price per square foot construction cost for medical office building

The chart shows a significant spread in cost per square foot by geographic location - as much as 74% increase from the lowest (Winston-Salem) to the highest (New York). The average cost per square foot hovers around $220 per square foot. These buildings can also vary significantly depending on the specific uses and the technologies employed within the offices. For more specific information regarding the cost of an individual medical office building to suit your requirements, please contact us here at EVstudio and we can help to scope the parameters that make your project work.

price per square foot construction cost for two to four story office building

For the most common office building size, two to four stories tall, the range is from just over $130 per square foot in Winston-Salem to over $230 per square foot in New York. The spread here is largely due to the local cost of labor and regulations that allow various construction types that are allowed in low rise construction. For example, in some cases where wood frame construction is still allowed, depending on location and occupancy, this would help to keep costs lower. In areas that are restricted to non-flammable construction, price per square foot will go up.

By taking advantage of savings provided by vertical construction, you will see approximately a 4% savings in cost per square foot by increasing the stories to between five and ten stories. While one might expect a larger savings for that economy of scale, several new requirements come with the mid-rise building that are often not dealt with on the low rise buildings. For example, elevator shafts and service corridors get more complicated as well as HVAC systems.

Price per square foot construction cost for five to ten story office building

The geographic spread in cost per square foot is identical to the low-rise data. This is still principally driven by local factors such as labor costs and local regulatory requirements.

Finally, the high rise buildings see the most economic cost per square foot. For buildings between eleven and twenty stories tall, there is approximately an 11% savings over the mid rise buildings and 15% over low rise. this is largely due to the fact that similar elevator, HVAC and service equipment requirements are required for mid and high rise, resulting in more economy of scale for going up.

price per square foot construction cost for eleven to twenty story office building

Again, the geographic spread is still the same, telling us that the cost per square foot is very sensitive to geographic location. Note that over twenty stories starts getting into more unique building characteristics that will drive costs in various ways. For more information on estimating the cost of your office building during the early planning stages, contact any of us here at EVstudio and we can help scope the right size project for your pro forma.

There are six basic concepts to any successful use of daylighting. In this article we will cover the first two.

• Separate apertures for vision and daylight
• Make the building act as a luminaire
• Assess lighting needs for typical visual needs
• Use of apertures to create focus and mood
• Integrate the daylighting scheme into the architecture
• Integrate the daylighting scheme with building systems

Separate apertures for vision and daylight

I want to start with the biggest mistake that is made when implementing daylighting. Namely that ribbon windows or large expanses of glass equate to effective daylighting strategies. Nothing can be further from the truth.

If you have ever sat near a south facing window on a warm spring day you know what I am talking about – solar heat gain. While it can be interesting to watch a sun beam move across the room, it isn’t very useful once that beam strikes the paper you are reading or creates glare on the monitor. This type of glazing is typically referred to as “vision glass” as it creates the visual connection between the indoors and out doors. Here we often specify a lower visible transmittance in order to soften the light coming in. Additionally exterior features such as overhangs can be used to minimize direct sunlight through this glazing.

The other type of glazing is referred to as “daylighting glass”. This type of glazing is placed at a higher level, typically above head height. These windows also utilize lighting controls such as internal or external light shelves or other devices that reflect light into the space. These devices should disallow a direct view and also bounce the light into the space so that it is indirect and thus more evenly distributed. With this glazing we typically want to maximize visible transmittance so we can get the fullest amount of daylight into the space.

Make the building act as a luminaire

Good daylighting minimizes the need for supplemental lighting during daylight hours. In order to accomplish this, the building needs to be able to provide consistent interior lighting levels. This means that the design should avoid the use of direct illumination (see above) and maximize the use of the skydome. The use of indirect daylighting, versus the sun directly, reduces glare and high contrast ratios, something that good luminaire design does as well.

This is also where proper finish specification comes into play. We want to direct the light as far into the building as possible. To do this it is best to use light colored surfaces that have a matt surface. This diffuse reflection helps to, you guessed it; reduce glare and high contrast ratios.

By using the skydome as opposed to the sun it is also possible to provide for more consistent lighting levels throughout the day. The best way to reduce solar heat gain and glare is to use the northern skydome. The southern area can be used when designed carefully. It is usually best to avoid east and west apertures because it is difficult to control the early morning and evening sun.

Be sure to bookmark the EVstudio Online Magazine to read the next two articles in this series.

Southwest Facade

EVstudio has completed plans for numerous Honka log homes and one, here in Evergreen, is nearly complete. The Kershenstein residence boasts the quintessential Honka look while also being a truly custom home. It was important to the client that the home feature energy efficient aspects including radiant floor heat, passive solar capabilities from the orientation of the home on its southwestern exposed lot and Honka's top of the line windows which are some of the best performing on the market.

Entry Facade

Decorative Log Truss

Some of the custom features that the Kershenstein's wanted are two master suites, a butler's pantry, main level laundry room, a Honka sauna, log truss ceiling treatments, a stone clad wine room, and a completely customized Lutron lighting and media system.

Wine Room Entry

EVstudio provided Structural Engineering services for a recent remodel in south Denver.  This remodel involved modifying the existing rafters and flat ceiling joists to have a new vaulted ceiling.  The existing rafters were left in place and reinforced using collar ties.  Once the collar ties were in place, the existing flat ceiling joists could then be removed.  New 2x6 ceiling joists were placed to create the new vaulted ceiling.  Everything was then tied together and reinforced using an OSB gusset plate.

We visited the site during construction and were very happy with the results.  It was amazing how the new vaulted ceiling made the room feel so much bigger.

We recently completed the construction documents for the Retail Buildings on Clear Creek Road in Killeen, Texas. The complex currently contains two medical office buildings and has spaces for several future medical office buildings and a daycare. Our challenge was to create a series of buildings that reflected the best aspects of the buildings on site while also creating a retail character.

The original design for the complex called for wood frame buildings. We switched the project to a steel frame and were able to make significant savings in the total cost of the project.

Our Interior Design group provides a full complement of services that marry architecture and interiors so your project is a cohesive, integrated whole. Our love of interiors means that your project looks and functions as well inside as out.

The EVstudio Interior Design group has delivered vivid, innovative solutions for healthcare, corporate, hospitality, residential, retail, and civic clients.  We offer services including but not limited to:

• Programming:  property evaluation, facility surveys, client questionnaires, user group meetings
• Conceptual Design:  preliminary plans, elevations, sections, material selections, budgets for review
• Design Development and Construction Documents:  plans, elevations, sections, interior systems, and material specifications that may be used for bid, cost estimating, or construction
• Bid and Construction:  contractor selection assistance, bid negotiation, shop drawings and submittal review, site visits, and consultant coordination
• LEED documentation for interiors
• Custom Cabinets and Trim: casework and millwork design and specification
• Finishes:  specification of floor, ceiling and wall treatments and patterns
• Furnishings: selection, specification, and installation coordination of furniture, window treatments, signage, accessories and art

We also offer comprehensive lighting design services for interior and exterior lighting.
Looking for a service that’s not on the list?  Contact us. We’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

EVstudio’s Director of Interiors, Lisa Barter, studied interior architecture in Texas, and brings extensive experience in interior design, architecture and lighting design to each project.  Hailing from a family of doctors and engineers, she enjoys marrying art and science by giving equal emphasis to the creative and technical aspects of design.  With over fifteen years of design experience, she is committed to helping you achieve your design goals while enjoying the process. Lisa is licensed as an architect, certified as an interior designer, is a LEED accredited professional, and also heads up EVstudio’s Lighting Design group.

There are many conditions that determine the effectiveness of any building material to provide comfort and energy efficient performance. R-Value is only one of these factors or measurement tools.

R-Value is the measure of resistance to heat flow through the defined material. The higher the R-Value the less heat will transfer through the wall, making the system more energy efficient.

R-Value is determined by testing or by the addition of tested components. When “effective” R-value is used, it represents that at a given condition or circumstance, the system performs the same as a product with the “real” R-value.

It is important to understand the conditions at which the “effective” R-value was determined, and see if your application is the same. For example, a masonry wall may have a high “effective” R-value for a 5 hour test period, but have a very low R-value during a 24 hour test period. Where “real” R-value products will have the same R-value during both test periods.

There are several items to consider when evaluating R-Value and it’s effect on your project

Effective R-Value

An example would be masonry products. Masonry product have a very low R-Value but have a high thermal mass. Foam type products have a high R-value but low thermal mass. There is not a standard measurement or number for the energy effectiveness of thermal mass. While R-value resists the flow of heat, thermal mass delays the transfer of heat but does not reduce it. During a short period, thermal mass has the same “effective” R-value, so it is sometimes advertised with this R-value rating. It is not a real R-value but, under those conditions, an “effective” R-value. Please review other technical bulletins for more details and other related items.

Installed R-Value vs Advertised R-Value

It should be noted that R-Value of an item is the value that was tested in a laboratory and is real, but the item may not perform at the same R-value when installed. Most insulating materials obtain their insulating values from trapped air spaces, often the higher the density of air pockets, the higher the R-value. If these air spaces are compressed, a lower R-value will result. For example, batt type insulation may be rated at R-19 in its free state, but requires a 6 ½” thickness to obtain that value. When this material is installed in a 5 ½” frame cavity, the batt is compressed and the R-value is less than R-19. Likewise, putting two batts in the space for one does not increase insulating value; it might even reduce the R-value. Review the Technical Bulletin on Air Infiltration in Insulation for more related information.

Nonuniform Material

Whole wall R-value is the term used to describe the average R-value for the total wall taking into consideration variations and non-uniformity’s in the insulating material. Often, the R-value of the insulating material is advertised without stating the effect of the total system.

An example would be installing an R-19 batt insulation in a 2×6 frame wall. The resultant “whole wall R-value” is the average of the R-19 insulation and the R-5 stud. Tests have shown that the actual “whole wall R-value” of an R-19 wall system to be R-13.7, much less than the R-19 advertised. This applies to all non uniform wall systems.

The R-value of building materials may be effected or altered by the following items.

• Non uniform material
• Thermal shorts
• Material compression
• Air infiltration in the insulation
• Humidity
• Temperature swing or range of environment
• Effects of time and aging.

Along with R-Value, several other factors need to be considered to determine the overall energy efficiency of a building structure.

• Thermal Mass
• Air infiltration in the building
• Radiated heat gains
• Internal heat gains
• Latent and Sensible heat transfer

EVstudio's Structural Engineers are working with Earthcore SIPs LLC to provide high quality SIP walls, floors, roofs and foundation walls to meet every client’s need.  EVstudio's role will be to provide structural engineering services for each project, provide detailed shop drawings and provide engineering reports for all of Earthcore's products. 

Earthcore manufactures SIP walls, floors and roofs using OSB or Magnum Board facings and a polyurethane foam core.  The polyurethane core provides insulation R-values of roughly 7.0 per inch of thickness, higher than commonly used polystyrene.  Earthcore uses Ecomate® foam which has a water based blowing agent. This eliminates all CFC and HFCs in the product which makes it one of the most environmentally friendly foams available.  In addition, the polyurethane bonds directly to the facing and wood plates providing a much stronger composite system without the use of additional adhesives.

Magnum Board can be used in lieu of OSB facings to create a panel that can be used below grade as foundation walls, exterior walls with no additional protection or siding needed and many other situations when something more than OSB is needed.

Magnum Board® products are:

• Virtually impervious to fire – are non-flammable and non-combustible
• Virtually impervious to water – can be fully submerged for long periods of time with no affect dimensionally whatsoever
• Unaffected by all insects – such as termites and carpenter ants
• A non nutrient for mold or mildew
• Are completely non toxic
• Homogenous construction to eliminate delaminating
• Available for almost every application required in construction for of your projects including Residential, Commercial and Industrial.

Earthcore also offers a variety of demising wall options for the multi-family or commercial project.  A choice between a magnesium board skin or a Blazeguard® coating can be made to reach a class A fire rating.

You can learn a lot more about SIPs by visiting Earthcore’s blog.

When applying for a Restaurant Liquor License in the City of Denver, you are required to provide a floor plan (8 ½” x 11”) of the area which is to be licensed.  The plan must show all fixtures and furniture as they will appear when the premises are completed.  This includes kitchen ranges, refrigerators, sinks, dishwashers, and any other appliances to be installed.  The plans must also be fully dimensioned with the licensed premises being outlined in red.

The floor plan must be submitted to the City of Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, along with the application fee, applicant's lease, Zoning Use Permit, and three area maps. If you need any help with these documents, please contact us.