RGD Consulting Engineers provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and information communication technology systems engineering for the master planning effort which defines Panama City’s newest health care campus. The project’s master plan program consists of four 80,000 SF medical office buildings which will include various functions ranging from an ambulatory surgical center, catheter labs, wellness centers, cancer treatment centers, to general practitioner’s uses. Also included in the master plan is a multi phased acute care hospital totaling 740,000 SF, two sperate parking structures and a stand alone 24,000 SF central energy plant. Additional project requirements are the development of a “central park” style site element which will include meditation gardens, a jogging track for both general fitness and rehabilitation, and areas for social events.
RGD consulting engineers participated with the project team in the various workshops required to determine long term, functional goals in the areas of general building performance requirements, flexibility of engineering systems, and adaptability of the site for varying program uses. Based on the information arrived in the initial engagements, RGD developed scalable, flexible engineering solutions required to assist the Owner and architect in reaching the overall master plan goals and objectives.
Engineering challenges include the conceptual design of a free standing central energy plant such that the MEP and ICT systems which are scaled to serve the Phase I hospital (330,000SF) and the final phase of the 740,000 SF hospital. RGD’s conceptual design includes the CEP initial cooling capacity of 2500 tons and final cooling capacity of 5,000 tons. The CEP’s initial boiler capacity is 500 Boiler HP with a final capacity of 1500 Boiler HP. The CEP on site power generation system is designed for 2400/4160 volt distribution system stepping down to 480 volts within the hospital. The initial power on site power generation capacity is 3,500 KW and the final phase capacity is 7,000 KW. The diesel fuel storage requirements for those systems are initially 12,00 gallons with an ultimate fuel storage capacity of 48,000 gallons. The emergency power generators, process and space heating boilers are all dual fuel with natural gas as the second fuel source. Due to the phasing requirements, steam, chilled water systems, vacuum, compressed air, domestic water systems, steam piping, heating water piping and fire mains are designed to be installed within an underground concrete utility tunnel extending from the CEP to the hospital.
Additional technical aspects include the conceptual design of site MEP and ICT systems serving the four medical office buildings, the hospital, the parking structures, and the central park. This includes power and telecommunications duct banks, domestic water, natural gas, and fire main design.