The Mercer University School of Medicine campus in Columbus, Georgia, is designed and built for the future: the facility’s state-of-the-art classrooms and research laboratories prepare the next generation of healthcare workers while improving healthcare access for its surrounding rural communities.

Maxair Mechanical and NBP Engineers worked closely with Victaulic to design and install a sophisticated mechanical system to service the two-story campus, with special consideration for critical areas such as the university’s gross anatomy lab and vivarium. The full scope of work included installing three boilers, chilled and heating water piping and pumps, a condenser system and five dedicated air handling units (AHUs) for the laboratories.

To accommodate the larger AHUs specified by NBP Engineers required to meet the load demand of the 77,000-square-foot building and its key areas. The Victaulic Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) team maximized the available footprint by creating 3D models that optimized the equipment and piping layout of the facility’s four mechanical spaces.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented inherent challenges to the project’s strict timeline. Maxair streamlined spool production using a Victaulic roll grooving tool at their fabrication shop. Maxair’s decision to pre-fabricate pipe spools translated to significant time savings, with a 70% reduction of field joints across the project. When crews arrived at Mercer University, spool maps outlined precisely where to install each component. Clear instructions combined with easy- and fast-to-install Victaulic grooved products (including couplings, fittings, valves and equipment modules) enabled Maxair Mechanical to mitigate risk and stay ahead of schedule.

The close coordination and strategic partnership between Victaulic, Maxair Mechanical and NBP Engineers was crucial in successfully delivering the new School of Medicine. Mercer University welcomed its inaugural class of medical students to the campus in 2021.

Read more in MCAA Smart Solutions Winter Edition 2023: https://www.mcaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SS-Winter-2023-Final-with-Links-1.pdf