May 2005.
That was the month and year the Norfolk District began the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital construction project. On Aug. 31, ahead of the Sept. 15 Base Realignment and Closure deadline, this state-of-the-art hospital opened its doors to its first patient.
In fact, the first baby was born at FBCH at 4:33 p.m. Aug. 31.
What an accomplishment!
It took our team 46 months to build a hospital that normally takes 110 months to build.
After five years of construction we can see the finish line – the fruits of our labor. Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, or FBCH, is unique - the design integrates concepts of generous exposure to natural light. The site plan also incorporates fully and partially enclosed outdoor courtyards, landscaped with pedestrian paving, low maintenance planting, water features and other materials providing visual and healing comfort.
The Norfolk District has been managing the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital complex -- the hospital, a central energy plant, a new helipad, an ambulance shelter and parking for 3,500 cars.
The exterior includes a terra cotta rain-screen system, which is energy efficient and constructed rapidly (an important factor in an aggressive schedule). The installed rain-screen system is used to clad the exterior of the buildings and has a high insulating value, eliminates indoor mold and mildew, better dissipates heat, and is extremely low maintenance. With this design, 91% of water for landscaping comes from collected rainwater stored in the underground cistern, saving 1.6 million gallons of water a year.
Here are some things you might not know about this amazing facility:
• 200,000 cubic yards of soil were removed to build this hospital, which equals a line of dump trucks 240 miles long?
• It took 85,800 tons of concrete and 5,300 tons of steel to build this hospital
• Two trees were replanted for each tree removed due to construction
• 92% of construction waste was recycled
• There are 5,642 miles of wire and 40 miles of duct within the ceilings, walls, and floors, which equals the distance from Norfolk to Los Angeles ... and back
Evidenced-based Design (Design decisions based on the best available research)
• Light-filled, color-driven signage with “You are Here” campus maps
• Bedside patients control their environment
• Natural, simulated indoor-outdoor nature views promote stress reduction
• Green roofing nature views reduce storm water, temperature spikes
• 60% of site restored with native, adaptive plants
• 4,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided annually
Annual Sustainable Return on Investment
• Energy reduction: $1,284.097
• Water reduction: $474,470
• Greenhouse gas savings: $163,461
• Air Pollutants Savings: $558,039
It’s the teamwork -- the can-do spirit, expertise and dedication -- that made this project successful. We'll always be proud to have been part of the FBCH team!
