Consulting Engineering
In 2023, Bon Secours Mercy Health set out to build a new cancer center in Paducah, Kentucky, addressing a vital need for advanced cancer care in this rural regional hub. As a private healthcare provider, BSMH prioritized keeping first costs low while ensuring optimal patient health. Recognizing the critical nature of building systems to patient well-being, BSMH partnered with CMTA to help them select the best building system that would not only maximize sustainability but also minimize long-term costs.
Leveraging our understanding of funding opportunities for energy efficient infrastructure, CMTA identified an opportunity for the owner to invest in sustainability without compromising either costs or patient outcomes. At the project’s outset, the design team conducted a comprehensive life cycle cost analysis to evaluate system options, which included calculating the projected impacts of available energy incentives. This informed approach enabled BSMH to capitalize on federal clean energy tax credits, which ultimately made the most sustainable solution—geothermal energy—the most affordable and feasible choice for the facility. The result was the owner's first geothermal health care facility—now a benchmark for future facilities in the organization.
The Ground Source (geothermal) heat pump system with a dedicated outside air system is linked to the ground source heat exchanger for fresh air ventilation to each space. Horizontal heat pumps distribute heating and cooling to each space, as required, with a centralized pumping system moving heat between the ground heat exchanger and heat pumps to meet the needs of the season. The facility also includes a compounding pharmacy with a dedicated HVAC system that is also served by the building ground-source heat exchanger system.
Completed in 2024, the 18,750 ft² Paducah Cancer Center is designed to offer exceptional energy efficiency while delivering superior indoor air quality, fostering an optimal environment for healing and recovery.
