For essential services projects, MEP/FP engineering site visits still need to occur during the COVID-19 crisis. Hospitals and other health care locations are significantly challenged by how to conduct visits like construction progress reviews, punch lists, etc. while maintaining safe practices such a social distancing.
Recently, Fitzemeyer & Tocci partnered with Shawmut Design and Construction to conduct virtual site visits for a critical project, St. Luke's Hospital Intensive Care Unit, to keep it moving forward and open needed intensive care beds.
The virtual site visit utilized enhanced photos and real time social media-based video conferencing. F&T used the technologies to review the current above ceiling conditions with the construction team; identifying deficiencies and outstanding open items in real time and coordinating close-out of completed items.
The virtual collaboration successfully enabled this critical project to move forward and secure a final certificate of occupancy. The new project, nearing completion now, provides highly needed new intensive care beds at a time when increasing beds are desperately needed to combat the COVID-19 crisis.
Written by:
Thomas Batts
MEP Construction Manager