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By William N. Bernstein, ACHA, AIA
Bernstein & Associates,
Architects
Here’s the situation: in healthcare architecture, an
architect needs detailed equipment specifications for the
major pieces of fixed equipment (starting with the
manufacturer name and model number), in order to design
the facility properly. To accomplish this, the client
gives the architect a list of equipment manufacturers and
model numbers at the beginning of the design process.
But here’s the problem: clients sometimes
change their minds about equipment specifications (for
example, the manufacturer, or model number). Sometimes the
change occurs during the architectural design process. In
some cases, the specifications change occurs after the
construction documents are complete. And in the worst
case, the specification change occurs during construction,
or even after construction is complete.
Are equipment specification changes a
big deal? It depends.
In some cases, the specification change
is made with little effect on the design or construction.
But that’s probably the exception. Most of the time, a
specification change has a major impact on the project.
The scope of the change can grow
depending on the size of the equipment and the point at
which the change is made in the process. As an example, a
change made to a mobile ultrasound machine at any point
during the process has a minimal effect. On the other
hand, a specification change made to a 1.5-tesla MR system
after construction is complete could have an enormous
impact...
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