530
Cost Base: Functional Area Costs
534.4
PARTITIONS
534.4.1
Figures 530-5 and 530-6 illustrate the proportion of partition costs
distributed among functional areas at Miami and Memphis. The principal
determinant of the cost per unit of floor area is simply density, i.e., quantity
within each functional area. The type of partition and quality of finish are
relatively minor factors by comparison, with a few notable exceptions as in
radiology and deep therapy. The following discussion of both quantity and
quality attempts to explain some of the notable differences.
534.4.2
Partition costs within the areas occupied by laundry, warehouse and
storage areas are the very lowest, because there are very few partitions
and the finishes consist generally of paint on structural surfaces or
partitions.
534.4.3
The partition costs of the mechanical rooms and shops are moderately
higher due to the fact that these areas are generally subdivided into
smaller spaces, resulting in greater quantities per given area, though the
finishes are no better than in the warehouse and storage areas. Equally
moderate are the partition costs found in the dietetic, cafeteria, and central
sterile areas. In these areas the finishes are more durable, but the density
of partitions is low. The costs of prefabricated cold storage boxes are not
included in these computations.
534.4.4
Next in order of cost fall the laboratories, general offices and
miscellaneous, surgery and recovery areas. The general offices and
miscellaneous areas all have moderate requirements for durability of
finishes, but are generally subdivided into many small spaces requiring a
high density of partitions. The laboratories, surgeries and recovery units
have a lower density of partitions with more expensive finishes, resulting
in average partition costs approximating those of the general offices and
miscellaneous service areas.
534.4.5
The nursing units contained within the base structure at Memphis have
average partition costs somewhat higher than those of the laboratories
and surgical suites, primarily due to the relatively high partition density
coupled with a requirement for equally durable finishes.
534.4.6
The most expensive functional areas within the base structure, in terms of
partition costs, are deep therapy and radiology. In radiology at Memphis,
the partition cost by unit area is 50% greater than the overall average,
primarily due to the high cost of radiation shielding, lead-lined concrete-
block partitions surrounding the x-ray apparatus.
2 - 198
Previous Page
