Code Red Consultants
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Experience: Service: Fire Protection & Life Safety Code Consulting

Worcester Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)

The scope of the project included the construction of a new mixed-use office and outpatient care facility at 403 Belmont Street in Worcester, MA. The facility was built in partnership with the UMASS Chan Medical School and the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare system and includes two-stories of VA Clinic space and two-stories of core/shell space for future development over approximately 117,000 square feet.

Code Red Consultants was engaged for both code consulting and construction administration services for both the Base Building and the VA Clinic fit out project. The firm served as the code consultant for Smith Group on the design side of the project. Our involvement in the project included navigating the various code requirements related to the proposed projects to achieve the design intent.

Throughout construction, coordination was completed with the project team to complete third-party inspections for opening protectives in fire-rated wall and floor assemblies as the Base Building and tenant fit out Firestopping Special Inspector. Additionally, the firm worked with UMass Medical School and Suffolk Construction develop a Construction Fire Safety Plan that met the requirements of NFPA 241, the expectations of the City of Worcester, and the construction methods of the contractor. Construction administration-related assistance and management was provided on an as-needed basis to ensure that compliance with NFPA 241 was maintained as the associated construction operations and hazards changed. The Building officially welcomed occupants in November 2021.

Location

Worcester, Mass.

Size

117,000 SF
4 Stories

Cost

$75 million

Completion

November 2021

Worcester Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)

The scope of the project included the construction of a new mixed-use office and outpatient care facility at 403 Belmont Street in Worcester, MA. The facility was built in partnership with the UMASS Chan Medical School and the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare system and includes two-stories of VA Clinic space and two-stories of core/shell space for future development over approximately 117,000 square feet.

Code Red Consultants was engaged for both code consulting and construction administration services for both the Base Building and the VA Clinic fit out project. The firm served as the code consultant for Smith Group on the design side of the project. Our involvement in the project included navigating the various code requirements related to the proposed projects to achieve the design intent.

Throughout construction, coordination was completed with the project team to complete third-party inspections for opening protectives in fire-rated wall and floor assemblies as the Base Building and tenant fit out Firestopping Special Inspector. Additionally, the firm worked with UMass Medical School and Suffolk Construction develop a Construction Fire Safety Plan that met the requirements of NFPA 241, the expectations of the City of Worcester, and the construction methods of the contractor. Construction administration-related assistance and management was provided on an as-needed basis to ensure that compliance with NFPA 241 was maintained as the associated construction operations and hazards changed. The Building officially welcomed occupants in November 2021.

Sacred Heart University: Pioneer Village

Pioneer Village is the newest residential campus located at Sacred Heart University that is comprised of six residential halls and a dining facility. The first of the dormitories to open was Pierre Toussaint Hall in 2018, which was converted to a dormitory after being acquired from the former Jewish Home for the Elderly. Toussaint Hall houses 170 students primarily in two-bedroom/four-person pods, with a limited number of single rooms.

Elie Wiesel Hall & Pier Giorgio Frassati Hall were the next buildings constructed on-site and opened in January 2020. These dormitories provided an additional 64 apartments-style suites, housing over 240 students. Each apartment has a shared bathroom, living room and kitchen with atrium-style common areas.

More recently, Teresa of Calcutta Hall, Frances Xavier Cabrini Hall, and Thea Bowman Hall were constructed and opened in the Summer of 2021.

These buildings have a variety of housing including apartment-style and two-bedroom/four-person pods with common areas, study rooms, and lounges/kitchenettes. Thea’s Abbey is a state-of-the-art dining facility that is open seven days a week and open to everyone on campus with a large indoor seating area, outdoor seating and an outdoor grill utilized for programming in special events.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the design and construction of these halls, assisting the S/L/A/M Collaborative in navigating complicated code requirements relating not just to individual buildings, but the entire complex. In addition to working closely with the design team to establish and coordinate the code compliance strategy, Code Red Consultants also met with the Town of Fairfield’s Building and Fire Departments on multiple occasions to review the various construction phases and verify their agreement with both the design and construction of the buildings.

In September 2021, Sacred Heart University was listed as number 4 on College Magazine’s top 10 list of best college campuses on the East Coast.

Location

Fairfield, Conn.

Size

5 New Buildings
1 Existing Building

Completion

Summer 2021

Sacred Heart University: Pioneer Village

Pioneer Village is the newest residential campus located at Sacred Heart University that is comprised of six residential halls and a dining facility. The first of the dormitories to open was Pierre Toussaint Hall in 2018, which was converted to a dormitory after being acquired from the former Jewish Home for the Elderly. Toussaint Hall houses 170 students primarily in two-bedroom/four-person pods, with a limited number of single rooms.

Elie Wiesel Hall & Pier Giorgio Frassati Hall were the next buildings constructed on-site and opened in January 2020. These dormitories provided an additional 64 apartments-style suites, housing over 240 students. Each apartment has a shared bathroom, living room and kitchen with atrium-style common areas.

More recently, Teresa of Calcutta Hall, Frances Xavier Cabrini Hall, and Thea Bowman Hall were constructed and opened in the Summer of 2021.

These buildings have a variety of housing including apartment-style and two-bedroom/four-person pods with common areas, study rooms, and lounges/kitchenettes. Thea’s Abbey is a state-of-the-art dining facility that is open seven days a week and open to everyone on campus with a large indoor seating area, outdoor seating and an outdoor grill utilized for programming in special events.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the design and construction of these halls, assisting the S/L/A/M Collaborative in navigating complicated code requirements relating not just to individual buildings, but the entire complex. In addition to working closely with the design team to establish and coordinate the code compliance strategy, Code Red Consultants also met with the Town of Fairfield’s Building and Fire Departments on multiple occasions to review the various construction phases and verify their agreement with both the design and construction of the buildings.

In September 2021, Sacred Heart University was listed as number 4 on College Magazine’s top 10 list of best college campuses on the East Coast.

Loyola University’s Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning

Originally constructed on the Campus of Loyola University in 1992, Beatty Hall was transformed into The Fernandez Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning through a substantial renovation and expansion project led by Shepley Bulfinch. The newly renovated building serves as the central hub for the campus community and features active learning classrooms, creative labs and innovation spaces, career centers, interactive lounges, and a café.  In addition, the building also features a four-story atrium to enhance the communication amongst all floors in the building.

Code Red Consultants was responsible for developing and presenting the building’s code compliance approach to the City of Baltimore’s Building and Fire Departments. Code Red Consultants’ services included building, fire, and accessibility code consulting as well as performance-based design analysis of the atrium smoke control system using a computational fluid dynamics computer model.

Location

Baltimore, Maryland

Size

61,600 GSF

Cost

$40 million

Completion

Winter 2021

Photography Credit

Shepley Bulfinch

Loyola University’s Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning

Originally constructed on the Campus of Loyola University in 1992, Beatty Hall was transformed into The Fernandez Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning through a substantial renovation and expansion project led by Shepley Bulfinch. The newly renovated building serves as the central hub for the campus community and features active learning classrooms, creative labs and innovation spaces, career centers, interactive lounges, and a café.  In addition, the building also features a four-story atrium to enhance the communication amongst all floors in the building.

Code Red Consultants was responsible for developing and presenting the building’s code compliance approach to the City of Baltimore’s Building and Fire Departments. Code Red Consultants’ services included building, fire, and accessibility code consulting as well as performance-based design analysis of the atrium smoke control system using a computational fluid dynamics computer model.

Commonwealth Building, Boston, MA

The new Commonwealth Building sits among Kenmore Square below the iconic Citgo Sign, minutes away from Boston’s Fenway Park.  Stantec was responsible for the design of this new eight-story, ~130,000 square foot commercial building for Related Beal.  The building consisted of two levels of below-grade parking, ground floor retail space, seven levels of above-grade office, and a mechanical penthouse.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the project to Related Beal and developed a detailed code approach documenting compliance with the local building and fire codes and reviewed architectural plans for code compliance.

Code Red Consultants was also retained directly by Related Beal to develop a comprehensive NFPA 241, Construction Fire Safety Plan that ensured the fire safety of construction personnel, the fire department, and the surrounding community over the course of the project. Additionally, Code Red Consultants served as the Fire Stopping Special Inspector, ensuring the passive fire protection systems were appropriately selected and installed.  As the Smoke Control Special Inspector, we ensured that the new stair pressurization systems were designed, installed, and operated in accordance with the applicable codes and standards.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

130,000 SF

Cost

$60-64 million

Completion

January 2022

Photography Credit

Related Beal and Mark Woods

Commonwealth Building, Boston, MA

The new Commonwealth Building sits among Kenmore Square below the iconic Citgo Sign, minutes away from Boston’s Fenway Park.  Stantec was responsible for the design of this new eight-story, ~130,000 square foot commercial building for Related Beal.  The building consisted of two levels of below-grade parking, ground floor retail space, seven levels of above-grade office, and a mechanical penthouse.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the project to Related Beal and developed a detailed code approach documenting compliance with the local building and fire codes and reviewed architectural plans for code compliance.

Code Red Consultants was also retained directly by Related Beal to develop a comprehensive NFPA 241, Construction Fire Safety Plan that ensured the fire safety of construction personnel, the fire department, and the surrounding community over the course of the project. Additionally, Code Red Consultants served as the Fire Stopping Special Inspector, ensuring the passive fire protection systems were appropriately selected and installed.  As the Smoke Control Special Inspector, we ensured that the new stair pressurization systems were designed, installed, and operated in accordance with the applicable codes and standards.

Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex, Boston, MA

The new Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) is an eight-story, 544,000 square foot building featuring a variety of classrooms, wet and dry research labs, amenity spaces, and teaching labs.  The building’s two glazed atria provide vertical interconnection between multiple stories and allow for light-filled gathering and social areas.  This LEED Platinum building paired sustainability and performance with a striking exterior and interior design to create a center for scientific research and student gathering.

Serving as the project’s code consultant, Code Red Consultants was responsible for developing and presenting the building’s code compliance approach to the City of Boston’s Building and Fire Departments. Working with architect Behnisch Architekten, Code Red Consultants’ services included building, fire, accessibility, and hazardous materials code consulting as well as performance-based design analysis of the atrium smoke control system using a computational fluid dynamics computer model.  Included in the code approach were several State Building Code Variances related to (1) sprinkle-protected glass control area boundaries, (2) stair discharge through an atrium, and (3) the storage of flammable liquids in a basement.

During construction, Code Red Consultants served as the project NFPA 3 & 4 Commissioning & Integrated Testing Agent, as well as the Smoke Control Special Inspector.  In this capacity, we were responsible for conducting design and shop drawing level documentation reviews across multiple disciplines, development of Test Plans for building smoke control and integrated fire and life safety systems, conducting field inspections during construction, and verifying performance of the integrated systems at the completion of construction. We also worked closely with the design team and University to prepare the Boston Fire Department (BFD) Place of Assembly permit drawings and applications for the numerous and flexible amenity areas of the building.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

544,000 SF

Cost

$1 billion

Completion

2021

Photography Credit

Brad Feinknopf/OTTO (designed by Behnisch Architekten)

Rending Credit

Behnisch Architekten

Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex, Boston, MA

The new Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) is an eight-story, 544,000 square foot building featuring a variety of classrooms, wet and dry research labs, amenity spaces, and teaching labs.  The building’s two glazed atria provide vertical interconnection between multiple stories and allow for light-filled gathering and social areas.  This LEED Platinum building paired sustainability and performance with a striking exterior and interior design to create a center for scientific research and student gathering.

Serving as the project’s code consultant, Code Red Consultants was responsible for developing and presenting the building’s code compliance approach to the City of Boston’s Building and Fire Departments. Working with architect Behnisch Architekten, Code Red Consultants’ services included building, fire, accessibility, and hazardous materials code consulting as well as performance-based design analysis of the atrium smoke control system using a computational fluid dynamics computer model.  Included in the code approach were several State Building Code Variances related to (1) sprinkle-protected glass control area boundaries, (2) stair discharge through an atrium, and (3) the storage of flammable liquids in a basement.

During construction, Code Red Consultants served as the project NFPA 3 & 4 Commissioning & Integrated Testing Agent, as well as the Smoke Control Special Inspector.  In this capacity, we were responsible for conducting design and shop drawing level documentation reviews across multiple disciplines, development of Test Plans for building smoke control and integrated fire and life safety systems, conducting field inspections during construction, and verifying performance of the integrated systems at the completion of construction. We also worked closely with the design team and University to prepare the Boston Fire Department (BFD) Place of Assembly permit drawings and applications for the numerous and flexible amenity areas of the building.

UMass Amherst Student Union

Originally constructed in 1957, the UMass Amherst Student Union Building underwent a revitalization project lead by Shepley Bulfinch. The renovation and expansion transformed the facility into a modern hub of student activity and interaction containing a variety of student organization offices, a cafeteria, a double-height ballroom, and student commercial enterprises.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the project and developed a detailed code approach documenting compliance with the local building and fire codes and reviewed architectural plans for code compliance. At the center of the code approach was an alternative compliance approach to allow for additional floor area in the existing building as well as a State Plumbing Code Variance received for the use of gang restrooms consisting of gender-neutral water closets and shared lavatories. Code Red Consultants also assisted in the development of a unique vertical opening approach consisting of a series of two-story vertical openings separated by movable fire shutters to provide interconnection between three floors while maintaining compliance with the 9th Edition of 780 CMR.

Location

Amherst, Mass.

Size

108,000 SF

Cost

$62 million

Completion

Fall 2020

UMass Amherst Student Union

Originally constructed in 1957, the UMass Amherst Student Union Building underwent a revitalization project lead by Shepley Bulfinch. The renovation and expansion transformed the facility into a modern hub of student activity and interaction containing a variety of student organization offices, a cafeteria, a double-height ballroom, and student commercial enterprises.

Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the project and developed a detailed code approach documenting compliance with the local building and fire codes and reviewed architectural plans for code compliance. At the center of the code approach was an alternative compliance approach to allow for additional floor area in the existing building as well as a State Plumbing Code Variance received for the use of gang restrooms consisting of gender-neutral water closets and shared lavatories. Code Red Consultants also assisted in the development of a unique vertical opening approach consisting of a series of two-story vertical openings separated by movable fire shutters to provide interconnection between three floors while maintaining compliance with the 9th Edition of 780 CMR.

Alcott Apartments

Code Red Consultants worked closely with Equity Residential and AECOM Tishman on the new Alcott Apartments mixed-use building in a Boston, Massachusetts’ West End neighborhood. The project consists of a new 44 story tower containing 470 residential units, First Floor retail and 37th Floor Sky Deck. The building also includes 5 levels of sub-grade parking.

Code Red Consultants collaborated with both Equity Residential and AECOM Tishman to assist in the development of a phased occupancy plan for the building (including phasing of the fire alarm, fire protection and other life safety systems) which helped to allow the building to open on time with ongoing upper floor construction while maintaining the necessary levels of fire protection and life safety for the building.

In addition, Code Red performed Smoke Control Special Inspections of the building’s two pressurized stairways. As the Smoke Control Special Inspector, Code Red was responsible for conducting design and shop drawing level documentation reviews across multiple disciplines, development of Test Plans for the building’s smoke control systems and verifying performance of the smoke control systems at the completion of construction.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

44 stories

Completion

September 2021

Photography Credit

Dan Abboud

Alcott Apartments

Code Red Consultants worked closely with Equity Residential and AECOM Tishman on the new Alcott Apartments mixed-use building in a Boston, Massachusetts’ West End neighborhood. The project consists of a new 44 story tower containing 470 residential units, First Floor retail and 37th Floor Sky Deck. The building also includes 5 levels of sub-grade parking.

Code Red Consultants collaborated with both Equity Residential and AECOM Tishman to assist in the development of a phased occupancy plan for the building (including phasing of the fire alarm, fire protection and other life safety systems) which helped to allow the building to open on time with ongoing upper floor construction while maintaining the necessary levels of fire protection and life safety for the building.

In addition, Code Red performed Smoke Control Special Inspections of the building’s two pressurized stairways. As the Smoke Control Special Inspector, Code Red was responsible for conducting design and shop drawing level documentation reviews across multiple disciplines, development of Test Plans for the building’s smoke control systems and verifying performance of the smoke control systems at the completion of construction.

UPENN Virtua Health Proton Facility

Proton therapy is a form of cancer treatment which does not use typical radiation, instead specifically targeting cancerous cells without harming other areas of the body. Due to the nature of the treatment, proton therapy requires a dedicated vault of substantial concrete construction. Code Red Consultants assisted Tsoi Kobus Design on the Penn Medicine Proton Therapy addition to the existing Virtua Voorhees campus in Voorhees Township, NJ. The new facility in Voorhees is the first proton therapy facility in southern New Jersey. The facility was designed by Tsoi Kobus Design, architect of record, a global leader in the design of proton therapy facilities. Additionally, it will be operated by the global proton therapy leader Penn Medicine. Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the design side of the project, assisting TKD in navigating complex code requirements relating to the addition to the existing building, related to both the Building Code of New Jersey and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. Currently under construction, the facility plans to open in early 2022

Location

Voorhees, NJ

Size

15,000 SF

Cost

$35 million

Completion

estimated early 2022

Rending Credit

Tsoi Kobus Design

UPENN Virtua Health Proton Facility

Proton therapy is a form of cancer treatment which does not use typical radiation, instead specifically targeting cancerous cells without harming other areas of the body. Due to the nature of the treatment, proton therapy requires a dedicated vault of substantial concrete construction. Code Red Consultants assisted Tsoi Kobus Design on the Penn Medicine Proton Therapy addition to the existing Virtua Voorhees campus in Voorhees Township, NJ. The new facility in Voorhees is the first proton therapy facility in southern New Jersey. The facility was designed by Tsoi Kobus Design, architect of record, a global leader in the design of proton therapy facilities. Additionally, it will be operated by the global proton therapy leader Penn Medicine. Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the design side of the project, assisting TKD in navigating complex code requirements relating to the addition to the existing building, related to both the Building Code of New Jersey and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. Currently under construction, the facility plans to open in early 2022.

90 Arboretum, Newington, NH

90 Arboretum, located within the Pease International Tradeport, is the first all new mass timber office building in New Hampshire. At 72,000 sf and three stories tall, the Class A office building uses cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls and floors and glulam beams and columns for its structure, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows, to achieve a forward-thinking structure with plenty of exposed wood and natural light.

Code Red Consultants served as the fire and life safety code consultant on the project and was responsible for developing the overall code approach for the building, including preliminary meetings with the Newington building officials and NH State Fire Marshal to help secure the ability to use the 2015 International Building Code (not yet adopted in NH at the time) to facilitate the allowance of mass timber on the project.

Location

Newington, NH

Size

72,000 SF

Completion

2020

Photography Credit

Robert Benson Photography

90 Arboretum, Newington, NH

90 Arboretum, located within the Pease International Tradeport, is the first all new mass timber office building in New Hampshire. At 72,000 sf and three stories tall, the Class A office building uses cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls and floors and glulam beams and columns for its structure, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows, to achieve a forward-thinking structure with plenty of exposed wood and natural light.

Code Red Consultants served as the fire and life safety code consultant on the project and was responsible for developing the overall code approach for the building, including preliminary meetings with the Newington building officials and NH State Fire Marshal to help secure the ability to use the 2015 International Building Code (not yet adopted in NH at the time) to facilitate the allowance of mass timber on the project.

11 East Lenox, Boston

Currently in development, the new 11 East Lenox project is a 7-story cross-laminated timber (CLT) & mass timber Passive House multifamily in Boston. The 43,000-square-foot building will house residential units for rent and will utilize a unique CLT & mass timber building system allowing for generous floor heights with exposed wood ceilings.

Designed by Monte French Design Studio, Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the project and developed a detailed code approach documenting compliance with the local building and fire codes and reviewed architectural plans for code compliance. At the center of the code approach was a State Building Code Variance received for the use of the CLT/Mass Timber construction in a 7-story residential building under the 9th Edition of 780 CMR.  Code Red Consultants also served in a construction fire safety capacity, developing the NFPA 241 Plan for the project.

Location

Boston, Mass.

Size

7 stories

43,000 SF

Rendering Credit

Monte French Design Studio

11 East Lenox, Boston

Currently in development, the new 11 East Lenox project is a 7-story cross-laminated timber (CLT) & mass timber Passive House multifamily in Boston. The 43,000-square-foot building will house residential units for rent and will utilize a unique CLT & mass timber building system allowing for generous floor heights with exposed wood ceilings.

Designed by Monte French Design Studio, Code Red Consultants served as the code consultant on the project and developed a detailed code approach documenting compliance with the local building and fire codes and reviewed architectural plans for code compliance. At the center of the code approach was a State Building Code Variance received for the use of the CLT/Mass Timber construction in a 7-story residential building under the 9th Edition of 780 CMR.  Code Red Consultants also served in a construction fire safety capacity, developing the NFPA 241 Plan for the project.