MEP

Fire alarm for powered doors

Leave a Comment / Construction, Design, Permitting, Local AHJ, MEP

Facility name: Regional Medical Center Of San Jose

Project name: RMCSAJ-052017M-ASC(OP Surgery)
Location: SAN JOSE, CA
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 0838500026
Lesson Learned number: 187
Impact: Cost, Schedule

Cost impact: $8,500 Schedule impact: 7 days

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

On this project the fire alarm was designed prior to bid and the completed fire alarm shop drawings were part of the bid package and not created as a deferred submittal by the fire alarm subcontractor.  We had numerous doors with auto operators, and the fire alarm shop drawings didn’t capture the code-required relay that triggers those powered doors to close when the alarm activated.

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Ensure fire alarm design that is included in the Permit/OSHPD documents identifies rated openings and auto operators and include the required Fire Alarm Integration, relays, etc.  If fire alarm design is a post Permit/OSHPD approval (like an OSHPD deferred approval), then note this requirement within the specification for integration with the project fire alarm system.

Keywords

Fire Alarm, Doors, Operators

Motorized Dampers at Louvers

Leave a Comment / Construction, MEP

Facility name: East Florida Division Office

Project name: DAVHOS-102018M-New Hospital (NOVAMC)
Location: Davie, FL
Project classification: Hospital – New
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3597900001
Lesson Learned number: 181
Impact: Cost

Cost impact: $49,705

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

CEP mechanical drawing required a quick opening motorized damper at the louvers on the north wall of the CEP and requires that the dampers are interlocked with the generator.  The louvers at this particular location in the CEP were specified to be architectural louvers by Construction Specialties as CS Model DC-9614 and were provided accordingly. The CS Model DC-914 louver does not require motorized dampers to achieve the specified wind driven rain performance.

There are other smaller mechanical louvers in the CEP and louvers with motorized dampers in the CEP that were provided by the mechanical contractor and were specified as Pottorff Model ECD-545-MD in the mechanical specifications, which require a motorized CD-51 damper option to achieve wind driven rain performance.  These louvers that include the motorized dampers were interlocked with their respective equipment as specified. 

Based on the specification noting the use of motorized dampers at the Pottorf  louvers for wind driven rain performance, the mechanical contractor assumed the CS Model DC-9614 would also come equipped with the motorized dampers and therefore did not carry the motorized dampers required to interlock with the generators per sheet M1.02. Cladding Systems who provided all CS Model DC-9614 louvers did not carry any motorized dampers as the louvers did not require it.

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Our lesson learned is to ensure that anytime louver scope is being divided between mechanical and architectural specifications, ensure all components of the louver system are properly reviewed for coverage and gaps do not exist. We specifically studied and coordinated quantity, location, finish, blank-off panels at louvers with no mechanical connections / purpose and louvers with ducted O/A connections to ensure there were no scope gaps and were successful on these items, however, the project team did not vet the motorized dampers which were specified only at a couple locations on the entire project.

Keywords

dampers, louvers, coordination, motorized damper, architectural louver, elevation, outside air, interlocks

Sound Testing Renovation Space

Leave a Comment / Commissioning, MEP

Facility name: P-SL Medical Center

Project name: PRSTLK-022017M-Pre-Op & Recovery
Location: DENVER, CO
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 2720000019
Lesson Learned number: 174
Impact: Cost, Schedule, Quality

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

When renovating existing space, recommend walking area before starting and if there are any noisy areas, take pre-sounds readings to show it was existing issue so can be addressed before end of project

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

When renovating existing space, recommend walking area before starting and if there are any noisy areas, take pre-sounds readings to show it was existing issue so can be addressed before end of project

 If there are existing systems that feed a space, obtain air readings prior to the start of construction in order to have air comparisons after final TB is conducted. In addition to traverse readings, it is necessary to test the entire system at all diffusers, VAVs, and even AHU itself for pressure testing, air exchanges, and sound levels. This is inclusive of all areas associated with the same air system, even outside the construction space. This is an important step in Design Development but even more crucial throughout each Phase of a project to obtain readings in locations that would not have been accessible during EDI. 

Keywords

Sound, Testing, Renovation, Pre-testing, Noise

Oxygen Park Vendor Coordination

Leave a Comment / Design, MEP, Vendors

Facility name: Orange Park Medical Center

Project name: ORPKMC-102018M-Kitchen Expansion & Renovation
Location: ORANGE PARK, FL
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3091300034
Lesson Learned number: 166
Impact: Quality

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Design team is typically asked to work with the O2 vendor when replacing the existing O2 park. However, the vendor does not work for the design team and is not typically willing to assist in a timely manner. 

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

If there is a need to replace the O2 park and the design team and facility are not getting timely responses from the vendor, HCA Engineering and DFM should be asked to step in and help facilitate the process.

Keywords

O2 park

Central Energy Plant (CEP) Temporary Plant

Leave a Comment / Design, MEP, Site Logistics, Constructability (means & methods)

Facility name: Orange Park Medical Center

Project name: ORPKMC-102018M-Kitchen Expansion & Renovation
Location: ORANGE PARK, FL
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3091300034
Lesson Learned number: 164
Impact: Cost, Scope

Cost impact: $64,000

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Air-cooled chiller rental agencies have their own operational standards for their equipment which do not always match manufacturer operational standards. A temporary variable primary chilled water system was the basis of design for this project to match the existing chilled water plant configuration. The design team worked with the temporary unit manufacturer to ensure proper operation was being met. However, the rental agency would not allow for the operation of the chillers in a variable primary system. This resulted in added piping and pumps. In addition to this, the rental agency did not provide a control interface for the rental units. This caused for additional control wiring/sequencing for the temporary units.

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

When providing a temporary chilled water plant that utilizes rental air cooled chillers, provide a primary/secondary pumping configuration. Additionally, provide the temporary control system sequence as part of the design. Review the system configuration with the contractors and rental agency to ensure that their internal operational standards are being met and controls can be accomplished.

Keywords

temporary chilled water plant, rental

Rooftop Piping Across Existing Structures

Leave a Comment / Design, MEP, Constructability (means & methods)

Facility name: Orange Park Medical Center

Project name: ORPKMC-102018M-Kitchen Expansion & Renovation
Location: ORANGE PARK, FL
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3091300034
Lesson Learned number: 162
Impact: Scope

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Pipe routing seems to often be left to the installing contractor.  When rooftop piping is used, the support frames are done by the installer as a deferred submittal, but the underlying structure has to be reviewed by the design team. Field investigation should be performed to identify/incorporate existing structure components/limitations into the design documents. 

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Large diameter piping being routed over existing roof sections needs to have those existing roof sections surveyed prior to the completion of design. The survey should identify the structural make-up of each roof section, so appropriate routing and pipe stands can be coordinated/designed into the construction documents with the structural engineer’s approval. 

Keywords

Pipe racks, Roof piping, Bar joists, pipe supports

Central Energy Plant (CEP) Replacement Coordination and Phasing

Leave a Comment / Design, Construction, Constructability (means & methods), MEP

Facility name: Orange Park Medical Center

Project name: ORPKMC-102018M-Kitchen Expansion & Renovation
Location: ORANGE PARK, FL
Project classification: Hospital – Renovation
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 3091300034
Lesson Learned number: 161
Impact: Cost, Schedule, Scope

Cost impact: $15,000

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

During construction the team was able to coordinate the installation of the new utility lines in a way that minimized the overall duration of the temporary CEP services. During this process multiple phasing plans were developed to tackle the existing utility layouts that were uncovered. A complete mapping of the existing systems would have prevented the back and forth of multiple phasing plans and expedited the overall underground installation process. 

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

How to minimize the duration of a temporary CEP:
– A complete interior and exterior mapping and phasing plan should be developed prior to construction. This is advised in order to reduce potential impacts once construction begins.
– How much existing roadway/sidewalk will need to be removed/replaced to accomplish the phasing of both demo and replacement? 
– Schedule of when each existing and new item is to be removed/installed.

Keywords

CEP, Temp Equipment, 3D Mapping

CEP BIM Coordination

Leave a Comment / Planning, MEP

Facility name: UCF Lake Nona Medical Center

Project name: Lake Nona-102018M- New Hospital
Location: TALLAHASSEE, FL
Project classification: Hospital – New
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 2689500001
Lesson Learned number: 136
Impact: Cost, Quality

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Diagramatic sizes provided in construction documents often vary from the actual equipment sizes resulting in reduced space for Central Energy Plants.

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

A priority should be placed at the beginning of the project to verify equipment sizes included in the construction documents matches actual equipment sizes.

Keywords

BIM Coordination, CEP

MEP PreAudit

Leave a Comment / Design, MEP

Facility name: North Austin Medical Center

Project name: NRTAUS-022019M-Rehab/Peds Relocation
Location: AUSTIN, TX
Project classification:
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 0822400025
Lesson Learned number: 131
Impact: Cost, Schedule, Scope

Cost impact: $10,000

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Perform audit of all mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems & security systems., including complete T&B audit prior to start of any work in renovation areas. This will help ensure full scope of mechanical renovations is captured early

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Perform a pre-audit of any MEP systems that are to remain in place. Should be completed during design phase. This can weed out issues such as water not heating up quick enough or security systems not working. Conduct an audit of mechanical systems during design phase if possible. At a minimum, conduct measurement of existing systems prior to starting work.

Coordinate with the design team to verify connections and capacity capability of existing equipment (VAVs, etc) will support proposed design.  

Keywords

Test & Balance, Exiting utilities, Air changes, Air Exchanges

Existing Security review

Leave a Comment / Construction, Design, Planning, Facility Operations Impact, MEP, Vendors

Facility name: North Austin Medical Center

Project name: NRTAUS-022019M-Rehab/Peds Relocation
Location: AUSTIN, TX
Project classification:
Project type: Acute Care
Project number: 0822400025
Lesson Learned number: 128
Impact: Cost, Scope

Lesson Learned/Best Practice

Perform Site-Walk / Audit to determine adequacy of infant abduction system, door hardware, and security shown on drawings.

Suggested Actions for Future Projects

Owner’s infant abduction vendor needs to get involved during design phase if possible or as early as possible and verify that all systems integrating to the system are designed to function with the system. Coordination with facility to verify that each door is secured as needed would be beneficial.

Keywords

security, infant abduction system