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Large construction projects demand a high level of coordination, planning, and technical expertise. This is particularly true in healthcare environments, where multiple trades often work within tight spaces and strict schedules, and even small inefficiencies can quickly escalate into delays or cost overruns.

One strategy that is transforming how complex mechanical systems are installed is prefabrication, particularly through the use of multi-trade racks.

On the Presby Bed Tower project, prefabricated multi-trade racks played a critical role in improving coordination between trades and streamlining installation. These racks allowed multiple building systems, such as piping, HVAC, and electrical utilities, to be organized, fabricated, and partially assembled off-site before installation.

The result was a highly coordinated installation strategy designed to improve efficiency, reduce congestion on-site, and support the demands of a large, complex healthcare facility.
 

Understanding Multi-Trade Prefabrication Racks

Multi-trade racks are structural assemblies designed to support and organize multiple building systems within a single prefabricated framework. Instead of installing each trade’s utilities individually within the building, contractors coordinate their systems onto a shared rack that can be fabricated off-site and installed as a single unit. For projects like hospital towers, where ceiling space is limited and building systems are extensive, this approach can dramatically improve coordination and installation efficiency.

By fabricating racks in a controlled shop environment, project teams can:

• Improve installation accuracy 
• Reduce on-site labor hours 
• Limit congestion between trades 
• Accelerate installation timelines 
• Improve overall project coordination 

However, successfully implementing multi-trade racks requires extensive planning and collaboration across the entire project team.
 

The Planning Behind the Presby Bed Tower Rack System

For the Presby Bed Tower project, the development of the rack system required significant upfront coordination. A key contributor to this effort was Adam Olszewski, McKamish's Planning Manager, who served as the project’s “Rack Ambassador.” His role focused on developing the rack layout and ensuring the design worked for both the engineering requirements and the realities of field installation.

Working closely with engineers, McKamish helped design a rack system that could support the weight and layout of the utilities while also accommodating one of the project’s unique challenges: the curved hallways throughout the tower. Designing racks that could safely carry multiple systems while still fitting within these curved pathways required detailed planning, engineering coordination, and careful consideration of installation logistics. The result was a rack design that balanced structural support, system organization, and constructability.
 

Coordinating Multiple Trades into a Single Prefabricated System

Once the rack structure was designed, the coordination process began.

Through collaboration meetings and coordination sessions, each participating trade identified how their systems would be routed within the racks. HVAC, plumbing, and other mechanical systems were mapped into the rack layout so that each contractor knew exactly where their utilities would be installed.

From there, each contractor developed trade-specific fabrication drawings that aligned with the shared rack design. This allowed the racks to be constructed inside the McKamish fabrication shop while participating trades installed their systems directly onto the racks months before those utilities were needed on-site. Fabricating these assemblies in a controlled environment allowed teams to focus on precision and quality while avoiding the congestion and scheduling challenges that often occur on active construction sites.
 

Fabrication in the Shop Before Installation in the Field

Constructing the racks in the McKamish shop allowed the project team to move significant work off-site and complete it earlier in the project timeline. Within the shop environment, teams assembled the rack structures and installed coordinated building systems based on the detailed fabrication drawings created during the planning phase.

This approach provided several advantages:

• Improved installation accuracy 
• Safer working conditions 
• Reduced job site congestion 
• Greater schedule control 

Once complete, the prefabricated racks could then be transported to the project site and installed in the building.

While the planning and fabrication process required significant upfront time and effort, it ultimately created a system that allowed field teams to install highly coordinated assemblies more efficiently.
 

Turning Detailed Planning into Field Success

Although prefabrication significantly improved the installation process, the complexity of a project like the Presby Bed Tower did not disappear once the racks reached the field. Field teams still had to manage installation challenges, coordination adjustments, and the realities of working within a large healthcare construction environment.

However, because so much of the coordination and assembly work had already been completed during the planning and fabrication phases, the field installation process was far more streamlined than traditional approaches. A major factor in the success of the rack system was the detailed planning that went into it. From early coordination through fabrication and field installation, every phase required close collaboration between planners, project managers, shop teams, and field crews.

McKamish’s detailed approach to the rack design and coordination process helped ensure that everyone, from the planning team to the field installers, had the information they needed to execute the work successfully.
 

Why Prefabrication Is Becoming Essential for Complex Projects

Projects like the Presby Bed Tower demonstrate how prefabrication and multi-trade coordination can transform complex construction processes. By shifting work into a controlled shop environment and coordinating multiple trades into shared assemblies, project teams can reduce risk, improve efficiency, and enhance installation quality. For large healthcare facilities and other complex buildings, prefabrication strategies like multi-trade racks are becoming an increasingly valuable tool for delivering projects successfully.
 

Key Takeaways

The Presby Bed Tower project used prefabricated multi-trade racks to coordinate HVAC, plumbing, and other mechanical systems before installation.

Through detailed planning, engineering coordination, and off-site fabrication, multiple trades were able to install utilities onto shared racks months before they were needed on-site.

This approach improved coordination, reduced job site congestion, and helped streamline installation on a highly complex healthcare construction project.

Learn More about McKamish's Prefabrication Capabilities
 

Frequently Asked Questions About Multi-Trade Racks

What are multi-trade racks in construction?

Multi-trade racks are prefabricated structural assemblies that support multiple building systems, such as piping, HVAC, and electrical utilities, within a single coordinated framework.
 

Why are multi-trade racks used in construction projects?

They allow project teams to coordinate building systems in advance and fabricate them off-site, which can improve installation efficiency and reduce job site congestion.
 

What are the benefits of prefabrication in construction?

Prefabrication helps move work into a controlled shop environment, which can improve quality, enhance safety, reduce labor hours on-site, and accelerate installation schedules.
 

Why are multi-trade racks useful in hospital construction?

Healthcare buildings have complex infrastructure and tight ceiling spaces. Multi-trade racks allow systems to be organized and installed more efficiently while improving coordination between trades.