2021.12.03 Gas Fired Unit - Deviation Response.pdf

Department of Veterans Affairs

Date: December 3, 2021 From: Office of Healthcare Engineering

Subj: Code/Design Deviation Request Response Project 534-328 - Construct C&P Clinic at Joint Base Charleston

To: Chief, Engineering Service, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (534/138)

Summary of Request (Include project details, location of request, other implications)

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC is requesting a waiver to allow for the installation of air handling units using natural gas for heating, waiving requirements for hot water or steam boilers and for having a qualified boiler attendant perform rounds every 4 hours at the facility as per VHA ES-2018-001.

Project# 534-328 ‘Construct C&P Clinic on Joint Base Charleston’ is an approved Minor Construction project which will build a new building on DoD property for joint medical services. This project has a conceptual design completed and is in process of being performed as a design/build contract administered by the USACE. The subject project will be a new approximately 12,000 square foot facility performing outpatient clinical examinations and outpatient Mental Health examination services during normal business hours,. There will be no medical procedures performed at this facility. The project will be located at Joint Base Charleston, located approximately 14 miles from the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and an approximately 25-minute drive.

The Joint Base Charleston does not have a steam or heating water loop for this building’s use. Additionally, installing an N+1 boiler system would require either a qualified boiler operator to operate the boiler or have a either a qualified boiler operator or attendant conduct rounds of the boiler(s) once every four hours (24/7) to inspect equipment and verify/document operational conditions. This building will not be performing any of the following: sterilization, cooking or invasive procedures.

Recommendation and Details: ☐ Approval ☒ Approval as Equivalency ☐ Disapproval Details, Clarifications, and Requirements associated with disposition:

A committee comprising subject matter experts from the Offices of Healthcare Engineering and Construction and Facilities Management has conducted a thorough review of the facility’s request. Details of the committee’s analysis and recommendations are below:

1. The committee appreciates the open communication and efforts to address the committee’s concerns in order to identify systems that can best meet the specific needs of the clinic’s operations while attempting to comply with VA design and operational requirements.

2. The facility type and operating hours indicate a reduced level of risk as compared to an inpatient or major ambulatory care center. Without N+1 heating equipment, an equipment failure would result in the facility needing to close, which was indicated by

Memorandum the facility to not result in major clinical impact, partially due to the location of the clinic only approximately 10 miles from the medical center. This plan in case of system failure, i.e., to close the clinic and reschedule and/or relocate patient appointments, has been confirmed by the Medical Center Director.

3. A specification for gas-fired heat from the Department of Defense is being adapted for the facility’s air handling units and functionality. All other components and operation of the units will be dictated by and compliant with VA standards, including humidification, cooling functionality, and filtration as defined in the VHA HVAC design manual and associated standards.

4. In the absence of heating hot water or steam, the facility has noted that electric reheating coils will be used at the terminal air boxes, which is allowed by the HVAC Design Manual section 3.2.2.11, which states “Electric reheat coil may be used where hot water or steam is not available. Refer to Chapter 4 Section 4.4 Heating Systems for additional information regarding the use of electric heat.”

5. The facility has worked with USACE staff and Trane to identify and determine that gas-fired heating units are standard and able to be constructed to meet VHA standards and the needs of the facility. The project at this point is in the RFP development stage and will be awarded as a Design-Build project. The project must require a proper and complete system design by a professional engineer.

6. The manufacturer selected for the project must provide the unit as specified in the final design and subject to the other conditions detailed within this memorandum. Any further identified deviations must be submitted to the committee for review and concurrence.

Subject to the above clarifications and otherwise compliant with VA specifications and requirements, the committee considers the identified design as providing an equivalent level of safe and effective operation as the VA Design Requirements and recommends approval of the above subject to those conditions.

Recommend Approval as Equivalency Approved as Equivalency

James Carter Compliance Engineer

Vincent Rizzo, PE Director, Office of Healthcare Engineering

Requires Design Manual Update ☐ Cc: Deputy Director for Healthcare Engineering (19HEFE)