In the July November/December issue of ASHE’s Health Facilities Management, David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE, writes about a reference created by the Information Technology Industry Council that can help prevent power quality issues in IT systems for hospitals.
In the November/December 2021 issue of ASHE’s Health Facilities Management, David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE, writes about problems and solutions with ensuring power quality for today’s high-tech hospitals.
In a recent article for Nurse Leader, Debbie Gregory, DNP, RN, and others discuss how nurse leaders influenced facility design decisions, quickly evaluated the outcomes, and rapidly adapted the environment based on their own observations, assessments, changing regulatory requirements, and the needs of patients, nurses, and the caring workforce. Nurses must validate their clinical voice […]
In a recent article for Consulting Specifying Engineer, David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE, outlines the evolution of NFPA 110 over the years in an effort to help electrical engineers understand the nuances. The article includes information on the evolution of major NFPA 110 changes over time, the major impacts to NFPA 110-2022 from the […]
Concerns about safety within the workplace have arisen because of the coronavirus outbreak. Questions such as “What methods can owners take to keep a workplace safe?” and “Can heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems help reduce or eliminate the airborne spread of the virus throughout the building?” have been asked of the HVAC design industry. […]
David Cooper, PMP, along with three other industry experts, weighs in on several changes to controls and automation in manufacturing and industrial buildings for Consulting Specifying Engineer’s Industrial MEP Roundtable Q&A.
Cool roofs are an integral part of high-performance buildings and mitigating urban heat islands and climate change. High-performance buildings are those that have significantly lower energy consumption when compared with buildings that meet minimum code requirements, create a comfortable environment for occupants and are cost effective to operate. Many factors can be attributed to higher […]
As a building enclosure specialist with a background in roofing, I often am called to investigate persistent leak issues that end up having less to do with the roof than the rest of the building envelope. Although roofing contractors usually are the first to be blamed for leaks, roofing contractors aren’t always able to properly […]
David Cooper, PMP, along with three other industry experts, weighs in on several changes to the design of manufacturing and industrial buildings for Consulting Specifying Engineer’s Industrial MEP Roundtable Q&A.
Large commercial buildings are equipped with dozens of air handling units and hundreds of terminal boxes that maintain acceptable indoor air quality and occupant thermal comfort. Building operators are typically buried in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system data, and mostly react to occupant complaints, equipment/component failure or various levels of building automation system alarms. Automated fault detection and diagnostics, or AFDD, serves as a promising […]
When designing backup, standby, and emergency power systems for hospitals, there are several considerations beyond NFPA 70: National Electrical Code and other building code requirements that must be addressed. Engineers need to be mindful of the construction process, and ensure equipment replacement is coordinated, temporary power strategies are identified, and phasing concepts are developed. This […]
When designing backup, standby and emergency power systems for hospitals, there are several considerations beyond NFPA 70: National Electrical Code and other building code requirements that must be addressed. Electrical engineers must understand the specific owner project requirements for the building’s power systems and ensure that the generator specification and system topologies meet all those […]
During a recent Consulting Specifying Engineer webcast, HVAC systems that achieve indoor air quality, several questions were left unanswered. In the linked article below, Matt Short responded to the extra questions.
In the July 2021 issue of ASHE’s Health Facilities Management, David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE, writes about five things to consider when evaluating risks associated with Alternative Equipment Maintenance (AEM) programs.
In a recent article for Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Hannah Walter, PE, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, details many of the drivers for the market shift to WELL building certification.
Now, more than ever, the industry and consumers are realizing that where we live and work has a significant impact on our health and wellness. But how does a building project know what to do to make their building “better”? The WELL Building Standard from the International WELL Building Institute was created to bridge that gap and guide teams to […]
The commissioning of complex emergency power systems requires the commissioning provider (CxP) to possess technical knowledge of applicable regulations, standards and codes in addition to considerable real-world experience with emergency power systems and integrated systems testing. When discussing emergency power systems, it is important to understand a few key distinctions in equipment and system terms. […]
Similar to how ships are commissioned before setting sail for the first time, owners often elect to have their buildings commissioned before being turned over to operations. This process ensures a facility’s systems operate as they should, and the building is set to perform at peak efficiency. A building can be commissioned as part of […]
Chilled water systems are a significant portion of a building’s energy picture, sometimes accounting for up to 40% of peak demand and 15% – 25% of annual energy usage for a large building. That makes efforts to reduce the amount of energy used by a chilled water system worthwhile. Control sequences in the Building Automation […]
The scope and complexity of building design projects is broad, and there are many modeling software tools that a project team must choose from as they perform analysis and calculations, collaborate across disciplines and trades, produce construction documents and ultimately aid in the management of a building. However, it’s critical to define project team members’ […]
The City of Memphis Traffic Signal Maintenance (TSM) division has partnered with SSR to manage over 120 miles of traffic signal fiber optic infrastructure as required by the TN811 utility locate notification system. Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (SSR) created a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platform which serves as the backbone for maintaining the City’s fiber […]
Jesse Felter, Commissioning Discipline Manager, and Cody Swayze, EI, Electrical, contributed to the CE&M article, “Taking Technology Up a Notch.” In today’s construction climate, electrical contractors and engineers must still wrap up projects on time and within budget — even in the midst of skilled labor shortages, material delays, and the global pandemic. To stay […]
With a flood of information about heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies to combat the spread of airborne viruses such as COVID-19, the consulting engineer might ask, “How do I select systems and equipment to best meet the owner’s requirements and specific project goals?” The following list of variables should be considered: Permanent vs temporary. […]
Kate MacIndoe, PE, Civil Engineer- Water/Wastewater, contributed to the Journal AWWA article, “Communicating the Water Professional’s Value.” Finally, the day of the big event has arrived. After nearly a year of planning and preparing, the annual community outreach event is here. You grin with anticipation while looking over your simple water treatment coagulation experiment. You […]
Telehealth is having a major impact on the delivery of health care. But in the long run, it could also have a major effect on health care facilities, too, by reducing patient traffic. “I think this would make an interesting conversation for facilities managers, because they’re focused on the nuts and bolts and having their […]
The ACG’s Building Commissioning Guidelines is being reimaged to present best practices to the industry. Now focused on insights and strategies from experienced professionals, the guidelines are designed to help providers complete commissioning in the real world — effectively and efficiently — while overcoming common challenges. The October issue of Consulting-Specifying Engineer featured a “sneak […]
Home to the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team, the former Quicken Loans Arena opened its 2019–20 season last autumn with a name change and new front door. After an extensive renovation by Gensler—which included bringing the 26-year-old venue to state-of-the-art standards as well as adding a glazed lobby—the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse today welcomes guests and passersby […]
In “A review of common hospital utility risks,” a recent article for Health Facilities Management, Dave Stymiest PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE FASHE, addressed how proactive assessment of hospital utilities can help to minimize risks and ensure safe and efficient operations. In a second article, he expanded on the importance of performing facility risks assessment for […]
Health care facilities are served by numerous utility infrastructure systems and their related equipment. Among these are the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems; plumbing systems (including water, waste and piped gases); and the electrical systems (both normal power and the essential electrical system). This includes the building automation and control systems, information […]
The design of a health care facility requires engineers to “place the public welfare above all other considerations,” as defined by the engineer’s creed. While this is equally important in the design of every project, health care facilities are unique in that patients and medical staff with a wide variety of age, health, and physical […]
In addition to providing direct care to patients, nurses around the country are using their professional expertise to lead, support, and innovate around the response of healthcare systems and communities to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent article for American Nurse, Debbie Gregory, DNP, RN, discusses how she helped in the preparation to transform Nashville’s […]
A few decades ago, the health facilities professional’s main activity with regard to facility power systems was running the unloaded generator weekly or monthly, and then shutting it down to take some readings. Sometimes, facilities professionals also turned circuit breakers off to relocate or fix the equipment they powered. Now, they must consider designing for […]
For most building occupants, the roof of their building is out of sight and, therefore, out of mind. They take for granted that a roof is serving its intended function — until it fails and a leak occurs. In a recent Facility Maintenance Decisions article, Mike Spach explains why a comprehensive inspection program can benefit departments, […]
Boilers and water heaters are complex systems to operate and can be just as complex to maintain. Because of the potentially high costs related to each of these functions, maintenance and engineering managers are under mounting pressure to ensure the efficiency of both the maintenance and the operation of these systems. In a recent Facility Maintenance […]
Replacing a chiller or air handler with a more efficient unit is a complex process with many moving parts. But such projects are essential for institutional and commercial facilities looking to improve energy efficiency, control utility costs, and operate more sustainably. In a recent Facility Maintenance Decisions article, Casey Hester explores some of the challenges […]
With the opening of Inspira Health’s new full-service hospital in Mullica Hill, NJ quickly approaching, ENR New York spotlights the benefits of the project’s integrated project delivery (IDP) approach.
In the May/June issue of Tennessee Public Works Magazine, Mike Bernard, PE, recaps Metro Nashville’s phased conversion of two gaseous chlorine water treatment plants into on-site-generated sodium hypochlorite treatment plants.
Emergency equipment receives much attention, but normal power infrastructure requires scrutiny, too The reliability of a hospital’s normal power system depends upon many factors, including the system’s physical equipment and their arrangement, and facility professionals’ knowledge, training and informational tools. In hospital and other health care facility electrical power systems, much of the operational focus […]
In the November/December issue of Facility Maintenance Decisions, Mike Spach, RRC, RRO, CITL 1, overview how a comprehensive roof inspection program can help building managers hold down repair costs and extend long-term performance.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-issued Survey & Certification (S&C) Letter S&C:14-07-Hospital (titled “Hospital Equipment Maintenance Requirements”) dated Dec. 12, 2013, includes requirements and state agency survey guidelines. Most of the accrediting organizations copy the CMS S&C letter AEM inclusion-risk assessments verbatim within their physical environment standards. These requirements appear to apply only […]
Projects like the 208,700 SF Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Olive Branch (Miss.) Hospital sometimes receive their most attention when the ribbon is cut. The anticipated LEED Gold for Healthcare certification, the exceptional attention to sustainability, and the use of integrated project delivery (IPD) to meet a strict budget and construction timeline are all aspects that […]
What do compliance surveyors see during a building tour? Pretty much everything. Surveyors who review physical environments are sophisticated in spotting existing problem areas within health care facilities both because they know where to look and because their “fresh eyes” have never seen those areas before. While many health care facility professionals maintain eagle-eyed surveillance […]
Renovations and retrofits of restrooms and plumbing systems present maintenance and engineering managers with a set of difficult challenges. These areas of institutional and commercial facilities must use water efficiently, operate reliably, avoid hygiene concerns and generally provide a positive user experience. To help organizations achieve these goals, maintenance and engineering managers need to understand […]
In the Winter 2017 issue of Streamlines magazine, SSR colleague Lindsay Bryant details her experience at the WEFTEC 2017 conference which was held in Alexandria, VA. Bryant details her involvement in community service projects, experiences in technical sessions and committee members, and networking on the exhibit floor. See pages 20-21 for the full article.
The November issue of Consulting-Specifying Engineer featured an article by SSR colleagues Tom Divine and Wil Semien. “NFPA 20: Changes to the fire pump standard” explores changes to the standard that fire protection engineers need to be aware of. Learning objectives of the article include: 1. Know the basics of NFPA 20: Standard for the […]
With advanced technology being utilized in every corner of the hospital, early planning and end-user input continues to gain importance with regard to its integration during construction. Due to its complexity and the interdependence of dozens of systems and components, technology integration requires a thoughtfully developed and carefully executed strategy. Technology planning that is too late […]
The 2016 drought in Tennessee garnered most attention for its relevance to the catastrophic wildfires that destroyed parts of Gatlinburg and the Great Smokey Mountains in late November. Lesser known is the impact that the drought had on water systems in southeast Tennessee. Although subsequent rains wiped out the worst of the drought conditions, they […]
In the July issue of Plumbing Engineer, SSR senior plumbing designer Larry Rains, CPD, explains a new plumbing design nicknamed Jump Routing. Jump Routing allows the hot water to be routed from one fixture to the next with right angles, avoiding routing down corridors to match the cold-water standard installation. This technique allows for hot […]
Healthcare organizations are expected to provide safe and reliable health care to their patients. Planning appropriate response and recovery activities for a failure of the facility’s utility systems is essential to satisfy this expectation. These systems constitute the operational infrastructure that permits safe patient care to be performed. Some of the most important utilities include […]
Healthcare HVAC systems serve many functions and are highly regulated by agencies such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). These functions and requirements lead mechanical systems to being among the largest portions of most healthcare facilities’ construction budgets. Many facility owners are also looking for high-performance HVAC systems that keep energy cost and […]
Consulting engineers who specify emergency power equipment understand that installations for mission critical facilities, such as hospitals and data centers, are required to comply with NFPA 110: Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems in conjunction with NFPA 70: National Electrical Codes. The article by Tom Divine, PE, LEED AP, “How to Apply NFPA 110-2016”, […]
The Bowling Green Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is one of the oldest water treatment facilities in the State of Kentucky. In the 147 years since the first pumping station was constructed on the Barren River in 1868, the city of Bowling Green has grown substantially, and into close proximity to the WTP. In 2015, Bowling […]
Engineers, by nature, are inquisitive folks. They like to look for things, fix things, and learn things. The advent of the personal computer, digital-information storage, and the Internet, with its easy and constant access, has changed the way information is made available. Online search engines encourage typing in keywords, and thousands of results are instantly […]
Requirements for lighting controls become more complex with each edition of the energy-conservation codes. Codes and standards include ASHRAE Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and California Title 24. With each level of increased complexity, the benefits of formally commissioning lighting control systems increase. Tom Divine, […]
By David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE Given the interest and news surrounding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) adoption of the 2012 editions of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) Life Safety Code (LSC) and Health Care Facilities Code, it is easy to lose track of some other recent regulatory changes. Among these […]
By Rusty Ross, PE, LEED AP BD+C, CxA, EMP and Clay Seckman, PE, HFDP A health care organization constructs a world-class medical facility, taking all the right steps, setting all the right goals and allocating all the right resources. The project is designed and built, systems and components are started up and their performance validated, and […]
In the Summer 2016 issue of Pure Power, SSR’s Tom Divine, PE, LEED AP, writes about NFPA 70: National Electric Code Article 708: Critical Operations Power Systems (COPS). Article 208 introduced electrical standards for facilities that support critical functions in response to vulnerabilities from natural and human-initiated disasters. Tom’s article, “Putting COPS into Context” informs the […]
In the April issue of Consulting-Specifying Engineer, SSR’s Tom Divine, PE, LEED AP, authors a piece on LED Codes & Standards. In the article, he addresses the codes and standards that dictate designing with LEDs (light-emitting diode), the benefits and drawbacks to LEDs, and evaluates the use of lighting controls. The article appears on page 18 […]
Historically, the fields of architecture (design) and nursing (health) have been separate disciplines without much intersection. In recent years, the healthcare building boom has created a specialty practice for architects, focusing on healthcare design. With this new focus and specialty within architecture, the science of evidence-based design and the collaboration with clinical care staff have […]
In a recent article for Health Facilities Management, David L. Stymiest PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASH, describes a variety of potential codes and standard issues that healthcare facility managers need to be aware of in the new year.
Technology and engineering systems help to boost environment of care In a recent article for Health Facilities Management, author Mike Hrickiewicz explores the different ways in which technology and engineering infrastructures are contributing to improved patient safety practices in healthcare facilities. Covering systems ranging from mechanical to nurse call, plumbing to security, Hrickiewicz calls on three SSR consultants (Debbie […]
J. Patrick Banse, PE, Senior Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer, recently wrote an article, “Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems and Code Compliance” for Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine. The article addresses dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) that deliver dehumidified air to buildings to improve the indoor air quality and thermal comfort. Included in the article is an explanation […]
Daniel Sours, PE, SE, along with former SSR employees Andy Kizzee and Lee Schultz, wrote an article, Ramping UP, for Modern Steel Construction’s November issue. The article explores structural elements at the new Beale Street Landing (Memphis, TN), a port for riverboat traffic as well as a high-profile public park. The structures include a floating dock accessed by a […]
Facility Maintenance Decisions recently surveyed more than 550 in-house engineers and maintenance managers about deferred maintenance in their facilities. Darren Harvey, PE, LEED AP, Principal and Senior Mechanical Engineer for SSR, was interviewed by Facilities Net for his opinions on the findings of the survey. The survey included a range of questions covering topics such as specific […]
David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE, Senior Consultant, recently participated in a roundtable discussion for FacilitiesNet.com on regulatory compliance. Stymiest, along with two others, weighed in on compliance challenges and the trends and developments they foresee. Follow to link below to read about strategies on how to keep up.
Panstadia & Arena Management recently ran an article exploring the challenges associated with designing HVAC systems for arenas and stadiums. Multiple architects and engineers were interviewed and provided key insights on the design of these complex systems, including SSR’s Senior Principal Mike Rogers, PE, LEED AP. Follow the link below to read the article in full.
Building Design + Construction recently unveiled their 2015 Giants 300 listing and report. The report, based on AEC industry consultant PSMJ Resources’ 2015 PSMJ A/E Financial Performance Benchmark Survey Report and BD+C’s annual Giants 300 report, highlights a return to optimism across the industry thanks to a rise in profits and revenue over the past […]
Rick Ziegler, PE, RRO, and Greg Isaacs, PE, recently had an article, “Inspecting Hospital Building Envelopes,” published by Health Facilities Management. The article discusses the importance of building envelope maintenance, conducting envelope inspections, and when to utilize consultants. Follow the link below to read the article in its entirety.
Smith Seckman Reid’s Civil and Environmental engineers recently had two articles published in the 2015 edition of Water Professionals Connector, the annual joint publication from the Kentucky/Tennessee Section of AWWA and Kentucky-Tennessee Water Environment Association. Mike Bernard, PE, Joe Griffey, PE, and Lindsay Bryant, PE, from SSR, along with John Strickland and Darren Gore of […]
Debbie Gregory, RN, BSN, was recently interviewed by Hospitals & Health Networks about new trends in designing clinical spaces to be both patient and technology friendly. In the article, Gregory explores the role of interprofessional collaboration to ensure quality and safety in healthcare facilities and how it has become a necessity in bridging the gap between […]
Stones River Water Treatment Plant and Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. conducted a study of the water treatment plant and distribution system aimed at reducing disinfection byproducts. This was necessary to maintain compliance with the federal Stage 2 Disinfection Byproduct Rule (DPBR). After examining the results of the data, it was determined that Stones River had […]
Healthcare facilities are anticipating a substantial change in codes regarding emergency power systems management. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to adopt the 2012 editions of the National Fire Protection Association’s Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) and Health Care Facilities Code (NFPA 99) within the next year or so. The Joint Commission is expect […]
Tom Divine was recently authored the cover story article for Pure Power magazine on designing generator systems. The article addresses requirements for different types of loads described in codes, their impact in various types of facilities, and ways to avoid testing difficulties. Follow the link below to read the article in its entirety.
Off-site healthcare facilities have become a growing trend across the healthcare market. These smaller facilities don’t require the same amount of demand that larger facilities do. Manufacturers have developed options to meet the decreased HVAC needs of these smaller facilities. In a recent article by Health Facilities Management, Clay Seckman, PE, Senior Principal, explained the difference between packaged and split […]
Tom Divine, PE, LEED AP, recently authored an article for Consulting-Specifying Engineer exploring the cause of wet stacking, a phenomenon that affects diesel engines, and some ways to prevent or treat the buildup. Follow the link below to view the article in it’s entirety.
SSR’s Senior Consultant, David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE, discusses how healthcare facilities can prepare for water supply disruptions in the latest issue of Health Facilities Management (HFM) magazine. In the article, Stymiest discusses different potential causes of water disruption and the impact that it can have on all aspects of a healthcare facilities operations. Beyond […]
Debbie Gregory, RN, BSN, recently sat down with Health Facilities Management to discuss what is required to create safe, efficient clinical spaces. In the interview she explores new technologies and the challenges presented in regards to integration and infrastructure, keys to improving patient safety and outcomes while optimizing workflow, how to ensure adequate clinical representation […]
Pat Banse discusses the unique HVAC requirements that hospitals have compared to other facilities.
Smith Seckman Reid’s Pat Banse participated in a Q&A session for Consulting-Specifying Engineer on codes and standards in healthcare facilities. Follow the link below for the article in its entirety.
Automation system innovations lead to advanced applications The capabilities of building automation systems (BASs) have expanded significantly over the past several years. New systems are more complex and smarter than ever. BASs are being used to monitor and control HVAC equipment, lighting and occupancy in hospitals. Energy management also is a big focus today and […]
Electrical equipment upkeep as a compliance issue Most hospital facilities professionals realize that power system maintenance is an important reliability issue and the impact of robust inspection, testing and maintenance programs cannot be underestimated. But, behind these best practices are a set of regulatory issues and industry guidelines of which health facilities professionals also must […]
Energy recovery is an option for organizations using a direct exchange system that’s increasingly being written into building codes and ASHRAE standards. There are two basic types: airside and waterside. According to Ron Holdaway, an engineer at Smith Seckman Reid, airside energy recovery is the process of using the building’s exhaust air to pre-condition the […]
Energy recovery in buildings today is a true paradigm shift from traditional practice of 20-30 years ago, because the technology to accomplish it didn’t exist. ‘”It is now commonplace to expect some type of energy recovery incorporated into the building’s HVAC system,” says Ron Holdaway, an engineer at Smith Seckman Reid. “Rather than throwing away […]
NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code was completely overhauled and rewritten from the 2005 edition to the 2012 edition and was changed from a “standard” to a ”code.” J. Patrick Banse, PE, Smith Seckman Reid Inc., Houston Health care delivery and administration has changed over the years and continues to evolve, not just for reimbursement […]
Recent Consulting-Specifying Engineer webcast presenters Tom Divine, PE, Project Manager, Smith Seckman Reid Inc., and Kenneth Kutsmeda, PE, LEED AP, Jacobs Engineering, answer reader questions about what new code requirements will mean for consulting engineers. Q: When is it required to have a 3 pole and 4 pole ATS? Tom Divine: When the generator is […]
The design profession has been hit hard over the past six years. By some estimates, as many as 40% of architects were unemployed during the height of the recession, in 2009. Engineers fared better but not by much. Everybody did more with less. Now, after several fits and starts over the past few years, the […]
By David Bradford, Memphis Business Journal They are the little-known heroes. When buildings are christened, bridges are celebrated and intersections are made more efficient, these men and women are content to sit quietly on the sidelines and savor the accomplishment of a job well done. They are engineers and their hands touch every part of […]
By J. Patrick Banse, PE, and Chris St. Cyr, in the January / February 2014 issue of Consulting Specifying Engineer. Proper ventilation of laboratory settings is required to promote and maintain laboratory safety and protection to life and property. Items such as fume containment, worker safety, proper cleanliness through pressure relationships, filtration, air changes per […]
Many health facilities managers would like to be more successful in obtaining depreciation dollars to fund maintenance and infrastructure capital renewal adequately. Gaining access to depreciation funding often involves being more successful at selling the maintenance mission and requires a multifaceted approach. The rules of engagement include such disparate approaches as communicating with budget committees […]
Clay Seckman, PE, discusses Life Cycle Cost Approaches to HVAC Systems in the latest issue of the Turner Healthcare Monitor newsletter.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is in the business of improving the quality of life for patients with disabilities and their families, through its patient care, teaching, and research programs. For 42 years, the organization, which is part of the not-for-profitPartners HealthCare (Boston), operated a facility on Nashua Street in Boston. But its small double-occupancy rooms, inaccessible bathrooms, and […]
Executives placed ceremonial shovels in the ground at the site of the front door of the hospital, which will officially be named Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt at Williamson Medical Center. News Channel 5, November 19, 2013.
Geothermal system at Methodist Olive Branch Hospital offers case study for HVAC selection. Medical Construction & Design, November/December 2013.
Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) announced the winners of the 2013 Project Leadership Awards during the COAA Fall Owners Leadership Conference Awards Luncheon, October 31, 2013. The Gold Award was awarded to Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare for the Methodist Olive Branch project. October 2013.
Forty successful business and community leaders have been selected as the 2013 honorees of Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Awards.
Energy recovery is an option to save on HVAC costs for organizations using a direct exchange system that’s increasingly being written into building codes and ASHRAE standards. Like VRF, there are two basic types: airside and waterside. According to Ron Holdaway, an engineer at Smith Seckman Reid, airside energy recovery is the process of using […]
As I look at our profession, I see a void in leadership. I am not referring to your boss, executives, or directors. There are great leaders within all of our various organizations. But when I look out across the landscape of our state, engineers in leadership positions are absent. We have long advocated that being […]
When folks gather Tuesday, July 30, for groundbreaking ceremonies at Richellen Park, it will signal the beginning of the last major county park project following a series of upgrades at existing parks that date back to 2008. Developing the 52-acre park located on Highway 149 between the Cumberland Heights and Palmyra areas will by far […]
When I recently asked a panel of healthcare technology gurus what their ideal environment of care looks like, it wasn’t a “homelike” space that they described. Rather, it was very literally “home.” I had the pleasure of moderating the panel “Design Considerations for Technological Innovation in Healthcare Delivery,” a DuPont event held in conjunction with Healthcare Design at the DuPont […]
The Great Recession, as the last five-plus years have come to be known, has been tough on building owners and operations-and-maintenance (O&M) staffs. As they face mounting pressure to maximize net operating income, they increasingly are turning to existing-building commissioning (EBCx) to keep maintenance and utility costs down. This article will define contemporary EBCx, describe the […]
Northeast Mississippi News Daily Journal article about Tupelo’s City Council delaying the vote to explore implementing “quiet zones” along railroad tracks in the city. If passed, SSR would complete necessary first steps of engineering and other technical work required for a quiet zone application. TUPELO – Wanting more time to ask questions about an effort […]
TUPELO – Loud train whistles throughout Tupelo could turn into memories, starting with a City Council vote today to explore “quiet zones.”City Council members will likely vote to authorize work on a $138,000 “analysis and diagnostics” study that could lead to quiet zones along railroad tracks in the city.The study would be a necessary first […]
Two Nashville companies are at the heart of a national effort to design a hospital room that will transform patient care. Dubbed “Patient Room 2020,” the latest version of the project is set to be unveiled later this month at the DuPont Corian Design Studio in New York City. Designed in collaboration by architects, engineers […]
The Louis & Peaches Owen Heart Hospital on the Trinity Mother Frances campus in Tyler, Texas is the cover story for the May/June issue of Medical Construction and Design. SSR provided MEP engineering services to the new, 154,000 SF facility.
SSR ranked on of nation’s top electrical engineering firms by Electrical Construction & Maintenance. The nation’s top U.S. electrical design firms weathered the storm during the economic slowdown with slim margins, fierce competition, and drastically reduced opportunities. By diversifying their services and expanding into new areas, however, the companies are now reporting a brighter outlook […]
Located in Memphis, Tenn.,on the Mississippi River, the new Beale Street Landing consists of a public park, passenger boat docking facility, and terminal building. A modern, world-class docking facility was needed to better accommodate passenger boat traffic up and down America’s most used interior waterway. A secondary goal of the design was to create a […]
The convergence of technology and the healthcare industry is proving to be a valuable and exciting partnership. The effect of technological innovation on disease management has been changing patients’ lives … providing greater quantity and quality of life. Being able to monitor their own blood pressure, glucose, calories, air quality for asthma, and many other […]
Chillers don’t seem to get the respect they deserve when it comes to their abilities to help drive greater efficiency and reduce energy consumption. With some recent tweaks to these systems, however, many engineers and plant operations leaders are taking a fresh look at how to harness their potential. The latest chiller technology features variable-speed […]
The Owensboro Medical Health System (OMHS) in Owensboro, Ky., USA, is building a replacement facility consisting of a nine-story, 780,000 square foot hospital and a threestory diagnostic and treatment building on a 160-acre site. Scheduled for completion in 2013, the project has utilized the integrated project delivery (IPD) method. While IPD can be benefi cial […]
The LEED program in general has become more about existing buildings than new construction as evidenced by the certified square footage of existing buildings recently surpassing certified square footage of new construction projects. The enhanced commissioning (Cx) and measurement and verification (M&V) credits are examples of good opportunities that tie design and construction to operations […]
In response to smaller reimbursements, greater operational costs and more demanding record-keeping requirements, the delivery of health care is becoming increasingly tied to technology. Because technology is now setting the pace in a large number of new construction and renovation projects, facility owners are finding themselves having conversations with architects and designers about technology much […]
St. Mary’s Medical Center in Blue Springs, Mo., is now the only hospital in the Kansas City area to receive an energy efficient certification from the federal government. A release says the Environmental Protection Agency gave St. Mary’s its Energy Star certification, which puts the hospital in the top 25 percent of similar facilities for its nationwide energy efficiency […]
The town of Collierville, Tenn., recently began construction on a regional detention basin designed to reduce flooding. Collierville is a suburb of the Memphis metropolitan area and has a population of approximately 44,000 residents. The town has experienced several major storm events in the last few years, and several homes within the Lateral J basin […]
Vendors are paying special attention to water containment to prevent the spread of bacteria. A number of vendors offer hand-washing sinks for hospital staff — and the public — with features to keep the water contained. And they have good reason to make the effort. Jeremy Cressman, vice president, commercial trade, American Standard Brands, Piscataway, […]
Completed just more than a year ago, the new SECU Cancer Center at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, was awarded LEED Gold certification in April 2012, making it the third Gold-certified cancer center in the United States and the largest certified facility of its kind in the state. Construction on the $38 million, 120,000-square-foot center was […]
When I started my career 17 years ago, only a few geothermal-unit configurations were available, and those met most industry needs. With the inception of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green-building rating program and stricter ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation for […]
January is a time of reflection for most – a time to ask what was great about the previous year (and maybe what was not so much). Many also ask themselves, “What will I do to effect positive change in the coming year?” When we look back on the last several years in the green […]
Between the end of a facility’s construction and the beginning of its operations, there’s a substantial transition period where most, if not all, of the professionals who designed, installed and verified the initial conditions of the building cease to be involved. A new team of people begins to run the building, taking on the phase […]
Most buildings that will be in existence in 2030 are already here today. So an average 22 percent savings across around 75 billion square feet in the United States ends up being a lot of cost, energy and emissions avoidance. No doubt the biggest opportunity is in existing buildings. But what about the new buildings […]
As health care grapples with lower reimbursements, an influx of newly insured patients and a value-based delivery system that is so far more theory than reality, designers, facilities managers, engineers and industry experts of all stripes are attempting to define what these changes will mean for facilities over the next five years. “Health care organizations […]
An energy model is a computer-generated representation of a building used to estimate the impact of proposed changes to the building on energy use. It is a comparative tool most commonly used: New construction • To evaluate the impact of different design options (e.g., a chilled-beam system as opposed to a conventional overhead single-duct variable-air-volume […]
Managing one’s health in the future will involve an app, a “smart” device or a patient portal. The explosion of the mobile technology industry is fast and furious, and health systems are scrambling to keep up. These changes create both opportunities and risks; but by far the positives outweigh the negatives. The impact of this […]
With a wide spectrum of specialized spaces and particular outside air requirements, a hospital’s en-ergy-efficiency efforts start when arranging which areas go where. From there, the author leaves no technology unturned — chilled beams, geothermal, DOAS, VRF, etc. — in evaluating which ap-proaches might best contribute proper ventilation and humidity in which environments, with an […]
While fall is a time of demise in the natural world and an edging toward a period of dormancy, for me it never fails to awaken my senses and rejuvenate my creative spirit. With Greenbuild just around the corner, my personal reawakening coincides with the world’s largest green building conference, which is visiting San Francisco […]
The Memphis Area Transit Authority’s Airways Transit Center, 3033 Airways Blvd., has gained high marks for its environmentally-friendly design. The U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, has given the 30,000-square-foot project a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification. This makes it the first newly constructed, publicly funded building to gain this […]
From multitenant office buildings to mixed-use developments, new net-zero energy buildings — buildings that produce at least as much energy as they use on an annual basis — are popping up coast to coast. Though they are still a small percentage of new construction, several factors are converging to move net-zero energy buildings from myth […]
The reality may be many laps away — ballparks at Renasant Park and soccer fields at the old North Lagoon acreage — and funding a frequent hurdle, but the vision of a wide-ranging, inclusive parks and recreation system for Hernando is here, thanks to a master plan months in the making with eager citizen input. […]
After reviewing basic design options, the next steps for potential geothermal designers are to challenge the common concerns and myths, study how different choices have different cost impacts, and be aware of the ways a good design can yield bad performance if the installation isn’t done well. Add the habit of turning a retrofit’s circumstances […]
Reducing fossil fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions are important goals for our industry; however, they are difficult to achieve and measure. Designers, contractors, owners and operators start with good intentions, but many new buildings ultimately have minimal energy-efficiency improvements over the buildings they replaced. Buildings are major consumers of energy. To decrease greenhouse gas […]
The specialized and especially demanding needs of health care facilities make them a prime environment for commissioning to net the greatest value. However, with no unilateral health care-specific standard, facility managers often were left to cobble together a number of commissioning guides to arrive at a less-than-ideal commissioning process and lingering doubt regarding the adequacy […]
Citing concerns for worker safety, tighter insurance requirements and Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement actions, most electrical contractors and electrical service companies now do their work in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. They are no longer willing to maintain or to modify “hot,” […]
sometimes wonder if the specifications we create are really any different than the bricks I’ve seen used as doorstops from time to time. I also sometimes wonder what is relevant, what is related, and whose job is it, and would (should) we, as engineers, do things the same way and with the same passion and […]
The plumbing industry is slow to change. This can be a good thing, because our health and safety depend on plumbing, but it can also be frustrating when trends need to change. For example: A growing concern is that plumbing professionals design systems only for the health and safety of people at the expense of […]
The students have changed, and the way spaces get used is changing as well. How do we need think about educational environments to foster better thinking inside them? Architects and engineers are constantly challenged in the higher education market with the same goal from clients over and over again. “We want the learning space of […]
The USGBC LEED rating system is a guideline for building teams wanting to design, build and operate sustainable buildings that reduce energy and water consumption when compared to “average” buildings through the use of sustainable site, materials and resources practices. The LEED rating system offers a checklist of sustainable elements, called credits, which can be […]
As the first LEED Gold certified hospital in the state of Texas,Mission Trail Baptist Hospital is set to save $150,000 in annual energy costs and $1.1 million gallons of potable water per year. Giving the project a jump start toward LEED certification was the selection of the previously developed Brooks Air Force Base site in San […]
Light-emitting diode (LED) technology offers hospitals many advantages over traditional lighting, such as energy savings, longer life, lower heat output and design flexibility. Little wonder that it can be found everywhere from parking lots to surgical suites. During the past decade, most health care facilities upgraded their lighting to energy-efficient fluorescent technology, industry experts say. […]
Reconstruction in its many forms—tenant improvements, retail fitouts, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, gut rehab, and so on—is keeping many design and construction firms solvent. The collapse of the U.S. housing market in 2007-2008 precipitated a nearly commensurate downturn in new nonresidential construction in the United States. Filling the gap, at least to some extent, has […]
When superintendent Alan Cranford looks out at his upgraded 20 mgd Stones River Water Treatment Plant in Murfreesboro, Tenn., he may be viewing the facility of the future. Membranes. Granular activated carbon filters. High-tech lime system. On-site sodium hypochlorite generation. Sophisticated SCADA system, including portable data tablets. But he knows it takes more than state-of-the-art […]
Some energy-efficient technologies are the holy grail of the plumbing industry. These technologies would allow a building to be a comfortable, safe place to live or work while using only the energy it generates, with no connections to the utility grid. Like the Holy Grail of history, however, these desirable technologies are just out of […]
In the pursuit of a high-performance building, LEED certification or net-zero design, there is no guarantee that the resulting performance will persist for more than a short period of time. Something happens between the end of a facility’s construction and the beginning of its operations. Even if the teams have miraculously bundled forward-thinking mechanical and […]
After four years, it appears the U.S. construction market has bottomed out and is beginning the slow climb out of recession. For many large U.S. design firms, this development is cause for both relief and celebration. But for other design firms, particularly in the public infrastructure markets, uncertainty about the future remains a constant. The […]
From a pontoon boat meandering down Wolf River Harbor on a sparkling spring day, Hart Robinson and his friends caught sight of the odd structure mounted on pilings near the shore and weren’t quite sure what to make of it. A new place to dock? A fishing pier? Actually, it was neither. But Robinson was […]
If I were a moviemaker, I would make a movie about water. Humans are fascinated with water. We can sit on a beach, in a boat or a bathtub or by a swimming pool or stream for hours, letting the sound, smell and feeling of the water flow around and through us. This is true […]
The 40 young AEC professionals featured here represent the Class of 2012 in Building Design+Construction’s “40 UNDER 40” competition. They were chosen from among 223 applicants to join the 240 previous recipients of this honor, dating to 2006. They range in age from 27 to 39 (as of December 31, 2011, the contest deadline), with a median […]
As reported by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) last December, for the first time “LEED-certified existing buildings are outpacing their newly built counterparts … square footage of LEED-certified existing buildings surpassed LEED-certified new construction by 15 million square feet on a cumulative basis.” Water efficiency is an important part of upgrading existing buildings. The […]
Air control, filtration and ventilation technologies can improve the health care environment and help facility managers meet the special performance considerations inherent in hospitals. Hospital facility managers must deal with rigorous performance requirements when it comes to improving indoor air quality (IAQ). What’s more, these design considerations are regulated by organizations that write codes and […]
For most of us, a conversation about school brings back memories of our earliest and oldest friends, a childhood crush, going to lunch and recess, learning about government, having “fun” with algebra, or pretending to play this week’s gym class game in front of huge crowds on television. The thought that may not surface while […]
In a February 2009 report, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) identified that during 2003-2006, municipal fire departments responded to an estimated 3,750 structure fires in medical, mental health, and substance abuse facilities, annually. These fires resulted in one civilian death, 57 civilian injuries, and $26.9 million in direct property damage. While no amount of […]
Like all other mission-critical systems, emergency power systems should be commissioned to attain the necessary operational reliability. Emergency power system commissioning (Cx) can be considered a documented quality assurance program that finds and resolves potential emergency power system-related problems before patients are admitted and procedures are performed. Emergency power system Cx is not the same […]
While a mass notification system and a fire alarm system have similar goals — quickly warning a large number of people about an incident — they couldn’t be more different when it comes to possible uses and designs. After all, a fire alarm system has a singular purpose. “Previously, when we used to design fire […]
More than 770 communities across the country are implementing long-term control plans to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s requirement to reduce the number of combined sewer overflows (CSO). Most communities with CSOs are located in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions and the Pacific Northwest (see Figure 1), affecting approximately 40 million people. The […]
Most people don’t hear the word “conditioning” and immediately think of buildings and construction. But just as a trainer can help athletes reach their potential, James Qualk helps buildings operate at peak efficiency. “The firm was founded in 1968 and originally was performing mechanical, electrical and plumbing design services,” says Qualk, vice president of LEED […]
SAN ANTONIO — It’s a first for Texas. A San Antonio hospital has been awarded the highest certification as a “green” building. San Antonio’s newest hospital is also officially its greenest. Mission Trail Baptist Hospital at Brooks City-Base on the southeast side is in the business of treating sick people, delivering babies and saving lives. According […]
Primex Wireless, a provider of solutions to automate and maintain healthcare facility compliance, announced that it has reached an agreement with Smith Seckman Reid (SSR), an engineering design and facility consulting firm, to assume responsibility for SSR’s survey and inspection solutions. Under the agreement, Primex Wireless said it will take over all development, support and […]
The push for water conservation in restrooms in institutional and commercial facilities is creating pressure to address problems related to plumbing components and systems. One key decision maintenance and engineering managers face is whether to repair existing plumbing fixtures in an attempt to address water-conservation demands or to replace plumbing systems to achieve this goal. […]
Nashville-based Smith Seckman Reid Inc. has opened a Chicago office, the company announced late Tuesday. The engineering firm had already been active in the Chicago market, with more than 20 ongoing or recently completed projects in the area. “Based on our growth in the Chicago market, it was only natural that we establish roots to […]
In 1968, Tom Seckman, Andy Reid, Lester Smith and Bobby Smith gathered in a house in Nashville, Tenn., to draft their magna carta for a new company. It was then that the foundation was set for success and Smith, Seckman, Reid, Inc., was born. And, in the 40-plus years since their start, while almost everything, […]
OLIVE BRANCH — Olive Branch Mayor Sam Rikard said Wednesday the 14-year effort to site and build a 100-bed hospital in Olive Branch will have a $1 billion impact to the fastest growing city in America.“It’s a big day for Olive Branch,” Rikard said during groundbreaking ceremonies Wednesday at the hospital site near the intersection […]
Texas Children’s Hospital and its family of medical facilities at Houston’s Texas Medical Center are welcoming a new addition. The Pavilion for Women is a $575-million facility that will bring maternity and neonatal care capabilities to the hospital. Taking the pavilion from conception to birth is the most ambitious construction project in the hospital’s history and […]
Today’s building automation systems have advanced far beyond their HVAC-centric past to handle additional functions such as lighting, security and more, providing key opportunities to save operational and maintenance dollars. Integration and interoperability are key trends in building automation systems (BASs), creating new opportunities for hospitals to save money. At the same time, new wireless […]
Promoting healing and health isn’t just the job of doctors and nurses at Rockingham Memorial Hospital – the building itself plays a key role in patient recovery through environmental stewardship. The first hospital in Virginia to achieve LEED Gold certification, Rockingham Memorial Hospital (RMH) infuses sustainability into every corner of the 630,000-square-foot building. The facility’s […]
While new construction has slowed, the interest in all things green among property owners, tenants, environmental activists and government departments continues to drive technological advances. Indeed, the latest green technologies offer new and in some cases cheaper options. Emerging green-building technologies range from the splashy to the subtle. For instance, green-building technology companies are now […]
Superior workplace practices, employee benefits, employee retention rates, and other incentives make the following this year’s Best Multidiscipline A/E Services Firms To Work For. Ranging from 15 to more than 1,200 full-time employees, the sixth annual Best Multidiscipline A/E Services Firms To Work For ranking saw participation from 24 firms, with huge variations in services offered. […]
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has announced it has selected the design and construction team to build its new $137 million hospital in Olive Branch, and that the team is expected to break ground on the project Oct. 19. Methodist, which already has six hospitals in the Memphis metro area, won approval in July from the […]
The health care system announced late Wednesday the design and construction team for the $137 million, 100-bed hospital. Architecture firm Gresham Smith and Partners, with offices in Memphis as well as a dozen other cities, was selected to design the hospital. Nashville-based Smith Seckman and Reid Inc. was chosen to handle the engineering design, and New York […]
To operate properly, hospitals need smart engineering, from the HVAC systems to the fire/life safety and electrical equipment. Here, some expert engineers offer advice on smart hospital engineering.
Demand for green construction and its economic impact has exploded in recent years despite the tough economy. Green building now supports more than 2 million jobs and generates more than $100 billion in gross domestic product, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. But one industry — a major consumer of energy and producer of waste […]
Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Spectrum Properties | Emery has taken this message to heart, leading the charge for ongoing sustainable retrofits and operations in the Southeast. Though the North Carolina-based real estate company has been implementing best practices and pursuing LEED® certification on new construction projects for several years, the sustainability journey […]
CROSSVILLE — The Crossville City Council will consider how to move forward to acquire property for the first phase of the Northwest Connector when it meets tonight.City Attorney Kenneth Chadwell was tasked at a June 27 special-called meeting with continuing negotiations with property owners of the remaining two parcels needed for the highway. The city […]
Gibbens Drake Scott and Systems Integration “Successful relationships equal successful projects.” The tag-line of Gibbens Drake Scott, Inc. (GDS) could also describe the necessity of good working relationships among all the players on the National Security Campus project team. GDS has an important role in maintaining the success of those relationships. GDS is the Mechanical […]
Incorporating a plenum can have its design advantages, but corridors serving adjoining areas of health care occupancies are prohibited from being used for a portion of an air supply, air return, or exhaust air plenum. This article and its illustrations can strengthen your grasp of the related NFPA code details and exceptions so you can […]
Clinical laboratories are often on-site and associated with hospitals, but many times these facilities are independent and located away from the source of patient care and treatment. Regardless of the lab location, published rules and regulations apply to the design, layout, finishes, equipment, ventilation, and operation of the facility. While this article identifies many of the […]
From time to time, when a building owner knows that an energy model has been used in the design of a building, he or she may ask, “How much will my utility bills be?” This is certainly a legitimate concern for all building owners, as they may need to know how to set up billing […]
Industry leaders fielded questions and provided valuable insights about the use of mobile technologies in Healthcare at the Houston Mobile Healthcare Technology Summit held on May 5, 2011 in Houston. The event was presented by Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. at the University of Houston Alumni Center. Other local sponsors of the event included HIMSS South Central […]
Working as a team earlier in the design process fosters creative problem-solving Buildings are tremendously complex. Even the simplest facilities require a highly trained team of professionals for their design, construction, and, eventually, operation. Actually, it is amazing that many buildings are ever built, considering the necessary financing, land acquisition, code and jurisdictional requirements, extremely […]
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (SSR), a leading engineering design and facility consulting firm, is hosting a Mobile Healthcare Technology Summit on May 5 in Houston. The event will be held at the University of Houston Alumni Center where a panel of industry experts will explore topics surrounding mobile healthcare technology in the acute care setting. “Our Houston summit […]
Rhodes College has been ranked 15th for producing Peace Corps volunteers among among 250 colleges and universities in the southeast region. Rhodes has 91 alumni who have served in the Peace Corps and has 14 currently overseas. Smith Seckman Reid, an engineering design and facility consulting firm, was selected as a winner of the People’s Choice […]
We all know about the trend in social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and most of us have seen the movie Avatar and know what an avatar is. However, do you know of the new technology that uses avatars for building water systems on social websites? In this new trend, a building has an […]
An emergency power (EP) system’s role in patient safety is critical to hospitals and regulators. Each hospital EP system must power what the health care facility needs, when and for as long as it needs it. That is a tall order and one that likely will become more complicated as new requirements and technologies increase […]
The new arena is located on the Auburn University campus northwest of the existing Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. The 9,600-capacity arena has over 29,000 sq ft of student -athlete space, a two-court practice facility, men’s and women’s locker room suites with sports medicine facilities, a strength and conditioning center, lounges and meeting rooms, coaches offices, and […]
Most institutional and commercial facilities operate on flat rates from electric utilities. In most cases, utilities base these rates on calculations of the average cost of power delivered to customers. This method has worked for years, but a growing reliance on cooling systems has created a large demand on the electrical grid for reliable power […]
Current technologies are vastly different than the technologies in place when most mechanical engineers started. When mechanical engineers are in school, few of them know exactly where their degree might take them. I was one of those engineers. Being exposed to many aspects of this fascinating engineering program, I was awed by the range of […]
The system includes two 900-lb-per-day hypochlorite generators, two 40-ton brine silos & three 15,000-gal storage tanks. Murfreesboro, Tenn., is known as one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S., with a population that has grown more than 120% since 1990. As a result, Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department commissioned the 20-million-gal-per-day (mgd) Stones River […]
Growing consumer desire for environmentally friendly business has led many companies to “green” their practices, making them more sustainable. In addition, many entrepreneurs have opened businesses with a green slant in recent years. The result? Green business has evolved into a profitable aspect of the business world for mom-and-pop shops and multinational companies alike. What […]
Hernando has filled all seven slots on its new tree board, a panel required to gain Tree City USA status. And while the members hold firm to environmental responsibility, don’t dismiss them as tree huggers. “I’m a very practical engineer,” said one of the seven, Tiffany Heard. “But I say, ‘Just leave the trees.’ They’re […]
For the past several years, the U.S. economy has seen a tremendous amount of growth in the adoption of sustainable practices. Organic and natural products now grace the isles of almost every grocer and department store. Consumer awareness has grown as more people try to purchase organic and locally grown produce. Recycling programs are more […]
Selecting design and construction team members and determining the methodology for how they will interact during healthcare construction projects can be a daunting process. The current design and construction trend in the healthcare industry is to accelerate the project schedule to minimize disruption in services on the existing campus. This is often accomplished by the […]
A 320,000 square foot Class A high-rise office building in Nashville, TN achieved LEED-EB Gold Certification. LEED-EB version 2.0 was utilized, which requires Retro-Commissioning (RCx) as a prerequisite for certification. SSRCx performed the RCx services during the LEED-EB performance period, and was contracted after building certification to utilize the Continuous Commissioning® (CC®)1 process to seek […]
Construction projects have standard approaches and processes. Facility operations, management and compliance also have standard approaches and processes. Many hospitals lack a solid process of transitioning from a construction project to operations and compliance. This affects the staff’s ability to manage systems and puts the hospital at risk of noncompliance with codes, standards, rules and […]
The biggest opportunity for greening buildings is with our existing building stock. There are a tremendous number of existing buildings, tens of millions, a far greater number than what is being designed and constructed in any given year. Additionally, the majority of this existing building stock was designed and constructed decades ago, at a time […]
Managing hospital electrical shutdowns is more important than ever in light of increasing concern about the impact electrical power outages can have on hospital operations. Electrical distribution equipment requires regular repair or maintenance, yet often this critical work is deferred because it is too difficult for the hospital facility director to get clinical permission to […]
Healthcare and the environment are two of the hottest topics for discussion right now, especially with highly contested presidential campaigns this summer. For those of us in the construction industry, the two come together as the healthcare market and represent one of the largest market segments, but one of the slowest to adapt to the […]
The city of Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department (MWSD) currently operates a 15.6-mgd lime softening–mixed media filtration plant to provide drinking water to approximately 25,000 customers. The plant has operated well over the past 40 years. However, stricter regulations coupled with concerns over aging filtration underdrains motivated city personnel to consider alternative filtration technologies to […]
Introduction Without power healthcare facilities are extremely vulnerable, especially if it is for an extended period of time. Every healthcare facility needs to have a plan in place and be prepared since there is rarely a warning before loss of power except in cases where a slow-moving hurricane or similar natural disaster is approaching. The […]
To continue with the smoke control theme, more questions arise, such as: How are exits and atriums kept reasonably smoke-free, and how does all of this tie in with the building system? Also, where does this all end? The answers are not all that difficult, but do take some careful thought, planning, and discussion. As […]
An electrical shutdown is a carefully managed process whereby electrical equipment is switched off for various reasons, including crucial maintenance, training, expansion and repair; and then turned back on again with minimal impact to patients. Electrical shutdowns can be performed safely and hospitals can gain added benefits from their electrical shutdowns if they also use […]
A hospital can have a simple or complex emergency power supply system (EPSS) but ensuring that the system continues contributing to safe and effective patient care with today’s challenges is rarely simple. Complexity is introduced because the EPSS powers other hospital systems such as the clinical, mechanical, vertical transportation and fire management systems. The hospital […]
Introduction Hospitals are required to have an emergency power testing program in place to meet the requirements of NFPA 70, NFPA 99 and NFPA 110, as well as standards established by accreditation organizations such as JCAHO. The goal of the emergency power testing program should be to comply with regulatory requirements without adversely affecting the […]
