Architect CannonDesign was tasked with designing the 41,000 square foot expansion of the University of Cincinnati (UC) Medical Center to increase its capacity and patient flow. As the growing region’s only Level I trauma center for adults, speed of build was of utmost importance. That's one of the reasons the architect opted to go with insulated metal panels (IMPs) from Kingspan Insulated Panels for the exterior envelope.

The quick and easy installation of IMPs provided a weathertight building envelope in reduced time, drying in the emergency room faster and allowing for inside finish work to begin sooner. The fast-tracked construction helped to prevent scheduling delays and produce on-time project completion.

Coinciding with the region’s growth, UC Health announced its $221 million Clifton Campus Revitalization project to create innovative environments that reflect the expertise and passion happening within the center every day.

Because of this, 17,000 square feet of Kingspan’s Quadcore Optimo panels were used to provide a unique, modern aesthetic that fits the theme of the revitalization.

Optimo insulated metal wall panels deliver a flat, aesthetically appealing modern building envelope solution. The use of pearlescent micas or metallic colors provides an even more dynamic finish to the project. Optimo panels are ideal for retrofit projects because they can integrate with a variety of profiles, allow for both horizontal and vertical application and come with a wide variety of module widths to meet design requirements.

“This is a long overdue investment. It will modernize our campus, and we are witnessing this transformation before our very eyes,” Rick Hinds, UC Health interim president and CEO, said at the unveiling ceremony for the project.

On top of the quicker dry-in and modern aesthetic, IMPs also provide thermal efficiency and energy consumption benefits to the new emergency department. By creating air and watertight continuous insulation seals, IMPs provide strong thermal barriers to maintain safe and comfortable environments for patients. These insulation barriers help to reduce energy consumption for large complexes like UC Medical Center.