Overview
The UCLA School of Dentistry contracted P2S for the telecommunications renovation of the nine-story School of Dentistry Building. This older building’s renovation included architectural, mechanical, electrical and technology (MET) improvements for 4 new telecom rooms. P2S also provided the design for telecommunications pathways and cabling for connecting the rooms as well as cabling for outlets to over 3,500 stations throughout the building.
Challenge
Because the School of Dentistry was housed in an older campus building, finding paths for new conduits and cable trays was particularly challenging. The majority of the ceilings were made up of interlocking dropped tiles that are difficult to penetrate. Plus, many architectural and structural aspects of the building made the design of the new telecom rooms difficult.
Congested areas above the hallways required creative design work in order to accommodate pathways. Plus, because of the building’s tenants, including a working dental clinic, the design required careful consideration on how the work would be performed and how contractor instructions should be detailed in the drawings.
Action
As Telecommunications consultant, P2S was responsible for engineering, design and construction administration of the entire project. To meet the objectives of the project, P2S designed the following systems:
- Mechanical system
- Split ductless air conditioning systems for each of four telecommunications rooms.
- Removal and replacement of two ceiling areas and air conditioning ducts to accommodate new structural beams
- Removal and capping water and drain pipes in two locations
Electrical system
- Power for each of four new telecommunications rooms, including new sub panels in each room from existing power sources
- Add dedicated circuits to each new telecom room from the building’s emergency panels
- Architectural system
- P2S contracted an architectural sub-consultant to provide designs for the telecom rooms
- Demolition and rebuilding of ceiling areas to accommodate installation of structural beams under two rooms
Structural system
- Current floor capacities could not support new racks that included ultra-heavy UPS systems.
- Structural sub-consultant designed beams to support the floor under two of the rooms
P2S will provide detailed planning and coordination among disciplines and timely response to submittals and requests for information/issues during construction. This project is about to start construction.
Results
Even though the original completion of the design had to be extended due to the structural issues discovered in the building, P2S completed this project to the university’s satisfaction and within the allocated budget. Construction will be completed by end of 2010—within the timeline set by the university.
