When you hear “mission critical,” what comes to mind? If it’s not CT Mechanical, we’d like to change that.
Most often, mission critical is used to describe data center operations, systems or facilities and the work required to maintain them. However, there’s far more to mission critical work than this definition entails.
What is Considered Mission Critical?
Data centers are the most obvious example of a mission critical facility. They store and transmit confidential, sensitive information. If compromised, financial information, identity information and even national security can be jeopardized.
Because data centers must comply with federal regulations for the handling of confidential or sensitive information, their maintenance is considered some of the most important mission critical work. Still, they are certainly not the only operations where proper maintenance is crucial.
Take, for example, the airflow inside of a hospital. If critical pathways have interrupted airflow, it can make the difference between health and sickness for the hospital’s patients. Laboratories, public safety centers and military facilities are also considered mission critical. However, mission critical operations can also occur in more everyday locations, like an apartment complex or hotel that require consistent access to hot, running water while vital maintenance is underway.
CTM’s Mission Critical Success Stories
With this broader definition in mind, it’s safe to say CT Mechanical does our fair share of mission critical work—in fact, it’s what we’re best at. Keep reading to learn more about CTM’s experience with mission critical success.
Prudential Plaza, Chicago, IL
This iconic Chicago skyscraper required a new exhaust system for its critical back-up generator. By leveraging a rental unit to wire in while the old system was replaced, we were able to ensure zero hiccups along the way. Time was also of the essence, as the back-up rental was expensive, and the work was being completed outside in frigid mid-December weather.
The Hoxton Hotel, Chicago, IL
A two-year-old hotel, the Hoxton’s HVAC system was improperly installed by another contractor when initially completed. To solve this, CTM needed to replace the hotel’s flue while limiting the time the building’s hot water would be unavailable during the process.
Our challenge was to keep domestic water heaters running in a basement about a mile away to an opening, then rerun the new system in the same space as the original flue. Aside from the three-hour window needed to make the switch, the hotel was never without its system.
Burnside Scholastic Academy, Chicago, IL
This Chicago Public School encountered a potentially deadly problem when a carbon monoxide leak occurred early on a Monday morning. Within two days, CTM was onsite with the attending contractor to review the issue. Speed was critical in our work to allow the school to reopen as quickly as possible.
We quoted our work, had it approved and created a temporary repair within the week, with a new 30-inch SS liner and double-wall breaching onsite within two and half weeks. With the liner completed over Thanksgiving break and the breaching, water heater redirect and final closures completed over Christmas break, we caused as minimal a disruption as possible.
Confidential Client, Chicago, IL
This commercial office building in downtown Chicago required multiple CRAH units per room for redundancy and server room change-overs within critical timeframes. We also added a large RTU using a sky crane helicopter, all of which required ample preplanning and coordination of many different trades.
ComEd Commercial Center, Oak Brook, IL
This mission critical facility required CTM to maintain airflow with heat throughout our work. For one unit, we had temporary heat throughout the space. For the two MEZ units, we breached the supply ducts together and ran both supply mains from one unit.
Once the new unit was installed and running, we completed the install of the second unit. For the basement units, we brought in temporary spot heaters that were flex-ducted into the mains, maintaining a 70-degree discharge of air and 8000 CFM to maintain heat throughout the office space.
Have a Mission Critical Project Coming Up?
Now you know who to call. Reach out online or at 630.227.1700