WJE PROJECTS

Moncrief Cancer Institute

 
CLIENT
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
LOCATION
Ft. Worth, TX

Building Enclosure Commissioning

Ranking among the top academic medical centers in the world, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center retained WJE in 2010 to provide building enclosure commissioning design and construction phase services to deliver a quality new cancer center facility with respect to water and air tightness, energy efficiency, and durability of the building's exterior enclosure.


BACKGROUND

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center's new $22 million, 60,000-square-foot Moncrief Cancer Institute is a community-based cancer prevention and support center. The center features terra cotta and metal panel rainscreen cladding systems installed over a fluid-applied, vapor permeable air- and water-control membrane and continuous exterior insulation. The building also includes curtain wall and storefront glazing systems of aluminum framing members with insulating glass units and a built-up roof.

SOLUTION

The building enclosure commissioning process, which began early in the design phase, focused on the building's major control layers, including the air barrier, roofing, waterproofing, windows and curtain walls, skylights, insulation, and exterior wall cladding systems as well as the interfaces between these systems.

WJE's scope of services included technical reviews of design drawings and specifications, review of contractor shop drawings and submittals, observation of construction and performance testing of a site mock-up, participation in trade preconstruction meetings, site visits during construction, performance testing, and regular commissioning meetings.

To conclude, WJE prepared a project close-out maintenance manual for the client to assure the information regarding the building enclosure was readily available, such that an ongoing maintenance program could be implemented to provide long-term durability.