BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS
Multiple-building hospital complex
PROJECT TEAM
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
Trane
SYSTEMS INSTALLED:
Trane Rental Systems can offer turnkey temporary cooling
from 10 to 40,000 tons of cooling capacity. In addition to
emergency situations, Trane Rental Systems are ideal for
building retrofit and renovation projects, planned
maintenance and overhaul projects, added capacity for
those times when cooling loads exceed existing chiller
capacity, and standby cooling for critical cooling backup.
Hospital Needs to Keep Working, So Trane Works Around the Clock
On a hot Friday morning, a fire raged at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. When the smoke had cleared,
five of the seven chiller plants that served the hospital were victims of the conflagration. With the temperature rising, and the heat
index topping out at 105 degrees, the hospital was unable to control the heat and humidity in the building – two absolutely critical
hospital needs. But they knew people’s lives depended on the doors staying open – and they weren’t going to let anything, not even a
devastating fire, make them turn people away. “Before the fire was out we decided that Trane would be the lead contractor,” said Joe
Savala, Norfolk Sentara Facilities Director. “We told Trane we expected to be back on line before Monday morning.” It was quite a
challenge—but Trane accepted.
Trane reacted quickly and devised a plan. First, it was vital to restore climate control to the hospital immediately. They
needed temporary chillers and they needed them quickly. Trane’s rental depot in Charlotte, North Carolina was alerted and within 12 hours
Trane began delivering 5,200 tons of portable cooling capacity. Within 24 hours all chillers were on site. At the hospital, people were
feeling a little better already, "We knew we had made the right decision when the convoy of trucks and portable cooling equipment started
rolling in before midnight that Friday," said Savala. Geoff Pierce, Trane account manager said, "Competitors told the hospital that Trane
couldn’t pull it off, but our customer trusted us. It was time for Trane to deliver and we did."
Just getting the chillers on site was a monumental task, but for Trane the job was just beginning. To meet the huge labor
demand associated with connecting all the units Trane’s technicians worked around the clock. This was after all, not just a local hospital
it was also the local children’s hospital and the area’s only trauma and burn center, so our commitment to getting vital people back on
the job was unwavering. Within 48 hours, the HVAC job was complete. By connecting the chillers to the hospitals chilled water system, the
hospital was able to stay open while the electrical distribution system was rebuilt. And with the temporary chillers running, the
hospital’s patients were safe, sterile environments could be maintained, and the weekend’s appointments and surgeries continued as
scheduled.
Sentara Norfolk’s central chilled water plant plant serves Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Children’s
Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Sentara Norfolk
General Hospital is Hampton Road’s only Level 1 trauma and burn center and has among the best
cardiac and cancer treatment centers in the United States. CHKD serves children with many different
medical needs and includes the nation’s largest neonatal intensive care and pediatric care units. EVMS is
an educational and research facility that works with local medical organizations to provide students and
residents with a broad base of clinical experience.