Rhode Island Hospital - PROVIDENCE, RI

Commercial HVAC, Plumbing & Mechanical Construction Services

CLIENT OBJECTIVES

To handle an expanding demand for emergency, trauma and related care, while improving the overall patient experience.

VALUE DELIVERED

More and better emergency healthcare services for the surrounding region, greater employment opportunities, and increased economic development.

PROJECT SOLUTIONS

To help this client achieve its vital objectives, J.C. Higgins provided complete mechanical and plumbing services, as well as industrial piping and support system prefabrication, for a new 225,000-square-foot state-of-the-art trauma center. The company also renovated 25,000 square feet of the client’s previously existing facilities. Overall, the hospital doubled the size of its emergency department and added 10 new operating room suites. In addition, the mechanical construction and HVAC project resulted in renovated surgical preparation and patient recovery areas, and a new two-story underground garage.

J.C. Higgins’ work began during the early phases of construction when the firm’s computer-assisted design/build experts cooperated closely with the consulting engineer to identify potential project roadblocks and develop practical ways to avoid them.

The new construction consisted of a five-story healthcare facility. Three stories were finished now, while the remaining two will permit future expansion. The first two floors included an emergency department, a trauma suite and eight operating rooms, with room for more when needed.

On the third floor, J.C. Higgins installed new air-handling units as well as pumping and gas systems. To these, the company connected a distribution system consisting of industrial HVAC ductwork, diffusers, hot water reheat coils and fin tube radiation. In addition, the firm provided sanitary and domestic water plumbing, all medical gas piping, sterilizers with steam for purifying equipment, and a rooftop drainage system. During renovation of the existing building, the company installed similar distribution, commercial plumbing and piping systems for the current mechanical equipment.

The result was a significant increase in this busy hospital’s ability to continue its heritage of providing outstanding healthcare to its local community.

Renovation without disruptions: One of the client’s chief project objectives was to complete the new construction design/build and renovation without disrupting normal activities. While this was relatively straightforward during the new construction, the mechanical systems renovation process was more complex, since it involved constantly active care delivery areas. Yet, J.C. Higgins met the challenge. By implementing a phased renovation process, the company enabled the client to transfer its emergency, operating room and patient care services in stages that permitted continuous service delivery without hindering on-schedule project completion.

CLIENT BACKGROUND

Rhode Island Hospital is the 5th busiest hospital in the United States, the 4th largest medical center in New England and the only level 1 trauma center in the region. Its emergency department has experienced growing demand in recent years, with a peak 80,000 visits in 2002. The new healthcare facility can handle 110,000 patients per year.

CLIENT:
Lifespan and Rhode Island Hospital

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Walsh Brothers, Inc.

ARCHITECT:
Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK)

MECHANICAL ENGINEER:
Flack & Kurtz

MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR:
J.C. Higgins Corp.

SCHEDULE:
2 years

		New Construction
		Retrofit
		Electrical Construction
		Mechanical Construction
		Facilities Services
		Consulting Services
		HVAC Services
		Energy Services