Providence Alaska Cottages, Commons, and Transitional Care Facilities

The 33,612-sf Commons building houses staff offices and support services including a pharmacy, physical therapy, chapel, multi-purpose room, central laundry, administrative offices, food and dry storage, support vehicle storage, and the central 1.5 MW oil fired back-up generators. Heat is provided from gas-fired condensing boilers and perimeter finned tube. Ventilation provided from gas-fired roof top units. The electrical systems included lighting, power, communication and security systems.

The Transitional Care facility is a 35,291-sf facility which is comprised of 50 transitional care rooms with provisions for future additions, centralized nurse stations and dining areas, commercial kitchen that serves the campus, administration offices, and staff locker rooms. Mechanical systems include condensing gas boilers, condensing gas water heaters, low temperature radiant floor systems in the patient wings, variable speed circulation pumps, medical oxygen, and gas-fired roof top heat recovery units. Electrical systems included multi-level lighting, signal, power, and audio-visual nurse call systems.

The site had an extensive snowmelt system that provided a snow-free walk between all buildings as well as the patios and driveways of each of the Cottages. In total, more than 15 miles of PEX tubing were installed in the snowmelt system. A central bulk oxygen tank system serves the Cottages and Transitional Care facility through an underground distribution network. Exterior monument and pedestrian scale lighting use LED fixtures for precise lighting controls with lower energy costs. All buildings were provided with a full fire alarm and sprinkler systems.

Several initial fuel source and configuration options were investigated with the Owner for providing emergency power and back-up heat systems to all of the Cottage facilities. The final design included providing two diesel-fired generators located in the Commons building and an electric back-up boiler in each Cottage unit to provide full electricity to the units upon loss of electricity and heat to the units upon loss of natural gas.

This multiple building, complex design was completed under a Construction Manager at Risk delivery method. The design team worked closely with the Contractor throughout the design and construction process to refine the project and keep overall costs down. A phased design and permit process was completed to expedite Owner occupancy and save costs. Each of the facilities were extensively commissioned, with the Owner and Facility Staff involved throughout the functional test and training process