Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 50

PROJECT

interiors

Flooring Improves Evaluations At Children's Hospital
Flooring product-performance characteristics have
direct impact on healthcare safety and patient satisfaction.
Sandra Soraci and Kristin Ledet

N

emours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, recently completed a 557,000-sq.-ft. hospital
expansion. The $272.8-million project included 144 single

patient rooms, 44 emergency-department exam rooms, and 200,000
sq. ft. feet of nora, Salem, NH (nora.com/us), premium rubber flooring. Since then, project-team members, including the project manager, designer, construction manager, nurse manager, and environmental services (EVS) operations manager, have used a post-occupancy
evaluation (POE) to study the contributing factors and outcomes the
flooring selection has had on clinical efficiency.
A POE includes collecting data and obtaining feedback on a
building's performance when it is in use. At Nemours, the evaluation
used Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and

Systems (HCAHPS) scores, as well as feedback from caregivers, patients, and families. The results are proving invaluable as a reference
for making informed decisions regarding the built environment.
As a structural component of the building, one that covers every
square inch, flooring greatly influences the entire palette of products
selected. But what influences the choice of flooring? At Nemours, a
number of factors contributed to the final selection of premium rubber flooring for large portions of the hospital. Such factors included
Above. Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, completed a 557,000-sq.-ft. hospital expansion. The $272.8-million
project included 200,000 sq. ft. feet of nora premium rubber flooring.
Below. Factors contributing to the final selection of premium rubber flooring for the hospital included acoustics, staff fatigue and retention,
health and safety concerns, operational optimization, environmental considerations, and life-cycle cost analysis.

acoustics, staff fatigue and retention, health and safety concerns,
operational optimization, environmental considerations, and
life-cycle cost analysis. Environmental factors, such as infection control and safety, were part of the material-selection strategy. Additionally, the ability to create zones through the use of color played an
important role, particularly for the design of a children's hospital. A
"pattern with purpose" discreetly designated patient, caregiver, and
family spaces within the patient rooms.
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Using a mock-up, strategically located in an everyday-use location,
the hospital conducted a fair evaluation of flooring products under
consideration. The mock-up played a critical role in the selection
process. In any project of this magnitude, a variety of stakeholders
want to provide input-patients, families, nurses, design-team members, facility managers, administrators, and environmental services
employees. Mock-ups provide a means for them to have a voice in
the design and selection process. At Nemours, more than 250 clinicians and staff members provided feedback regarding the various
flooring choices installed.
Specific performance criteria used to evaluate floor coverings
centered on assessing durability, maintenance, safety, sustainability,
ergonomics, and acoustics. Other performance criteria, no less im50

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE

FEBRUARY 2018

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com


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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture February 2018

The Architects
Showcase
Index
Portfolio
Student Unions
Facade Mimics Coral
Smart Design For Learning
Metal Wall Panels Renovate City Hall
Tile Roof Crowns Mansion Renovation
Fixtures Wash Out Light Puddles
Stadium Supports More Than The Team
Selecting The Correct Damper
Energy-Efficient Boilers Revitalize Apartment Complex
U.S. Steel Tower Grows Greener With Retrofit
Going Green On The Green
Channel Glass Leads Visitors To Fort
Speedway Improves Track Views
Flooring Impacts Evaluation At Children's Hospital
Exteriors Products
Lighting & Electrical Products
HVAC & Plumbing Products
Windows & Doors Products
Interiors Products
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Cover1
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Cover2
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 1
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 2
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 3
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 4
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 5
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - The Architects
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 7
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Student Unions
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 9
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 10
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 11
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 12
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 13
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 14
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 15
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Facade Mimics Coral
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 17
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 18
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 19
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 20
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 21
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Smart Design For Learning
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 23
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Metal Wall Panels Renovate City Hall
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 25
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Tile Roof Crowns Mansion Renovation
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 27
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 28
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Exteriors Products
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Fixtures Wash Out Light Puddles
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 31
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Stadium Supports More Than The Team
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 35
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Lighting & Electrical Products
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Selecting The Correct Damper
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 38
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Energy-Efficient Boilers Revitalize Apartment Complex
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - U.S. Steel Tower Grows Greener With Retrofit
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 41
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - HVAC & Plumbing Products
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 43
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Going Green On The Green
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 45
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Channel Glass Leads Visitors To Fort
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 47
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Speedway Improves Track Views
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Windows & Doors Products
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Flooring Impacts Evaluation At Children's Hospital
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 51
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 52
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Interiors Products
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 54
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 55
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Showcase
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Index
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Portfolio
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Cover3
Commercial Architecture February 2018 - Cover4
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