McKenney’s recently submitted a project for consideration in the Specialty Contractor category for the 2021 AGC Build Georgia Award. The AGC (Association of General Contractors) of Georgia holds the annual competition to highlight member firms and projects demonstrating excellence in construction. The projects must be located in Georgia and completed in the previous year. Member firms compete in several categories, and 2021 award winners were recognized at the AGC Georgia Annual Convention held in Ponte Vedra, Florida from June 13 – 16.
The following criteria were used to evaluate project submissions:
- Exceptional project safety performance
- Overcoming the challenges of a difficult project
- Innovation in construction techniques and materials
- Excellence in project management and scheduling
- Dedication to client service and customer care
Project entry
The McKenney’s submission was the Grady Memorial Hospital Flood Recovery Effort. The massive project encompassed leading the demolition and renovation of two flooded floors of the busy Level 1 trauma center in downtown Atlanta. Four floors of the hospital sustained major flood damage when a 24-inch HVAC chilled water pipe burst, reducing Grady’s patient bed capacity by 30 percent. McKenney’s was selected for this project because of the company’s experience working in active hospital environments and their specialized technical capabilities as an HVAC mechanical contractor.
The restoration work needed to be accomplished quickly without interfering with staff and patients. An added complication was that the Covid-19 pandemic struck several months into the project, meaning that strict safety protocols had to be implemented for the protection of workers, hospital staff, and patients. The project could not impact areas of the hospital that were still in use and maintaining indoor air quality throughout demolition and construction was a critical component. Adjacent hospital areas had to be protected from dust and contaminants.
The McKenney’s strategy included breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable jobs. This allowed multiple crews to tackle the work simultaneously without hindering productivity. The team used advanced modeling technologies offsite to simplify work onsite. The work schedule was maintained with all crews observing pandemic health protocols.
Achieving 1st Place Honors
McKenney’s partnered with general contractor, DPR Construction, and TLC Engineering Solutions® on this project. The work was successfully completed three weeks ahead of schedule without disrupting patient care. Crews logged more than 30,000 hours on the Grady Memorial Hospital Flood Recovery Effort, and there were no safety incidents during the project. McKenney’s has been awarded 1st Place honors in the AGC Build Georgia Award Specialty Contractor category.