- Written by José Tomás Franco
Concerns about the hygiene, durability, and healthiness of interior spaces have increased considerably in recent years, drawing extreme attention to hospital and health-related projects. Consequently, the choice of materials becomes essential from the conception of each project, guaranteeing that each space performs effectively on all fronts, from resistance and safety to environmental comfort and aesthetics.
In particular, the enclosures in hospitals and health centers must conform to a series of predetermined guidelines and dimensions, which respond to the standardized sizes of different types of equipment and to the needs of each medical procedure. Within the robust framework of the structural walls, the partitions – which are essential for subdividing the space – must be especially resistant to impact, fire, and humidity, in addition to effectively mediating the acoustics between rooms and inside each one of them.
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The 9 types of partitions presented below, developed by Etex Chile / Romeral, are composed of a structure made of metal studs and channels, interior glass wool, and external layers of gypsum board – Gyplac® Extra Resistant (ER and ERH). Its effectiveness lies in that this basic composition can be optimized according to the requirement of each project, adding specific properties in its boards.
Moisture Resistance
It is important that healthcare spaces maintain an optimal environmental quality, preventing the humidity from being too high or too low. In these extreme states, humidity can aid the proliferation of pathogens, affect the respiratory tract, or cause discomfort in patients by increasing static electricity. In addition, it can cause the detachment of wall coverings and efflorescence. The gypsum board helps control humidity by incorporating special silicone additives in its core, helping to keep humidity in a stable range.
Impact and Fire Resistance
Clinical spacesare high-traffic zones, inhabited by a large numbers of people and equipment in constant movement. To increase the impact resistance of the partitions, it is possible to use boards made of a high-density gypsum core, including fibers and special additives that effectively respond to unexpected blows or natural wear over time.
In the event of a fire, evacuation from a hospital enclosure is an especially complex operation because most of its occupants cannot leave on their own. In large hospitals, it is recommended that officials section the building, avoiding the spread of fire and allowing safe areas to be located as close as possible to all patients. The fire resistance of each partition can make a huge difference during such an emergency, making it essential to study local regulations and choose the appropriate resistance factor for each space, setting the number of minutes that the partition will remain intact before collapsing (F15, F30, F60, F90 or F120). Gypsum boards that include fiberglass at their coreslow this collapse through the evaporation of water contained in its molecular composition.
Acoustic Insulation
Decibels allow us to measure the intensity of sound inside a space. Zero decibels (0 dB) corresponds to the threshold of hearing and is equivalent to total silence, while above 75 decibels (75 dB), the noise is aggravating and can begin to cause damage to the human ear. To avoid health problems, the WHO recommends not exposing ourselves to constant noises that exceed 55 dB. A well-designed partition can stifle very loud noises, such as those generated by a heavy concentration of people in a waiting room or the noise emitted by some equipment commonly used in the healthcare area.
Outdoor Waterproofing
Theexterior wallscanuse gypsum boards with high resistance to atmospheric agents, working effectively in perimeter partitions, terraces, and eaves. The biocides at their core prevent the proliferation of fungi, and the waterproof fabric coating resists water, absorbing less than 3%. In addition to the above, it is easily transported and can be dimensioned on site.
Combining these factors, it is possible to generate partitions with different targeted performances:
Partition with 60-minute fire resistance and 45 dB acoustic insulation, for wet areas
Partition made up of Extra High Resistance Hydro gypsum boards (Gyplac® ERH), recommended for indoor use in wet areas.
- Gyplac® ERH 15mmRomeral®
- Gyplac® ERH 15mmRomeral®
- Upright, C Profile90 x 38 x 6 x 0.85mm c/400mm
- Channel, U Profile92 x 30 x 0.85mm
- Glass WoolRomeral 100mm. R=100 = 312(m2KW x 100)
- Self-drilling Fine Point Screw, 6x 1 1/4"
Partition with 60-minute fire resistance and 45 dB acoustic insulation, for wet and dry areas
Partition made up of Extra Resistant (Gyplac® ER) and Extra Resistant Hydro (Gyplac® ERH) high-densitygypsumboards, recommended for indoor use in wet and dry areas.
- Extra Resistent Hydro Gypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Extra ResistentGypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile92x30x0.85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x38x12x0.85 [mm]
- Glass Wool100mm, 35 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw1”
Partition with 60-minute fire resistance and 45 dB acoustic insulation, for dry areas
Partition made up of Extra Resistant high-density gypsum boards (Gyplac® ER), recommended for indoor use in dry areas.
- Extra Resistent Gypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile93x30x0.85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x40x13x0.85 [mm]
- Glass Wool100mm, 35 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw1”
Partition with 60-minute fire resistance and 50 dB acoustic insulation, for dry areas
Partition made up of Extra Resistant high-density gypsum boards (Gyplac® ER), recommended for indoor use in dry areas.
- Extra Resistent Gypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile92x30x0.85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile60x38x6x0.5 [mm]
- Glass Wool60mm, 11 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw1”
60-minute fire-resistant partition, for outdoor use, EIFS base, or ventilated facades
Partition made up of Extra Resistant high-density gypsum board (Gyplac® ER) and Gyplac® AQ (Aquaboard), recommended for exterior uses, a base for EIFS (exterior thermal insulation system), or ventilated facades.
- Gyplac® AQ (Aquaboard) Gypsum Board 12.5 [mm] Romeral®
- Extra ResistentGypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile 92x30x0.85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x38x6x0.85 [mm]
- Glass Wool100mm, 11 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw 1”
Partition with 120-minute fire resistance and 50 dB acoustic insulation, for dry areas
Partition made up of Extra Resistant high-densitygypsum boards (Gyplac® ER), recommended for indoor use in dry areas.
- Extra ResistentGypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile92x30x0,85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x38x12x0.85 [mm]
- Glass Wool 100 [mm], 11 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw1”
Partition with 120-minute fire resistance and 50 dB acoustic insulation, for wet and dry areas
Partition made up of Extra Resistant (Gyplac® ER) and Extra Resistant Hydro (Gyplac® ERH) high-density gypsum board, recommended for indoor use in wet and dry areas.
- Extra Resistent Hydro GypsumBoard 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Extra ResistentGypsum Board15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile92x30x0,85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x38x12x0.85 [mm]
- Glass Wool 100 [mm], 11 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw1”
Partition with 120-minute fire resistance and 50 dB acoustic insulation, for wet areas
Partition made up of Extra High Resistance Hydro gypsum board (Gyplac® ERH), recommended for indoor use in wet areas.
- Extra Resistent Hydro Gypsum Board 15 [mm] Romeral®
- Base, U Profile92x30x0,85 [mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x38x12x0.85 [mm]
- Glass Wool100 [mm], 11 kg/m3
- Drywall Screw1”
120-minute fire resistant partition for corridors and evacuation areas
Partition formed by two boards on each side, overlapping each other. The inner layer corresponds to a standard gypsum board (Gyplac® ST) and the outer layer corresponds to a fireproof, self-supporting, monolithic, and dimensionally stable fibrosilicate board (Promatect-100X). Partition wall recommended for interior uses, in corridors and evacuation areas.
- Promatect-100X Board = 10[mm]
- Gyplac®ST Gypsum Board e=10[mm]
- Glass Wool“Romeral®” 11[kg/m3]. e= 50[mm]
- Base, U Profile 92x30x0,85[mm]
- Stud, C Profile90x38x12x0,85[mm], cada 600[mm]
- 8x13⁄4” Self-tapping Screw at200 [mm] intervals
Check out more partitions here.
Cite: Franco, José Tomás. "How to Design Partitions for Healthcare Architecture: 9 Details of High-Performance Walls" [¿Cómo diseñar tabiques para la arquitectura hospitalaria? 9 detalles de muros de alto rendimiento] 28 May 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/939639/how-to-design-partitions-for-healthcare-architecture-9-details-of-high-performance-walls> ISSN 0719-8884
