Macon is now home to a new, state-of-the-art pain clinic. Axis Pain Center is one of the largest pain management practices in Middle Georgia and their brand new facility is home to features you would see in a first class hospital or outpatient surgery center. The HVAC requirements for these facilities fall into the same overall classification as hospitals and have a Class C designation based on the in-house procedures performed.
Stroud & Company, General Contractors for the project, asked us to partner with them by designing and installing the mechanical systems for this facility. This project was fast tracked from day one, meaning that both construction and design would be going on at the same time, allowing for a quicker turn-around, without affecting quality. It also allows for some changes as the construction process progresses, as most medical facilities are dynamic and need to have some flexibility with final details.
A major key to the success of this project is that our team of designers and contractors must stay on the same page with overall construction coordination. Anticipating mechanical details that allow for precise temperature and humidity control as well as required air changes and static pressures in the space is crucial to the success of the facility. The most critical spaces on this project were the two operating room suites and their compliance with State requirements.
We were able to design a complete system using a combination of specialized rooftop equipment with a direct digital control system (i-Vu) and separate laboratory exhaust and mini-split HVAC systems. The system is capable of maintaining multi-zone comfort challenges along with specific air changes as required by a joint commission review. Upon completion, an independent test & balance company (Thomas Balancing) certified that each grille has the proper CFM of air distributed to each space while air changes and positive/negative pressures were achieved, as specified.
What makes us enviable partners in a project like this is the passion our team has for the facility and its mechanical system, along with patient and staff comfort. This is reflected in our commitment beyond the construction phase. According to ASHRAE, the total design-build cost of a new facility is roughly 15-25% of the total life cycle cost of that building. Our goal is to help building owners control operation, maintenance and equipment replacement costs (75-85%), while assisting them with tasks that need to be performed to keep a facility running smoothly over the remaining life of their building.
We have spent over 50 years enhancing our expertise in regards to designing and building a sustainable and efficient facility for our partners. We take tremendous pride in caring for a facility’s mechanical system while insuring comfort issues do not arise.
