St Andre Health Care Facility

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - ADDRESS: 407 POOL ST., BIDDEFORD, ME 04005-9714 PROJECT DIRECTOR: STEVE ALAIMO, PRESIDENT TEL: 207-282-5171 EMAIL: SALAIMO@COVH.ORG WEB: HTTPS://WWW.STANDRE.ORG/ PROGRAM FUNDS: $1,328,000 ST. ANDRÉ HEALTH CARE - AIR QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS FOR IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ELDERS AND CAREGIVERS ST. ANDRÉ HEALTH CARE IS A 96-BED FACILITY OFFERING TRUSTED AND COMPREHENSIVE CARE TO SOME OF THE AREA’S MOST VULNERABLE ELDERS. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY VETERANS AFFAIRS CONTRACTED FACILITY IN YORK COUNTY, MAINE. FOR THOSE THAT CALL ST. ANDRÉ HOME, IT IS VITAL THAT THEIR ENVIRONMENT BE AS SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE. CURRENTLY, ST. ANDRÉ HAS A CHILLER THAT CIRCULATES AIR INTO THE FACILITY’S HALLWAYS, BUT ITS COOLING EFFECTS DO NOT EXTEND INTO THE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT ROOMS. IN ADDITION, OTHER AREAS OF THE BUILDING INCLUDING SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AND A LARGE COMMUNITY ROOM DO NOT COOL OFF CONSISTENTLY OR EFFICIENTLY. A FEDERAL APPROPRIATION WILL ALLOW FOR THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW (VRF) HEAT PUMP SYSTEM TO SERVE PATIENT AND STAFF AREAS OF ST. ANDRÉ HEALTH CARE. THE VRF CAN PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS HEATING AND COOLING TO MULTIPLE ZONES, ALLOWING FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTROL IN EACH PATIENT ROOM, OFFICES AND MULTI-PURPOSE AREAS. THIS PROPOSED EQUIPMENT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE AIR QUALITY FOR ALL THAT LIVE, WORK OR VISIT THE FACILITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL KEY BENEFITS TO INSTALLING A VRF AT ST. ANDRÉ HEALTH CARE: • AS IT IMPROVES IAQ FOR ALL, THE VRF WILL INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCIES WHILE REDUCING USAGE COSTS AND NOISE. AS THE SYSTEM RELIES ON MINIMAL DUCTWORK AND PHYSICAL DISRUPTION, IT CAN EASILY BE RETROFIT TO AN EXISTING BUILDING STRUCTURE. IN THIS WAY, IS AN IDEAL SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED IN A RESIDENTIAL HOME FOR ELDERS. • THE VRF SYSTEM WILL REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF INFECTION AND DISEASE AND PRODUCE HIGHER INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND OFFER ELDERS THE ABILITY TO SET INDIVIDUAL TEM PERATURE SETTINGS, ADDING A LAYER OF PERSONAL CONTROL. • WITH WINDOWS NOT BLOCKED BY INDIVIDUAL UNITS, RESIDENTS WILL HAVE MORE ACCESS TO SEE NATURE MORE EASILY (A PROVEN BENEFIT TO THE ELDERLY). IN ADDITION, THE WINDOWS REMAIN FREE TO BE USED IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. • STAFF LABOR WILL REDUCE WITH THE ELIMINATION OF MAINTENANCE AND THE INSTALLATION/REMOVAL OF 75 WINDOW UNITS TWO TIMES EACH YEAR. STORAGE SPACE FOR THE UNITS INSIDE THE FACILITY WILL ALSO NO LONGER BE REQUIRED.