Modular Construction and Prefabrication Support Healthcare Builds
n an effort to respond quickly and effectively in the current crisis, design and construction companies have been hard at work supporting the construction of new or temporary healthcare facility builds as well as modifying, when necessary, existing structures.
Modular construction has become a popular choice for teams who are working to increase hospital bed capacity. Some LCI member companies including J.E. Dunn, The Boldt Company, DPR Construction, HGA Design and Mortenson have utilized prefabrication and modular construction methods to assist on these projects. Boldt and HGA have worked in cohesion to produce prefabricated critical care negative air pressure isolation rooms, called STAAT Mods. These rooms have the ability to keep COVID-19 patients and healthcare professionals safer during treatments due to the negative air pressure that prevents the virus from spreading. Prefabrication is the catalyst for creating these rooms quickly and efficiently.
DPR Construction worked in partnership with prefabrication and modular companies to help produce temporary facilities in response to the pandemic. These facilities include medical-surgical units, ICU and isolation rooms. To prepare for a possible resurgence, DPR has indicated that the units can be stored in the shipping containers they are sent in for months. Hopefully only a precautionary measure. J.E. Dunn and Mortenson have implemented prefabrication to create temporary healthcare facilities.
LCI is proud to have member companies who are thinking in an innovative way under pressure. These projects are laying the groundwork for healthcare teams to be able to treat the maximum number of patients.
Citations:
Staying Ahead of the Virus on Site. (2020). Manhattan, New York City, New York. Engineering News-Record.
Marks, Amy. (2020, April 13). How prefab can enable the design and construction industry to bring much needed beds to hospitals, faster. Building Design and Construction. Retrieved from