With a nationwide shortage of protective respirator masks at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, every second counted in expanding manufacturing capacity. Mobilizing all construction management and design functions on site, the project team established a 30,000-sq-ft production area within a former warehouse and reconfigured process flows in the existing 100,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility. Fully integrating the project management and design team with the owner’s manufacturing and procurement teams in a single onsite location expedited identification of work scopes. Approvals, design changes and potential schedule issues were resolved within hours instead of days. Key subcontractors and equipment suppliers also brought their expertise to assist designers with method and material selections. During the 24/7 construction effort, craftworkers installed three miles of electrical conduit, 8,000 ft of compressed air and vacuum piping, 10,000 ft of metal framing and more than 200 tons of mechanical cooling capacity.

Along with expediting workflow, the team’s integrated approach ensured quality control via multiple levels of reviews, while new piping systems were tested utilizing multiple methodologies to ensure proper installation. The much needed additional mask production began just three weeks after the project got underway, but speed did not compromise safety. The entire project was completed with no recordable injuries and no virus infection transmissions.

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