Swedish Issaquah Medical Center

The Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah, WA, aimed to create the most energy-efficient hospital in the United States. The project faced the challenge of meeting an aggressive energy target within a tight timeline. The existing infrastructure needed significant upgrades to achieve the desired energy efficiency and sustainability goals.

To address this challenge, Mazzetti (formerly CDi Engineers) implemented several innovative solutions. Early decisions were made to conduct energy modeling, use Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems, and install Heat Recovery Chillers. The project utilized an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method, which involved close collaboration between design and construction teams. Additionally, equipment procurement was expedited to meet the project timeline.

The project successfully delivered a new five-story, 175-bed, 350,000 square foot acute-care hospital and an attached six-story, 200,000 square foot Medical Office Building. The hospital achieved an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 135 KBTU/SF-YR, significantly lower than the original target of 150 and much lower than the regional average of 250 KBTU/SF-YR. The project received substantial financial rebates for its energy-saving features and was rated one of the “Top Ten” most energy-efficient hospitals in the U.S., using 51% less energy than the average U.S. hospital after 14 months of operation.