The Medical University of South Carolina, a prominent comprehensive academic health system located in Charleston, SC, was founded in 1824. Each year, this campus educates more than 3,200 students in six colleges. In 2023, for the ninth consecutive year, US News & World Report named MUSC in Charleston the number one hospital in South Carolina.

As the campus continues to expand and age, several projects take place to its infrastructure every year. Able Iron Works, located not far away in Moncks Corner, SC, was awarded the task of working together with other contractors in building a new air handler unit for their Basic Science Building.

This project's location would be concerning since the nearby buildings were close to the air handler. While hot-dip galvanizing provides the best protection for exposed steel, the standards with this particular project had to go above and beyond. Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel, or AESS (category 1), requires the members being hot-dip galvanized to go through some additional requirements beyond the typical ASTM specifications. Aesthetic requirements need to be met in order to provide the best protection while exhibiting a desired architectural finish. During fabrication, shipment, and erection, extra care is taken to avoid any blemishes and unwanted surface appearance when handling the steel and removing temporary braces or fixtures. For some categories, all backing and run-off tabs are removed and welds are to be ground smooth for those areas exposed to the human eye. Basic unpainted steel also must be cleaned of oil, dirt, and grease allowing a pleasing smooth surface. Visible site lines are the most important item to be considered when applying the AESS standards to projects such as this because of its highly exposed areas to the human high traffic.

This project involved over 7 tons of hot-dip galvanized steel. Galvanizing was also selected for its environmental concerns and anti-corrosion protection, providing this location with clean air and expanding its ability to handle additional patients with clean air.

The frame and catwalk surrounding the unit carried all the galvanized steel material. This provided access for maintenance. A portion of these pieces also provided support for the decorative louvers on the exterior. This busy hospital court area project also had to match an additional unit while being aesthetically pleasing in this high traffic area.

The overall project will be enclosing the air handler while becoming part of this university’s long-standing heritage. It will stand strong for many years down into the future to provide protection for both the unit and the people receiving care.