MARY ESTHER, FL — Architectural firm Hoefer Wysocki and JE Dunn Construction recently achieved LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the health care complex modernization and expansion at Hurlburt Field, an auxiliary field of Eglin Air Force Base in Mary Esther, Florida. Home to the 1st Special Operations Medical Group and Air Force Special Operations Command, the clinic’s primary mission is to provide deployment medicine and physical and mental readiness support for 15,000 Air Commandos as well as health care for families and base personnel.

The multi-faceted, $50-million, design-build project entailed extensive renovations to 80,000 square feet across three buildings as well as a 3,000-square-foot expansion to realign health care operations at the base. Building 91020, the central facility of the multi-unit medical and dental complex, achieved the LEED Silver designation for performance in energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability. Collaboration with all technical disciplines from the outset of design through construction was a key factor in achieving the LEED rating.

From a design perspective, lighting-related energy consumption was reduced by 16.4 percent through use of motion sensors and controls. Low-flow plumbing fixtures reduced water use by 34 percent, and 96 percent of equipment and appliances are ENERGY STAR-rated. Indoor environmental quality improvements included optimized HVAC energy performance and low-emitting materials.

JE Dunn’s participation, which began at the outset of design, ensured their direct involvement in establishing sustainability strategies. As a result, more than 21 percent of materials were locally sourced, a practice which not only boosts the local economy, but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation of materials and equipment to the site. More than 50 percent of the on-site construction waste was diverted from landfills for reuse in other projects. While the sustainable features greatly reduce waste and resource use, they also maximize the life of the property through use of high-quality construction methods and highly durable materials, which reduce costs associated with operations and maintenance.

“The Hurlburt Field Medical Clinic design was focused on longevity,” said Ashley Eusey, PE, LEED AP, GGP, Sustainability Specialist at Hoefer Wysocki. “Enhanced commissioning, thermal comfort verification, and ongoing maintenance plans were developed to ensure the building performs as designed now and well into the future.”

First-floor renovations of Building 91020 encompassed optometry, public health, and ambulance services. A dental clinic and lab were added to the second floor. In addition to renovations and sustainable retrofits, Building 90311, a former dormitory converted to a mental health clinic in 2015, was reconfigured. Mental health services relocated to the second floor, while the first floor was repurposed to accommodate a physical therapy program. Building 91401, which formerly housed the physical therapy suites, is now medical office space for TRICARE, a program specifically for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families.

The modernization at Hurlburt Field is one of several military health care projects completed by Hoefer Wysocki in conjunction with JE Dunn Construction and the U.S. Air Force. Together they have designed and constructed more than $650 million of health care facilities on military bases across the U.S. Other notable projects completed by the design-build team include Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri; Keesler Air Force Base and Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi; Joint Base San Antonio, which includes Fort Sam Houston, Lackland, and Randolph in Texas; and Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.

“Our partnership with the U.S. Air Force and JE Dunn, which began in 2008, is committed to providing exceptional and sustainable health care facilities to our active-duty military service personnel and veterans,” said Mitch Hoefer, CEO and Founder of Hoefer Wysocki. “We are honored to be a part of this important legacy.”

In addition to architectural design, Hoefer Wysocki’s Clinical Technology Solutions (CTS) team provided technology design management and medical equipment planning services for the project. Solutions implemented by the CTS team ensured interoperability across all facilities and enhance patient experience and staff efficiency.

The project team includes JE Dunn, BranchPattern, Henderson Engineers, Mitchell Planning, Walker and Moore, BHC Rhodes, Bob D. Campbell and Co., Smith Seckman Reid, and Protection Engineering Consultants.