PC Construction Earns Building Award for Renovating a Health Care Facility

May 24, 2021

in News,

Renovating a health care facility is detailed, precise work in the best of circumstances. Adding the need to keep the facility at full operations for the duration of the work, and the added infection-control requirements of a pandemic, the job becomes even more challenging. That’s what PC Construction faced when they began work on the Emergency Department and Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit for Southern Maine Health Care in September 2019. The facility opened to patients in October 2020.

Part of MaineHealth, SMHC needed to increase capacity and modernize the Behavioral Health Unit without disrupting services, while staying mindful of ever-evolving behavioral health regulations. PC Construction helped SMHC with cost and schedule estimates, then the design team selected PC to conduct the work. Extensive planning and frequent stakeholder meetings ensured procedures for emergency communication, life safety, work area accessibility, campus-wide notifications, patient safety, and maintaining facility operations. These included Lean tools, quality-control mock-ups, infection control barriers, and off-hour scheduling for patient safety and minimal operations impact. COVID-19 restrictions meant design team members conducted virtual inspections and subcontractor support to maintain quality, schedule, and adherence to maximum safety for patients, facility staff, and workers.

INNOVATION AND CHALLENGES

Innovation was a necessity as PC Construction navigated a building that was more than five decades old, with very low floor-to-deck heights and in full use during the project. To avoid accidental flooding from the sprinkler system – which had to stay functional until after the new one was activated – PC installed emergency shut-off valves. Subcontractors researched undocumented infrastructure and temporarily froze water lines to install valves. To reduce construction traffic within the active patient facility, they built a stair platform and loading dock with direct access to one construction area, and a temporary entrance through an exterior wall to another. Patient bathrooms needed custom access panels with in-wall service valves. Roof replacement required significant coordination with existing duct and pipework and access platforms. PC kept water, debris, loud activities, and vibrations from disturbing the operating rooms and imaging department by staggering work hours, sealing the existing floor and wall penetrations, and pre-testing certain procedures to confirm that work would not disturb hospital activities. They provided alternate power and lighting during the necessary, multiple shutdowns, and temporarily relocated the 24/7/365 security office. minimize disruption and expedite the renovation.

The tight ceiling space necessitated an optimal, custom, chilled beam HVAC system.

COMMUNITY, ENVIRONMENT, AND SAFETY

Major demolition and construction occurred directly above active operating, imaging, and emergency areas, requiring extensive collaboration and coordination with SMHC to maximize safety and minimize disruption. PC worked with infection control to install and maintain negative air and infection control barriers, as part of the essential Infection and Risk Control Assessment program for constructing in an existing health care facility and misted to minimize dust. Adding to the usual imperatives of working in an active health care environment, COVID-19 meant contact between contractors and the health care population had to be minimized. Weekly meetings and safe job-site action raffles kept the safety of patients, staff, visitors, and crew at the forefront. The project’s extensive safety measures won unanimous support as one of PC Construction’s Safety Projects of the Year Award. Client responsiveness garnered words of commendation from MaineHealth, and the cooperative team spirit and flexibility prompted praise from the design team.

Owner: MaineHealth / Southern Maine Health Care