Overview
P2S was contracted by Newport Doctors Group to assess the existing mechanical/electrical service capacity and support conditions for the replacement of a CT Scanner with a new CT/PET Scanner and Chiller. P2S provided designs for the new mechanical/electrical equipment installation and the electrical support systems upgrade.
Challenge
The project was of high urgency, as the owners were looking for an expedited schedule, and constrained by a tight budget. Although the owners were under the impression that the existing building design provided for future loads of new equipment, the reality was that the infrastructure needed to be upgraded for this installation. P2S quickly completed the mechanical and electrical infrastructure design, which identified existing equipment and pathways, and clearly detailed why new devices and wiring were required.
Action
As the MEP consultant, P2S was responsible for engineering, design and construction administration of the project. To meet the objectives of the project, P2S utilized the following strategies:
In order to meet the expedited schedule, P2S completed most of the electrical site investigation during the initial job walk-through—even before completing the job proposal. In addition, because P2S had accurate record drawings from previous design work for the medical offices, the site investigation simply required the confirmation of information on existing plans. These items helped compress the timeline required for the project.
In order to ensure proper infrastructure design for sensitive medical equipment, P2S not only reviewed the CT/PET Scanner and Chiller documentation, we communicated directly with Siemens, the equipment manufacturer, to verify the data and obtain accurate load information, detailed specifications and installation instructions. Information discovered during these conversations helped P2S identify how to utilize existing equipment and pathways in the design and installation. This helped reduce overall construction costs and schedule length.
In addition, P2S provided timely responses and coordination with the contractor for submittals and requests for information during construction. This led to successful completion of the project within schedule and budget.
Results
P2S was able to complete site investigations, mechanical and electrical design and plan submittal to the city within three weeks from the start of the project. Actual construction was completed in less than three months and before the end of the year holidays—which pleased the owners and staff. Because of P2S’s existing design documentation and our tenacity in working with the equipment manufacturer, only two RFIs had to be addressed during construction. In addition, the client expressed satisfaction not only with P2S’s responsiveness to phone calls and emails, but how we were able to reduce construction costs by limiting the number of new device installations required. The expedited schedule met the owners' needs and they were satisfied with the final installation and were able to quickly proceed with the important business of ensuring patient care.
