In our previous issues, we have highlighted
The Premier's elegant aesthetics, its many programs and services, the incredible underlying technology, its fine dining program and its high end exterior. Our new readers can get "caught up" on the The Premier's story by clicking on the back issues at the end of this article.
I will be the first to admit that this month's topic is not glamorous. But as we all know, beauty is more than skin deep. The heart and soul of any building is the part that most people never see, the part that "lives" behind the walls, above the ceilings and in the cellar. Yes, this month's article focuses on The Premier's
Mechanical, Electrical and Fire Protection Systems. Stay with me! Its much more interesting than you think.
First, let's talk safety. Every square foot of The Premier is completely sprinklered and is further protected with a state of the art "Smart" Fire Alarm System. The Fire Alarm System is so "Smart" it monitors itself and alerts facility staff when maintenance or replacement of smoke detectors is required. However, when it comes to safety our Architectural team believes in providing a "Belt and Suspenders". The building's structure is 100% concrete and its partition, ceilings and finishes are all non-combustible. The Premier's fire protection systems, its structure and its incombustible interiors will make it one of the safest buildings on Long Island and more probably in New York State; but we did not stop there!
Every Senior Care Center is code required to have an Emergency Power System. However, the code requires that only certain systems and certain areas of a building have an emergency power source. At The Premier, we again designed to a much higher level of safety. Virtually every system and space in the building is powered by "The Beast", our nickname for the 1600 KW diesel powered generator.
In the non-construction world, redundancy implies waste and inefficiency. In the construction industry redundant mechanical systems imply safety and security. A large percentage of The Premier's hot water, heating and cooling systems are powered by a central boiler (heating) and chiller (cooling) plant. Each plant has multiple boilers and chillers respectively creating redundant systems. If any one boiler or chiller needs repair, their redundant "sisters" can keep the building comfortable until repairs, are complete. Talk about your belt and suspenders!
For heating and cooling The Premier's resident sleeping rooms, we specified a system that provides the ultimate in redundancy and gives each resident individual control of the climate in their own room. The system is called a Variable Refrigerant Flow or VRF system. Without getting too technical, each resident room has an above ceiling VRF unit that heats or cools the air in the room. Fresh outside air is provided by a separate system. With each room having its own unit, the failure of any one unit will not impact the overall comfort on a resident floor. A separate corridor cooling system provides even further redundancy allowing heated or cooled air to be "pulled" into resident rooms by in-room exhaust fans until the unit requiring repair is back up and running.
In most cases, the only time the topic of building mechanical systems comes up is when something goes wrong. At The Premier with its high level of system redundancy and emergency back-up power, systems can be quickly maintained without any impact on resident safety and comfort.
Thanks for your loyal readership. Talk to you next month.
