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Most jobs start with putting the ground work in for piping, but for Bellin Health’s Marinette clinic, it waited until the structure was up.
Bellin Health’s Marinette clinic is a completely new two-story clinic with multi-specialty services including exam rooms, labs, x-ray rooms, physical therapy, an MRI area and and extremely compressed construction schedule. Hurckman Mechanical performed all plumbing services for the project, a massive undertaking completed in only 6 months.
Unexpected clear winter weather allowed the construction manager to get a jump on the schedule so foundations, studs, and exterior sheeting were completed before groundwork even began. According to Hurckman foreman Mike Lee, it was a tough project to layout ground piping for two floors of exam rooms accurately. Lee and his team used a small excavator inside the building and they were digging and plotting out piping while other subcontractors were pouring concrete for the second floor above them. Crews used exacting measurements to correctly place 2” piping for more than 100 sinks in a precise grid work.
Once completed, all the groundwork was tested to ensure there were no leaks. Typically, inspectors test regions within a building, but in this case every pipe was scrutinized—further compromising the timeline. Teams had worked quickly and accurately as all installations passed inspection and no re-work was needed following testing. “On a job this size you might expect to miss gluing even one pipe, but every single connection passed inspection,” Lee said.
One of the oldest techniques provided an innovative solution to this project. The aggressive timeline meant crews would not be able to fabricate and install 130 sinks on site and still meet deadlines. Construction had been delayed by the weather and physicians had to vacate existing clinic sites by a non-negotiable date. From the very beginning of the project, Hurckman crews knew they would be trying to beat the clock on a daily basis. Team members decided up front to pre-fabricate sinks at Hurckman’s main facility. Assembling faucets and drains in the shop allowed crews to work faster, maintain quality, and become less dependent on the weather. As a result, installation on site went quickly and without re-work.
The center of the building is a two-story atrium with glass windows and no walls or ceilings. Because of the open design of the space, there were no areas planned for piping, so Hurckman crews had to find alternative routes for a chase. Teams did design/build on site and worked with other trades to create a solution for discreetly hiding mechanical pipes. Hurckman teams collaborated with electrical contractors to redesign the chase to accommodate plumbing and electrical connections.
The end result was Hurckman teams were able to deliver high quality work within a compressed timeframe. This allowed the construction team to meet the customer’s occupancy deadlines and complete Marinette’s first full-service clinic for Bellin Health.
For more information on how Hurckman Mechanical can provide innovative solutions on your next HVAC project, contact us.
