Welcome back South Carolina Chapter! Our first meeting of the society year kicks off with a special visit from our Director and Regional Chair: Heather Platt Gulledge Please join us for dinner, drinks and a presentation on Impacts of Design from a Facilities Perspective. We will have a social/happy hour at 5:30 and the presentation will start at 6. Venue Sponsor: Air Carolinas
Catering Sponsor: Steve's Deli
Heather Platt Gulledge is a Senior Project Manager with nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare facility engineering, design, and operations. As a former hospital Associate Director of Facilities and Maintenance Engineering, she understands firsthand the challenges facility teams face every day and brings that practical, owner-focused perspective to every project. Heather specializes in healthcare mechanical systems, HVAC design, facility performance, energy efficiency, water management, and inpatient and outpatient facility projects. She is passionate about creating buildings that not only meet design goals but also operate effectively for the people who manage and maintain them long after construction is complete. Heather enjoys sharing lessons learned from both the facility and design sides of the industry to help improve project outcomes and enhance the healthcare environment. A respected industry contributor, she has co-authored publications including the HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics and Water Management in Healthcare Facilities: Complying with ASHRAE Standard 188. She is an active ASHRAE member, serves as the ASHRAE Liaison to FGI, and contributes to the development of healthcare facility standards and best practices through her work on several national committees.
Impacts of Design from a Facilities Perspective
As clients continue to demand faster project delivery and lower costs, design teams are often challenged to do more with less. While these pressures can improve efficiency, they may also lead to designs that only meet minimum code requirements or insufficient investigation of existing conditions. The result can be increased operational challenges, costly modifications, schedule delays, and higher long-term expenses for both owners and design professionals.
Using real-world project examples, this presentation explores the operational and facility impacts of design decisions, highlighting lessons learned and opportunities to improve design practices. Attendees will gain insight into how thoughtful planning and thorough evaluation can help create more effective, sustainable, and maintainable facilities.
· Understand the downstream operational impacts of designing to minimum code requirements.
· Recognize common facility operations and maintenance challenges that can result from design decisions.
· Apply lessons learned from real-world projects to improve future design practices and project outcomes.