Texas Medical Center patient tower

Challenge

A 1.34 million square foot patient tower was under construction at the world’s largest medical complex in Houston Texas. In order to ensure the 186-patient bed facility would be a place of optimal rest and recuperation, SLR’s team of acoustic and vibration specialists were asked to measure, design and optimize the facilities’ acoustics.

Solution

The acoustics and vibration team got to work by performing room acoustic studies with emphasis on sound isolation and mechanical noise and vibration control. Design services were provided for the sound sensitive spaces in the 17-story tower with efforts focused on the central atrium, interoperative MRI room, neurosurgery operating rooms, and VIP patient rooms.

In addition to acoustics within the building, the tower was also anticipated to be the reception area of Life Flight operations, the air medical transport service for the greater Houston area. To ensure urgent air ambulance services would not disturb patients within the building, SLR’s acoustic team also performed measurements of the existing helistop on another building in the same complex and developed recommendations to update the building envelop to achieve a more pleasant patient experience.

Impact

The Memorial Hermann Hospital - Texas Medical Center campus operates only one of two Level I trauma centers in the greater Houston area, providing 24/7 emergency and trauma care. The Life Flight Heli-Stop, serving a 150-mile radius of Houston, is perched on top of the now completed 17-story tower and has been providing care-flight services since March 2020.