Even small projects can have their share of logistic challenges. A recent 2,800-SF renovation within the Duke Regional Hospital seemed pretty straightforward. It involved reconfiguring existing work areas on level 1 into office, conference rooms, training rooms and classrooms for the hospital’s Educational Services group.

Because the work was within an active hospital environment, however, the team needed to follow Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) procedures. In addition, they had to ensure Life Safety Systems were available while electrical, mechanical, fire alarm and fire protection systems were being reconfigured to serve the new space.

They also faced some unexpected challenges. After permits were issued and demolition started, the floor plan was re-worked. As construction began, the owner requested that the team break the project into phases to accommodate movement of staff out of and into the old and new spaces.  That meant rather than completing a task – like demolition or drywall – across the entire project, the team had to schedule subcontractors to complete work on one section, then repeat the cycle on the next.

Luckily, an experienced project team is able to adjust the workflow to address changes as they arise. In this case, the team accommodated all requirements and requests and still completed work within the allotted timeframe.  In fact, based on the success on this renovation, LeChase was awarded another project at the same facility.

Even before construction started in January on Duke University’s new Chiller Plant 3, LeChase’s preconstruction team had been hard at work on the project. Initially, plans had called for an expansion of an existing chiller plant; however, with growing energy needs for heating and cooling campus buildings, the plan changed. LeChase, Duke’s utility group and designers worked out details for a third plant that would provide high-efficiency, low carbon energy. They also broke the work into phases to meet near-term and future needs.

Phase 1 covers improvements to the 7.38-acre site and construction of a two-story building to deliver 7,500 tons of chilled water to the medical center and schools of medicine and nursing. The building will also include space to add future capacity. In addition, a one-story building will be constructed to house electrical switch gear and materials.

Phase 2 will add more chilled water capacity, as well as a heat recovery system generating hot water, to supply planned redevelopment on central campus.

With the recent notice to proceed on construction, teams started by installing high voltage electrical ductbanks at the site. Grading of the site is now underway and work on the physical structure will commence later in March.

The project team expects to deliver phase 1 of the plant in mid-2020. A second phase, which will add additional capacity for chilled and hot water, will happen at a later time in conjunction with further development on the school’s central campus.