CASE STUDY:

HVAC System Design Concepts for a Hospital

Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Expansion and Renovation
Seminar 10, ASHRAE Winter Meeting
Orlando, Florida
Sponsor: TC 2.6 Sound and Vibration

Rolando Alvarez, P.E., LEED AP Michael Skene, P.E., LEED AP Robert M. Lilkendey
Senior Mechanical Engineer Mechanical Engineer Associate Principal Consultant
Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. Siebein Associates, Inc.
Tampa, Florida Sarasota, Florida Gainesville, Florida

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 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The renovation and expansion of an existing

NICU
Located on the 4th floor level of an existing
hospital
Expansion from 42 beds to approximately 82
beds and ancillary spaces.
The renovation includes the existing Labor and
Delivery, NICU, Newborn Nursery, etc.
The total project area is approximately 52,000
gross square feet.
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 ENGINEERING DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Ambient Lighting, Procedure Lighting And

Day-lighting.
Ambient Temperature and Ventilation.
Acoustic Environment

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 BACKGROUND

Strict Acoustical Criteria

Recommended Standards for Newborn ICU
Design, Standard 23, Acoustic Environment

NC 25 for Patient Rooms and Sleep Rooms

NC 30 for Areas with Open Communication to NC 25
Rooms (Primarily Corridors near Patient Rooms)
NC 35 for other areas

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 ACOUSTICAL DESIGN CONSTRAINTS

Internal duct liner not allowed

Fibrous media in silencers not allowed
Acoustical flex duct not allowed
Location of AHUs and Exhaust Fans above
Patient Rooms

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 PATIENT ROOM BANKS

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 MECHANICAL PENTHOUSE LOCATION

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 AIR HANDLING UNIT LOCATIONS

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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

Duct-Borne Noise:
Noise Source/Path #1:
Fan noise from Penthouse AHUs and EFs through
ductwork to Patient Rooms, etc.
Acoustical Recommendations/Guidelines (minimum):
AHUs with low freq. octave band sound levels < 90 dB
EFs with octave band sound levels < 85 dB
90 to 100 ft of supply and return duct
10 to 12 ft long silencers on AHU supply and return ducts
10 to 12 ft long silencers on exhaust fans
Air velocity < 1,000 fpm at silencers (preferably 750 fpm)
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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

Duct-Borne Noise:
Noise Source/Path #2:
Damper noise from CV Units through ductwork to Patient
Rooms and Adult Sleep Rooms
Acoustical Recommendations/Guidelines (minimum):
CV Units with low freq. octave band sound levels < 55 dB
3 elbows
5 ft rectangular duct
7 ft long elbow silencers
air velocity < 400 fpm in ducts and <250 fpm at silencer
Supply diffusers selected for max noise rating of NC 10
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(SSR). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials in this presentation, including reproduction, modification, distribution, or
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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

Airborne Noise:
Noise Source/Paths:
1. AHU and EF radiated through Penthouse Floor Slab
and Roof
2. AHU and EF noise in Penthouse Mechanical Room
break-in and break-out at main supply, return and
exhaust ducts
Acoustical Recommendations/Guidelines:
1. 4 thick Concrete Jack-Up Slab in Mechanical
Room
2. Shaft wall at duct risers.
3. Location of main duct drops over Corridors.
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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

4" thick reinforced

concrete slab
4"

8"

2" High Neoprene

Jack-up Mounts

Metal Deck with Concrete

ACT Ceiling

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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

Structure-borne Noise:
Noise Source/Paths:
1. AHU and EF vibration transmitted to penthouse
slab and roof and re-radiated in Patient Rooms by
walls and ceilings
2. Piping and ductwork vibration transmitted to Patient
Rooms
Acoustical Recommendations/Guidelines:
1. AHU Fans on Concrete Inertia Bases
2. EFs suspended from Spring/Neoprene Hangers
3. Pipes and Duct suspended from Spring/Neoprene
Hangers
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 SOUND PATHS AND NOISE CONTROL GUIDELINES

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(SSR). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials in this presentation, including reproduction, modification, distribution, or
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 HVAC SYSTEM DESIGN CONCEPTS

Closed loop mechanical piping sized below 8 fps

Medium pressure supply duct maximum velocity of
1500 fpm (1200 fpm preferred)
Low pressure supply maximum pressure drop of .08/
100
Return duct maximum pressure drop of .08 /100
Selected mechanical ceiling devices and sidewall
grilles at a maximum of 10 NC, diffuser discharge
velocity max. of 350 fpm

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 ASHRAE - HVAC APPLICATIONS

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 ASHRAE - HVAC APPLICATIONS

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 PENTHOUSE RIGHT HALF

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 PENTHOUSE DUCT LAYOUT

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 SUPPLY DUCT VELOCITIES

<1,000 FPM,
12,600 CFM

<1,100 FPM,
13,700 CFM

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 RETURN DUCT VELOCITIES

<1,000 FPM,
12,600 CFM

~1,000 FPM,
(.02 f. loss)
18,500 CFM
<1,100 FRM,
13,700 CFM

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 PENTHOUSE DUCT SECTION

Shaft Shaft
Wall Wall

Supply
Return Exhaust Silencers
Silencers Silencer

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 SUPPLY DUCT VELOCITIES

<1,000 FPM, <1,100 FPM,

12,600 CFM 13,700 CFM

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 RETURN DUCT VELOCITY

~1,000 FPM,
(.02 f. loss)
18,500 CFM

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 4TH FLOOR UPPER RIGHT

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 4TH FLOOR MECHANICAL DUCT LAYOUT

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 SUPPLY DUCT VELOCITIES

~950 fpm, ~1,200 fpm,

1,360 cfm 1,980 cfm

~420 fpm,
220 cfm

~1,100
<300 fpm, fpm,
220 cfm 4,385 cfm

<1,100 fpm, <1,400 fpm,

13,700 cfm 13,700 cfm

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 RETURN DUCT VELOCITIES
~425 fpm/220 <300 fpm/220 cfm
cfm (.032 f. loss) (.012 f. loss)

~1,200 fpm
(.06 f. loss)
9,600 cfm <650 fpm ~700 fpm
(.033 f. loss) (<.03 f. loss)
1,100 cfm 2,230 cfm

~1,200 fpm
(.06 f. loss)
9,600 cfm

<1,000 fpm
(.035 f. loss)
9,600 cfm

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 PATIENT RM. CV UNIT REQUIREMENTS

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 SPECIFICATIONS
Acoustical Specifications are necessary to control the
acoustical quality of the final product.
1. Maximum Sound Level Requirements (at design
operating conditions):
A. AHUs
B. EFs
C. CV Units
D. Air Terminal Devices
2. Specifications with Product Requirements and
Acoustical Performance Schedules:
A. Sound Attenuators
B. Vibration Isolation
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 CONCLUSIONS
1. Very strict acoustical design criteria applied to over
80 rooms
2. Collaborative design approach involving
Mechanical Engineer, Acoustical Consultant,
Architect, and Structural Engineer
3. Acoustical guidelines used to organize the overall
layout of the HVAC system to achieve design
criteria
4. Additional coordination efforts required to
incorporate acoustical criteria into overall design
5. Concepts can be applied to other project types, but
specific analysis is always required to meet specific
design criteria.
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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Consensus Committee on Recommended Design

Standards for Advanced Neonatal Care,
Recommended Standards for Newborn ICU
Design, Report of the Seventh Consensus
Conference on Newborn ICU Design, February,
2007.
ASHRAE, 2007. ASHRAE Handbook HVAC
Applications. American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc.,
Atlanta.

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 QUESTIONS?
Mr. Rolando Alvarez, P.E., LEED AP
ralvarez@ssr-inc.com

Mr. Michael Skene, P.E., LEED AP

mskene@ssr-inc.com

Mr. Robert Lilkendey

rlilkendey@siebeinacoustic.com

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