Friendship Hospital for Animals

GHT provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering and medical gas design services for the new Friendship Hospital for Animals (FHA) in Washington, DC.

The project involved relocating FHA into a mixed-use building at 5025 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, where three levels of existing office space were converted into a veterinary hospital while maintaining occupied condominiums directly above.

The hospital, owned by Encore Vet Group and managed by Clear Real Estate Services, was designed to support 24/7 operations and meet the demands of a growing veterinary healthcare program. The facility includes exam rooms, intensive and primary care suites, isolation and animal wards, a dental suite, animal decontamination rooms, and a surgery suite featuring eight operating rooms and two autoclaves. Specialty services include a pharmacy, chemotherapy and oncology rooms, and advanced imaging equipment such as a linear accelerator, MRI, and CT scanner.

A comprehensive redesign of the base building MEP systems was carried out to support these medical functions. Existing mechanical systems were replaced with purpose-built systems tailored to space types, including dedicated HVAC units for surgical and imaging suites. A dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS), paired with a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system, was used to manage ventilation, humidification, and thermal comfort for general hospital areas. A separate DOAS system was provided for the surgical suite to maintain the required filtration, pressurization, and air change rates consistent with healthcare standards such as those from the Facilities Guidelines Institute (FGI). Fan filter units with HEPA filtration were employed where ductwork space was limited.

To support the hospital’s specialized infrastructure, medical gas systems were designed and installed, including an on-site oxygen generator plant with storage and backup, a central nitrogen supply, a compressed air system, and a central vacuum system with exhaust. Dual master alarm panels and local alarms were provided in accordance with NFPA 99 requirements, and infrastructure for future gas expansion was included.

Electrical service challenges were addressed by upgrading transformers and creating a dedicated electrical room, avoiding the need to replace the aging PEPCO vault. A standby power generator and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) were installed to support critical systems, including ICU functions, imaging equipment, and surgery. Due to residential units located above, special attention was given to acoustic mitigation, routing generator exhaust to the roof and managing air intake to reduce noise. HVAC systems were also selected and zoned to minimize sound transmission and maintain required pressure relationships even during outages.

Extensive shielding and structural modifications were implemented for the linear accelerator, MRI, and CT to meet radiation safety standards. Coordination with the structural engineer and architect allowed for the integration of thickened walls and lead-lined assemblies, ensuring safety in adjacent areas.

Plumbing systems were designed to support specialized functions, including dialysis areas served by reverse osmosis (RO) water, morgue freezers, and autoclave systems. Isolation wards were also incorporated, with appropriate exhaust and filtration strategies.

Throughout construction, challenges tied to the building’s age and residential location were addressed in real time. These included cracked pipes, hidden equipment, and noise-sensitive infrastructure. GHT remained actively involved during construction, supporting field coordination and system verification efforts such as pre-close-in walkthroughs to ensure healthcare-grade performance and code compliance.

This project demonstrates GHT’s ability to transform existing structures into high-performance healthcare environments through a deep understanding of healthcare standards, technical agility, and practical design innovation.