Overview

Located in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, this 402-bed hospital houses the Ginni and Richard Tauma Center, which treats more than 80,000 emergency patients annually.

Working in an active healthcare facility requires careful planning, coordinated shutdowns, and close collaboration with other trades and owner representatives. To keep hospital operations running smoothly, refurbishments take place while the building remains fully functional. Temporary air handling units (AHUs) were installed to ensure uninterrupted heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) for all affected areas.

Our Approach

We provided the mechanical and electrical scope of work for a multi-phase air handling unit refurbishment throughout the facility. These AHUs, located between the basement and the penthouse mechanical room, underwent a complete interior overhaul.

The refurbishment process included full demolition of existing AHU interiors and installation of new components, including supply and return air fans, chilled and hot water coils, pre-filter and final filter banks, and unit insulation. Additionally, the units were upgraded from pneumatic to digital controls for modernization. Each AHU refurbishment required at least two planned shutdowns, one to implement a temporary air solution and another to bring the unit back online after completion.

"This type of project is becoming a bit of a niche for us...It is even something that we're beginning to offer to other customers who are having issues with full air handling unit replacements, where we can offer refurbishment as a viable alternative," Carlos Calzada, Operations Director, said.

We performed 10 AHU refurbishments, each taking 5 to 6 weeks to complete. During the 14-month project, we reached 21,400 hours without a recordable incident.

Learn more about our AHU refurbishment process here.

Result

By fully refurbishing these AHUs, we provided a long-term equipment maintenance solution that extends system life without requiring full unit replacements. This approach offers a cost-effective and practical alternative, especially in existing buildings where new AHUs can be difficult to install.

The refurbishment process improved functionality while updating the appearance of the units, ensuring seamless hospital operations for decades to come. This innovative solution challenges industry norms, giving facility managers a viable alternative to full system replacements.