Healthcare

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

One of the top rehabilitation centers in the United States, RIC created the L.I.F.E. Center (Learning, Innovation, Family and Empowerment) as a comprehensive consumer resource dedicated to providing important information for people with disabilities.

Key design elements focused on creating a welcoming environment using curvilinear themes within a high-end bookstore setting.  Engineering highlights include:

• Detailed and coordinated ductwork layout given limited ceiling space and desire for maximum ceiling height;
• Careful attention was paid to heating system design to deliver comfort with heating challenges posed by staff workstations adjacent to full height exterior glass;
• Specialized lighting design to match the wonderful interior spaces created by the architecture.

Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter
16-Bed Hospice Facility
Glenview, Illinois

With 16 individual rooms featuring natural light and access to the outdoors as well as showers and pullout beds for loved ones, this new 20,000-square-foot hospice inpatient unit is surrounded by a healing garden—a collaborative project with the Chicago Botanic Garden.  Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter believes patient care extends to the world patients leave behind, which led to LEED^® Gold certification.  Toward that end, 20/10 Engineering Group designed the following sustainable features into the project:

• Highly efficient Geothermal HVAC system utilizing the area below the Healing Garden;
• All patient HVAC heat pumps are located in corridor closets, accessible for maintenance without entering patient rooms;
• In-floor hot water radiant heat ensures patient comfort even with tall glass at exterior wall for views to Healing Garden;
• HVAC system design for highest indoor air quality by achieving 30% over-ventilation LEED^® credit;
• Highly efficient lighting; occupancy sensors;
• Ultra-low flow lavatories/urinals/water closets.