Summit Surgical Center
ACEC National 1994 Engineering Excellence Award
ACEC Colorado 1994 Engineering Excellence Award
CFC-FREE HVAC SYSTEM
Frisco, Colorado
Take an existing medical clinic . . .
 BY
REQUEST OF THE COMMUNITY, an active clinic located in the Rocky Mountains
was expanded into a surgical center. With an increasing number of skiers coming
to the four resorts in the valley, the need for a nearby surgical center was
imperative: passage through the mountains to the closest hospital by ambulance
or helicopter was dependent upon weather conditions.
. . . transform it into a surgical center.
STRICT GUIDELINES DEFINED THE CHALLENGE:
 Mechanical
and electrical equipment must be environmentally safe- Mechanical and electrical systems were required to meet stringent hospital
codes
- The construction and operating costs had to be kept within budget constraints
- The center must be self-sustaining during utility outages
- The community could not be left without a medical facility during remodeling
and expansion
A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT IS A MAJOR CONCERN
. . . to the citizens in this valley. The center was designed
to be climate controlled by an environmentally sensitive indirect/direct evaporative
cooling system, which does not use OZONE-DEPLETING REFRIGERANTS that can release
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) into the air.
 This
Indirect/Direct Evaporative Cooling System demonstrates the innovative technology
of utilizing the high altitude moderate summer temperatures (77°F) and
low relative humidity (31%) to cool interior spaces to 72°F, and meets
strict Operating Room temperature requirements of 65°F. The center’s
cooling unit is controlled by a state-of-the-art Direct Digital Control System
which can be remotely monitored and operated by the parent company 100 miles
away, ensuring a constant comfort level.
COSTLY, INEFFICIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY UNSOUND
. . . refrigeration equipment was replaced with more cost-effective, earth-friendly
technology. This design method utilized efficient CFC-free equipment, which
minimized electrical requirements, thereby reducing installation and operating
costs. The original clinic equipment used 1.4kw of electricity per ton of cooling
to operate: the new system was designed for 0.3 kw per ton, translating into
direct energy savings of 79% on a per square foot basis.
THE SURGICAL CENTER CAN REMAIN SELF-SUFFICIENT
. . . for 14 days or longer during utility outages using the diesel generator
which operates as an emergency power and heating backup unit, thus fulfilling
a hospital code requirement for dual heating energy sources. Utilization of
an owner-furnished recycled diesel generator reduced construction costs and
environmental hazards by eliminating the need for heating oil and its associated
fuel storage area.
THE COMPLEX ISSUES OF MEDICAL SERVICES CONTINUITY
 .
. . and difficult winter construction at 9,000 feet altitude were resolved
by critical planning. This new central mechanical and electrical plant was
built prior to the demolition of the old systems, which stood on the future
foundation site. The new plant was built and brought on-line within five weeks
to serve the existing building’s changing needs. During the six-month
construction period, THE FACILITY WAS SHUT DOWN FOR LESS THAN 8 HOURS.
A VITAL SERVICE IS PROVIDED
. . . to the community and to the thousands of valley tourists
by offering immediate surgical care in an isolated location: AN ENVIRONMENTALLY
SAFE, STATE-OF-THE-ART, COST-SAVING SOLUTION.
“I know of no other surgical medical facility that uses this refrigerant-free
process. Among our concerns was to have a very energy efficient system
that preserves the beauty of the mountain valleys surrounding the center
as we partner with the community to serve its health care needs.”
Steve Kotris
Director of Plant Operations & Safety (1992-1996)
Provenant Health Partners
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