The $388 million Shands Cancer Hospital by Shands HealthCare in Florida is a 500,000 square feet facility that houses 192 private inpatient beds. It also includes a critical care center for emergency and trauma-related services.
Designed as a welcoming and family friendly place, Shands Cancer Hospital features the Garden of Hope, the Sanctuary of Silence and Peace, the Marshall M. and Paula P. Criser Cancer Resource Center and training rooms. A conference center has also been incorporated to provide public space for community health fairs, screenings and educational workshops on health issues such as cancer prevention and treatment.
The most significant sustainability feature of the scheme is the Gainesville Regional Utility’s South Energy Center, an onsite and stand-alone 4.3-megawatt facility that supplies all of the hospital’s energy needs, independent of the city’s energy grid.
In order to make the facility a highly efficient building, Shands worked with local recycling companies to salvage approximately 70% of the main structure of the former University Centre Hotel. All reusable and recyclable materials, including concrete, copper, aluminum and steel from the interior of the hotel have been reused. Nearly 100% of the building materials from the adjacent parking garage have been recycled.
Low VOC-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, wood products and carpet systems have been used throughout the interior to maintain a high-quality indoor air environment. Specific building orientation; solar shading; high-performance glass; energy transfer wheels, sensors and controls have been incorporated to optimize energy performance.
