The Temporary Construction Strategy That Makes a Complicated Hospital Jobsite Easier
Hospital construction comes with a lot of moving parts.
Crews need equipment access. Trades need room to work. Construction zones change. Weather moves in. Interior work needs protection. And the schedule still needs to keep moving.
At Medpace 300, the team faced an especially complicated challenge.
The multi-story healthcare construction project needed reliable construction weather protection from rain, wind, and changing conditions.
But crews also needed to move massive mechanical equipment through one of the same areas that needed weather protection.
They needed the opening protected when work was happening inside.
They needed it accessible when large equipment was moving through.
And they needed both without disrupting the construction schedule.
RWES gave the team exactly that.
A retractable temporary construction enclosure could close when crews needed weather protection and open when large equipment needed access.
Protection when they needed it.
Access when they needed it.
One flexible system designed around the way the jobsite actually needed to operate.
And that's the bigger lesson for hospital construction teams:
The right temporary construction strategy can make a complicated jobsite a whole lot easier.
Hospital Construction Requires Temporary Protection That Can Adapt
Healthcare construction doesn't stand still.
Crews need access.
Materials need to move.
Mechanical equipment needs to get inside.
Different trades work in the same areas at different stages.
Construction zones change as the building progresses.
And through all of it, the project still needs reliable construction weather protection.
That's why flexibility matters.
RWES can be configured around the actual construction sequence, giving teams protection while allowing the jobsite to keep moving.
Instead of treating weather protection, equipment access, changing work zones, and project sequencing as completely separate challenges, the enclosure can be designed around how the project needs to function.
The protection adapts as the project changes.
The Hospital Construction Challenge at Medpace 300
Medpace 300 is a nine-story healthcare and office facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, being constructed as part of a larger campus expansion.
Led by Skanska, the project spans a multi-year construction timeline from 2024 through 2027.
Like any complex hospital construction project, the team had to coordinate structural sequencing, multiple trades, safety requirements, weather protection, equipment installation, and an aggressive construction schedule.
Then there was the expansion joint.
This area needed to be enclosed to protect active construction from exterior weather.
But crews also needed to move large mechanical equipment, including air handling units, through the same opening.
That required a temporary enclosure capable of doing more than simply providing weather protection.
It needed to adapt to the work.
The Enclosure Needed to Work With the Construction Plan
The Medpace team needed more than reliable weather protection.
They needed flexibility.
Large mechanical equipment had to move through the expansion joint at different stages of construction, while the same area still needed protection from exterior conditions.
That meant the temporary construction enclosure needed to support:
Equipment access
Trade sequencing
Changing construction activities
Weather protection
Schedule requirements
Instead of making crews repeatedly change their construction plan, RWES was configured around how the team already needed to work.
The jobsite didn't have to adapt to RWES. RWES adapted to the jobsite.
The Solution: Make the Temporary Construction Enclosure Retractable
RWES designed the system around the way the Medpace project actually needed to operate.
The solution was a retractable temporary construction enclosure installed at the expansion joint.
The concept was straightforward:
When crews needed weather protection, close it.
When crews needed equipment access, open it.
Large mechanical equipment could move through the opening without sacrificing the project's weather protection strategy.
Once access was no longer required, crews could close the enclosure again.
Protection when the project needed protection.
Access when the project needed access.
RWES adapted to the jobsite so the jobsite could keep moving.
Why Retractable Temporary Enclosures Make Complicated Jobsites Easier
The retractable feature solved the immediate Medpace challenge, but there's a bigger construction lesson here.
The best temporary construction systems are designed around how the project needs to operate.
Think about the number of changing conditions on a large healthcare construction project:
Equipment installation
Material movement
Changing work zones
Floor-to-floor progression
Exterior openings
Mechanical installation
Leading edges
Weather events
Trade sequencing
The needs of the building today may not be the needs of the building three months from now.
That's why flexibility matters in a temporary enclosure construction strategy.
A system that can adapt to the project can help teams handle changing conditions without constantly changing how they work.
What Is a Temporary Construction Enclosure?
A temporary construction enclosure is a barrier system used to help separate and protect active construction from exterior weather or surrounding conditions while portions of a building remain unfinished.
These systems can be installed around open floors, exterior openings, scaffolding, work zones, or other exposed portions of a construction project.
For healthcare construction, temporary enclosures for construction can help create more protected working conditions before permanent exterior components are complete.
But the right enclosure does more than protect an opening.
It supports the work happening behind it.
At Medpace 300, that meant designing around the movement of massive mechanical equipment.
Your project's challenge may be completely different.
Weather Doesn't Care About Your Equipment Schedule
The access challenge was only half of the equation.
The building still needed protection.
Cincinnati construction means dealing with changing weather conditions, including rain, wind, temperature swings, and severe weather events.
Leaving an area exposed can affect more than the immediate work happening near the opening.
Interior areas can become exposed.
Materials can be affected.
Crews can lose productive time.
Scheduled work can be interrupted.
Other trades can be pushed.
That's why temporary weather protection for construction isn't only about keeping rain out.
It's about protecting everything that depends on the work continuing behind the enclosure.
Construction Weather Protection Is Schedule Protection
On a complicated project, a weather interruption rarely exists in isolation.
Imagine an interior activity is scheduled to begin Monday.
Weather affects the exposed area before that work starts.
Now the area isn't ready.
Monday becomes Tuesday.
Another trade was supposed to start after that crew.
An inspection was scheduled based on the original sequence.
Equipment installation was coordinated around those dates.
Suddenly, one environmental interruption has created a chain reaction.
That's what makes construction weather protection a schedule issue.
A reliable enclosure gives the project another level of control over conditions that would otherwise be outside the contractor's control.
You can't decide when it rains.
You can decide how prepared the project is when it does.
Medpace Put the System to the Test
The retractable design wasn't useful only because it provided equipment access.
The system also had to perform as an actual weather enclosure.
And according to the project's superintendent, it did.
Dustin K. Hopkins, Senior Superintendent of Skanska USA Building Inc., explained:
“We chose the RWES system for the Medpace 300 expansion, and it’s proven to be a solid choice. It outperformed traditional methods we’ve used elsewhere, especially when bringing in large equipment like AHUs. It’s held up through high winds and tough weather, and overall, it’s been a reliable solution for this project.”
That matters because the project needed both flexibility and performance.
Access when required. Protection when required.
How RWES Makes Complicated Hospital Construction Easier
Your hospital construction project probably doesn't look exactly like Medpace 300.
That's the point.
RWES can be configured around the specific challenges your team is trying to solve.
Maybe an exposed building perimeter needs protection so interior work can progress.
Maybe a large opening needs to remain accessible for deliveries.
Maybe construction is progressing floor by floor and the enclosure needs to move with it.
Maybe an elevated edge requires both construction weather protection and construction fall protection systems.
Maybe a phased healthcare project needs different areas enclosed at different times.
Or maybe your team needs a better way to maintain consistent working conditions when the weather changes.
The solution doesn't have to look exactly like Medpace.
It needs to solve the problem your project actually has.
That's what makes RWES different.
The system can be configured around the jobsite instead of forcing the jobsite into one standard approach.
A Temporary Building Enclosure System That Moves With Construction
Construction doesn't stand still.
Neither should temporary protection.
RWES is designed as a reusable and reconfigurable building enclosure system, allowing panels to be relocated as work progresses and project requirements change.
That can be particularly useful on multi-story and phased hospital construction projects.
Instead of treating every new area as an entirely new enclosure challenge, contractors can plan how the system will support multiple stages of construction.
That means thinking beyond:
“How do we protect this opening today?”
And asking:
“How will we need this area to function throughout construction?”
That question can reveal access requirements, sequencing challenges, safety considerations, and future enclosure needs before they become problems.
What Is an Enclosure System in Construction?
An enclosure system in construction creates physical separation between an active construction area and exterior conditions or surrounding spaces.
During construction, a temporary enclosure can help protect unfinished portions of the building before the permanent building enclosure is complete.
Depending on the project, a construction site enclosure may also need to accommodate:
Equipment access
Material movement
Changing construction zones
Leading-edge protection
Multiple elevations
Phased construction
Changing trade requirements
That's why enclosure planning should happen around the actual construction sequence rather than being treated as an isolated temporary task.
Weather Protection and Construction Safety Can Work Together
On multi-story hospital construction projects, exposed areas can create both weather and safety considerations.
Medpace 300 required protection at elevated edges in addition to weather enclosure.
RWES integrated with fall protection components including parapet clamps, safety rails, leading-edge protection, and edge guard systems.
That allowed the project to approach enclosure and jobsite safety as connected requirements.
Instead of thinking only about what needs to be kept outside the building, contractors can consider what needs to happen safely around the perimeter as construction progresses.
That's particularly important when the same area needs to change throughout different stages of the project.
Less Time Managing Temporary Protection. More Time Building.
A well-planned temporary protection strategy should make the jobsite easier to manage.
That's where flexibility can make a real difference.
At Medpace 300, the retractable RWES configuration gave crews equipment access and weather protection within the same system.
On another project, relocating or reconfiguring RWES may help solve a different sequencing, access, or protection challenge.
As construction changes, the system can change with it.
The goal is simple:
Spend less time managing temporary protection and more time moving construction forward.
Stop Solving Weather Problems After They Happen
One of the biggest advantages of planning a temporary building enclosure early is that the team can identify project needs before construction reaches them.
Where will equipment enter?
Which areas need to remain accessible?
When does interior work begin?
Which elevations will remain exposed?
Where is leading-edge protection required?
How will the enclosure change as construction progresses?
What happens when severe weather arrives?
Those questions can help turn temporary enclosure planning into part of the overall construction strategy.
Because once weather is already affecting the work, the project is reacting.
The better opportunity is preparing before it happens.
The Real Lesson From Medpace 300
The impressive part of this project isn't simply that RWES enclosed an expansion joint.
It's that the enclosure helped solve several challenges at once.
The building needed to remain protected.
Large mechanical equipment needed access.
Crews needed leading-edge protection.
The construction schedule needed to keep moving.
Instead of choosing one priority over another, RWES was configured around all of them.
One system helped the team solve multiple jobsite challenges at the same time.
What Construction Problem Could the Right Enclosure Solve?
If your hospital construction project needs weather protection, think beyond simply closing an opening.
Ask:
How does equipment need to move through the building?
How will trades use the area?
What changes three months from now?
What happens when construction moves to another floor?
Where is fall protection required?
What work depends on maintaining protected conditions?
Where could weather create unnecessary schedule risk?
Those answers can help determine how a temporary construction enclosure should be configured around your project.
At Medpace 300, the answer was a retractable RWES system that provided weather protection while maintaining access for large mechanical equipment.
Your project may have a completely different challenge.
That's exactly why RWES is designed to adapt.
Tell us what's making your jobsite difficult. We'll help you determine how RWES can protect the work and keep construction moving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you protect a hospital construction project from weather before the building is fully enclosed?
A temporary construction enclosure can protect exposed floors, openings, and work areas while permanent walls, glazing, windows, and doors are still being completed.
RWES creates a strong, reusable barrier against rain, snow, wind, and changing exterior conditions. The system can be reconfigured and relocated as construction progresses, making it especially useful for multi-story and phased hospital construction.
RWES also installs 50–80% faster than traditional tarp systems, helping contractors get exposed areas protected quickly and keep work moving.
How do you keep rain and wind out of a building during construction?
A construction weather protection system can enclose exposed portions of a building before the permanent building envelope is complete.
RWES creates a tensioned weather enclosure designed for demanding construction environments and has withstood winds of more than 100 mph.
For healthcare construction, that can help protect interior work, materials, equipment, and crews while reducing the risk that changing weather interrupts the construction schedule.
Can you keep a construction site heated or cooled before the building is fully enclosed?
Yes. A temporary enclosure can help contain conditioned air and reduce exposure to exterior temperatures.
RWES can also be upgraded with insulation when a project requires greater temperature control. This can help regulate interior temperatures, reduce condensation, improve worker comfort, and create more consistent working conditions during extreme heat or cold.
Keep Reading: More Hospital Construction Insights
The Hospital Construction Strategy Top Contractors Don’t Want to Work Without
See how RWES has been used across healthcare projects to solve challenges involving water, winter, wind, equipment access, and changing work zones.
One System. Fewer Problems to Manage During a Hospital Expansion
Explore how an adaptable enclosure can solve multiple temporary construction challenges without becoming another obstacle on the jobsite.
The Early Construction Decisions That Can Protect a Hospital Project for Years
See why planning for access, weather, changing phases, and reusability early can help temporary protection keep working as the project changes.
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