7 minute read
The Impact of Design When Disaster Strikes
2THE IMPACT OF DESIGN WHEN DISASTER STRIKES
Roger V. Brown, PE
Jeffery T. Smith, AIA, NCARB
As architects and engineers who design a variety of facility types, you have accumulated years of experience of how to implement your design process to meet your customers’ expectations for their day-to-day operations while ensuring the safety, comfort, and security of users. But how does that all change when your state-of-the-art building has no power, the basement is flooded, people are looking for a place to shelter during a storm, or your creation has been partially destroyed by natural or man-made events? This article will look at some of the issues that design teams should consider to prevent harm or death in the event your structures have to withstand a catastrophe that was not anticipated. To illustrate why design is critical, let’s start with a tragic, but true, story of what happened at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005. Everyone was alerted that a Category 5 hurricane was approaching Louisiana in the days before August 28th. One and a half million people, including the mayor of the City, decided to evacuate and head to higher ground, creating the first disaster of many that were not expected; unprecedented traffic jams. While most people had at least a chance to flee and survive, those severely sick or injured in hospitals like Memorial did not have that option, so they were told they would ride it out in place. Sure, they had back-up power, food supplies, water, medicine, and external safety nets like the National Guard, so they were confident this would be just another flood condition like so many in the past. But it wasn’t to be. As a result of poor design, poor planning, poor execution of contingency plans, and lack of support from local authorities, approximately 45 patients died at Memorial for various reasons. All of the details of that event are contained in the controversial book “5 days at Memorial” by Sheri Fink.
Aerial photo of Lourdes Hospital, Broome County, NY. Source: Susquehanna River Basin Commission June 2006 Flood Report, January 2007 | Photo: D. Lupardo
Source: National Weather Service https://www.weather.gov/images/ bgm/flood/september072011/mpe/sep06-082011_12z-12z_48hour_final.png
In comparison to that tragedy, Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York faced a similar flooding event one year later, but with a different outcome—no injuries or deaths. An offhand conversation in the early 2000’s led to the design of a temporary floodwall that could quickly be constructed to protect this riverfront facility. This design was tested in 2006 and lessons were learned. All of the patients and staff were successfully evacuated from Lourdes to neighboring hospitals before it was too late. Through a FEMA program, that temporary solution inspired a permanent solution that resulted in better success during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. The primary difference between Memorial in New Orleans in 2005 and Lourdes in Binghamton in 2011 was that extensive pre-planning, actual implementation, and continued modification of an emergency plan had occurred; steps had been taken to make that plan better the next time around. This article will not discuss the book, or go over the details of the Binghamton events, but will instead present some ways that design can impact those kinds of outcomes when a disaster strikes in the future. The authors have used a healthcare example as the starting point because that is our major market and, in an emergency, the population tends to gravitate towards hospitals expecting those facilities to be operational and accessible to all. We believe design criteria such as those utilized in the healthcare sector that focus on planning for emergencies can be universally applied to other types of occupancies, from schools to government buildings to arenas. There are many reference guides and manuals that lead us through advanced planning and implementing emergency operations during times of duress. One of those is the 2018
Version of the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction
of Hospitals which has a section and extensive appendix material about this matter. We offer the following suggestions from that document for discussion items to consider during the initial planning of your next project.
Aerial photo of Lourdes Hospital, Broome County, NY. 2011 Source: FEMA https://toolkit.climate.gov/image/854
IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT TEAM PLANNING
Starting at the very first project meeting, place hazard mitigation discussion items on the agenda. It is very easy to jump right into to programming and design. This needs to become a habit for all our projects. This meeting should consist of multi-disciplinary persons including decision makers and staff leaders. We are architects, we plan things. Do not hesitate to initiate these subjects with your team and clients prior to design of their project. You never know where a conversation could lead, it could lead to a better project.
PROGRAMMING
The project purpose, type and size, and occupancy are all drivers of and can be strengthened by… design. By adding emergency planning to the programming process, the design team brings an additional element of safety considerations to the project, that may not have been considered otherwise.
SAFETY AND SECURITY/ HAZARDOUS VULNERABILITY
These risk assessment processes are used to flush out project risks and hazards and identify those items that will be implemented within the projects design. This is basically a hazard/ risk/harm brainstorming session. The entire project team is involved with the process and even though some or all of these items may not be addressed within the project, every scenario should be considered and there should be written documentation of the process that can be referred to at a later date, or as part of a future project. We have all gotten blank stares and puzzled faces when addressing topics such as these during project meetings. As professionals, we can all handle this challenge, and our projects will be better off.
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Should the design include space for community residents to shelter? If so, what is the capacity? Can the building support its occupants during a shelter in place event? Is there an alternate use for the space that should be considered during an event? Should there be provisions for storing resources to support an alternate use or function? Consider storage for items such as medical supplies, food, water, and/or pharmaceuticals.
INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT
What is the performance of the project’s existing structural and critical non-structural building systems? What is the likelihood of loss of externally supplied utilities? Where is the location of critical equipment such as main power distribution systems, generators, HVAC systems, elevator equipment and controls, and command centers? Are these items situated in secure locations? Will your clients and their businesses be unnecessarily disrupted?
WHAT CAN GO WRONG? THINGS TO CONSIDER
Wind and earthquake-resistant design for roofing; flood protection; space needs during an emergency - projects can have an alternate use just in case; continued building system operation; old school functionality in case of power loss (hand pumps, landline phone, manual operation of systems and services, ingenuity).
RESILIENCY – SOME CONCEPTS TO DISCUSS
Adapt to changing conditions; recover from disruptions; resist deliberate attacks; focus on reducing damage and protecting life and property. Emergency preparation, planning and response tactics are usually not the purview of design professionals, but critical first decisions about what to include or not include in the design solution can be significant when your project is put to the test. We have endeavored to guide to you towards alternate items to consider. This article is not meant to be all inclusive, but to spur thought and provoke an exchange of ideas for the benefit of our clients resulting in a better project. l In 2006, after working just two years with his current firm, Chianis + Anderson Architects, PLLC, Jeffery was incorporated into the firm leadership. Jeffery has been instrumental in expanding services to clients up and down the east coast. From historic preservation and rehabilitation to expansive adaptive reuse projects, Jeffery injects resourceful, innovative solutions into every project, resulting in exceptional outcomes for our clients. Jeffery maintains registration with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and upholds professional architectural registrations in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Virginia, South Carolina and Florida. Jeffery is a member of many professional affiliations including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Since 2019, Roger V. Brown, PE has been the Director of Business Development and Senior MEP Engineer at Chianis + Anderson Architects in Binghamton, NY. He has over 20 years’ experience as a Director of Facilities, managing all design, construction, maintenance, and operations in several hospitals in New York and Connecticut. As a Sr. Project Executive for a national construction management firm, he was in charge of building several hospitals in Cleveland and St. Louis from 20072012. Roger was a member of the Revision Committee for the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities for 20 years and served on the ASHRAE 170 committee.
