Hospital wins award for BIM use on major expansion

The WakeMed North Women's Hospital expansion was built in two phases.

Photo credit: Dave Huh, courtesy of Dewberry

WakeMed North Family Health & Women’s Hospital expansion project owes a great deal to building information modeling (BIM) technology. The facility was transformed from a 109,000-square-foot healthplex into a 325,000-square-foot licensed acute care hospital. BIM played a large role in both of its two phases. The facility opened in 2015 and was recently recognized by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas for its innovative use of BIM.

WakeMed North Women's Hospital central energy plant.

Photo credit: Dave Huh, courtesy of Dewberry

Brasfield & Gorrie accepted the Best in BIM award as part of ABC of the Carolinas’ annual Excellence in Construction award ceremony. Also integral to the project was mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) firm Dewberry.

The $75 million project was completed in two phases. Phase 1 focused on a new central energy plant, while the acute care hospital was designed in Phase 2. Dewberry designed MEP systems for 61 patient rooms, six labor and delivery rooms, and one cesarean-section room, all with future expansion capacity. The firm engineered MEP systems in six special care nursery beds as well as imaging, lab, pharmacy, dining and facility support rooms. The project also included MEP system designs for an emergency department (ED) and a 280-space parking deck. The healthplex’s systems and services remained in operation throughout construction.

WakeMed North Women's Hospital emergency power generator system.

Photo credit: Dave Huh, courtesy of Dewberry

“This project’s success was directly related to Brasfield & Gorrie’s innovative use of advanced building information technology,” says Kristen Puryear, PE, project manager with Dewberry. “We're proud to have contributed to this project that will help WakeMed offer world-class service to women and families throughout the community.”

The WakeMed North healthplex was built in 2000, the ED was added in 2005, and the expansion officially opened in 2015. The project also won the ABC Carolinas’ Free Enterprise award, Excellence in Construction award, and the ABC’s national Excellence in Construction award for projects $25 million to $100 million.