In hospitals there is always an immense need for facility management investments. It’s not just qualified staff and modern equipment that’s important to good healthcare and optimal healing results, as the structural condition of the facilities is also of crucial significance. 

Continuous maintenance is therefore essential. The building owner of the new hospital therefore initiated an unprecedented expansion and development program never seen in the history of Mexico’s healthcare sector. It involves the renovation of the hospital in the Mexican El Pedregal region, located in the Tlalpan district south of Mexico City. The project comprises two hospital towers with a height of 50 m and a third tower measuring 27 m which will expand the space by more than 35,000 m² and entail the reconfiguration of the complex. The redesign and renovation of the façade is an important part of the project with a total surface of around 20,000 m². 

The exterior concrete walls were insulated with mineral wool panels during the façade renovation in line with the spirit of sustainability. The contractors used a specialist fischer system to fasten these panels to the concrete slab. The fischer Power Drive stud driver was also used on the project and is currently available exclusively on the Mexican market in the F35 and F45 versions. The device is used with various steel nails and strips with powder cartridges in three power classes. The tool’s high setting power and the powerful steel nails guarantee a secure hold in concrete, steel and solid brick. The three cartridge strengths and six power setting levels allow the system to be used flexibly. Fastener elements of up to 62 millimeters in length can be driven without pre-nailing. “Our customer used our stud driver due to the fact that it provides faster installation speeds and a better result than conventional fastener setting processes”, emphasizes Juan Manuel Fernández, Engineering Coordinator at fischer Mexico.

In order to anchor the façade substructure system in concrete, the tradespeople use the fischer bolt anchor FWA, which achieves high load-bearing capacities with its standard anchoring depth. As a result, fewer fixing points and smaller anchor plates are needed, which means that assemblies can be carried out in less time and with less material. In this way, costs can be kept low. The low anchoring and drill hole depth also reduces the time required for installation and increases flexibility. When the rotary element is applied, the conical bolt is pulled into the expansion clip and expands it against the borehole wall. The FWA then unfolds its full effect and ensures a secure hold.

The fischer universal fixing UX proved to be the right choice for fastening lighter loads. The plastic plug made of high-grade nylon expands in solid building materials and knots in hollow and panel construction materials. The fastening sets with screws, eyelets and hooks provide the ideal solution for almost any application.
Fire protection in public buildings and hospitals is an issue of paramount importance. Construction materials are required that provide the necessary fire resistance in emergencies in order to reduce risks to life and limb, which is why the fischer Rapid Fire Seal RFS 640 is being used during the renovation in Mexico. It consists of a one-component, water-based, fire-resistant sealant that provides protection against smoke and fire for construction joints and penetrations in vertical and horizontal applications. fischer RFS guarantees up to three hours of fire resistance.

The use of silicone is often key when working indoors and outdoors, which is also the case with this project. The contractors’ preferred product for this job is the fischer DBSA sealant. The low-odour, premium alkoxy-based silicone provides advantages with its high adhesion properties on a variety of substrates. Additional characteristics include low volume shrinkage and low odour formation. The construction silicone is suitable for window sealing and for movement and connection joints on walls and roofs. Thanks to its fungicidal properties, fischer DBSA is ideal for use in sanitary installations. 

“In addition to our suitable and economic product solutions, we also convinced our client with our technical support during the project”, emphasises Juan Manuel Fernández. “We accompany our partners through every construction phase, from planning and on-site installation until the project’s successful completion”.

Upon the work’s expected completion in 2021, the renovated hospital in Mexico City will shine in new splendour. The façade made of large area processed glass and an aluminum cladding has a particularly modern effect that gives the hospital a radiant, fresh new look. Due to the experiences gathered during the project, fischer Mexico expects a good chance to be involved in further construction projects of the building owner.