CallisonRTKL worked with the facilities and infrastructure firm Patriot in a collaborative process on a design-build project for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This project uses PODS to develop containers that can be repurposed into isolation units for alternative healthcare facilities treating coronavirus-positive patients.
Modifications to existing PODS containers were made to be used as a rapid response airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) and designed to enhance Healthcare Personnel (HCP) protection during care of infectious patients. Some of the design features implemented to limit HCP exposure:
- Isolation: Patients are isolated in an enclosed space, limiting to HCPs outside of the immediate patient care space.
- Transparency: The front wall of the container is designed with a full-glass door and sidelights to provide maximum patient visibility.
- Sanitation: Seamless flooring with cove base is installed to facilitate proper housekeeping and surface disinfection.
- Lighting: Multiple levels of lighting within the container haS been provided for patient comfort. Overbed lighting is provided for routine daytime settings with supplemental ceiling-mounted exam lighting and wall-mounted night lights.
- HVAC: HVAC systems are designed to provide horizontal air flow, introducing air from the front of the container and discharging air directly behind the patient at the rear of the container.
- Ease of Installation: Each container has individual electrical panels and condenser units mounted to the back of the container to simplify installation and commissioning of units within an alternate care site.
USACE APPROVED CONVERSION OF PODS CONTAINERS INTO SELF-CONTAINED ROOMS FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS
According to PODS, USACE developed, tested, and approved the conversion of PODS 12-foot and 16-foot containers into self-contained rooms with hospital beds that can be used for COVID-19 positive patients.
- Washable walls and floor cover per CDC guidelines
- Emergency back-up power
- Electrical and data outlets
- Exhaust fan with HEPA filtering
- Louver with gravity damper and balancing damper
- Modified isolation room entry door with direct line-of-sight visibility of patient
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jun 3, 2024
Insights for working well in a hybrid world
GBBN Principal and Interior Designer Beth Latto, NCIDQ, LEED AP, ID+C, WELL AP, share a few takeaways, insights, and lessons learned from a recent Post Occupancy Evaluation of the firm's Cincinnati, Ohio, office.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | May 6, 2024
Top 10 trends in affordable housing
Among affordable housing developers today, there’s one commonality tying projects together: uncertainty. AEC firms share their latest insights and philosophies on the future of affordable housing in BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
K-12 Schools | Apr 29, 2024
Tomorrow's classrooms: Designing schools for the digital age
In a world where technology’s rapid pace has reshaped how we live, work, and communicate, it should be no surprise that it’s also changing the PreK-12 education landscape.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 18, 2024
A modular construction solution to the mental healthcare crisis
Maria Ionescu, Senior Medical Planner, Stantec, shares a tested solution for the overburdened emergency department: Modular hub-and-spoke design.
Office Buildings | Mar 8, 2024
Conference room design for the hybrid era
Sam Griesgraber, Senior Interior Designer, BWBR, shares considerations for conference room design in the era of hybrid work.
Airports | Jan 15, 2024
How to keep airports functional during construction
Gensler's aviation experts share new ideas about how to make the airport construction process better moving forward.
Apartments | Jan 9, 2024
Apartment developer survey indicates dramatic decrease in starts this year
Over 56 developers, operators, and investors across the country were surveyed in John Burns Research and Consulting's recently-launched Apartment Developer and Investor Survey.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | Jan 4, 2024
Top 10 trends in multifamily rental housing
Demographic and economic shifts, along with work and lifestyle changes, have made apartment living preferable for a wider range of buyers and renters. These top 10 trends in multifamily housing come from BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
Urban Planning | Dec 18, 2023
The impacts of affordability, remote work, and personal safety on urban life
Data from Gensler's City Pulse Survey shows that although people are satisfied with their city's experience, it may not be enough.
Senior Living Design | Oct 30, 2023
Navigating architectural challenges—from 'unbuildable' to unbelievable
Mick Schaefer, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA, recounts the challenges Vessel Architecture & Design had to overcome while designing a state-of-the-art senior living facility.
