Code Red Consultants
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Experience: Market: Healthcare

Longwood Medical Helipad

One of Boston’s world-renowned medical facilities recently completed a new helipad to jointly serve their own and other neighboring facilities in the Longwood Medical Area. Designed by NBBJ and constructed by Walsh Brothers, the new helipad sits 262 feet high on top of the Tower roof, more than 50 feet above the old helipad landing site. The new and improved helipad is larger and can accommodate heavier aircraft, including those used by the U.S. Coast Guard for medical emergencies from offshore sites. As part of the project, two of the existing elevators were extended two stories to reach the new helipad.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant, responsible for developing a detailed code report documenting compliance with the Massachusetts State Building Code and NFPA 418, Standard for Heliports, associated with this unique project. This report was utilized as the basis for review and approvals by the Boston Inspectional Services Department and Boston Fire Department. During construction, Code Red Consultants was also responsible for developing an NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Plan to assist with Fire Department and emergency responder response and to help ensure that the property and hospital patients, staff, and visitors were safe at all times.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

Rooftop Structure

Cost

Unknown

Completion

2018

Rending Credit | Photography Credit

Confidential

Longwood Medical Helipad

One of Boston’s world-renowned medical facilities recently completed a new helipad to jointly serve their own and other neighboring facilities in the Longwood Medical Area. Designed by NBBJ and constructed by Walsh Brothers, the new helipad sits 262 feet high on top of the Tower roof, more than 50 feet above the old helipad landing site. The new and improved helipad is larger and can accommodate heavier aircraft, including those used by the U.S. Coast Guard for medical emergencies from offshore sites. As part of the project, two of the existing elevators were extended two stories to reach the new helipad.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant, responsible for developing a detailed code report documenting compliance with the Massachusetts State Building Code and NFPA 418, Standard for Heliports, associated with this unique project. This report was utilized as the basis for review and approvals by the Boston Inspectional Services Department and Boston Fire Department. During construction, Code Red Consultants was also responsible for developing an NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Plan to assist with Fire Department and emergency responder response and to help ensure that the property and hospital patients, staff, and visitors were safe at all times.

Stamford Hospital

Stamford Hospital recently opened a new 12-story, 650,000 SF replacement hospital in Stamford, Conn. Code Red Consultants was retained directly by Stamford Hospital to serve as an independent third party inspector during construction of the new facility. The firm was responsible for performing firestopping inspections and fire door inspections as well as inspections during construction of fire and smoke rated walls, means of egress, and other key life safety and fire protection features in accordance with the Connecticut State Building Code, Connecticut State Fire Safety Code, and NFPA 101, as the Life Safety Code by the Joint Commission and Department of Public Health. Code Red Consultants worked closely with Stamford Hospital, WHR Architects, and Skanska to help ensure that construction was compliant with applicable codes and standards. In addition to their inspection role, Code Red Consultants also prepared master life safety drawings and fire protection inventory drawings for fire dampers, fire doors, and sprinkler control valves for Stamford Hospital.

Location

Stamford, Conn.

Size

650,000 SF

Cost

$450 million

Completion

2017

Photography Credit

Esto (exterior), Stamford Hospital (interior)

Stamford Hospital

Stamford Hospital recently opened a new 12-story, 650,000 SF replacement hospital in Stamford, Conn. Code Red Consultants was retained directly by Stamford Hospital to serve as an independent third party inspector during construction of the new facility. The firm was responsible for performing firestopping inspections and fire door inspections as well as inspections during construction of fire and smoke rated walls, means of egress, and other key life safety and fire protection features in accordance with the Connecticut State Building Code, Connecticut State Fire Safety Code, and NFPA 101, as the Life Safety Code by the Joint Commission and Department of Public Health. Code Red Consultants worked closely with Stamford Hospital, WHR Architects, and Skanska to help ensure that construction was compliant with applicable codes and standards. In addition to their inspection role, Code Red Consultants also prepared master life safety drawings and fire protection inventory drawings for fire dampers, fire doors, and sprinkler control valves for Stamford Hospital.

Vassar Brothers Medical Center Inpatient Pavilion

Considered the largest construction project in the City of Poughkeepsie’s history, a new inpatient pavilion under construction at Vassar Brothers Medical Center will change how patients in the region experience healthcare. The new eight-story facility includes an emergency department and trauma center, state-of-the-art operating suites, a 30-bed critical care unit, more than 200 private patient rooms, a rooftop helistop, and a conference center. The innovative building will have a distinctive shape that follows the aesthetic of the Hudson River.

Working with architect CallisonRTKL, Code Red Consultants’ services included development of a comprehensive code report, preparation of life safety plans, and coordination with design team members and Authorities Having Jurisdiction on all code compliance facets of the project. Our firm was engaged early in the design process to establish a code compliance strategy for the building, a critical step in determining how the new hospital would be integrated with the existing facility. As a longtime consultant for Health Quest, Code Red Consultants was relied upon to help ensure that the facility would be code compliant for all regulatory agencies including the City of Poughkeepsie, New York Department of Health, The Joint Commission, and CMS.

One of the most significant challenges was that the healthcare requirements of the 2010 New York State Building Code, based on the 2006 International Building Code, were somewhat outdated. In some instances, these requirements were significantly more stringent than future editions of the Code as well as the provisions of NFPA 101. Code Red Consultants proposed solutions as alternative methods of design to alleviate design challenges and reduce construction costs. One of these alternative methods included the omission of smoke dampers at ducted penetrations of smoke barrier walls. This accepted solution saved the hospital hundreds of thousands of dollars in installation costs as well as significant inspection, testing, and maintenance costs over the life of the building.

Location

Poughkeepsie, NY

Size

752,000 SF

Cost

$500 million

Completion

2019

Vassar Brothers Medical Center Inpatient Pavilion

Considered the largest construction project in the City of Poughkeepsie’s history, a new inpatient pavilion under construction at Vassar Brothers Medical Center will change how patients in the region experience healthcare. The new eight-story facility includes an emergency department and trauma center, state-of-the-art operating suites, a 30-bed critical care unit, more than 200 private patient rooms, a rooftop helistop, and a conference center. The innovative building will have a distinctive shape that follows the aesthetic of the Hudson River.

Working with architect CallisonRTKL, Code Red Consultants’ services included development of a comprehensive code report, preparation of life safety plans, and coordination with design team members and Authorities Having Jurisdiction on all code compliance facets of the project. Our firm was engaged early in the design process to establish a code compliance strategy for the building, a critical step in determining how the new hospital would be integrated with the existing facility. As a longtime consultant for Health Quest, Code Red Consultants was relied upon to help ensure that the facility would be code compliant for all regulatory agencies including the City of Poughkeepsie, New York Department of Health, The Joint Commission, and CMS.

One of the most significant challenges was that the healthcare requirements of the 2010 New York State Building Code, based on the 2006 International Building Code, were somewhat outdated. In some instances, these requirements were significantly more stringent than future editions of the Code as well as the provisions of NFPA 101. Code Red Consultants proposed solutions as alternative methods of design to alleviate design challenges and reduce construction costs. One of these alternative methods included the omission of smoke dampers at ducted penetrations of smoke barrier walls. This accepted solution saved the hospital hundreds of thousands of dollars in installation costs as well as significant inspection, testing, and maintenance costs over the life of the building.

South Shore Hospital, Messina Addition

South Shore Hospital is the region’s leading provider of emergency, acute and outpatient care to the residents of Southeastern Massachusetts. Replacing an outdated intensive care unit (ICU), the hospital recently opened a new 24-bed ICU suite with the addition of a two-story vertical expansion to the existing Messina Building. Code Red Consultants served in various roles on the project.

During the design phase, Code Red Consultants served as code consultant to SmithGroup (formerly TRO) and prepared a comprehensive code compliance approach report that addressed the scope of work necessary to implement the enhanced life safety features required in a high-rise structure in the context of the existing building. Additionally, Code Red Consultants assisted the project team in successfully obtaining approval from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to utilize the latest healthcare design requirements in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) on the project. This was a key factor in aligning the design requirements of the IBC with the requirement of NFPA 101, and achieving a compliant and efficient design for the client.

Prior to the start of construction, Code Red Consultants assisted South Shore Hospital and Turner Construction with the preparation of the campus and project NFPA 241, Construction Fire Safety Plan. The plan outlined the requirements associated with protecting the contractor, fire department, and building occupants from the inherent fire hazards associated with construction. During construction, Code Red Consultants served as the Smoke Control Special Inspector for South Shore Hospital and assisted with the commissioning of the new stair pressurization systems.

Location

Weymouth, Mass.

Size

42,300 SF

Cost

$62 million

Completion

2017

Photography Credit

SmithGroup (formerly TRO)

South Shore Hospital, Messina Addition

South Shore Hospital is the region’s leading provider of emergency, acute and outpatient care to the residents of Southeastern Massachusetts. Replacing an outdated intensive care unit (ICU), the hospital recently opened a new 24-bed ICU suite with the addition of a two-story vertical expansion to the existing Messina Building. Code Red Consultants served in various roles on the project.

During the design phase, Code Red Consultants served as code consultant to SmithGroup (formerly TRO) and prepared a comprehensive code compliance approach report that addressed the scope of work necessary to implement the enhanced life safety features required in a high-rise structure in the context of the existing building. Additionally, Code Red Consultants assisted the project team in successfully obtaining approval from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to utilize the latest healthcare design requirements in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) on the project. This was a key factor in aligning the design requirements of the IBC with the requirement of NFPA 101, and achieving a compliant and efficient design for the client.

Prior to the start of construction, Code Red Consultants assisted South Shore Hospital and Turner Construction with the preparation of the campus and project NFPA 241, Construction Fire Safety Plan. The plan outlined the requirements associated with protecting the contractor, fire department, and building occupants from the inherent fire hazards associated with construction. During construction, Code Red Consultants served as the Smoke Control Special Inspector for South Shore Hospital and assisted with the commissioning of the new stair pressurization systems.

North Shore Medical Center Consolidation

North Shore Medical Center (NSMC), a community hospital in the Partners HealthCare system, is undergoing a 255,000 SF expansion and renovation project on its Salem, Mass. campus. The $207 million project includes a new 118,000 SF building for the emergency department and a family-centered medical/surgical inpatient unit, as well as a 137,000 SF renovation of the former Spaulding North Shore building to expand NSMC’s behavioral health services for children, adolescents, adults and seniors. With the goal of improving care and coordination across a wide spectrum of health services, the project consolidates NSMC’s hospital-based medical, surgical and behavioral health services on its Salem Hospital campus to create a robust regional facility for inpatient and emergency care.

Designed by Shepley Bulfinch and constructed by Walsh Brothers, Inc., the new building includes a new 64,000 SF emergency department with dedicated areas for adult and pediatric care, separate treatment space for adult behavioral health patients, and 24 new private inpatient rooms on a medical/surgical floor. The renovated building provides 90 behavioral health beds to serve children, adolescents, adults and seniors, increasing NSMC’s mental health treatment capacity by 36 percent and adding 24 much-needed beds to the community.

Code Red Consultants’ services included development of a comprehensive code report, preparation of life safety plans, and coordination with design team members and Authorities Having Jurisdiction on all code compliance facets of the project. The building was designed and permitted under the 8th Edition of the Mass. State Building Code, which required smoke dampers to be provided at the HVAC penetrations of all smoke barrier walls – a feature no longer required under newer code editions. Code Red Consultants pursued and was granted a variance to omit the smoke dampers at all smoke barrier penetrations on the basis of the newer code language. This accepted solution saved the hospital considerable expense in installation costs as well as significant inspection, testing, and maintenance costs over the life of the building.

Location

Salem, Mass.

Size

255,000 SF

Cost

$207 million

Completion

2019 (proposed)

North Shore Medical Center Consolidation

North Shore Medical Center (NSMC), a community hospital in the Partners HealthCare system, is undergoing a 255,000 SF expansion and renovation project on its Salem, Mass. campus. The $207 million project includes a new 118,000 SF building for the emergency department and a family-centered medical/surgical inpatient unit, as well as a 137,000 SF renovation of the former Spaulding North Shore building to expand NSMC’s behavioral health services for children, adolescents, adults and seniors. With the goal of improving care and coordination across a wide spectrum of health services, the project consolidates NSMC’s hospital-based medical, surgical and behavioral health services on its Salem Hospital campus to create a robust regional facility for inpatient and emergency care.

Designed by Shepley Bulfinch and constructed by Walsh Brothers, Inc., the new building includes a new 64,000 SF emergency department with dedicated areas for adult and pediatric care, separate treatment space for adult behavioral health patients, and 24 new private inpatient rooms on a medical/surgical floor. The renovated building provides 90 behavioral health beds to serve children, adolescents, adults and seniors, increasing NSMC’s mental health treatment capacity by 36 percent and adding 24 much-needed beds to the community.

Code Red Consultants’ services included development of a comprehensive code report, preparation of life safety plans, and coordination with design team members and Authorities Having Jurisdiction on all code compliance facets of the project. The building was designed and permitted under the 8th Edition of the Mass. State Building Code, which required smoke dampers to be provided at the HVAC penetrations of all smoke barrier walls – a feature no longer required under newer code editions. Code Red Consultants pursued and was granted a variance to omit the smoke dampers at all smoke barrier penetrations on the basis of the newer code language. This accepted solution saved the hospital considerable expense in installation costs as well as significant inspection, testing, and maintenance costs over the life of the building.

New England Baptist Hospital

Code Red Consultants has served as New England Baptist Hospital’s fire protection and life safety code consultant since the firm’s founding in 2013. Services provided include performing annual statement of condition assessments, life safety drawing preparation, fire door inspections, fire stopping inspections, oversight of fire protection and life safety system maintenance and testing, and services associated with assisting the hospital in maintaining Joint Commission and Center for Medicare and Medicaid regulatory compliance. In addition to these services, Code Red Consultants has worked on a number of renovation projects at NEBH, for which the firm has provided fire alarm and sprinkler design and NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Plans. The campus of New England Baptist Hospital includes healthcare spaces as well as business occupancies and assembly occupancies dating back to the late 1800’s.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

Various

Cost

N/A

Completion

Ongoing

Photography Credit

New England Baptist Hospital

New England Baptist Hospital

Code Red Consultants has served as New England Baptist Hospital’s fire protection and life safety code consultant since the firm’s founding in 2013. Services provided include performing annual statement of condition assessments, life safety drawing preparation, fire door inspections, fire stopping inspections, oversight of fire protection and life safety system maintenance and testing, and services associated with assisting the hospital in maintaining Joint Commission and Center for Medicare and Medicaid regulatory compliance. In addition to these services, Code Red Consultants has worked on a number of renovation projects at NEBH, for which the firm has provided fire alarm and sprinkler design and NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Plans. The campus of New England Baptist Hospital includes healthcare spaces as well as business occupancies and assembly occupancies dating back to the late 1800’s.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital NICU Expansion

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) completed a three-phase addition and renovation project of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Connors Center for Women’s Health Building. Code Red Consultants was retained directly by the general contractor, Walsh Brothers, to develop a comprehensive NFPA 241 plan that ensured the fire safety of staff, patients, and construction personnel over the course of the project, which was built adjacent to the active NICU and directly over the occupied Labor, Delivery, and Recovery Unit on the fifth Floor.

Upon completion of the expansion, Code Red Consultants helped the NICU maintain continuous occupancy during the subsequent and complicated phased renovation project. This was achieved via negotiations with Boston city officials, where there was an upfront contract that the fire and life safety systems afforded to building occupants would not be compromised. In this spirit, Code Red Consultants recommissioned the building smoke control systems prior to each turn of occupancy and achieved Boston Fire Department approval at each phase’s first acceptance test visit. Code Red Consultants’ hands-on approach ensured that the important NICU facility would open on time.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

20,000 SF

Cost

N/A

Completion

2017

Rendering Credit

Code Red Consultants

Brigham and Women’s Hospital NICU Expansion

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) completed a three-phase addition and renovation project of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Connors Center for Women’s Health Building. Code Red Consultants was retained directly by the general contractor, Walsh Brothers, to develop a comprehensive NFPA 241 plan that ensured the fire safety of staff, patients, and construction personnel over the course of the project, which was built adjacent to the active NICU and directly over the occupied Labor, Delivery, and Recovery Unit on the fifth Floor.

Upon completion of the expansion, Code Red Consultants helped the NICU maintain continuous occupancy during the subsequent and complicated phased renovation project. This was achieved via negotiations with Boston city officials, where there was an upfront contract that the fire and life safety systems afforded to building occupants would not be compromised. In this spirit, Code Red Consultants recommissioned the building smoke control systems prior to each turn of occupancy and achieved Boston Fire Department approval at each phase’s first acceptance test visit. Code Red Consultants’ hands-on approach ensured that the important NICU facility would open on time.

Boston Medical Center Expansion

Boston Medical Center’s campus redesign project consists of various renovation and addition projects to the Menino and Moakley Buildings as well as renovations to the Yawkey Building to accommodate services from the East Newton campus. Providing services directly to Boston Medical Center, Code Red Consultants prepared construction fire safety and NFPA 241 programs, performed smoke control special inspections, conducted firestopping and fire door inspections, and provided healthcare regulatory compliance consulting services.

Within the individual projects, Code Red Consultants also served as the code consultant to architect SmithGroup (formerly TRO) on the Menino project, which consists of a 75,000 SF addition to the existing building plus a substantial renovation to approximately 275,000 SF on the basement and five floors of the building. An IPD team project, Code Red Consultants developed a comprehensive code compliance approach for the project and created life safety drawings for the 20+ phases of construction to illustrate continuous compliance with the Authorities Having Jurisdiction. Code Red Consultants also served as the code consultant to Tsoi Kobus Design for the renovation of the Yawkey Building’s fifth floor, transforming it from an outpatient medical office space to an inpatient hospital floor. Serving in various capacities, Code Red Consultants maintained a weekly on-site presence for a five-year duration of the project.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

Various Campus Projects

Cost

$300 million

Completion

2019

Photography Credit

Dave Pires

Boston Medical Center Expansion

Boston Medical Center’s campus redesign project consists of various renovation and addition projects to the Menino and Moakley Buildings as well as renovations to the Yawkey Building to accommodate services from the East Newton campus. Providing services directly to Boston Medical Center, Code Red Consultants prepared construction fire safety and NFPA 241 programs, performed smoke control special inspections, conducted firestopping and fire door inspections, and provided healthcare regulatory compliance consulting services.

Within the individual projects, Code Red Consultants also served as the code consultant to architect SmithGroup (formerly TRO) on the Menino project, which consists of a 75,000 SF addition to the existing building plus a substantial renovation to approximately 275,000 SF on the basement and five floors of the building. An IPD team project, Code Red Consultants developed a comprehensive code compliance approach for the project and created life safety drawings for the 20+ phases of construction to illustrate continuous compliance with the Authorities Having Jurisdiction. Code Red Consultants also served as the code consultant to Tsoi Kobus Design for the renovation of the Yawkey Building’s fifth floor, transforming it from an outpatient medical office space to an inpatient hospital floor. Serving in various capacities, Code Red Consultants maintained a weekly on-site presence for a five-year duration of the project.

Baystate Medical Center

Baystate Medical Center (BMC) is a 716-bed academic medical center and a training site for the University of Massachusetts Medical School. BMC is the regional hospital for Baystate Health, a not-for-profit, integrated health care system serving more than 800,000 people throughout western New England. Baystate Health turned to Code Red Consultants to help maintain life safety compliance with the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for BMC’s main campus in Springfield, Mass.

Code Red Consultants’ services included performing on-site life safety inspections for compliance with the 2012 Edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code for the entire main campus as well as the D’Amour Center for Cancer Care, Baystate Orthopedic Surgery Center, and Baystate Chestnut Surgery Center. Our firm also performed a documentation review in accordance with NFPA codes and standards for all fire protection and life safety inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements, and master life safety plans were developed and updated as a result of recent renovation and fit-out projects. The services Code Red Consultants provides are part of the consistent life safety compliance approach Baystate Health has developed system-wide to reduce risk and ensure compliance is continually maintained in their facilities.

Location

Springfield, Mass.

Size

1.8 million SF

Photography Credit

Baystate Health

Baystate Medical Center

Baystate Medical Center (BMC) is a 716-bed academic medical center and a training site for the University of Massachusetts Medical School. BMC is the regional hospital for Baystate Health, a not-for-profit, integrated health care system serving more than 800,000 people throughout western New England. Baystate Health turned to Code Red Consultants to help maintain life safety compliance with the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for BMC’s main campus in Springfield, Mass.

Code Red Consultants’ services included performing on-site life safety inspections for compliance with the 2012 Edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code for the entire main campus as well as the D’Amour Center for Cancer Care, Baystate Orthopedic Surgery Center, and Baystate Chestnut Surgery Center. Our firm also performed a documentation review in accordance with NFPA codes and standards for all fire protection and life safety inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements, and master life safety plans were developed and updated as a result of recent renovation and fit-out projects. The services Code Red Consultants provides are part of the consistent life safety compliance approach Baystate Health has developed system-wide to reduce risk and ensure compliance is continually maintained in their facilities.

Baystate Children’s Hospital Pediatric Procedure Unit and Sadowsky Center for Children

Baystate Children’s Hospital (BCH), a 110-bed and 57-bassinette hospital located within Baystate Medical Center, is the only accredited full-service children’s hospital in western Massachusetts and provides primary and advanced medical care to babies, children, and adolescents and their families.

For BCH’s new 15,000 SF pediatric procedure and infusion suite at Baystate Medical Center, Code Red Consultants served as the code consultants to Steffian Bradley Architects during project design. Code Red Consultants was responsible for preparing the code compliance approach and life safety drawings for the project. During construction, the firm worked for Baystate Medical Center as third-party inspector to review the construction of the project for compliance with the Massachusetts State Building Code and NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code. These inspections included detailed reviews of the construction of fire-rated walls, firestopping, fire doors, and the means of egress serving the newly constructed space.

Location

Springfield, Mass.

Size

15,000 SF

Cost

N/A

Completion

2017

Photography Credit

Bruce T. Martin Photography

Baystate Children’s Hospital Pediatric Procedure Unit and Sadowsky Center for Children

Baystate Children’s Hospital (BCH), a 110-bed and 57-bassinette hospital located within Baystate Medical Center, is the only accredited full-service children’s hospital in western Massachusetts and provides primary and advanced medical care to babies, children, and adolescents and their families.

For BCH’s new 15,000 SF pediatric procedure and infusion suite at Baystate Medical Center, Code Red Consultants served as the code consultants to Steffian Bradley Architects during project design. Code Red Consultants was responsible for preparing the code compliance approach and life safety drawings for the project. During construction, the firm worked for Baystate Medical Center as third-party inspector to review the construction of the project for compliance with the Massachusetts State Building Code and NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code. These inspections included detailed reviews of the construction of fire-rated walls, firestopping, fire doors, and the means of egress serving the newly constructed space.