Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota

The Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center serves Mayo's 28,000 employees and their families. The 110,000 SF, three-level fitness center includes a mezzanine running track, aerobics and strength training rooms, and meeting and conference facilities. A lap-pool, warm-therapy pool, and two whirlpools provide numerous aquatic options. The comprehensive wellness and fitness facility opened in August 2007.

Mechanical Features
An under-floor air distribution system helps maintain excellent air quality on the pool enclosure. Two large air handling units serve the main program spaces of the building, while a third, separate unit was designed strictly for the pool enclosure. This unit keeps the pool area under negative pressure so that air is drawn into it, preventing chlorine odors from escaping into adjacent spaces. In considering patron comfort and health, the ultimate goal was to eliminate chlorine odors in this area.

Conditioned air is delivered around the perimeter of the pool via an underground concrete air plenum. This allows the conditioned air to evenly and slowly rise into the pool enclosure, minimizing the chill to a wet swimmer walking around the pool. The even distribution also helps prevent chloramines from collecting on the pool deck. A UV-light treatment system is located in the pool recirculation piping to break down the chemical properties of chloramines, helping to eliminate the amount of chloramines in the water, and ultimately, in the air.