Extreme cold spells across the country this winter made it difficult for many buildings to maintain comfortable temperatures. Many street-level tenants of high-rise buildings found it nearly impossible to keep occupants warm despite having thermostats set to maintain comfortable temperatures. In many cases the problem, while fairly common, is not widely understood — it’s known…
The impact of environmental noise like construction, traffic, and even weather is an important, though often forgotten, part of the design process. At Henderson Engineers, we have a team of dedicated acoustics professionals who recognize the impacts of environmental noise and help our clients achieve comfortable sound levels in their buildings. We’ve compiled some general…
Patient-centered healthcare means focusing on the factors that affect the patient’s experience in addition to their health. This metric is measured at the end of a hospital stay with the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (H-CAHPS) survey. One of the questions on this survey that historically scores as one of the lowest is related…
Medical gas systems serve healthcare facilities by providing gases that are life-sustaining (oxygen), critical-use (medical air), or suction (vacuum) for patients. These systems are often centrally located and away from patients. If medical air compressors were in high traffic areas, they would bring noise generating equipment closer to patients, be more expensive to maintain, and…
Sterile processing is one of the unsung heroes of a hospital. This space cannot be shut down so it’s rarely the focus of major construction until absolutely necessary. Its function is so critical that decades of hospital growth takes place around it; tucking it away in the oldest, deepest part of the hospital. In the late 2000s,…
Building commissioning has experienced a rise and fall in terms of reputation, understanding, and value. In the 80s and 90s, the introduction of computerized, direct digital controls (DDC), brought new complexities to the built environment and energized the buzz around building commissioning. The unprecedented technology advancements of the last three decades have only made the…
Airports Council International has reported that $38 billion is needed for capital improvements in terminal buildings within the United States. As these facilities continue to age, airports across the country are struggling to increase revenue and find funding for these projects. Fortunately, research suggests that an untapped income potential exists that could be recognized by…
Since the expansion of the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) requirements to include single-phase receptacles up to 50A and three-phase receptacles up to 100A, we’ve seen a trend of increased GFCI nuisance tripping. While these trips can be frustrating, it’s important to not create a code violation or put personnel…
The revisions to USP 797 and new USP 800 standards will go into effect December 1, 2019. Over the course of 2018, the Henderson Engineers’ team of experts has evaluated nearly a hundred facilities across the country to prepare their pharmacies for this deadline. During this time, we’ve discovered the only way to make these…