The University of Texas Medical Branch - Biocontainment Critical Care Unit

The Biocontainment Critical Care Unit is a located on the second floor of Emergency Department Building 64 at the University of Texas Medical Branch on Galveston Island. Renovation within the existing and active Emergency Department occurred across four phases of construction, allowing operations to continue throughout the building process. This facility now features six biocontainment critical care rooms that serve patients with highly infectious diseases such as, Ebola, Sars, and Zika. The biocontainment unit operates as a normal ER for every day (non-biocontainment) patient care, however, when a case arises, the unit can be sealed off from the rest of the ER as an isolated and independent area. A new penthouse over the existing roof serves as a mechanical room that independently supports the biocontainment rooms. The design of the biocontainment area also required careful consideration of material durability and cleanability. PhiloWilke and UTMB worked together to balance “Biosafety Level 3” design requirements with aesthetics, creating a safe yet comfortable environment for patients.