Page 22 - SFHN JUNE 2020 FLIP BOOK

HEALTHCARE REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & FACILITY PLANNING

SR Construction: COVID-19 and Florida Construction

SR Construction is a licensed Florida statewide division 1 general Be aware that municipalities have a fixed duration of (180) days from
contractor invested in the medical construction space. the permit approval date, or have an allotted duration from the inception
The Florida construction industry is fortunate in comparison to of a specific scope. Having to start the permit process over, particularly in
other U.S. markets as most municipalities permitted existing construc- the post-Covid19 environment, will slow project efforts significantly. Let’s
tion projects to continue amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Working not forget about another round of required permit fees for any expired
through the H1N1 event that paralleled COVID-19, SR Construction is permit.
able to utilize prior experience and stringent protocols making the Permitting is an important area of concern often overlooked. Florida
worksite transition easier but not without challenges. municipality building departments are enacting new procedures and
Observing CDC and OSHA precautions included daily logs of all processes, ultimately creating backlogs in building plan reviews,
vendor health checks, hand sanitizer stations, enforcement of social approvals, and inspections. Another municipality restriction is re-classifi-
distancing, and face coverings to list just a few. Although costly and cation of projects deemed ‘essential’ and represents a major factor moving
time consuming, these measures have served to promote safety and forward.
protect our employees and vendors which is always priority number BY ERIC ROGERS Positive opportunities within the construction industry stemming from
one. COVID-19 adjustments and Florida’s robust market, include the upward
As an industry, we are seeing an immediate COVID-19 impact in trending population predictions and potential building design revisions
relation to supply chain shortages including materials, tools, equipment and skilled relating to occupant loads.
trade labor workers, invariably resulting in scheduling delays. The population influx from both corporate relocations and general population
This supply chain challenge does offer positive opportunities to source materials (prior to COVID-19) already positioned Florida as the #1 destination in America.
and labor locally in Florida. Most projects are best served via domestic materials and Many developers are being contacted and planning for this increase. For instance, if
resources to avoid delays regardless of the health crisis. Afterall, when Disney World you or your business were located in New York and on the fence about relocating,
undertakes new projects in Florida, they locally source most materials and assemblies. COVID-19 was the push.
Construction industry projects that were ultimately delayed while in progress, due Following what is being dubbed as the ‘new normal’, considerations are being dis-
to COVID-19, present their own unique challenges during a restart. Regaining project cussed to further enact state-imposed changes to commercial mechanical systems.
momentum is much easier said than done. Re-starting a project involves, though not Specifically, expanding the use of negative pressure environmental controls normally
limited to: re-mobilization, re-engagement of all vendors (some of which have lost only found in ICU or laboratory settings. Negative pressure systems allow facilities to
employees and access to needed raw materials), resulting in the contractor replacing mechanically isolate a particular wing or infected patient room from the rest of a
certain critical vendors under pre-negotiated terms from the original client, contractor shared, or open plenum mechanical system. These systems may become a desired fea-
agreement. ture in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and recovery units of hospitals.
Additionally, deliverables (supply chain), critical path scheduling adjustments, and We may also see changes in the way office space occupant load per square foot is
permit considerations must also be evaluated. These are just a few of the project spe- calculated during a new build, or remodel of existing space, also known as a tenant
cific challenges that must be addressed while preparing to resume operations. improvement. Designing a better way to protect workers in an office setting will be
paramount moving forward as not everyone will be able to work from home.
Florida is not out of the COVID-19 woods yet, but as the phased re-opening process
is now under way, safety will remain number one on the priority list. Now is the
opportune time to secure your general contractor, architect, and engineering team to
begin the pre-construction process, which now more than ever is critical to the short
and long-term success of your project.

If you have any questions regarding a commercial construction project, contact
Eric Rogers at Eric@S-R-Construction.com or (561) 290-0402.

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22 June 2020 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News