THE CHALLENGE

Built in 1977, the surgical floor of this community hospital hadn’t been touched since. Looking to expand the size of five existing operating rooms to accommodate more equipment and people, administrators embarked on a complete upgrade of the 17,000-square-foot space but required that all surgical services remain fully operational during the renovations.

KED SOLUTION

Phase one of the upgrade involved demolishing two existing operating rooms, reconstructing one and then building out a 3,000-square-foot addition — where surgery could shift during phase two of the project, which consisted primarily of operating room renovations. Because surgical suites must be kept at extremely low temperatures (64-65°F) for infection control and surgeon comfort, we selected a glycol chiller that runs with antifreeze in chilled water. It connects to the air-handling units to keep operating room temperatures consistently cold without running the risk of freezing.