Largest Tilt Wall Hospital in U.S. Opens

Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital recently opened a new 232,700-square-foot patient bed tower, adding capacity for healthcare services in the burgeoning Katy, Texas area. It is the tallest hospital in the United States constructed using stacked concrete tilt-up panels, or tilt-wall construction.

The new six-story tower added 64 total beds in various units, including surgical care, intensive care and neonatal intensive care. The expansion includes new Memorial Hermann Life Flight crew quarters and more than 5,500 square feet of clinical lab space; the corresponding renovation comprises an expanded surgical center, women’s center and emergency center. The top two floors are shell space and will accommodate 80 future inpatient beds. Two pedestrian walkways, a three-story bridge for staff and patients and an all-glass, single-story connector for public circulation and provide access to adjacent facilities.

In addition to time and construction cost savings, tilt-wall construction produces a building shell with fewer points of penetration, resulting in less possibility of moisture intrusion and higher insulation value. Subsequently, the core and shell require less maintenance. Such efficiencies are estimated to result in a 2 percent lifecycle cost savings over a project building lifespan of 50-60 years. Structurally, the tilt-wall panels eliminate the need for extra internal wind bracing as they provide the necessary lateral stability.

The project team included: FKP (architect), Rosenberger (tilt wall contractor) and Balfour Beatty (contractor — build-out).