Project Profile: Duke University Medical Center Central Tower
Duke Health's patient towers were aging and renovations would require a significant investment that would result in a net reduction in patient beds.
Engineering firm: RMF Engineering Inc.
2022 MEP Giants rank: 42
Project: Duke University Medical Center Central Tower
Location: Durham, NC, United States
Building type: Hospital/health care facility
Project type: New construction
Engineering services: Automation, controls; electrical, power; energy, sustainability; fire, life safety; HVAC, mechanical; lighting; plumbing, piping
Project timeline: January 2016 to March 2021
Duke Central Tower – Photo taken by RMF Engineering
Challenges
Duke Health’s patient towers were aging and renovations would require a significant investment that would result in a net reduction in patient beds. RMF worked in a fast paced schedule throughout the pandemic to provide the MEP/FP for a new 11-story, 510,000 SF Central Tower which provides 350 upgraded patient beds to Duke University Hospital. Notable improvements include patient rooms that average twice the size of previous ones, improved in-house pharmacy service and two pediatric cardiac catheterization labs.
Duke Central Tower – Photo taken by RMF Engineering
Duke Central Tower – Photo taken by RMF Engineering
Solutions
RMF utilized pre-fabricated MEP systems in the design on patient floors two through eleven of the new central tower. RMF also developed a plan to get floors ready early to help with the hospitals efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The basement and level 0 of the building houses the electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. The 11 air handling units that serve the new building are located in the basement and roof top. The chilled water and steam services are delivered from the existing chilled water and steam plants. The steam service is distributed to the hot water heat exchangers and domestic water heaters. A domestic water booster pump system delivers to cold water and hot water up to all patient floors. The medical air and vacuum systems are located in level 0 and will be distributed to all eleven floors of the addition. The oxygen needs are delivered from the existing oxygen tank farm.
Duke Central Tower – Photo taken by RMF Engineering
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