Price Solution
Active beams from Price were the ideal solution for this project. Water is several times more efficient
than air at transporting thermal energy, and by selecting a hydronic solution such as beams, the engineer
was able to increase the energy efficiency of the system by reducing the size of the air handler and
ductwork required to service the space. This was a more efficient alternative to the all-air system that
had been implemented several years earlier.
The use of smaller piping in active beam systems also addressed the challenge of extremely low floor-to-floor
heights and restricted plenum space by eliminating the need for large ductwork.
Humidity was not an issue in the space, as this was easily controlled through the primary air handler,
ensuring that only air with the desired moisture level would be delivered to the space. Moisture sensors were
also incorporated into the Price Active Beams.
Mechanical systems in a compounding pharmacy typically need to meet the requirements of USP 797 and ISO 14644.
As the pharmacy at Memorial Hospital used glove boxes to complete the compounding process, HEPA filtration
was not a requirement. However, a room within the pharmacy was set aside for future compounding use,
therefore it was designed with HEPA filtered fan powered terminals to meet industry regulations.
The active beam system has been running for over a year and is described as “shockingly comfortable” by the
team, who is considering utilizing active beams in other areas of the hospital that are planned for renovation.