Pierce Associates, Inc.

	Kaiser Permanente
	Owner:	Kaiser Permanente
	Architect:	Cannon
	Engineer:	Cannon
	Contract Value:	$1.1 Million

This medical center was built on a fast track schedule. The building mechanical systems included 5 VAV roof top units totaling 170 tons, over 100 VAV boxes with reheat coils and all associated ductwork and piping. The plumbing system comprised of all typical plumbing work and the installation of 400 oil fired hot water heaters and related pumps. Two remote fuel oil tanks and their associated double wall piping were supplied and installed to service the water heaters.

	NIH - Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center
	Owner:	National Institute of Health
	Architect:	Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership
	Engineer:	Affiliated Engineering
	Contract Value:	$55 Million

This 850,000 GSF project includes: research laboratories, a 250-bed hospital, an outpatient clinic, NIH offices, and other common facilities. A key feature of this project is the proximity of laboratories to patient care. NIH has established a tradition of rapidly moving scientific findings into mainstream medical practice, and the close relationship between laboratory and patient-care functions will continue this tradition.

The project consists of a low-rise structure that provides a humanly-scaled, readable, flexible, and efficient workspace for the staff, and a comfortable environment for patients and visitors. Four brick wings, paired around landscaped courtyards, will flank a glass-enclosed science court. This ten-story space provides a main gathering area and serves as the circulation hub of the complex. A double-helix stair – designed to resemble the structure of the DNA molecule – serves as the defining element of the science court. Connecting all floors of the CRC at alternating quadrants, the stair hangs from trusses overhead, allowing it to visually float and enhancing the overall lightness of the space.

	Johns Hopkins Ambulatory Care Building
	Owner:	Johns Hopkins Hospital
	Architect:	Payette Associates, Inc.
	Engineer:	Bard Rao & Athanas
	Contract Value:	$14.5 Million

This building is a new medical facility for Johns Hopkins outpatient care and surgical procedures. The lower level of this building has eight operating-room suites, related pre and post-operative rooms, laboratories, and surgical support facilities. These rooms required the HVAC, medical gas, and plumbing systems to be independent of the systems on the upper floors. The upper floors consisted primarily of examination and procedure suites that required extensive plumbing and medical gas system.

The HVAC system consisted of approximately 600 VAV boxes, with reheat coils, which were fed by six, custom made, built-up, roof top air-handling units. The special procedure rooms (X-ray, CAT scan, and MRI) scattered throughout the building required precise environmental control.

	Genesys Healthcare
	Owner:	Genesys Healthcare Systems
	Architect:	NBBJ Architecture Design & Planning
	Engineer:	DiClemente Sigal Engineers
	Contract Value:	$32.2 Million

This hospital was built on a fast track schedule, with a planned duration of thirty (30) months. Actual construction took thirty months and was completed in December of 1996. To ensure that the construction schedule would be met without exceeding the budget, Pierce Associates provided preconstruction services. Pierce’s early involvement with the project allowed the mechanical system to be coordinated and designed in conjunction with the schematic design phase. During the schematic design phase, Pierce determined the types of mechanical materials and equipment that was to be used throughout the project, thus ensuring that our costs would not exceed a guaranteed maximum price. Additionally, this process allowed Pierce to commit to fixed pricing with subcontractors and suppliers and avoid cost escalation.

The main cooling system consists of one 775 ton steam fired absorption chiller, two 800 ton centrifugal chillers, and six packaged cooling towers. This system then fed 19 custom fabricated variable volume A.C. units with 1,300 VAV terminal units. The heart of the heating system includes three gas-fired steam boilers (1,330 HP) with a deaerator, condensate pumps, and all of the necessary distribution piping and insulation. A complete medical gas system, with a medical vacuum pump and medical air compressor is also in place.