Healthcare

Defining Owner’s Project Requirements

There are generally three reasons to consider a construction project for your organization: Modifications to existing space to accommodate shifting business requirements, improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs Expansion of existing buildings to accommodate growth or program changes New construction to support growth plans and address market needs. No matter the reason for the … Read more

MEP Considerations for Bariatric Patient Rooms

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are facing an increase in the number of bariatric patients. This reality has led to the need for specially-designed patient rooms that require the expertise of a professional design team. Some of the special considerations required for bariatric patient rooms include: Water closets should be floor mounted and designed to support … Read more

What is Systems Validation?

You are probably familiar with the term commissioning, but did you know that there is a more cost-effective alternative to traditional commissioning? We call this process systems validation. Systems validation encompasses the foundation of commissioning but in a more customized, streamlined process. Systems validation can be an effective way to ensure your building’s systems function … Read more

Is Your IT and Medical Equipment Properly Protected?

Today’s healthcare facilities house countless pieces of valuable equipment ranging from IT equipment, linear accelerators and MRI units, to cardiovascular imaging machines for cath labs, CT scanners and other imaging equipment. These sophisticated machines require a significant finan­cial investment that facility owners and operators should be sure to protect. While it is common to incorporate … Read more

Re-Prioritizing in a Tough Economy

If your business is like most today, your construction and operating budgets have been drastically reduced, or maybe even eliminated. The capital equipment upgrades that you were planning for this year have been put on hold; and instead, your focus has turned to reducing operating costs and avoiding layoffs. If you are in the fortunate … Read more

Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms

As a responsible healthcare facility, you are committed to the health and well-being of both patients and staff alike. While you may take pride in protecting your patients and employees by providing a safe and sanitary facility, there are other, less obvious, areas to consider such as airborne contaminates and the use of airborne infection … Read more

Water- and Energy-Saving Plumbing Fixtures

The rising costs of water and energy have forced many businesses to examine ways to make their buildings more ef­ficient. One option many building owners are implementing is installing water-and energy-efficient plumbing fixtures. The recent push to go green has caused most of the major plumbing manufacturers to begin designing new fixtures that use significantly … Read more

Project Closeout Starts at the Pre-Construction Meeting

Project closeout should be one of the most celebrated phases of any construction project. The design team can see their knowledge and planning put to actual use; the construction team can pack up their equipment and “turn over the keys” and the owner can finally achieve functional use of the building or area that they … Read more

Contracting for Maintenance Mechanical and Electrical Services

Service contractors can be a vital resource to anyone charged with building management. They can provide flexible labor to supplement in-house staff during peak work periods and often offer a higher level of expertise in areas where in-house staff may have limited knowledge. Once you have identified the annual maintenance tasks required for your facility and … Read more

Call 811…So You Don’t Have to Call 911!

Before doing any excavation work on your site, you should remember three important numbers…811.   Calling 811, anywhere in the nation, will connect you to Call Before You Dig, where you can begin the process of having all of your underground public utilities marked, free of charge. Before calling 811, be prepared to give the operator … Read more

Balancing Redundancy, Reliability and Budget for Campus Primary Electrical Distribution Systems

A power outage can have significant impacts on your healthcare facility including jeopardizing patient safety as well as facing a potential loss of revenue and limiting patient services. But, taking the necessary steps to reduce these risks can be perceived as costly. How do you balance reliability, redundancy and budget to reduce your risk of … Read more

Do You Know Your Controls Service Provider? (Part Two)

As summarized in last month’s article, it is important to understand your technician’s level of expertise (and possible limitations) as well as to make sure a few key items are included in your service contract. In addition, your control service provider should offer certain value-added services to make sure you are receiving the best possible … Read more

HVAC Planning for MRI Systems

When planning for an MRI suite, it is important to understand the substantial coordination requirements and other challenges associated with designing a HVAC system to support MRI equipment. Due to the unique and complex nature of these systems, and the critical space requirements associated with them, it is important to involve a HVAC engineer versed … Read more

Do You Know Your Controls Service Provider? (Part One)

Your controls service provider functions as a partner with your in-house staff and mechanical contractor to meet your goals for safe, effective, reliable and cost-effective building operation. To make sure you are getting the best possible service for your investment, it is important to know your technician’s level of expertise (and possible limitations). In addition, … Read more

Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent or LED’s – Which Lighting Method is Best?

All lighting sources are not created equal, and simply providing the proper lighting level in a space is not always enough. Quality of light, efficacy, lamp cost (initial, replacement and life cycle) and environmental impacts are all key factors to consider when choosing the appropriate lighting source for a specific application. A proper lighting source … Read more

The Hazards of Arc-Flash

An electrical arc-flash is a hazardous electrical explosion caused by faulty conditions or a short circuit that can reportedly generate temperatures of up to 35,000ºF — nearly four times the temperature of the surface of the sun. The dangers associated with arc-flash include severe burns and even death. In addition, a facility can also face … Read more

Is Your HVAC System Prepared for Winter?

The sun is setting earlier, football season is underway and cooler temperatures are here. It’s time to think about preparing your HVAC system for the heating season. Including the following steps in your fall maintenance plan can help you save money and prevent common problems throughout the winter season. Replace air filters on heating systems. Clogged … Read more

How a Minor Manufacturing Defect Could Cause Major Problems for Your System’s Cooling Tower

During a recent commissioning study conducted on a cooling tower, Barton Associates found a manufacturing defect in the system’s factory panel wiring that could have caused the owner significant problems. The PLC output wiring for the high speed and low speed fan drives had been inadvertently switched by the manufacturer. This mistake would have caused … Read more

Balancing Energy Conservation, Comfort and Productivity

Energy Conservation is a topic that is on everyone’s mind as energy prices continue to rise and climate changes ensue. As many of you know, adjusting the temperature in your building to a slightly higher setting in the cooling season and a little lower in the heating season is one easy way to consume less … Read more

Sustainable Facility Design and Operation

Climate change, environmental impacts and high energy costs have become significant concerns for individuals and businesses nationwide. Sustainable design can reduce these negative impacts and offer benefits such as: Improved working environment for building occupants Increased occupancy rates Decreased operating costs The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has developed a system called Leadership in … Read more