CENTRIA®, manufacturer of metal wall and roof panels, supplied its Intercept modular metal wall panel system for the recently constructed Mercy Health Muskegon Medical Center in Muskegon, MI.

A $271-million, 10-story health care facility, the new building effectively doubles the amount of floor space for medical staff to treat patients. The facility boasts nearly 300 private patient rooms, serves as the new home for the emergency department, and houses state-of-the-art surgical units.

Architects chose several CENTRIA building envelope solutions during the planning phase so that owners could achieve several key objectives: creating a signature building for the entire campus, and contributing to LEED certification for green buildings.

For the building’s exterior, designers sought to create visual interest while also delivering versatility and optimal performance. Intercept from CENTRIA, a modular metal wall panel, became the face of the building, covering almost all of the outer walls. The design team used a customized program to create a random pattern of colors for the exterior wall, which contributed dramatically to the building’s curb appeal.

“We ended up going with three different colors [for Intercept],” said Mike Andric, associate vice president and healthcare architect at HGA Architects. “They looked the same when you’re looking at small samples, but in the field, you can really detect the difference between the colors of the panels.”

“Intercept enables designers to create architecturally pleasing exterior façades along with the protection afforded by a rainscreen,” said Julie Schessler, product manager, CENTRIA. “The solid metal substrate is non-combustible and is compliant with NFPA 285, a test to determine the fire propagation characteristics of an exterior wall unit.”

Intercept also carries the Declare Label, a designation it achieved in 2020. Developed by the International Living Future Institute, a Declare Label serves as third-party certification, demonstrating how the product can contribute to a building that boasts sustainability credentials.

Contractors also installed nearly 100,000 square feet of CENTRIA’S MetalWrap behind the Intercept panels. Designed with CENTRIA's innovative advanced thermal and moisture protection technology, MetalWrap is the company’s insulated composite backup panel that consists of two steel skins permanently bonded to a poured-in-place foam insulating core. MetalWrap provides thermal, air, water, and vapor barriers in a composite assembly.

Architects, planners, and the medical system have submitted an application for the Mercy Health Muskegon Medical Center to be officially LEED-certified.