice president and editorial director of McGraw-Hill Construction.
A consummate admirer and connoisseur of ar-chitecture, every day Ivy shares his world views on the relevance and intent of architecture on the local fabric and international community, in-forming and inf luencing a worldwide audience.
It was the era of civil rights, antiwar, disco and “All in the Family”
when Robert Ivy graduated with a degree in English literature
from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.
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GAME-CHANGERCOWBOYS STADIUM
GAME-CHANGERPicture an early autumn morning, the tailgaters just outside the venue for hours to honor tradition like none other in sports and entertainment; game day in the National Football League.
Complete with all the spectacle and ceremony befitting royalty, fans in cities across the United States share in this ritual. As the morning sun moves to midday, fans gather and march toward the gates sharing hopes of a victory.
On any given Sunday, the spirit of the crowd in their seats reaches fever pitch, roaring with anticipation to celebrate the highs and lows of the gridiron battle. There has been the introduction of the forward pass, the run and shoot and the wildcat offense, but the spectators’ game-day experience has been relatively unchanged since organized football began more than a century ago.
Today, there is a new challenge set before NFL owners that could have a significant impact on attendance: competition from the advancements of high-definition television broadcasting. How do teams compete with the fan who sits at home and views the game in spectacular visual clarity and acoustic quality on an HD television, only feet away?
This was one of the significant challenges faced by HKS designers when reinventing the game-day experience for the new Cowboys Stadium. The goals were clearly defined: create the new standard to which all future sporting venues are compared, and that changes the game-day experience, to ultimately create a true paradigm shift for the design of all future sports and entertainment venues.
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STAR POWERFor the Dallas Cowboys, it all begins and ends with the star on the helmet. No other team is more widely recognized worldwide than the Dallas Cowboys. Their international recognition extends far beyond the borders of the United States, while the power of the star and the uniqueness of Texas Stadium propels the team’s brand image globally. They are continuously the No. 1 rated team in broadcast viewership and have been defined by championships and accomplishments of their players and the loyalty of their fans. No other venue is as synonymous with the identity of the team as Texas Stadium, the dominant physical representation and embodiment of the team for nearly four decades. How do you take a sports icon, with its signature hole in the roof, and create this paradigm shift?
Design began with establishing the brand equity found in the team, its identity and the existing venue. The shape of the opening in the roof, the star on the field, the international identity of the team and the realization that Dallas Cowboys have always been a team of “firsts” all greatly inf luenced the design of the new venue.
“The challenge was to make the game-day experience more compelling than the clarity of the HD broadcast at home,” said Bryan Trubey, design principal, HKS Sports & Entertainment Group. “Leveraging the Cowboys brand and creating a truly different fan experience became the key for Cowboys Stadium.”
Procession, access, openness and immersion became concepts for HKS and shaped the invention of Cowboys Stadium.
PROCESSIONArchitecturally, grand arrival and procession are concepts that are typically not found in most sporting venues due to the scale and size of the buildings. However, they are evident in most architecturally significant buildings such as Saint Peter’s Basilica or National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The Cowboys Stadium design provides all fans, regardless of ticket location and price, an appropriate procession into the stadium. Two large plazas extend from the end zones, framed by monumental steel arches that support the roof.
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These f lexible plazas provide a venue to host game-day activities and serve as a pathway into the stadium. Upon reaching the stadium exterior, the patron is greeted by the world’s largest operable doors that open to reveal the dynamic view into the seating bowl.
said Trubey. The sides of the stadium provide four entries for direct access into premium environments and are framed by breaks in the seating bowl to allow an unhindered view from the exterior entry into the entire venue.
“When open, these 120-foot by 180-foot glass doors
allow the stadium exterior plazas and interior concourses
to blend together, extending the game-day environment
beyond the physical bounds of the stadium,”
ACCESSFans want access to players, coaches, the playing field, the media and glimpses behind the scenes. Whether it is seeking a field pass or proximity to the players, modern-day fans want entré. HKS felt that access could be designed and used as a physical asset instead of an operational procedure. The first access environment was the NFL’s sideline field suites. Formerly unused in stadium design, the frontage immediately adjacent to the field, coupled with an elevated first row of the seating bowl, creates modern suites underneath with an unparalleled field view and terrace.
Patrons can either take a private path to the seating bowl or walk immediately out of their suite only feet away from the players and coaches. “During, before and after the game, fans are intimately connected to the teams and game action on the playing field in a way unavailable before,” said Byron Chambers, senior designer, HKS Sports & Entertainment Group.
The second environment was the NFL’s first field club. Similar to the field suites, the field club uses the same frontage and views; however, the club offers a different amenity in terms of unprecedented access to the players. During design meetings, HKS suggested that the players’
processional to the field should pass through the field club, allowing patrons the ability to connect with the players as never before. As an extension, the home team interview room was located immediately adjacent. Separated by a soundproof glass wall, club patrons could then view and listen to the post-game press conference.
OPENNESSCreating openness in the largest NFL stadium proved a significant challenge. Today’s fans want the convenience and comfort associated with an air-conditioned indoor environment while having the ability to enjoy the outdoors on mild weather days. Much like a moonroof in an automobile, the retractable roof design allows for daylight and exterior conditions to enter the stadium.
Recalling the famous Texas Stadium hole in the roof, the retractable fabric roof panels conceal the opening during inclement weather. Additionally, placing the majority of the seats along the sidelines opened the end zones, allowing light to penetrate deep into the venue. The large retractable glass doors frame the end zones and allow daylight and breezes into the stadium. According to Mark Williams, associate principal, HKS Sports & Entertainment Group, “This changes the game-day experience by transforming the venue from an indoor facility to a true outdoor experience.”
Lastly, the roof and seating bowl are separated with a glass lens. “This lens provides the illusion that the roof is f loating, and allows for a tremendous amount of light transmission into the world’s largest column-free room,” said Williams.
IMMERSIONFans want to be immersed in the game, and be connected to the action both on and off the field. They desire to hear the sounds, feel the impact and smell the sweat on the players. How do you immerse someone seated in the top row of the upper deck? HKS stressed that all fans needed to be intimately connected to the field regardless of seat location and that all focus should be the center of the stadium.
To accomplish this, HKS suggested the NFL’s first center-hung and world’s largest video board. Measuring 70 feet high by 162 feet long, the high-definition video board has better viewing distances than someone watching their 50-inch HD television at home. The concept brings to life total immersion of the patron in the game action, changing the game-day experience for all.
Another layer added to the design was the integration of two continuous ribbon boards framing the signature Ring of Honor. Streaming across the interior seating façade, the L.E.D. ribbon boards supplement the center-hung video board and activate the interior of the seating bowl, unifying the seating decks graphically and adding value to each seating deck.
In the end, the success of the Dallas Cowboys will be determined on the field. However, the success of Cowboys Stadium started with pairing the HKS Sports & Entertainment Group with a visionary client.
It takes boldness from ownership to embrace the concepts that ultimately became the core environments and elements within the building. The Dallas Cowboys have always been a team of “firsts,” while the HKS Sports & Entertainment Group uses innovation to deliver the most unique game-day experience, ever.
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MYTH:HealTHcare faciliTY owners
paY big MoneY and receive
MiniMal benefiTs
realiTY:THe cosT is 0.5 percenT To
1.5 percenT of overall
consTrucTion cosTs and
THe paYback is realized in
Two To seven Years
ealthcare clients know design can play a powerful role in conserving resources while achieving energy inde-pendence and reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. The industry has witnessed a substantial increase in the popularity of green design, construction and operational prac-tices from healthcare clients in recent years. This trend will likely increase as more and more healthcare clients begin taking notice of the decreased life cycle costs that green strategies offer.
In the past year alone, the number of proj-ects actively seeking certification from major third-party environmental standards or rating 22
A LOOK AT TODAY ’S HEALTHCARE OPTIONS
DESIGNING GREEN WITHOUT BREAKINGTHE BANK
organizations such as the U.S. Green Building’s Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system has increased 65 percent. And, just this year, 65 percent of the nation’s nearly 5,000 acute-care hospitals have used the ENERGY STAR portfolio manager to benchmark their energy performance.
Why the sudden interest in sustainable design? Simple – it makes sense for these community-based, patient-centric places of healing.
Sustainable development teams apply the same basic premise of “first, do no harm”
– a hallowed pledge for physicians – to the facilities on which they work. This entails design, procurement, construction and op-erational methodologies that look beyond the lowest first cost solutions to a more holistic approach that targets the institu-tion’s long-term economic goals without compromising the health of the community it serves.
The leading vehicles for green building imple-mentation in the healthcare industry are the Green Guide for Healthcare (GGHC), cre-ated by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering in 2002, and the LEED rating system administered by the USGBC. 23
How ManY leed crediTs are acHievable wiTH liTTle To no MoneY?TESKE: Healthcare facilities almost always can achieve enough LEED credits for basic LEED certification. Basic certification requires at least 40 LEED points under the new 2009 LEED rat-ing system, and that is typically easy to achieve without any added hard costs. Many points are available for no cost based on the location of the project, current owner operations policies and proper siting of the project. For facilities that have higher quality standards, it is not unusual to achieve LEED Silver or Gold certification with a small increase in extra hard costs.
GunSoluS: In terms of prerequisites, all are typically achievable with little to no money (construction pollution prevention, re-frigerant management, recycling, indoor air quality, tobacco-free) with the possible exceptions of fundamental commissioning and minimum energy performance. The last two prerequi-sites are dependent on the facilities’ operational standards. In the case of the progressive owner, these prerequisites have already been met; if not, the return on investment is typically less than five years. Once the prerequisites are met, an evaluation should be made for the specific cli-ent and location. Certification is relatively easy at this point using common sense and not just chasing points.
wHaT are THe TYpical cosTs To be enTrY-level, 40-poinT leed cerTified?TESKE: There are some soft costs associated with the administration of the LEED process and cer-tification of a facility. These costs usually range from $150,000 to $250,000 and vary depending on the level of certification and size of the facility. However, some of these soft costs cover energy modeling, which greatly assists the design team with decisions that can save operational costs for the facility over the lifetime of the building. wHaT’s THe paYback period for leed-cerTified buildings?TESKE: HKS’s experience on the 40 million square feet of LEED-designed projects is con-sistent with other national studies. On average, our LEED projects experience a 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent increase in initial costs. However, these costs have consistently shown to have at least a 14 percent return on investment and payback periods of four to seven years. Who wouldn’t
consider a 14 percent return on investment in today’s market? And this payback does not even begin to consider the less tangible benefits such as improved employee productivity, better staff retention and improved patient recovery.
GunSoluS: The payback for LEED Certification or Silver level is typically under five years. For Gold, the range is likely four to seven years. Platinum is probably 10 years or more, depending on the aggressiveness of the initiatives pursued. While every case is different, national studies have shown that LEED-Gold (and sometimes Platinum) projects can actually have shorter payback periods than LEED-Certif ied and Silver facilities due to the investment in energy efficiency strategies.
Tell us abouT energY sTar.How does iT coMpare To MiniMuM leed-energY perfor-Mance crediTs?TESKE: ENERGY STAR is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us save money and protect the environment through en-ergy-efficient products and practices. In 1992, the EPA introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary la-beling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Computers and monitors were the first labeled products.
Recently, there has been a growing interest in ap-plying this label to energy-efficient commercial buildings. Through its private partners such as HKS, many commercial buildings can now earn and display the ENERGY STAR label – giving healthcare building owners and tenants an un-derstanding of their building’s energy efficiency benchmarked against other similar buildings in the region.
Using a benchmark scoring system of one to 100, all ENERGY STAR-certified facilities must score at least a 75 and thereby demonstrate that they are performing in the top 25th percentile of similar type buildings in the region. Because a strategic approach to energy management can produce twice the savings – for the bottom line and the environment – HKS has recently implemented an office-wide goal of designing all projects to meet the “Designed to Earn ENERGY STAR” requirements.
How can arcHiTecTs use biM
Kirk Teske, AIA, LEED AP, principal/chief sus-tainability officer and Roy Gunsolus, AIA, LEED AP, principal/healthcare project man-ager, both with HKS, Inc., answer a few key questions on the minds of today’s healthcare facility owners.
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TecHnologY To enHance energY perforMance? GunSoluS: The use of energy modeling, en-vironmental modeling or daylighting modeling helps provide feedback to the architect on their building design and materials with regards to energy performance. Analysis of site orienta-tion, sun and wind studies can help determine the building’s location on the site. Evaluation of a building’s exterior skin materials (including walls, windows and roof) can also affect the final energy used by the MEP systems. Daylighting and other lighting systems can also impact the building’s energy performance. All of these eval-uations need to be considered by the architect to provide optimal energy performance.
MiniMal coMMissioning is required for leed cerTificaTion. How does coMMissioning relaTe To cerTificaTion? GunSoluS: Commissioning verifies that the HVAC and other building systems are operat-ing at peak performance levels and are therefore as energy-efficient as possible. I compare it to keeping your car maintained and tuned up as you drive it throughout the years. Just five years ago, commissioning was conducted by the con-tractor in collaboration with an on-site facility staff member. Today’s sophisticated clients are hiring commissioning agencies to ensure their facility’s equipment is running at peak perfor-mance, thereby saving them operational costs down the road. wHaT if i’M in an exisTing HealTH-care faciliTY? How do i receive leed eb (now called operaTions and MainTenance [o&M] in v3/2009) or leed ci cerTificaTion (now called inTerior design and consTrucTion [id&c] in v3/2009)?TESKE: Whether you are located in an existing healthcare facility, renovating or implement-ing interior finish-outs, going green is not just the right thing to do – it will also reduce oper-ational costs at an acceptable rate of return on the investment.
LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED EB) provides all facilities an entry point into the LEED certi-fication process. It is a method for owners and operators of existing buildings to implement sustainable operations and maintenance prac-tices, and reduce the environmental impact of a building over its functional life cycle. LEED
EB is targeted at both owner-occupied build-ings and tenant-occupied investment properties. With the release of the 2009 rating systems, LEED EB is now referred to as LEED Operations & Maintenance LEED O&M.
LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED CI) addresses the specifics of tenant spaces pri-marily in off ice, retail and inst itut ional buildings. Tenants who lease their space or do not occupy the entire building are eligible. This is a great way for them to reduce their environmental impact.
leed cerTificaTion sTandards were updaTed To 3.0 in 2009. How will crediTs be THe saMe? differenT? TESKE: The new 2009 ratings system is based on a 100-point scale rather than the previous 69-point scale. Nevertheless, most LEED credits will stay the same but be weighted differently based on their environmental significance. For example, measurement and verification has been allotted three points instead of one. Providing a connection to alternate public transportation can now earn six points instead of one. The former 17-point energy and atmosphere category now includes 35 potential points. Plus, up to 10 bonus points can be earned for regional priority, inno-vation and exemplary performance. In the works is the LEED for Healthcare certification rating system program, dedicated solely to healthcare-related sustainability strategies.
Today, the building sector is the single largest consumer of energy and natural resources in our nation – a fact we simply cannot ignore. Healthcare facilities are among the top-three energy users, due to their 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operations.
While the challenges to design and build green in the healthcare sector are greater than in any other building sector, the benefits are un-paralleled. Providing healing care for patients in a sustainable, healthy environment can save millions of dollars; improve staff satisfaction and patient care; and make an eco-changing difference for future generations.
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VELEIRO DO SUL O N T H E B O A R D S
VELEIRO DO SUL 27
The tower is an architectural element that has evolved since its inception in the early 20th cen-tury. There have been dramatic improvements in building technology and skinning solutions that have played a major role in this type of construc-tion. However, there has been a constant focus in its development – creating an enclosed atmo-sphere that protects us from the outside.
In Veleiro do Sul, the solution is reversed – promoting interaction between the inside and outside by tak ing advantage of its
location and making the outside factors the relevant parameters that def ine the shape and composition.
The most important part of any design is and will always be people. The design process is therefore dictated by the natural and cultural el-ements of the region. Brazil is a rich country in regard to people, culture and resources. It easily can be considered a paradise due to its near-perfect weather and beautiful settings such as Rio de Janeiro.R
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THE CONCEPT
The tower solution revolved around three factors: symbolism, local culture and con- textual response.
The symbolism came with the origin of the term skyscraper. Originally a nautical term, skyscrap-er referred to the tallest mast on a ship. Not by coincidence, Brazil was discovered and explored by the Portuguese who sailed from Europe in their big-sailed caravels.
Culture and behavior of the average Brazilian played a major role in the design of the tower. Brazilians typically enjoy the outdoors and have a fascinating aversion to interior spaces.
The natural context provided the rest – gentle breezes and spectacular sunsets as well as amaz-ing vistas of the Bay of Guanabara, Sugar Loaf Mountain, the city of Niteroi, Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) atop Corcovado Mountain, the Flamengo beach and embankment as well as the beautiful Marina da Gloria.
THE DESIGN
The tower’s main feature is a sail-like device that is comprised of turbines spun by the wind, thus generating part of the energy used in the building. This concept is a poetic and symbolic response to the original definition of skyscraper, and blends the nautical-looking design with the bay and marina.
Large roof terraces are spread throughout the building to provide family-gathering areas, bringing a more human scale and responding to the need to enjoy the outdoors even from a high rise. The project opens to the exterior, challeng-ing the established idea of an enclosed space and responding to the local culture.
Hot air is vented out of the building by opening louvers at the top. This draws fresh air into it, thus generating a constant f low.
The solution is comprised of spaces for retail and leisure as well as a business center and an art gallery. Included are restaurants and a five-star hotel with 250 beds plus 25 VIP suites, a Cineplex with six movie theaters, 78 condos and six pent-houses, six roof terraces with a bar in each, plus individual private terraces to be shared by two condos each.
One can state that the skyscraper could very well be the architectural solution of the future for big cities. However, it must adapt to its surroundings and provide a decent habitat for humans with-out diminishing their needs as it evolves into a self-sustained entity that does not take from our dwindling resources.
The Healthcare Building Answer is:UHS Building Solutions, Inc.
In today’s tough economic times, who doesn’t want to build a quality, functional and efficient hospital at a cost-effective price?
UHS Building Solutions, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc., of-fers the solution.
And, they know hospitals. Universal Health Services has been around more than 30 years, building nearly 70 healthcare projects through-out the United States including 32 acute care and 13 behavioral health hospitals. The publicly traded company, named on the Forbes “400 Best Big Companies,” has one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry with annual revenues ex-ceeding $4.5 billion.
The company’s competitive edge is attributed to its ability to bring an operator’s perspective to the building process. The result is functionally and efficiently designed hospitals built for less.
A Track Record
Recently, UHS Building Solutions worked with Seton Family of Hospitals, part of Ascension Health – the largest non-profit health system in the United States. The Seton Medical Center Williamson in Round Rock, Texas, a 181-bed hospital, was constructed to expand in a cost-effective manner to 350-plus beds. The hospital also was built in 15 months, reducing construc-tion overhead and allowing Seton to begin operations sooner.
Charles Barnett, president and CEO of Seton Family of Hospitals, said, “UHS’ expertise in designing hospitals has been invaluable to us. Because they are also successful operators, they have an in-depth understanding about what works in acute care facilit ies. Seton Williamson opened earlier and at a lower cost than we would have experienced had we gone with other approaches.”
Following the success of the Seton Medical Center Williamson, the healthcare system contracted with the group to build a second hospital in Kyle, Texas. The 144-bed acute care Seton Medical Center Hays, which opened in September 2009, was completed in record time – less than 16 months. The cost per square foot was less than two percent higher than Seton Medical Center Williamson’s cost, which is significant given the commodity and materials inf lation occurring during the time.
A Proven Process
“Our process involves a six-phase integrated proj-ect delivery methodology,” said Craig Conti, vice president of UHS Building Solutions, Inc. “Each phase is carefully integrated into a proven system that generates consistent quality and cost effi-ciency. Additionally, each phase is documented and approved by the client-owner prior to the start of the next phase. This well-structured, me-thodical process gives the client-owner control and provides a checks-and-balances system along the way regarding scope, schedule and cost.”
The group prides itself on its ability to form and manage an integrated team of world-class architects and contractors who focus on problem-solving and not finger-pointing.
“We get things done by managing risk among the team members, allowing everyone to focus on the goal of building quality, functional and efficient hospitals that match the vision of our clients,” said Conti.
The ongoing goal of the group, according to Conti, is to continue to provide value-cost facili-ties to clients all over the United States. “The process has proven successful for nearly three de-cades. We want to share it with other healthcare providers who can benefit from it in the short and long term.”
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Upper two images: Seton Medical Center Williamson Round Rock, TexasLower three images: Seton Medical Center Hays Kyle, Texas
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