Renovation of the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center
Baltimore
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: Turner-Mahogany, joint venture
Owner: University of Maryland Medical Center
Main design company: CRGA
General contractor: Turner-Mahogany, joint venture
Structural Engineer: Morabito Consultants
MEP Engineer: WSP
The $12.4 million building systems overhaul is the initial phase of the medical center’s plan to convert three existing office and administration floors into patient space for the shock trauma unit. Accomplished alongside critical patient care spaces and an active heliport, the three-year, seven-phase renovation required creative team-wide planning and coordination techniques to maintain hospital services 24 hours a day hours of the day and ensure the safety of patients and staff. The project included the phase-out and replacement of two indoor air handling units (AHUs) and the complete construction of new power, hydronic and fire protection systems. Minimizing service disruptions was a priority, with the most complicated parts of the schedule subdivided into up to 16 separate phases to limit downtime and disruption.
During a pre-planned 24-hour window, sections of the ATUs were lifted by crane into the mechanical room on the upper floor through a temporary hole cut in the exterior of the building. The operation was interrupted six times to accommodate the arrival of emergency response helicopters.
Photo courtesy of Turner Construction Co.
To accommodate new main and emergency power equipment, the existing elevators and a staircase were demolished and reused as MEP shafts for new and future service. Exterior grills and metal panels were added to the existing brick facade.
The three-dimensional design of the project and the coordination technology helped to plan the upgrade, especially in the active and congested mechanical room. A complex network of fall protection measures allowed workers to move safely between levels. The standard for executing the design was extremely high, as even a half-inch deviation from the location of a hanger could have a ripple effect that would seriously hamper the project. The business partners who executed the work understood the importance of precision and pre-fabricated as much as possible to match the design.
The project team also implemented measures to meet noise limitations, established fire watch protocols and carefully coordinated scheduled outages. Efficient coordination with the loading dock kept critical deliveries on schedule throughout the project.
