Install UPS Computer Room at the Fargo VA Medical Center
Located: Fargo, ND VA Hospital
Owner: Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Contract Awarded: May 2016
Project Duration: 10 Months
Project Value: $274,365
MDM Construction is serving as the General Contractor in the remodel and install project. The scope of this project was to make 2 smaller rooms into one larger room and to install another CRAC and UPS unit into the new space. The new units and room would increase the VA’s technical operating capabilities and provide a more electric system space with the large new panels being installed. This project is in conjunction with the VA IT Department and had to run in parallel with their current operation systems.
Work performed to complete the UPS Computer room included demo, new access flooring, electrical, mechanical, chase construction, roofing, finishes, and new ceiling grid. A large work task was to shut down the VA’s servers and power to some panels to install the new UPS unit. Since all of the UPS units run in parallel, all had to be shut down at once. This left a portion of the hospital without power and the whole hospital without e-mail. To best accommodate patient and staff needs, this shutdown was conduct overnight. Power was turned off at 1:00 a.m. and operational in time for the next work day, 8:00 a.m.
These units and work space have to run in a clean, air tight environment. The work was next to the VA computer server room as well so all material handling had to be handled delicately. A dry chemical fire suppression was also installed under this contract since any wet system would damage electrical equipment. Air and pressure testing was conducted and monitored to ensure no dust or contaminates enters any systems and to keep the rooms air tight should a dry chemical expulsion be needed.