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BEST PRACTICES Fanwall Technology a vital component of rapid air-handler replacements in hospitals By Scott Duckworth Because building occupants depend on conditioned air, the normally lengthy process of air-handling unit replacement can have a significant impact on occupant comfort. In hospital environments, however, where AHU functionality plays a vital role in infection control, as well as comfort, fast and efficient AHU replacement is critical. A fast replacement project commonly spans a week or more, with substantial impact to the affected facility. Though hospital officials may recognize the advantages of updating aging AHU systems, concern over a lengthy shutdown and the potential negative impact to patient care leaves many hospital administrators in a quandary. An expedited replacement process that does not sacrifice safety or quality is the answer to that dilemma. General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie's method, honed during Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital's $200-million construction project, reduces the replacement time by more than half, resulting in successful replacements in as little as from 36 to 48 hours. Replacing AHUs at any hospital presents a variety of challenges, chief among them ensuring that hospital operations are minimally affected by maintaining optimal conditions for patient care during the project. In addition, limiting factors such as space constraints and weight restrictions 56 Medical Construction & Design | January/February 2013 Bringing a new unit in through an existing air vent required cutting large beams and navigating the unit through a tight passageway. must be overcome. In many older facilities such as Moses Cone Hospital, built in 1947, the challenges are greater because when the AHUs were placed into service, the space design did not account for eventual removal. Replacing these systems successfully in an abbreviated time without adversely affecting patient care requires extensive planning and risk analysis, exceptional collaboration among team members, including hospital facilities representatives and key subcontractors, and detailed and accurate task sequencing combined with precision execution. Many mechanical rooms contain two or three units, and the project can require three months of advanced planning for each room. The first step is an assessment to determine which hospital areas and functions will be affected by each www.mcdmag.com