Schneider Electric Case Study

Hospital Facility
Northeastern USA

Ensuring safe, secure, and reliable

power behind the scenes at a busy
cancer treatment center.

Make the most of your energy

SM

Schneider Electric Case Study > Hospital Facility

Safe, reliable power is required to provide the best healthcare possible. Not only is

In Brief

it necessary to support the latest and most advanced treatment technologies, it is

Goal

monitoring, or life support equipment.

Update, secure, and stabilize the facilitys

This nationally-ranked hospital partnered with Schneider Electric Services to

electrical system to support the latest and

design and implement an approach that would update, secure, and stabilize the

most advanced treatment technologies,

electrical system and power supply in its renowned cancer center, an outpatient

without interrupting patient care. Working

treatment facility. The projects discretionary nature was of utmost importance, as

under the challenges of restricted hours,

it was necessary for the cancer center to continue to treat patients without any

limited planning opportunities, and confined

disruption to facility operations. Due to its unique situation, the project was the first

delivery areas, Schneider Electric power

of its nature to be performed on this hospital one of the most highly-trafficked in

system engineers had to quickly and

the nation.

a vital element in the environment of care for patients requiring surgery, electronic

accurately design custom solutions for

unique problems, all while staying in budget
and on time.

Solution
Schneider Electric engineers developed
a coordination plan to keep all processes
and power supplies up and running during
the course of the project. A temporary
switchboard was designed to avoid any
interruption of power to the cancer center. All

Supporting the patients environment of care.

The hospital requested that project workers be virtually invisible and refrain from
entering any patient areas during operational hours. In addition, large equipment
deliveries that could not be handled through service entrances were to be avoided
during operational hours. The Schneider Electric Services team also faced the
challenge of being unable to conduct a planning audit prior to beginning the
upgrades. This aspect required the Services team to determine specifications,
identify and address issues, conduct replacements, and provide re-engineering
services on the spot, as they had limited hours they could work inside of the facility.

major electrical equipment was then stripped

We wanted to avoid disrupting the centers patients and the operations of the

down by qualified field service representatives

facility as much as possible, said Wayne Furness, Schneider Electric project

and then rebuilt from the base up. The

manager. This required us to adapt to off-hour deliveries and restricted spaces,

temporary switchboard enabled the power

as well as forego pre-project outages that would allow us to inspect and plan

supply to bypass the equipment being rebuilt.

before the projects start. Because of these aspects, our team had to quickly and

Results

accurately engineer custom solutions for unique problems, all while staying in

The improvements to the electrical

budget and on time.

infrastructure enabled the facility to better

To overcome these obstacles, the engineering and consulting team tapped into

support its advanced patient equipment as

the multiple levels and services of Schneider Electric to coordinate and execute

well as provided the capacity to support new

a seamless project. Since healthcare construction can be one of the most

equipment and technologies as they become

challenging undertakings, as virtually any action performed by contractors is able

available. In addition, the cancer center

to put a patients life at risk, constant and open communication was required.

was able to reduce its maintenance costs,

Weekly all-hands meetings were held with the hospital management during the

improve power reliability, safely power all

entire length of the project to identify and mitigate risk. Careful coordination

major equipment, and overall achieve a better

between all parties involved allowed the orchestration of a series of actions to

environment of patient care.

prevent disruption of the hospitals day-to-day operations, which could have

created a physically and psychologically hazardous patient environment.

Ensuring safe, secure, and reliable power | 2

Schneider Electric Case Study > Hospital Facility

Implementing safe and effective solutions in

a restricted environment.
Our goal was to allow the
centers operations and
facility to run as smoothly
and as easily as possible, while
still being able to support a
high-volume of activity and
power requirements.
Wayne Furness, project manager

To enable the cancer center to provide the most secure and uninterrupted power
to its operations as possible, Schneider Electric Services developed a customized
solution which allowed the engineering group to design new mechanical systems
and connections in all vital power equipment.
All major electrical equipment was first stripped down by qualified field service
representatives, and then rebuilt from the base up to optimize its efficiency, safety,
and reliability. This process required the team to analyze, check and recheck, build,
and assemble each component. As power could not be disrupted to the facility,
this also required a coordination plan to keep all processes and power sources
up and running while the major gear was being rebuilt. To solve this challenge, a
temporary switchboard was designed which enabled the power supply to bypass
the equipment being refurbished and to continue delivering vital power.
The unique design of the centers electrical system added to the on-site access
limitations. Schneider Electric power system engineers devised and implemented
the best equipment and solutions possible, all of which were required to meet
electrical safety codes and pass numerous inspections. In addition to the
thorough rebuild and redesign of the system, the Schneider Electric Services team
also leveraged certain equipment and products that allowed the project to be
successfully completed at a high-quality level.
One of the highest priorities when selecting equipment for the infrastructure
redesign was the ability to work with other systems and collaborate with the existing
overall operations of the facility, said Wayne Furness. Our goal was to allow the
centers operations and facility to run as smoothly and as easily as possible, while
still being able to support a high-volume of activity and power requirements.

Schneider Electric engineers developed a

coordination plan to keep all processes and
power supplies up and running during the course
of the project.

Due to its compact frame, high amperage capacities and modern electronics, the
Square D Masterpact NT circuit breaker was leveraged to standardize power
circuit protection throughout the renovated facility. In addition, the PowerLogic
power monitoring solution was utilized, enabling interaction with the centers
building management system. This allowed facility managers to have knowledge
of their energy consumption and to be made aware of potential power quality or
safety concerns.

Ensuring safe, secure, and reliable power | 3

Schneider Electric Case Study > Hospital Facility

Reliable power support for the latest healthcare

technologies and equipment.
The improvements to the cancer centers electrical infrastructure enabled the
facility to better support its advanced patient equipment and technologies as
well as provided the capacity to support innovative equipment and technologies
as they become available. Finally, the cancer center was able to reduce its
maintenance costs, improve power reliability, safely power all major equipment,
and overall achieve a better environment of patient care.

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Fax: 847-925-7500
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Document Number 1910BR1201

February 2012