When Bellin Health made the decision to upgrade its existing linear accelerator and add a second unit to its cancer treatment facility in Ashwaubenon, it turned to IEI General Contractors for local expertise in creating the specialized space.
Health care contractor adds specialized space for Bellin Health’s linear accelerator
Building a room surrounded by concrete that is 4 to 6 feet thick on all six sides is not a common assignment for a health care contractor. Bellin Health had been down this road before when it installed its first linear accelerator at the Commanche Avenue location in Ashaubenon, and the Green Bay healthcare system tabbed IEI General Contractors again when it decided to upgrade its original unit and add a second in 2018.
Linear accelerators (LINAC) require specialized rooms to deliver external beam radiation treatments for cancer patients. The linear accelerator focuses high-energy x-rays or electrons to a very specific region of the patient’s tumor, and special construction criteria must be met to safeguard patients and staff both inside and outside the treatment room.
IEI worked with Bellin and the project’s architect, Somerville Inc., on the $3 million project, blending the new space into the existing building. The new space required a hefty 500 to 600 yards of concrete for a 20-by-20-foot room. It includes special reinforcements and doors, and the project must be on the ground floor to support the more than 1,000 tons of concrete.
IEI teams erected the shoring over the course of a few weeks and then poured the walls, floor and ceiling in stages. The concrete needed to cure and dry for two weeks prior to performing compression tests and ensuring specific criteria were met. After 21 days, crews were able to pull out a limited number of shore posts per day and begin finishing work inside the room.
Construction is set to finish on time for the July 23, “beam on date,” providing Bellin Health with the latest in cancer treatment capabilities in Green Bay with IEI as their health care contractor.
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