Adaptive MEP Retrofit Supporting a Medical Office Conversion: El Camino Health – Milpitas, CA
Category: Medical Office
Total Area: 26,976 ft²
Location: Milpitas, California
Services Provided: Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Engineering
Completion Date: 2026
Contractor: Raymond Fox & Associates
Project Description
Following El Camino Health’s acquisition of an existing office building in Milpitas, the facility required a coordinated MEP retrofit to support its conversion into a non-OSHPD medical office. Pragmatic Professional Engineers was engaged to deliver a practical, cost-conscious design that enabled clinical functionality while maximizing reuse of existing infrastructure.
Scope of Work
Pragmatic PE provided full Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing engineering services from site investigation through construction documentation, with a focus on infrastructure reuse, code compliance, and minimizing first-cost impacts.
Mechanical (HVAC) Design & Engineering
Evaluated and retained the existing rooftop VAV reheat system to support medical office occupancy
Designed new VAV zoning to improve thermal control and occupant comfort
Established ventilation and exhaust strategies for restrooms, janitor closets, lab areas, break rooms, and elevator machine rooms
Designed a dedicated 24/7 backup multi-split cooling system for IT and critical rooms
Defined HVAC performance criteria, filtration requirements, and system parameters within the Basis of Design
Electrical Design & Engineering
Performed site investigations to verify existing service capacity and distribution equipment
Developed electrical load calculations to confirm the existing 1000A, 277/480V service could support new medical, mechanical, and plumbing loads
Designed feeders and branch circuits for rooftop HVAC units, plumbing equipment, and X-ray systems
Upgraded interior lighting with high-efficiency LED fixtures, emergency battery backup drivers, and Title 24–compliant controls
Completed photometric analysis and energy code documentation
Plumbing Design & Engineering
Reused and reconfigured the existing domestic cold-water system to support new fixture demands
Designed a new centralized, gas-fired domestic hot water system with redundancy and recirculation to limit wait times
Coordinated sanitary waste and vent systems to reuse existing mains while accommodating new fixture locations
Evaluated storm drainage systems and confirmed reuse without modification
Challenges and Solutions
The primary challenge was adapting an existing commercial office building for medical use without excessive infrastructure replacement. Pragmatic PE addressed this by validating existing system capacity early, selectively upgrading only where required, and coordinating closely with the architect and contractor to resolve routing, equipment, and constructability constraints.
Results and Impact
The final MEP design delivered a reliable, code-compliant medical office environment while controlling costs and minimizing disruption to the existing building. By prioritizing infrastructure reuse and disciplined engineering decisions, the project supports El Camino Health’s continued expansion of accessible outpatient care in Silicon Valley.