Hospitals are retrofitting existing space in order to integrate modern equipment and technology into their buildings. In facilities that are 40 and 50 years old, this comes with many challenges, according to an article on the Colorado Real Estate Real Journal website.
The size of the new equipment, the need to reconfigured floor plans and existing building constraints must be considered.
Many times, new medical equipment requires larger or reconfigured rooms in which to operate, due to changing procedure workflow, equipment layout and clearances, as well as corresponding support corresponding spaces.
In addition, operating and lighting booms can add significant loads to the existing structure and in new locations where support may not be available. As new mechanical and electrical equipment are added to support the new spaces, new air handling units, for example, additional structure support may need to be added.
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