Harborview
Medical Center

Upgrading Harborview:
MEP Solutions for Safer, Sustainable Facilities
We delivered MEP engineering services to help transform two vital facilities at Harborview Medical Center—the Maleng Building and the Ninth and Jefferson Building. These renovations focused on creating safer, more comfortable spaces for patients, overcoming complex infrastructure challenges, and supporting Harborview’s goal of achieving LEED Gold certification.
Our Partners
These complex projects were delivered in close collaboration with UW Medicine, Collins Woerman, Andersen Construction, and McKinstry, overcoming significant infrastructure challenges to modernize and enhance critical healthcare spaces.
Enhancing Care Through
Strategic Facility Improvements
Expanding and Upgrading Patient Spaces
The Maleng Building was renovated on levels 4 and 7 to house 20 patient rooms per floor, including newly added isolation rooms to improve infection control. At the Ninth and Jefferson Building (NJB), levels 9 and 10 were reconfigured to support new exam and treatment spaces. As an outpatient medical office, NJB lacked essential infrastructure such as emergency power, medical gas systems, and high air change rates. These limitations called for innovative engineering approaches—and we provided the solutions to make these spaces fully functional and compliant with healthcare standards.
Engineering Solutions for NJB’s Infrastructure Challenges
To overcome NJB’s infrastructure limitations, we delivered targeted engineering solutions tailored to the building’s constraints. The existing mechanical system couldn’t support the higher air change rates needed for procedure rooms, so we conducted a capacity study of the central air handler and modified ductwork in renovated areas to expand the airflow range and meet medical standards.
The lack of a centralized medical gas system also posed a challenge. We developed a cost-effective solution using localized gas storage, including a dedicated medical gas room for safe cylinder storage—ensuring reliable service without major structural retrofits.
Strengthening Isolation Room Capabilities
In the Maleng Building, isolation room capacity was expanded by enhancing the isolation exhaust system. New rooftop fans were installed in parallel with the existing system, increasing both capacity and redundancy. These upgrades strengthen infection control measures and improve patient safety.
Driving Sustainable,
High-Impact Healthcare Solutions
Advancing Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
Pursuing LEED Gold certification came with unique challenges, particularly due to the buildings’ reliance on Seattle steam for heating, which limited conventional energy optimization strategies. To work around these constraints, we explored alternative approaches—implementing high-efficiency LED lighting and controls to reduce energy use and identifying opportunities to incorporate heat recovery systems to boost overall energy performance.
Delivering Impactful Healthcare Upgrades
The upgrades at Harborview Medical Center do more than modernize buildings—they create safer, more resilient spaces for healing. By improving airflow, expanding isolation capacity, and delivering efficient medical gas solutions, we helped support both patient care and staff performance. With every solution, we pushed for smarter sustainability and helped Harborview move one step closer to LEED Gold.