UCI Health - Irvine

Irvine, CA, USA

Acoustical consulting for an extensive healthcare undertaking with an ambitious schedule

The new UCI Health - Irvine medical campus features a seven-story, 353,000-square-foot acute care hospital with 144 beds and a 24-hour emergency department. The campus also features a comprehensive cancer center and ambulatory care building, along with a center for advanced care.

Photos

UCI Medical Centre RWDI image credit Michael Brown
RWDI image. Copyright Michael Brown.

Services provided

  • The Challenge

    Not only are acoustics an important privacy factor in a healthcare setting, they also play a significant role in creating a comfortable and healing environment. Despite a rather ambitious construction schedule, the Design Build team for UCI Health knew that they couldn’t compromise on acoustics. They called upon the experts at RWDI, who assigned a team of five acoustical consultants to handle the job quickly and effectively.

  • Our Approach

    Our team of acoustical experts:

    • Conducted an exterior noise intrusion study, measuring noise levels at proposed facade locations due to road traffic, aircraft, or other external noise sources.
    • Recommended design noise criteria for the various occupied areas of the building.
    • Provided acoustical recommendations for the construction of the building envelope, including walls, roof, windows, and doors.
    • Reviewed the construction of the core walls and provided recommendations for partition types.
    • Made recommendations for acoustical treatments in mechanical, electrical, and elevator equipment rooms, as well as rooms housing noisy medical equipment such as MRIs, to minimize noise and vibration at the source.
    • Provided recommendations for acoustical finishes.

  • The Outcome

    In healthcare, acoustics play a significant role in the provision of a restorative environment. In fact, there is a link between good acoustics and good health outcomes. Thanks to the efforts of RWDI, patients at UCI Health - Irvine can focus on their healing and wellbeing without noise-related stress and distraction.