As hospital campuses become more crowded and more aged, expansions and/or renovations become necessary, as part of facility operational maintenance or as a piece of an overall master plan. These major expansions or renovations often impact existing access points to hospital facilities. At the Bon Secours Mercy Health Harbour View project, the healthcare system needed to expand the existing hospital, yet space was limited on site. The decision was made to expand the front entrance of the hospital, however, the challenge in renovating the main entrance to the hospital is that it still needs to be used for patient and staff access.
The hospital expansion adds approximately 98,000 SF of patient care space to include new medical/surgical beds and operating rooms. It is also constructing a new main entrance for the facility, but the existing main entrance must be used for the duration of the construction project. This created an interesting challenge in how to approach the construction while protecting staff and patients as they enter and exit the building. Proposals were made to temporarily move the entrance to another part of the building but were quickly decided against, since it would cause stress and confusion for the staff, patients, and visitors for the duration of the project. Keeping the main entrance open during construction provides intuitive wayfinding for users and visitors. The challenge lay not only in the plan itself, but how to best communicate that plan and easily work through alternatives. Using technology that could model the space now and what it would look like at different times in the future provided clear information to make decisions regarding traffic patterns, pedestrian routes, and construction zones.
Utilizing the Right Tools
With schematic plans underway for the new Harbour View expansion, the construction team, along with the architect and owner, started investigating ways to execute construction while maintaining the flow of patients and staff uninterrupted. Using technology to create 3D and then 4D site logistics plans provide clear direction for planning and messaging to the owner and can be used for keeping status checks to the plan. These digital models are inherently flexible and provide the ability to adjust plans and create alternate scenarios when necessary.
Upfront planning gives the team the ability to make informed decisions, a critical aspect to the success of implementing a plan. Spending some time upfront using the architect’s model and creating site logistics plans that include a model of the site over time (4D) can help answer questions on site logistics that may not be apparent looking at a 2D plan. Having a model that shows traffic patterns, pedestrian routes, and construction access can aid in decision-making.
These models help on several fronts:
– Safety- By modeling vehicular and pedestrian traffic, areas of concern can be seen before they are in place so that measures can be made to prevent accidents.
– Efficiency Planning- Modeling locations for offices, toilets, storage, staging, equipment handling, and other components help to visualize how the site will function. Using 4D technology, plans can be made for different stages of construction.
– Maintenance of the Schedule- A model of the different stages of construction allows the team to self-check their schedule and make sure they are progressing as planned. Having a clear plan communicates to all team members the expectations at each phase.
Virtual Design and Construction (VDC)
On average, it takes around 40 hours of VDC work to produce a site logistics model. Of course, this depends on the size of the project and the complexity of the site logistics plan. But this initial investment of time and money can save a lot of money and brings efficiency to the construction process. To start the process, the VDC team works with the operations team to produce preliminary site logistics plans in 2D. This 2D plan is then converted into a 3D model to represent what the construction site will look like at each phase of the project. Drones are often used to generate models of the existing conditions of the site which can then be incorporated into the site logistics models. The VDC team will then review the models with the operations team and the owner and make necessary adjustments. Having 3D visuals of what the site will look like, then putting them with the schedule to make 4D models, is powerful for fine-tuning the site logistics plan and communicating the plan to others.
During the construction process, these models can be translated into video, allowing stakeholders to see the impact over time and then compared to the actual construction taking place. The owner will use printouts of the model at various stages to use for communication of construction activities to their staff, patients, and visitors. This allows all parties impacted by the construction activities to understand how the site will change over time and how they will be impacted. The use of QR codes allows staff, patients, and visitors to view the video from their own devices providing an excellent communication tool for all.
Reality Capture Software
Reality capture technologies, like Open Space, document construction progress in real-time. Team members walk the project at least once a week while wearing a 360-degree camera. The software then plots the photos onto floor plans, providing an interactive 3D map of the job site. This allows the project team and project stakeholders to view the conditions of the site for reference and planning without the need to be onsite. BIM models can be uploaded and compared with the 360-degree photos for QA/QC purposes. The software also has the capability to track the installation progress of walls, ceilings, and MEP systems. These technologies not only help with QA/QC, but aid in the site logistics updates to the owner for communications of construction progress.
The Value of Visual Communication
Although using BIM, reality capture 360-degree cameras, among other technologies require an upfront cost to the project, the streamline communication and planning will likely result in savings to the project as construction progresses. Having the ability to notice and address issues before they happen saves money and time that might be spent trying to fix something later in the process. That makes the use of these technologies priceless for projects that have tight schedules and budgets.
