BOSTON, Mass. — One of the country’s largest integrated design firms, Detroit-based SmithGroupJJR has announced the expansion of its national presence with the acquisition of TRO, a Boston-based, multidisciplinary healthcare design firm. The expansion launches SmithGroupJJR’s first New England location, joining the Washington, D.C. practice as the firm’s only two East Coast offices, with the goal of strengthening the firm’s healthcare design expertise. This effort increases the company’s resources to 1,300 employees and 12 offices across the U.S. and China, according to a statement.

With TRO becoming the Boston office of SmithGroupJJR, Mark Jussaume, PE, LEED AP, who has been with TRO since 1990 and most recently served as the firm’s CEO, takes on the role of office director for this location.

TRO’s recent projects also include the Alfond Center for Health at MaineGeneral Medical Center, with the operation working under a collaborative Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method to complete the project ten months ahead of schedule; the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a complex expansion over the Hospital’s Labor and Delivery floor, as well as the full renovation of the existing NICU; and the Menino Addition and Renovation at Boston Medical Center, which faced the challenges of relocating operative departments into currently occupied space without disturbing patient care.

SmithGroupJJR team consists of 1,300 experts committed to strategy, design and delivery.  The firm creates exceptional design solutions for healthcare, science and technology organizations, higher education and cultural institutions, urban environments, diverse workplaces, mixed-use and waterfront developments, and parks and open spaces. TRO expresses “a singular commitment to the healthcare sector combined with our multidisciplinary service offering of architecture, engineering and interior design delivers unparalleled value to our clients,” these similar strategies being the connection between the two firms, according to a statement. 

Russ Sykes, managing partner at SmithGroupJJR, states that the two practices began conversations a year and a half ago to “get to know each other and make sure it’s what both teams wanted”, with the main concern of finding a partner which shared cultural similarities while entering the acquisition process. A former SmithGroupJJR employee who had joined TRO noticed the cultural similarities between the two firms, prompting the initial talks of a partnership, according to a statement.

“A former SmithGroupJJR employee joined TRO and recognized the similarities between our two firms’ cultures and values,” Jussaume stated. “A year of discussions grew into this opportunity to join forces. There’s no doubt that this partnership will add tremendous depth in all disciplines and allow our expanded organization to leverage deep expertise in several key market sectors.”

SmithGroupJJR’s development plans include establishing additional offices and expanding services and markets into existing offices where there is strategic alignment with client needs. The acquisition of TRO follows other recent moves, including the opening of an office in San Diego, the addition of engineering services in all California offices, and expanded service offerings at the Madison, Wisconsin office to include architectural design for the first time in the firm’s history.  The firm has also recently created Workplace studios in its Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago offices and Science & Technology studios in Chicago and Dallas.

SmithGroupJJR Managing Partner Russ Sykes, PE, LEED AP acknowledged that establishing a presence in the Northeast, and Boston in particular, has been part of SmithGroupJJR’s long-term plan. “As opportunities to grow the firm have been identified, the Northeast was an obvious gap in the geography of our offices. New England is a prime location for the markets we serve and a great region for recruiting talent,” Sykes explained. “We were already teamed with TRO to deliver projects in the region, including working together at Exeter Hospital and on Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. This move allows us to be closer to those clients while continuing to expand our portfolio in other markets.” 

The Boston office will continue doing business as TRO into the second quarter of 2018, at which time it will be fully integrated into the SmithGroupJJR brand.

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That is why, Jim Perry, chief technical officer of New York-based Cerami & Associates, addresses the problem of noise pollution within healthcare facilities by using the Lunder Building in Boston as a case study.

His webinar, “The Importance of Acoustics on Patient Care: A Case Study on The Lunder Building,” offers real answers to this pressing healthcare challenge. Perry has created a discourse covering different methods to cut vibration levels, reduce major noise sources such as HVAC systems, improve the sound-isolating performance of doors and even addressing intrusive noise from the outside. Using the Lunder Building’s 535,000-square-foot, 150-bed mid-rise hospital tower as an example, Perry can address the impact of building acoustics on both caregivers and patients.

HC+O News spoke with Perry to get the inside scoop on why the Lunder Building is such a prime example of how to reduce noise pollution in healthcare facilities.

Q: For those unaware of this issue, what is “noise pollution,” and why is it being addressed in healthcare facilities? What constitutes an “acoustically healthy” environment?

Perry: In healthcare facilities, high noise levels can be a detriment to patients and staff in different ways. Limiting the noise impacts on patients is critical to promote resting, which has a direct correlation to healing, the ultimate goal. In regard to the staff, high noise levels contributes to higher stress levels and increases the possibility of mistakes being made in all aspects of their job.

Q: What are some of the key design features of the Lunder Building that mitigate or prevent noise pollution? When did the project of this new design begin?

Perry: There were many aspects of the planning of the space that were utilized to reduce the noise impacts on the patients, distributed nursing stations, minimizing proximity of back of house spaces and doors to patient rooms, location and types of alarms and notification systems all aimed at reducing the noise impacts on the patients. The design for this began with NBBJ utilizing these planning methods before 2006.

Q: What are the biggest challenges in designing a healthier noise environment? How can other facilities work towards implementing these designs, and are there any future plans for extending this to other healthcare facilities? 

Perry: The biggest challenge is that the noise levels are due to not only the built environment, but also the staff behavior and operations, so there are multiple avenues that need to be addressed in order to achieve a better environment. This requires a change in typical behavior from the staff, which is not always possible.

According to a statement, Perry has 17 years of experience providing acoustical and vibration consulting for varying project types. Perry has gained special expertise in areas of mechanical system design and vibration control, especially in the design of large scale developments, residences, and healthcare facilities. Perry has appeared as an expert witness at Community Board hearings in both New York and New Jersey, offering testimony on noise transmission, with regard to noise codes, residential impact issues, and other acoustical and vibration issues. He is fully conversant with all aspects of architectural acoustics, mechanical systems, noise and vibration control and environmental impact assessment.

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