EMERGENCY GENERATOR CAPACITY UPGRADES

Industrial

Nov 9

Purpose

Construction of a 4,000 SF addition at the Edward Hines, Jr. Medical Center in Chicago, IL to house two new 1,250-kW emergency generators supporting the hospital’s chiller plant. Delivered as a design-bid-build project, the work upgraded critical supporting infrastructure including stormwater systems, water mains, and installation of a 40,000-gallon fuel system. Richard completed the addition adjacent to an active 100,000 SF VA hospital, integrating new emergency power infrastructure while maintaining full hospital operations. The project enhances emergency preparedness and ensures uninterrupted cooling and power reliability for critical patient care systems during utility outages.

Project Challenges

Active hospital integration: Constructing a new generator addition next to a fully operational VA hospital required careful phasing and coordination to avoid disrupting patient care, staff operations, and emergency services.

Complex utility coordination: The project included rerouting stormwater lines, installing new water mains, and upgrading existing utilities while maintaining continuous hospital services throughout construction.

Main entrance protection: Original designs threatened closure of the hospital’s main entrance, requiring design modifications to preserve patient and visitor access for the duration of the project.

Project OUTCOME

Enhanced emergency preparedness: The hospital now benefits from two 1,250-kW emergency generators and a 40,000-gallon fuel system, ensuring continuous operation of the chiller plant and other critical systems during power outages.

Operational continuity: Full hospital operations were maintained throughout construction, with no disruption to patient care or access.

Seamless integration: The new generator addition blends architecturally and functionally with the existing medical center, appearing as a natural extension of the original facility.