PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The objective of this project is to provide a comprehensive design package for the upgrade and renovation of the entire chilled water and steam distribution systems throughout the Jackson Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center. Built in 1959, this sixty-five-year old building requires updates to the original chilled water, condensing water, steam supply, and condensate return systems, as well as connected equipment. The existing piping, and access to that piping, is impacted by highly expandable clay at the ground level. The piping runs through an existing subbasement with this soil as the floor.
Marais is providing civil design services for the project with several design tasks. We are performing geotechnical analyses and design aimed at preventing future impact from the expandable clay by creating an impervious barrier and drainage system in the subbasement below the building complex. To accomplish this, the project team will design the routing of new lines and attachments to the building and replace the current, leaking pipes. We will also provide drainage design plans to offer a secondary level of protection under the building, with extensive trenching and backfill design, and a soil removal plan. Our scope also includes routing of any utility lines outside of the footprint of the structure.
This urban infrastructure project is being completed at a working Veteran’s Hospital, presenting unique challenges for scheduling and access. In order to provide the best value for the U.S. Department of Defense, we have been actively engaged in the value engineering efforts for this project. By utilizing our materials expertise, we have made recommendations for best practices in our design process to reduce construction costs. We are designing and analyzing several alternatives for access to the subbasement area and for removal of the existing soil to accommodate the work.