IMEG provided engineering design and services for UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital’s Grandview Expansion project, which involved strategic planning and campus-wide infrastructure assessment and master planning process prior to receiving capital approval. The master plan included the design of a new central boiler plant and combining three independent chilled water plants into a single chiller plant (660-ton). 

IMEG participated in its development and phasing, providing medical equipment planning and full mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection services on the project. The project included a portion of renovation but primarily featured the construction of a new four-story tower containing operating suite, central sterilization services (CSS) department, emergency department, and heart center. 

The departments were relocated from their previous location in the existing facility to the Grandview Avenue side of the building. The project featured a 75,000-sf new addition and an 18,000-sf renovation on the second floor of the existing facility. Given the adjacency to patient care areas and understanding the importance of pressure relationships within and outside the project footprint, special attention was given the mechanical design and with advanced controls to provide increased efficiency and operational flexibility. 

The Grandview project features smart design using traditional hospital systems. The team was conscious of equipment ratings and high efficiency options but did not allow expensive specialty systems to be the driver for project design. Instead, focus was placed on properly designing, implementing, and controlling the systems. 

The control systems and sequences included in the project were designed to allow for efficient control of building systems under all anticipated scenarios, while utilizing a simplified user interface. New chillers were added to expand campus capacity and create one campus chilled water plant. This project integrated the existing water-cooled chillers with the new air-cooled chillers as part of a single chilled water plant. Despite three different size chillers, two different types of chillers, and two remote chiller rooms, no issues with properly controlling the chilled water system throughout all weather conditions have occurred. 

Project challenges included preparation of multiple bid packages, cross-over from existing to new systems, connection to existing infrastructure, vertical expansion, rerouting and extending distribution systems, low floor-to-ceiling heights, integrating building automation systems, phased construction, and maintaining facility operation during construction. 

Award: 

2019 ASHRAE Region VI Technology Award Honorable Mention