Construction is rarely an exact science. With variables like site conditions, delays, specialized equipment and materials, and fluctuating owners’ needs, it is anything but formulaic. However, one constant is the power of teamwork to pull it all together.
The science of teamwork certainly applies to the construction of medical and scientific research centers, which require the utmost collaboration between the construction team and the owner to deal with constantly changing technology and circumstances.
Elcon Electric Incorporated, Pompano Beach, Fla., recently partnered with the University of Miami and construction manager
Moss & Associates, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to build a high-profile Biomedical Research Center at the core of the university’s medical campus at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The project, Elcon Electric’s fourth for the university, became the most challenging in the company’s 22-year history.
At the outset, the project involved many unknowns. Construction started on the shell of the facility before the owner even had tenants—or tenants’ design specifications—meaning the construction team had to work in a design-assist capacity and adapt to compressed delivery dates. It was nearly eight months before the specialty contractors could build out each floor. With almost 300 contract change directives, the electrical scope of work grew from $2 million to $10 million.
In the end, the project evolved into a facility with a 20,000-square-foot vivarium space for large and small animals, high-tech laboratories, a bulk sterilizer, a freezer farm, cage wash quarantines, instrument rooms, an imaging suite and a catheterization lab.
“The design criteria and code requirements were very precise,” says James McConchie, president of Elcon Electric. “Everything needed to go in an exact spot.”
This required constant collaboration to overcome project hurdles. For example, when incorrect equipment was delivered, a quick discussion among the electrical engineer, vendor, construction manager and crew resolved the issue.
Atypically, the engineering firm, Atlanta-based Newcomb and Boyd, stayed on hand throughout the project to coordinate the frequently changing design, while Moss & Associates dedicated experienced staff to managing the electrical and mechanical teams.
To stay organized and maintain quality, Elcon Electric used a divide-and-conquer approach to project management. Specialty foremen were designated to lead specific work areas, such as the switchgear, lighting or branch circuits in a specific lab section. A senior foreman was responsible for coordinating these leaders and acting as a liaison to weekly team meetings.
“This eliminated many mistakes and do-overs, enabling the foremen to focus from start to finish on one piece of the project,” McConchie says.
With this project’s success, the company now has its foot in the door to help develop six similar life sciences research facilities at the University of Miami.
A World-Class Institute
Another facility that will benefit the life sciences industry is the nearly complete Van Andel Institute (VAI) Phase II project to bring world-class cancer research to Grand Rapids’ “Michigan Hill” medical hub.
The project, which will be finished in December, completes the vision of founders Jay and Betty Van Andel to enhance human welfare through biomedical research and education. VAI was founded in 1996, and Phase I of the building opened in 2000.
“It has put western Michigan on the map,” says Bill Schoonveld, president of
Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. (OAK), Grand Rapids, “and it’s really exciting to be involved with an entity that is looking for a cure for cancer.”
OAK entered a joint-venture partnership with
Hunt Construction, Indianapolis, to construct the 240,000-square-foot, eight-story expansion, which will triple the laboratory space available for disease research and include space for the new Jay Van Andel Parkinson Research Lab.
VAI Phase II will mimic the existing 162,000-square-foot building, providing abundant natural light, an open laboratory layout and flexible meeting spaces. In addition, it will offer a 90-seat conference center, a 100-seat cafeteria, a demonstration lab for visitors and an expanded library.
Because the site required the addition to be constructed on a steep downhill slope in a tight urban location—and with scientists actively working in the Phase I building—Hunt/OAK had to execute a careful wall demolition and incorporate advanced earth retention systems. The building’s architecture uses the slope to its advantage, with convex roof systems “cascading” down the east side of the building.
The project team is applying for LEED certification based on sustainable features such as triple-pane insulated glass, photovoltaic panels, a heat recovery system, low-flow water fixtures, rainwater storage, daylighting controls and low-VOC materials. The project also was developed on a certified brownfield site, and the contractors recycled 95 percent of construction waste.
Collaboration among the owner, construction partners, subcontractors, engineers and design team was key.
“The success of any project depends on the amount and the quality of the planning you do,” Schoonveld says. “Building VAI required significant planning and collaboration with the owner.”
OAK and Hunt Construction’s work is receiving accolades from the local community and the Michigan State University medical students who will use the space. When complete, VAI will provide at least 800 jobs in the area, with the capacity to grow the local economy by $300 million annually.
Ahead-of-Time Delivery
The federal government—another steady source of job creation—recently opened a new 393,000-square-foot office facility for radiological research in Silver Spring, Md., thanks to a talented team led by
Balfour Beatty Construction, Fairfax, Va.
The general contractor completed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) building for the General Services Administration (GSA) three months early.
“Ultimately, everyone on the team put the project first, not their agency or their company,” says Bill Bedri, Balfour Beatty project executive. “We all had a common goal, and that led to a good, trusting relationship. That’s the kind of environment we like to work in, and it’s the most advantageous for everyone.”
The six-story, concrete-framed project features a brick exterior, cast stone and curtain walls, and steel pedestrian bridges on the second and third floors to link the building to adjacent laboratory facilities. The interior includes offices spaces, a 150-person conference center and high-density storage space.
As its third contract for the FDA since 2004, Balfour Beatty already had a positive working relationship with several of the subcontractors working on the CDRH project, such as
Miller & Long Company, Bethesda, Md., the concrete subcontractor; and
Manganaro Mid-atlantic, LLC, Beltsville, Md., the drywall subcontractor.
“The team knew what to expect,” Bedri says. “We had a head start because we knew where the pitfalls were from the past.”
The project serves as a model for how to execute a complex job in the public or the private sector: Create a sense of urgency and resolve issues quickly.
In addition, the project goes beyond the federal government’s sustainability requirements to meet top U.S. Green Building Council criteria.
“We found that it wouldn’t take that much extra effort to go for LEED Gold, giving the client more bang for the buck,” Bedri says. The facility includes a green roof, a light-filled atrium and energy-saving lighting control systems, as well as provides several commuting options via public transportation.
Balfour Beatty is leveraging this successful project to gain future contracts with the GSA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“It’s getting more competitive, with contractors not finding work in the private sector these days. People are flooding this market,” Bedri says. “Luckily we’ve had some great jobs we can build on, and we’re looking to benefit from project experiences like this one.”