The construction of a new hospital for any community is a salient build that is unflinching in what it demands of builders. Shortcuts are not an option.
Hospitals demand exceptional durability and meticulous planning. Materials must withstand foot traffic, heavy rolling equipment, specialized machinery, and constant cleaning and disinfecting. Installation has to be timely to minimize community impact.
Planners and designers faced such challenges with the construction of the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion. The new 12-story, 264-bed hospital falls under the umbrella of Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan Health, and will serve the Ann Arbor, Mich., community. The 690,000-sq.ft. (64,103 m2) facility is expected to cost $920 million to build, offering specialty care services as well as 20 operating rooms built with the latest technology.
The hospital will be the crown jewel of Michigan Medicine. As such, stakeholders have sought out the very best building materials manufacturers for the project – those willing to be consistently involved throughout the build.
Overcoming planning barriers
Like many industries, the construction industry faces ongoing labor shortages. So innovative system solutions that can make installations easier and offer speed and durability for hospital projects are absolute necessities.
For this Michigan Medicine project, LATICRETE entered the picture early as the optimal solution to expedite the installation of complete bath and shower systems throughout the hospital from a single-source supplier. The brand’s strong customer service and industry leadership kept the project moving, even amid labor woes.
Traditional “mud bed” installations are time consuming, require specialized labor, and can delay projects. A LATICRETE® system solution enabled installers to utilize a pre-formed, pre-waterproofed option for shower pans instead, reducing shower installation and waterproofing time, eliminating costly time delays, keeping worksites tidy, and allowing tile to be installed immediately.
“They needed something that they could get done quickly,” said David Rogers, Technical Sales Representative at LATICRETE. “Using our pre-formed shower pans allowed [the installer] Artisan Tile to speed up their process, which made things easier on such a sizable project.”
Artisan Tile, Inc. – an NTCA member – and the University saw the value of this approach early on, especially through continued labor shortages.
“All the trades have labor challenges, so projects are extending out,” said Jennifer Panning, President at Artisan Tile, Inc., in Brighton, Mich. “We came to [the University] and said ‘Look, we have labor concerns like everyone else. [These systems from LATICRETE] are a way to help us minimize the impact.’”
The benefits were obvious: use of a single source for products that were designed to be installed together as a system and that offer a convenient and consistent installation process. Not only does this approach ensure extended system warranty protection, but the substrate preparation, shower installation, waterproofing, and tiling are more coordinated and streamlined.
“When we first presented the whole system to U of M, they could see the value in using complete systems,” added Panning. “It would come together and minimize quality issues. It would all help our schedule.”
Foundational preparation
LATICRETE quickly became the top choice for tile, shower, and grout installations, ensuring a high-quality finish and longevity would go hand in hand.
Patients, visitors, and employees will find LATICRETE product solutions like HYDRO BAN® shower pans and drains, PERMACOLOR® Grout, and Glass Tile Adhesive Lite used in the restrooms and showers. They will also find 4-XLT adhesive mortar, LATASIL™ silicone sealant, and SPECTRALOCK® 2000 IG grout in kitchens and other areas that demand high chemical resistance. Artisan Tile collaborated with LATICRETE professionals to make sure the right needs were met, starting with the preparation.
Substrate preparation involved a self-leveling underlayment that would set the foundation for a speedy and flawless shower installation – 240 in total in five custom sizes. These custom shower solutions from LATICRETE were critical to meet the demands of the project with unmatched precision. But traditional methods to meet the floor level and flatness requirements of this healthcare project would be logistically challenging. Plus, materials needed to be brought up from ground level, mixed, and then installed on each of the 12 stories. The LATICRETE option offered a simpler approach.
LATICRETE® SUPERCAP® SC-500 to the rescue
The LATICRETE® SUPERCAP® SC-500 solution was critical to supporting the project’s timeline. High performing, premixed self-leveling underlayment was easily pumped to all 12 floors, cutting installation time significantly.
Installation was faster and easier and avoided the challenges and hazards of mixing material on each floor. The move reduced waste, logistics issues, and injury risks from manually hauling and staging thousands of small bags.
“To get mortar materials and stuff like that up and mixed, mud is challenging,” said Panning. “In those circumstances, with the preformed pans, they’re already out in place. We don’t have to mix the sand and cement. We don’t have to let it cure. We can install them the same day.”
An efficient, lasting installation
Logistics were a sizable consideration, particularly with so many bathroom elements needed. But on-site storage space was limited. LATICRETE representatives ensured a steady supply of shower pans and drains without congesting the build site.
“[The build site] couldn’t take them all in one shot,” said Mark Besescheck, Senior Technical Service Representative for LATICRETE. “We sent the pans in sequence to make sure that, as they’re moving forward, they had enough material to keep the project going. It’s quite intensive when we start working with large-scale projects. A lot of coordination goes into that.”
At the same time, precise measurements were critical to keeping the project on schedule and ensuring a proper, lasting installation. Not all shower openings were identical, making it essential that each custom pan fit as closely as possible to avoid any delays or modifications. LATICRETE easily overcame that hurdle without major pain points, including on several installations that mandated compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Once they got through 15 or 20 of these bathrooms, everything was spot on. No issues whatsoever,” added Besescheck. “That kept things moving between manufacturing and the build site. In this case, it was also a quick ship to Michigan.”
Reliable performance
The D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion stands as a testament to the power of planning, innovative products and installation solutions, and seamless collaboration. With strong technical and logistical support and a suite of LATICRETE offerings, the project has already received high praise.
“We knew the significance and the importance of the project and have devoted a lot of resources to it and our team out there,” said Panning. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on it.”
As the project nears completion in the fall of 2025, the pavilion will provide a durable and reliable foundation for a space designed to support patients and healthcare providers for years to come, and meet the needs of the community it serves.
