The Objective
Middle Park Health (MPH) is a collection of hospitals and medical centers operating in Grand County, Colorado. Though they have established locations in Kremmling, CO and Granby, CO, they identified a need for a more accessible hospital to serve rural residents on the east side of the county, as well as being close to Winter Park Ski Resort and Berthoud Pass, and settled on Fraser, CO. Once the building was erected, they required the installation of rainscreens on the exterior of the building to protect it from water damage and mold, insulate the structure and improve thermal performance, and contribute to the aesthetic look of the building. Our Architectural Solutions Team was hired for their project management abilities, overseeing the rainscreen installation.
The Challenges
As with any project, this one had specific challenges that required our team to be flexible, hands-on, and organized to achieve on-time success.
- Hard Deadline: This project had an aggressive schedule to do the ownership’s need for opening by end of Summer 2025. This created a hard date that was required to be met by all parties involved.
- Weather: Located in the Rocky Mountains at a high altitude, winter weather was a constant problem. There was always an abundance of snow and cold temperatures to contend with, and it made travel and product deliveries extra difficult. The climate also required that the rainscreen systems installed were durable and could endure harsh weather throughout the year.
- Matching Design: There was a specific look and design on the building that the finishes needed to match, as well as help hide equipment on the roof from view.
- Other Work: With an accelerated timeline, there were often other trades working at once to ensure the hospital could meet its opening date, causing delays and interruptions to scheduled work.
The Solutions
Our Architectural Team relied on their expertise in project management to overcome the challenges of this project. They were hands-on throughout the process, remaining focused on components and lead times to ensure there were no delays, keeping constant communication with the project, and always checking in to monitor the status and progress at every step. They employed great attention-to-detail, finding other VE (value engineering) options if a manufacturer’s lead times slipped outside of an acceptable window, ensuring the schedule remained on track. They also showed great teamwork, flexibility, and support. Contractors installed a steel equipment screen to hide the equipment on the roof of the hospital, and we installed ACM panels on to that screen to not only help hide the equipment from view but to ensure it had a seamless design with the rest of the building. When the rainscreen installation was held up by the work of other trades, we offered our help to bring the schedule back into alignment for everyone.
Rainscreen Products Used:
- 5,000 sq ft of ACM (Aluminum Composite Materials) panels with thermal girts, polyiso insulation, and a gray finish
- 8,000 sq ft of HPL (High Pressure Laminate) exposed fastened panels with thermal girts, polyiso insulation, and wood-tone finish
The rainscreens that were installed are made from long-lasting, impact-resistant material, ensuring their durability through any type of weather. Their design also provides greater thermal resistance for the building, reducing energy costs, as well as allowing for ventilation and airflow, allowing for any moisture that gets behind the panel and the wall to dry out. The finishes of the ACM and the HPL panels also allowed the team to match the aesthetic look of the rest of the hospital’s exterior. Our team partnered with two rainscreen fabricators: CEI Materials for the ACM panels, using their R4000 Series System, and Abet Laminati for the HPL panels, using their MEG series.
CEI Material’s R4000 ACM Panel Diagram
The Results
- Target date was met the project was completed within 6 months.
- Rainscreens installed are weather-resistant, durable, and efficient. They will improve the thermal performance of the building, protect the structure, and reduce the risk of water damage and mold.
- Rainscreens match the aesthetic design of the building’s exterior and are made with long-lasting materials unlike real wood panels which would warp overtime due to temperature and moisture. They also hid rooftop equipment from view while creating a more seamless appearance.
