Overview
The Aerospace Corporation has a campus of buildings in El Segundo, CA. Two of these buildings suffered from leaky roofs and old air handling systems beyond their useful lives. It was believed that leakage of rainwater through the modular air handling systems contributed to the deterioration of both elements. P2S was contracted to provide mechanical, electrical, and structural bridging documents suitable for plan check and to acquire construction permits for replacement of the four 30,000+ CFM air handling units. We then worked with the pre-selected contractor through the entire design and construction process to address any concerns and ensure project success.
Challenge
The project required P2S to develop a plan that would allow The Aerospace Corporation to maintain continuous building operations during business hours throughout the entire project. Plus, due to the extensive structural reinforcements required and the integrated mechanical and roofing work, temporary cooling would be impractical and cost prohibitive.
To support the weight of the new units, structural roof reinforcement was required. This presented another major challenge because typically it would require evacuation of the work area for extensive periods of time—unless the work could be limited to above the roof.
This project allowed P2S and our engineering team to demonstrate our creativity and promote teambuilding between the contractors, the owner and P2S to achieve project goals.
Action
The P2S engineering team worked with the structural engineer and contractors to overcome the project-specific technical challenges. The solution was to create a roof platform to provide support for the new equipment while allowing roofing repairs to be made under the platform, and monitored in the future for any issues.
The next step was to determine how to minimize impact to building occupants. The roof platforms kept the structural work out of the occupied areas and the mechanical layout re-used existing roof openings, which kept most of the mechanical work out of occupied areas. We were also able to coordinate work schedules with the contractors, including concentrated 60-hour work periods, allowing for continued nonstop work over a few key weekends.
The P2S team also provided support services during the construction phase, including on-site support during critical weekends. This way any issues could be resolved on the spot. P2S also provided system-commissioning services after installation to ensure the new units performed as designed and at optimum efficiency.
Results
The air handling replacement project was completed within planned project schedule, and most importantly without disruption to business or occupants. Immediately after the units were replaced, facilities maintenance personnel reported a significant reduction in occupant comfort complaints.
Soon after the installation, rainy weather helped test the new roofing and no leaks were found. During the commissioning process, it was noted that the configuration of the new units allowed for much easier maintenance. The entire project team, including a great contractor, contributed to the success of the project.
