47.5 MB - The Whole Building Design Guide

Chapter 4 for information on the performance of some EOCs,healthcare facilities, shelters, and other types of critical facilitiesthat were affected by Hurricane Katrina.In order to ensure continuity of service during and after hurricanes,the design, construction, and maintenance of the followingcritical facilities should be very robust to provide sufficient resiliencyto withstand the effects of hurricanes.EOCs: Communications are important for most types of criticalfacilities, but for EOCs they are vital. To inhibit disruption of operations,water infiltration that could damage electrical equipmentmust be prevented, antenna towers need to be strong enoughto resist the wind, and the emergency and standby power systemneeds to remain operational.Healthcare facilities: Full or partial evacuation of a hospital priorto, during, or after a hurricane, is time consuming, expensive,and for some patients, potentially life-threatening. Water infiltrationthat could damage electrical equipmentor medical supplies, or inhibit the use ofcritical areas (such as operating rooms andnursing floors) needs to be prevented. Theemergency and standby power systems needto remain operational and be adequatelysized to power all needed circuits, includingthe HVAC system. Provisions are needed forwater and sewer service in the event of loss ofmunicipal services, and antenna towers needto be strong enough to resist the wind.Shelters: During and after hurricanes, these facilities are oftenoccupied by more than 1,000 people. The primary purpose ofshelters is to protect occupants from injury or death as a resultof building collapse or entrance of wind-borne debris. However,beyond meeting this basic requirement, providing a degree ofoccupant comfort during a stressful time is important. The building’sdesign and construction should avoid significant waterinfiltration and provide at least a minimum level of lighting andmechanical ventilation using emergency generators. Sheltersshould also have provisions for sewage service (such as portabletoilets) in the event of loss of municipal water or sewer service.Nursing homes are often no morehurricane-resistant than residential buildings.Evacuating these facilities (particularlyskilled nursing homes and facilities caringfor patients with Alzheimer’s disease) canbe difficult. Except for antenna towers, theissues identified for hospitals are applicableto nursing homes.MAKING CRITICAL FACILITIES SAFE FROM High Wind3-99