Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald house Charities of Austin and Central Texas plans to construct a thirteen room house, common areas and administrative offices. The target date for completion and start of operation is April 2007.
The focus of the architectural concept is the creation of a soothing and welcoming environment with minimum impact on our environment. This house will serve Central Texas families, who will visit Children’s Regional Medical Center.
This architectural concept provides efficient but ample space for administration and homey space for anybody who visits Ronald McDonald house. Every guest house will provide private porch/balcony with most efficient, yet comfortable rooms for the uneasy mind.
Gentle curved wings will perform embracing gesture to rectilinear and harsh outer environment. This Ronald McDonald house will be designed to be an Oasis in the desert for people who visit Children’s Regional Medical Center. After a long, restless day in the hospital, guests will need time for recharging energy and rest.
That’s our architectural goal with Ronald McDonald house on the campus of the new Regional Children’s Medical Center.
Environmental Aspects
This Ronald McDonald House is planned to achieve Platinum in LEED rating. Detailed concepts are as follows:
- Reduce site-related impacts by meeting strict erosion and sediment control and treatment of storm water runoff, thereby reducing detrimental impacts to the site.
- Drought-tolerant landscape plantings with the harvest of rainwater reduce the dependency of an irrigation system, and the buildings will use minimum 30% less water than conventional apartment/multi-housing buildings thanks to a combination of low-flow plumbing fixtures such as ultra-efficient showerheads, faucet aerators, and ENERGY STAR clothes washers and dishwashers.
- Daylighting will be maximized and balanced with the thermal envelope. – Lighting shelf, shading device, lighting reflection tensile fabric.
- The majority of building materials will be selected for their contribution to a healthy indoor environment, includes zero-emitting or low-VOC paints, adhesives, sealants, carpet, and composite wood.
- Carbon dioxide sensors will be introduced and insure that fresh air is supplied to each building area as needed.
- An integrated array of photovoltaic/solar panels will reduce minimum 5% of the building's energy consumption at peak loading.
- High-performance doors and windows will be used throughout.
- All guest rooms will include programmable digital thermostats, Energy Star fixtures, and a master shut-off switch. Common areas include occupancy sensors and daylight sensors to further optimize energy use.
- Roof garden will be introduced and provide extensive thermal performance.
- A comprehensive user-education program will help Ronald McDonald house guests appreciate and make the best use of their new green home and site.
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