Department of Veterans Affairs
Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
In this project, Salas O’Brien conducted engineering design for renovations to the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center’s emergency facilities. Our work was part of a larger initiative to improve patient care facilities, and the finished project achieved leadership’s ambitious goals for the space.
Our client
Commonly referred to as the Veterans Administration (VA), the Department of Veterans Affairs is a cabinet-level executive department that administers veteran healthcare, benefits, rehabilitation, and other services. With over 1,200 healthcare facilities serving more than nine million veterans annually, the department’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) comprises the largest healthcare system in the United States.
Project highlights
Their challenge
The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida, is a tertiary care medical center and active teaching hospital offering an extensive array of specialty services. This renovation project aimed to expand the medical center’s emergency facilities to include a new chest pain observation and testing area. Our team was brought in to design the space’s MEP and fire protection systems, power systems, and emergency backup power. The project also involved the addition of an isolation room exhaust system.
Our solution
Salas O’Brien provided MEP and fire protection engineering for this renovation and expansion. The design included changes to the existing mechanical ductwork and VAV system and extensions of the existing medical gas, fire alarm, nurse call, and intercom systems.
The results
This renovation was part of a larger initiative to improve patient care at Malcom Randall VAMC, and the finished space provides an excellent work and learning environment for staff and up-and-coming medical professionals.


