Proven
Expertise
in Behavioral Healthcare Design
About CMTA
CMTA was founded in 1968 and is recognized as a national leader in high performance, sustainable design within the engineering industry. Our firm has leveraged our expertise in high performance, energy-efficient design into a nationwide practice that includes consulting engineering, performance contracting and zero energy design, technology solutions, and commissioning services.
CMTA prides itself on its data-driven, performance-based design process. Performance-based design uses benchmarking of our projects’ real-world energy usage as a challenge to our engineers to continuously improve energy performance. CMTA’s first signature performance-based design project was Richardsville Elementary School, the nation’s first operational Zero Energy school. Since then, our Zero Energy projects have led our firm into the national spotlight.
Because we walk the talk, we are true partners vested in sharing our knowledge with our clients. Our corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky and our Lexington, Kentucky offices are both zero energy buildings with perfect ENERGY STAR scores. And our CMTA Energy Solutions corporate office in Louisville is the first in the U.S. to operate as Zero Energy and achieve WELL Gold certification. CMTA strives to create strong relationships with building owners and managers while also focusing on the health and comfort of the people who live, work, and play in spaces we design.
CMTA Headquarters Campus Louisville, Kentucky
National Behavioral Health Expertise and Partnerships
Since 1968, CMTA has maintained long-lasting and productive relationships with clients in the health care industry across the nation, proudly holding the project title of Engineer of Record. The firm has completed numerous master planning, MEP infrastructure renovations and new construction projects for a wide-variety of hospital types ranging from behavioral health hospitals to sprawling medical campuses. A few of these notable relationships are highlighted below.
10+
Behavioral Health Design Expertise
By integrating cutting-edge engineering design with patient-centered considerations, CMTA is committed to creating therapeutic environments that not only ensure safety and functionality but also support mental health treatment and recovery. Our national experience means that we are well-versed in working through unique regulatory issues in the early phases of design to ensure project success for these facility types.
Incorporating engineering expertise into mental health facility design can significantly enhance patient care and treatment outcomes. While acoustic engineering can help control noise levels to provide a serene atmosphere, strategically placed windows can optimize natural light to enhance mood and regulate circadian rhythms. Additionally, thoughtfully designed HVAC systems maintain comfortable temperatures and air quality, reducing stressors related to physical discomfort, while advanced security systems and layouts that minimize potential hazards increase patient safety and privacy.
Engineering Innovation:
Designed the first pre-fab BH toilet and shower module
Assisted manufacturers with the development of ligature-resistant fixtures
Developed a standard for safely implementing pre-action fire suppression in patient units
Created technology design standards for national behavioral health providers
Worked with manufacturers to update reader backlights from red to white to reduce potential stressors related to color
250+ New behavioral health hospitals
25K+ Beds nationwide 22M+ square feet of behavioral health construction
$9B in behavioral health Projects
New Cincinnati Children’s Behavioral Helath Facility Cincinnati, Ohio
Boston Medical Center
Brockton Behavioral Health
Brockton, Massachusetts
Occupant Health + Wellness
CMTA’s buildings are moving beyond energy efficiency and sustainability to lead the industry’s focus on improving occupant health. Our team has a vast understanding of the building performance metrics and design strategies that improve the built environment for occupant comfort and wellness. This knowledge allows us to be successful in incorporating strategies that improve the health and wellbeing of the occupant while still maintaining budget and energy efficiency goals.
Our continuous drive for improvement fuels our research into Indoor air quality, lighting, and comfort as markers for occupant wellness. This allows us to incorporate proven strategies into every project we complete. We focus on delivering the
best value for the building owner and the occupants, which goes beyond costs, and improves human health while maintaining budget and energy-efficiency goals.
Walking the Talk
We take great pride in being thought leaders, paving the way for others to follow. We accept this challenge with enthusiasm and responsibility. CMTA is a firm that has built its reputation on research and datadriven design.
We designed our own corporate office to achieve WELL Gold and operate Zero Energy. In 2020, the CMTA Energy Solutions Corporate Office became the first WELL Gold Certified, Zero Energy Building in the country.
We spend about 85% of our lives in buildings, and it is essential that architects and engineers understand how the built environment affects the health and wellness of its occupants.
Brockton Behavioral Health
Boston Medical Center | Brockton, Massachusetts
Boston Medical Center (BMC) is leading the way to more energy efficient healthcare facilities. Building upon successes with renewable energy systems on their MainCampus in Boston’s South End, BMC began construction on a new behavioral healthcare facility on their satellite campus in Brockton, Massachusetts.
This innovative heating and cooling design includes 88-500’ deep geothermal wells to serve the heat pump system for this 82 bed in-patient treatment center. Keeping renovation and operating costs on budget were paramount. It was the opinion of the stakeholders that net zero design would cost more and be more disruptive to the community during construction.
However, it was illustrated that geothermal wells would decrease energy costs and have a greater ROI than traditional heating and cooling systems, all while creating a healthy building for staff and patients.
Ensuring patient comfort and providing the optimal setting for recovery were the primary drivers for this project. However, the former nursing home was constructed in the 1970s with very inefficient masonry envelope systems. Replacing these elements with high performance enclosure details, to minimize heat transfer was essential.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2022
Size: 70,000 SF; 82 beds
Project Type: New Construction Awards / Certifications:
– Zero Energy/Carbon Neutral Targeted
Southcoast Behavioral Health Hospital
Acadia Healthcare | Dartmouth, Massachusetts
This new facility opened in 2016 and includes in and outpatient space for geriatric, adult, adolescent, and pediatric patients as well as a specialized dualdiagnosis program focused on treating behavioral diagnosis in combination with substance abuse issues. The facility includes outdoor activity areas and access to green space, a gymnasium, and group therapy spaces.
Project at a Glance
Size: 80,000 SF; 100 beds
Cost: $20,000,000
Project Type: New Construction
Laurel Ridge Treatment Center
Universal Health Services | San Antonio, Texas
CMTA provided MEP, IT, security and commissioning services for this 250-bed psychiatric hospital.
Laurel Ridge offers a comprehensive continuum of behavioral healthcare services, including acute programs for children, adolescents, adults, as well as residential treatment for children and adolescents. Programs include: acute residential treatment, chemical dependency, and psychiatric acute care.
The behavioral health facility also offers an extensive 60-bed military specific unit, specializing in PTSD. Mission Resiliency provides mental health treatment to active duty Service Members for combat trauma, military sexual trauma (MST), substance abuse, and dual diagnosis.
The campus-style facility is located on 18 acres in San Antonio, Texas. Living units are located at one end of the campus. The facility includes a school building, gymnasium, recreational facility, playgrounds, swimming pool, ROPES (Reality-Oriented Physical Experiential Situation Course), library, computer lab & dining room.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2020
Size: 61,626 SF; 250 Beds
Cost: $20,000,000
Project Type: New Construction
Baystate Health + Kindred Healthcare Behavioral Health Hospital
Holyoke, Massachusetts
In and effort to address the shortage of behavioral health beds in the Holyoke region, Kindred Healthcare and Baystate Health formed a joint venture to build and operate a $43 million, 150-bed facility. This will increase patient access to inpatient behavioral healthcare for the area by more than 50 percent.
The facility supports a wide range of populations and is comprised of 72 beds for adults, 24 beds for child/adolescent, 24 beds for geriatric and 30 Continuing Care Inpatient Unit (CCU) beds.
The new, 13 acre campus is comprised of several structures connected by a pedway, and incorporates as much natural lighting as possible to promote a healing environment.
The large four-story, 94,000 SF structure houses 120 beds, while an adjacent, onestory, 23,280 facility houses the DMH unit’s 30 beds. In addition, a standalone indoor gymnasium totals 4,150 SF.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2022
Size: 120,780 SF; 150 beds
Cost: $43,000,000
Acadia/Tower Health Behavioral Health Campus
Reading, Pennsylvania
A joint-venture between Acadia Healthcare and Tower Health, this 90,809 square foot facility provides a full spectrum of behavioral health services in a safe, secure environment that’s conducive to short term healing and long-term recovery. With 144 beds, the hospital operates within 12 wings.
The comprehensive facility includes a general psychiatric unit, offering acute inpatient care for adults age 18 and older, a mood disorders unit for adults, children and adolescent pediatric units. In addition to inpatient services programs will include:
– Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
– Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
– Dual diagnosis services
– Outpatient counseling
– Physician services and consultations
Acadia is pleased to be partnering with a leading health system like Tower Health to provide these critically needed services in southeastern Pennsylvania. Working together, we will be able to integrate physical and mental healthcare to improve the overall health of patients.
— Debbie Osteen - Acadia Healthcare CEO
In addition, dedicated area were created for recreation and group support. The 88-acre site (with 46 acres developed) also houses an adjacent two-story, 30,000 square foot medical office building.
Project at a Glance Completion: 2020
Size: 90,809 SF; 144 beds
Cost: $35,000,000
William K. Schubert Mental Health Center | New Children’s Behavioral Health Facility
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, College Hill | Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati Children’s selected CMTA as the engineer of record for a new five-story facility that replaces the current inpatient building on the College Hill campus. Encompassing 160,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art facility is 68% larger than the current one.
The new building includes private rooms for all inpatients – this enables families to spend more time on the units and even stay overnight with their child. In addition, there are dedicated spaces for group therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and recreational therapy. The facility also hosts expanded services for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2023
Size: 160,000 SF; 96 beds
Cost: $102,000,000
Project Type: New Construction, Design-Build
Prairie St. John’s Behavioral Health Hospital
Universal Health Services | Fargo, North Dakota
Located in Fargo, ND, Prairie St. John’s was founded in 1997 to provide behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and adults. The owners, United Health Services, Inc. (UHS), hired CMTA to design the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, technology, and security components for the new $37M Prairie St. John’s psychiatric hospital.
The 104,000 SF, 144-bed behavioral healthcare facility is located near the existing Prairie St. John’s and offers vast improvements for patients and staff. The new facility is expected to reduce utility costs by $150,000 to $200,000 annually.
CMTA’s engineering team members designed a healthcare facility that:
– Maximizes treatment and patient care space
– Increases interdisciplinary team collaboration (including psychiatrists, internal medicine physicians, clinical pharmacists, social workers, psychologists, and therapists)
– Improves the natural light and behavioral healthcarespecific design
– Enhances clinical treatment models
– Equips the facility wiht specialized programming and physician-led, medicationassisted treatment, as well as outpatient care
– Incorporates Hawthorne Elementary neighborhood’s signature brick aesthetic throughout different design aspects
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2023
Size: 104,000 SF; 144 beds
Cost: $37,000,000
Via Linda Behavioral Health Hospital
UHS + HonorHealth | Scottsdale, Arizona
To improve the region’s access to behavioral health services, HonorHealth partnered with Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) to build a new 2-story behavioral health facility.
CMTA provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services for the new 78,000 SF Via Linda Behavioral Health Hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Built on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community greenfield site, the facility offers 120 beds, serving adolescents, adults, and older adults. Available programs include behavioral and substance abuse disorders, as well as inpatient and outpatient care.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2022
Size: 78,000 SF; 120 beds
Cost: $27,800,000
TGH Behavioral Health Hospital
Lifepoint Health Tampa General Hospital JV | Tampa, Florida
The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital is the first and only freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital in Florida. The new fourstory, 120-bed facility will meet the state’s growing demands for mental health services while serving as an integral part of the Tampa Medical and Research District. Located on the northeast portion of the existing Tampa General Health Campus, the 90,000 SF facility includes 120 beds and features dedicated units for treating patients with behavioral health issues compounded by other medical conditions.
The new hospital is the result of a joint venture partnership between Tampa General and Lifepoint Behavioral Health. Tampa General Hospital will provide a number of facility and medical support services, while Lifepoint Behavioral Health will manage the day-to-day operations. Physicians with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine will provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient care in specialized units for pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics.
The facility will include areas for inpatient and outpatient patient services, dietary/dining, support services, exterior activity yards, and a gymnasium. A 24-bed shell unit is located on the fourth floor.
CMTA provided full MEP design, fire protection design, technology design and construction administration services for this new facility. The design followed FGI guidelines and required applicable codes for the state of Florida regarding building, MEP/FP systems, disaster preparedness and energy conservation codes.
Project at a Glance Completion: 2024 Est.
Size: 90,055 SF
Cost: $48,000,000
Rio Vista Behavioral Hospital Expansion
Acadia Healthcare | El Paso, Texas
The behavioral health hospital offers comprehensive care for men, women and children struggling with mental health and substance abuse concerns. The facility provides inpatient services tailored to each patient’s individual needs on their path to recovery.
To expand services, the team was engaged to design an addition that includes two new behavioral hospital units totaling 40 additional beds. In addition, the new spaces includes outdoor recreation spaces, and a new ground-up one-story, 20,000 SF outpatient center and 14,000 SF of added parking.
CMTA provided MEP engineering design and commissioning services for the addition/renovation project.
Project at a Glance Status: Ongoing Size: 48,000 SF Cost: $10,365,000
Project Type: Addition/Renovation & New Construction
Medical City North Hills Hospital
HCA Healthcare | North Richland Hills, Texas
This project involved the renovation of 12,574 square feet of existing Nursing Unit space on the 4th floor of the North Hills Hospital to create a new 20-bed inpatient psychiatric nursing unit.
Existing HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems were reconfigured to serve the space. Existing systems and components were evaluated to determine the suitability of all systems for use, especially in a psychiatric environment. Most ductwork mains, plumbing mains, and electrical branch/distribution panels were reused to accommodate the project budget. Patient toilet room fixture replacements were closely coordinated with the architect to minimize rework of the existing floor and walls. Other MEP system components within the finished space were selectively reused and provided with security covers to accommodate budget concerns. HVAC systems were rezoned with new VAV boxes for the new space program. New ligature-resistant plumbing fixtures were utilized through-out patient-accessible spaces.
New electrical system devices and fixtures were ligature-resistent, vandalresistant, and tamper-resistant in all patient-accessible spaces. Design of low voltage systems was coordinated with the owner’s staff, vendors, and corporate
leadership to integrate the special requirements of a psychiatric unit with the design and implementation of these systems.
Special care was taken to provide an appropriate level of security in each specific space, while not providing excessive security provisions that inflate cost. This required a complete understanding of the facility’s programmatic requirements, staffing, policies and procedures. All systems were designed to eliminate the need for constant supervision of patients where such supervision is onerous or impractical. Special attention was given to accessibility of system components above drywall ceilings, balancing security and safety with accessibility and ease of maintenance.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2016
Size: 12,574 SF
Cost: $2,700,000
Henry Ford Health Systems New Behavioral Health Hospital
Acadia Healthcare | West Bloomfield Township, Michigan
Located in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Henry Ford Health’s new 123,755 SF Behavioral Health Hospital is dedicated to providing inpatient psychiatric services for adults, seniors, adolescents, and children. CMTA designed and commissioned the building’s MEP systems to create a stateof-the-art facility that not only meets but exceeds LEED certification standards, focusing on energy efficiency and water conservation.
Overall building energy use was optimized to operate 20% lower than a typical similaruse building, while indoor water use was designed to be 30% below code-minimum requirements. These goals are achieved through a high-performance envelope, high-efficiency lighting and HVAC systems, and low water-use fixtures.
The facility is also equipped with all LED lighting, offering optimal energy efficiency, alongside occupant-based controls that adapt to users’ needs. This approach results
in a lighting power density that is 40% better than code minimum. Additionally, the team installed low color temperature lights, prioritizing occupant wellness and creating a comfortable environment.
The HVAC system not only meets but exceeds the recommended air change and ventilation rates for healthcare settings, ensuring high indoor air quality. Additionally, its design incorporates variable speed compressors, fans, and pumps, which work together to minimize energy consumption. By right-sizing the airflow volumes, the system efficiently reduces the need for reheating, further enhancing its energy efficiency.
Project at a Glance
Completion: 2024 Est.
Size: 123,755 SF; 192 Beds
Cost: $70,732,000
Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital
Acadia Healthcare | Chicago, Illinois
Located in the heart of uptown Chicago, the 51,685 SF Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital provides comprehensive behavioral health services. Built in 1961, the 5-story, 101-bed facility underwent a complete building renovation to modernize the facility and meet contemporary health standards.
CMTA partnered with Acadia Health to update the facility’s infrastructure within an aggressive 14-month construction timeline. By preserving only the original 1961 structural framework and adjusting the existing exterior envelope, the modernization process significantly reduced the carbon emissions typically associated with similar ground-up construction projects.
All new MEP systems were designed and installed within the skeleton of the existing structure. The hospital’s design concept, which took a mere 4 months to complete, focused heavily on improving
indoor air quality (IAQ). To achieve this, MBHH gutted its redundant systems and integrated new technology, ensuring that building occupants breathe fresh air.
Additionally, the team incorporated sustainable design strategies by installing an emergency generator capable of supporting the entire hospital—without increasing the generator size beyond the code-minimum requirement for emergency power. This was accomplished by studying historical electrical demand trends from similar hospitals and introducing a series of automatic transfer switches with an intelligent load management sequence.
Project at a Glance Completion: 2024
Size: 51,685 SF; 101 Beds
Cost: $36,100,000
State-Funded BH Facilities
Just like privately-funded behavioral health facilities, statefunded mental health facilities play a crucial role in supporting community well-being by providing accessible mental health services. Moreover, these facilities often engage in community outreach and education programs that aim to raise awareness about mental health issues, thus fostering a more informed and supportive community environment. Through their comprehensive and inclusive approach, state-funded mental health facilities work to enhance the quality of life for individuals and contribute to the overall health resilience of communities.
Relevant Experience
New Panhandle State Hospital
Texas Health and Human Services Commission | Amarillo, Texas
CMTA is providing MEP design of this 75-bed, $125M behavioral hospital. The Panhandle State Hospital will feature state-of-the-art therapeutic spaces in a secure environment. The hospital’s outdoor spaces, individual patient rooms and extensive use of natural light are designed to promote healing and recovery.
Summit Behavioral Health Renovation
Ohio Department of Mental Health | Cincinnati, Ohio
CMTA provided electrical engineering services to incorporate a new paging system throughout this 300,000 SF mental health facility as well as provided design to replace the generator controls.
New State Forensic Behavioral Health Facility
State Department of Management Services | Marianna, Florida
CMTA is currently working with HKS to provide MEP engineering and technology design services for a new, 200-bed forensic behavioral health project in Marianna, Florida. The $200M state-funded facility will serve to consolidate forensic psychiatric services, medical care and support services for individuals with disabilities. The facility will incorporate a central energy plant to provide emergency power, chilled and hot water and medical gas. The design will be focused on obtaining high-performance building outcomes with the use of sustainable practices and materials.
New Cincinnati Children’s Behavioral Helath Facility Cincinnati, Ohio
