Batson Cook Streamlines Hospital MEP Coordination with AR Technology
- Key challenge: Patient lift clearance conflicts with existing MEP systems.
Table of Contents
General contractors
Construction - Healthcare
Hospital construction with complex MEP coordination
Executive Summary
When Batson Cook Construction needed to address patient lift installation conflicts on their Northside Hospital Gwinnett project, the team evaluated GAMMA AR as part of their coordination toolkit. The technology’s ability to visualize BIM models directly over real-world conditions provided the clarity needed to resolve technical challenges efficiently, leading company leadership to adopt it as a standard tool across future projects.
The Challenge
The Northside Hospital Gwinnett project presented a complex coordination challenge: installing patient lift systems across ten patient rooms on level two. These critical systems require exact clearance zones in the ceiling, parallel sleeves about eight feet apart with mounting poles extending into the slab above, but the team discovered insufficient clearance due to conflicts with existing gravity pipes, HVAC systems, and pressure piping.
Any conflicts with these MEP systems would trigger costly delays and potential project standstills, yet the complexity went beyond what traditional 2D drawings could effectively communicate to field teams.
“We try to avoid that nasty domino effect, which pushes back the schedule,” explained Lifahn Adams, VDC Specialist at Batson Cook. The previous Trimble Connect solution had failed due to unreliable HoloLens technology and cumbersome QR code requirements for model alignment.
The Solution & Implementation
GAMMA AR provided seamless BIM model overlay directly onto real-world conditions using iPad LiDAR technology. The markerless tracking eliminated workflow complications while enabling precise visualization of proposed installations against existing infrastructure.
“With GAMMA AR, it was almost as easy as it sounds, just aligning to a corner and placing the model exactly where you need it,” Lifahn noted. Field teams could immediately see conflicts and solutions without interpreting complex drawings.
Why GAMMA AR Over Alternatives:
- Eliminated QR code setup in models and workflow complications that plagued the Trimble solution
- Leveraged reliable iPad LiDAR technology instead of problematic HoloLens
- Simplified training and adoption with intuitive interface
- Delivered immediate value using existing hardware
The decision aligned with the company’s commitment to staying ahead of technological advancement: “If everybody in the world but us is using this technology, you’re gonna have to make some changes.”
The Results
Critical Conflict Prevention:
Successfully identified and resolved patient lift clearance conflicts across all ten patient rooms, preventing costly rework and schedule delays.
Proactive vs. Reactive Implementation:
The company shifted from using GAMMA AR to solve existing problems to implementing it from project inception, enabling prevention rather than reaction.
Improved Coordination Workflows:
Teams can now visualize complex MEP integration in existing buildings, identifying clashes before construction begins rather than during installation.
Conclusion
With GAMMA AR, Batson Cook shifted its approach from reactive problem-solving to proactive coordination. The technology is now expanding across their healthcare portfolio, with leadership recognizing its strategic value for maintaining competitive advantage.
“I definitely see it being used more proactively,” Lifahn concluded. “I’d love if we would use it to help understand what’s going on first, rather than saying we have an issue and asking for help to fix it.”
For healthcare contractors facing similar coordination challenges, Batson Cook’s experience demonstrates that showing concrete problem-solving capabilities first, then introducing the technology as standard workflow, drives successful adoption and executive buy-in.
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