The Context
To get ready for students to return to campus during the Covid-19 pandemic, Northeastern University in Boston needed to construct a testing center – and do it with unprecedented speed. The site was in an existing building that wasn’t designed for the type of ventilation needed for this special use.
The Challenge
There were only a few weeks in which to convert the space into a medical pressurized space, drawing in 100% outside air and exhausting through a HEPA filter, which had to be 30 feet from any opening.
The Response
From day one, we worked closely with the engineering firm BR+A, as well as the other vendors. The mantra was: Just get it done. While the usual question is, “can you pay for it?” the driving question in this case was, “can we even get this stuff sourced, built, delivered and installed on time?” The 3x16 air handler, 15-ton condenser unit, HEPA filter and other system components were all sourced in record time. Cox had sheet metal foremen drawing up plans in the field, with the shop turning around components in as little as 24 hours, and crews in the field installing within 48 hours. A miss on the timing of any of the individual parts would have delayed the entire job.
It was the depth of experience that made the difference.
The Customer Win
Incredibly, just 34 days after the initial walkthrough, the system was balanced and completed. Our project manager sums up the project this way: “I’ve never come from a place where I had that much technical expertise behind me. What made it possible was having a good team. Our people took it and ran with it.”
