Project Description
Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital is a new 232,700-square-foot patient bed tower, adding capacity for much needed healthcare services in the burgeoning Katy area west of Houston. It is currently the tallest hospital in the United States constructed using tilt-wall construction.
The new six-story tower added 64 total beds in various units, including surgical care, intensive care, and neonatal intensive care. The expansion includes new Memorial Hermann Life Flight® crew quarters and more than 5,500 sf of clinical lab space; the corresponding renovation comprises an expanded surgical center, Women’s Center, and Emergency Center. The top two floors are shell space and will accommodate 80 future inpatient beds. Two pedestrian walkways, a three-story bridge for staff and patients and an all glass single-story connector for public circulation, provide access to adjacent facilities.
In addition to time and construction cost savings, tiltwall construction produces a building shell with fewer points of penetration, resulting in less possibility of moisture intrusion and higher insulation value. The core and shell subsequently require less maintenance. Such efficiencies are estimated to result in a 2 percent life-cycle cost savings over a project building life span of 50-60 years. Structurally, the tiltwall panels eliminate the need for extra internal wind bracing as they provide the necessary lateral stability.
In addition to time and construction cost savings, tiltwall construction produces a building shell with fewer points of penetration, resulting in less possibility of moisture intrusion and higher insulation value. The core and shell subsequently require less maintenance. Such efficiencies are estimated to result in a 2 percent life-cycle cost savings over a project building life span of 50-60 years. Structurally, the tiltwall panels eliminate the need for extra internal wind bracing as they provide the necessary lateral stability.