Close Coordination From 6 Feet Away
June 10, 2020
by Boyd Johnson, P.E.
In March 2020, the world all but shut down. I. C. Thomasson Associates, Inc. joined the majority of companies in sending employees home to work remotely and to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Meanwhile, essential workers across the globe were busier than ever fighting against and preparing for the pandemic. At a time when our team was physically distanced like never before, we got the call that led us to collaborate and design within record time.
In response to the Coronavirus outbreak in Tennessee, ICT had the privilege to serve as the Engineer of Record for the MPE and IT systems for a 67-bed, COVID-19 design-build, renovation/conversion project at Nashville General Hospital. Our team of seasoned professionals worked closely with the Corp of Engineers and our design-build contractors to deliver an innovative design capable of execution within the thirty-day given deadline.
Key elements of the design included coordinating major MPE equipment selections for on-site delivery within seven days, 100% outdoor air negative pressure patient zones, HEPA filtration exhaust systems, electrical and IT design for low-risk acute-care patient beds, completely new medical gas and domestic water systems for one of the floors, and prefabricated headwalls including electrical, nurse call, and medical gas outlets. The construction drawings were updated on a daily basis to reflect the as-built design conditions at the request of the Corp of Engineers. To lead that effort, ICT provided enhanced daily construction administration that consisted of on-site support for 16 hour days, seven days a week.
"Notice to Proceed" from the Corp of Engineers was received at 7 PM on a Friday evening. Within 15 hours, the site survey for the project was completed. Within 72 hours and while working remotely, the MPE design was completed. And within 60 hours, the team had mobilized the site. The project was substantially complete twenty-two days later. ICT is proud to be a part of the team that put in over 30,000 man-hours to bring this project from conception to completion well within the thirty-day deadline all while socially distancing.