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Building Safe, Sustainable Systems for Behavioral Health Care

November 4, 2025

An open metal wall panel reveals three labeled copper pipes with gauges and valves, marked as oxygen, medical air, and medical vacuum, used for medical gas supply.

Behavioral health projects demand precision, collaboration, and foresight. At Poudre Valley Hospital’s Behavioral Health Expansion, our team combined experience and trusted partnerships to build systems that are safe, resilient, and easy to maintain for years to come.

Coordination in Critical Environments

At PVH, our team built inpatient spaces directly above the emergency department, which had to stay fully operational throughout construction. Meeting that challenge required careful planning and daily communication. We worked side by side with nurse managers, infection prevention specialists, and the facilities team to keep patient care running smoothly while we completed the work above.

Our Field Team Members brought unmatched technical skill, and their expertise built the foundation for the communication and coordination that kept this complex work moving safely. Because we trusted their precision in the field, our teams could focus on planning together to protect patients, maintain hospital operations, and keep the project on track.

A long, empty industrial hallway with metal beams, pipes on the ceiling, frosted glass windows on both sides, and bright lighting, leading to a closed door at the far end.

Planning for Serviceability

Behavioral health spaces need systems that support long-term maintenance, not quick fixes. From the start, we designed for access and durability. Our team routed systems through corridors instead of patient rooms, using BIM modeling and prefabrication to bring that vision to life.

By engaging designers, facilities staff, and trade partners early, we reduced risk, streamlined maintenance, and ensured systems would perform reliably long after construction ended.

Patient Safety Shaped Every Detail

Patient safety drove every decision we made on this project. At PVH, we installed ligature-resistant fixtures, grilles, and secured access panels, even for components that would have been standard in other hospitals. Our close collaboration with the design team and facilities staff ensured every system supported both safety and practicality.

A modern, empty hospital or clinic reception desk with a wood finish and white countertop is situated in a clean, well-lit hallway with doors and overhead lighting visible in the background.

Relationships Drove Success

The PVH project showed that success in healthcare construction depended on strong relationships. Our long-standing partnership with UCHealth, our trust with the Poudre Valley Hospital facilities team, and our collaboration with Swinerton and trade partners kept this project moving forward.

When teams work in sync, coordination happens naturally. That alignment allows us to deliver projects that perform with precision and serve the communities that rely on them.

Aimee Greenwell is a Project Manager at U.S. Engineering Construction.