CHRISTUS Healthcare Data Center | San Antonio, Texas

Completion of the building slab was a critical schedule milestone, as it was to serve as the casting bed for the tilt-up panels. However, the electrical underground design would not be ready in time for the accelerated schedule. Under the original schedule, the massive amount of electrical conduit needed would have been installed below the slab prior to it being poured. To allow construction to proceed while electrical design was in progress, the project's structural engineers analyzed the foundation grade beam structure and made recommendations for proceeding with the slab. The approach was to utilize the four feet of flowable, lightweight concrete under the exterior grade beams for access. When the building construction was complete, a portion of the interior slab was removed and sections of the lightweight concrete excavated. Electricians were then able to run conduit from the interior of the building to the exterior yard while the interior build-out progressed.

The city utility also did not have sufficient infrastructure to support the facility by the accelerated completion date. They agreed to have power ready in time for the original completion date but could not guarantee service for the compressed construction schedule. The team enlisted a temporary services design and implementation company to design and provide temporary cooling and dehumidification of the interior to allow sensitive activities to continue without hindering the schedule.