A few of the major project components included:

• 11 new Air Handling Units (AHUs) delivering 300,000 CFM Supply Air through a new SA distribution infrastructure
• New Steam System that delivers 60,000 pounds/hr steam through a new distribution system
• 10 new Lab Exhaust Fans that provide 370,000 CFM of exhaust, along with an Energy Recovery System
• New 2,000 KW Emergency Generator and new Emergency Electrical Distribution System
• New 430 GPM Reheat System including all pumps, heat exchanges, and distribution

All of the new equipment tied in to the University's campus-wide systems control infrastructure which allowed remote monitoring and control of all new systems. DPR worked with the team during preconstruction to devise temporary connections and bypasses in order to provide seamless environmental conditions to stakeholders.

The DPR team utilized 3D and 4D BIM to plan project phasing and perform conflict analysis. BIM enabled the identification and resolution of five major conflicts before construction began. The team also devised a plan for structural improvements that did not impact research operations by performing the work from the shaft side of the beams and columns. This work led to the discovery of unknown asbestos fireproofing in the columns and lead paint that had to be mitigated. By utilizing BIM, the project team was able to complete the project under budget and ahead of schedule.

The scope included a total of (17) new fume hoods, oxygen and nitrogen piping at the lab benches and some of the labs are ISO 17025 certified. Much of the equipment, including a pilot beverage can production line, was relocated from existing remote facilities located out of state. This required many trips and careful coordination of highly specialized equipment and unique utility requirements that are duplicated in the new facility. The equipment required substantial MEP infrastructure. A majority of the equipment required substantial MEP infrastructure and significant base building modifications such as structural enhancement for overhead equipment, mechanical systems and roof top equipment.

The interior program contains open lab, support lab, office space and gathering areas, and includes a new 5,176-sq.-ft. CMU/steel framed mechanical mezzanine and exterior service yard. Additional scope encompassed an upgraded fire protection system and new mechanical systems, including a new central plant with a water-cooled chiller, counter flow cooling tower and all new electrical distribution. Completing the build-out, 20,000-sq.-ft. of Covered Parking was added to the existing area, including 100 spaces, 4 of which meet American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliancy.

Central Plant:
The newly installed Central Plant was built to accommodate a 41,150-sq.-ft. Lab/Corporate Office Build-Out for Caris Life Sciences. The HVAC mechanical systems design is based on a primary variable volume chilled water system for cooling, and dual gas-fired boilers for heating.  The chilled water side consist of (1) 293-ton chiller, (1) factory assembled 1-cell 927 GPM Cooling Tower with appropriate primary & condenser pumps.  Heating side consist of (2) 120 GPM Power-Fin Water Tube Boilers & associated primary and recirculation pumps. The boilers also feed two water-to-water heat exchangers, which provide domestic hot water and industrial hot water for the facility. Central Plant also houses domestic water booster pump & Triplex water softener system for the building.  In addition to the installed, appropriate planning for future expansion/future equipment was put in place.

The project was awarded in April 2009 to the joint-venture partnership of DPR Construction and The Weitz Company as construction manager to build the Max Planck Florida Institute at Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) MacArthur Campus in Jupiter, the same team responsible for construction of Scripps Florida. The facility consists of approximately 101,000-sq.-ft. of wet and dry bench research, instrumentation labs, computational research, core imaging and microscopy facilities, information technology services, vivarium, researcher offices, and support shops.

"The Max Planck Florida Institute will be a world-class facility for bio-imaging research in Palm Beach County, and we feel this team had the specific experience and knowledge plus profound capabilities to deliver on this promise," said Claudia Hillinger, VP of Institute Development for Max Planck.

The project is a 6-story, cast-in-place concrete frame with PSI joist system; exterior skin consisting of architectural precast, curtainwall, punched openings, metal panels; and stucco/paint or other architectural finish system. The interior consists of classrooms, common areas and built-out wet and dry lab space. Other trades including miscellaneous metals, architectural woodwork and cabinetry, caulking and waterproofing, roofing, doors/frames/hardware, overhead doors, interior glazing assemblies and storefront, drywall assemblies and insulation, tile, carpet, resilient and sheet vinyl flooring, epoxy coatings, terrazzo flooring, acoustical ceilings, paint, acoustical wall panels, Division 10 Specialties, laboratory equipment and casework, elevators, and MEP/FP systems.

Features of the structure include:

• Floor plates measuring 16 feet floor-to-floor with low-vibration design
• Floor to ceiling glass for views and light
• Elevated garden and terraces
• Cogeneration system and multiple chillers
• On-site stormwater treatment via organic bioswales

This project, designed by Smithgroup, is a complicated shell structure. The two basement levels, required complex waterproofing and mat slab foundation systems. The moment frame/BBRF steel structure has “zones” designed for vibration sensitive laboratory equipment(2000 micro inches). The exterior skin is an intricate panelized curtainwall system. The central MEP systems are sized and designed to accommodate a full build-out of laboratory intensive program. The restricted urban site required tightly controlled traffic control, deliveries and staging. DPR provided all pre-construction- cost budgeting, value engineering constructability reviews, procurement/buy-out, and construction services for this project – start to finish.

Perched on the steeply rolling hillside of UCSF's Parnassus campus, the new green research facility supports 24 UCSF scientists and their teams in their goal to understand the basic biology of stem cells and to translate those discoveries into medical therapies for presently incurable diseases and debilitating injuries.

In addition to advancing the emerging field of stem cell research, the project utilized the latest design and construction tools and methodology, including building information modeling (BIM) and integrated project delivery (IPD). The core team took an integrated approach for this momentous project, drawing upon the principles of lean construction and used  BIM technologies to meet the schedule and budget and deliver a world-class green facility for breakthrough scientific research.

The UCSF RMB project, designed by renowned New York architect Rafael Viñoly, was one of 12 planned facilities in California awarded funds by CIRM's governing board, under a competitive two-stage application process that initially included 17 applications. The facility features wet laboratories, as well as laboratory support and office spaces, located on a series of split-level floors with terraced grass green roofs. The building is base isolated and seismically designed to move a maximum of 26 inches laterally during a significant earthquake with little or no damage.

In addition to the cGMP solid dose production areas, this unique facility includes research and development labs, a 360 degree auditorium, a football shaped, glass curtainwall lobby, with an 8-foot diameter, 26-foot high aquarium and coral reef, a cafeteria, administrative offices, three mechanical penthouses, two of them with solar power panels, packaging areas and a warehouse.

The project began in April 2007 with the clearing of 35-acres of wooded area. Now completed, the project was completed on time, under budget and most importantly logged more than 650,000 safe work hours with no lost time incident. The facility is used to produce a solid dose version of Remodulin which is a drug used to treat cardio pulmonary hypertension.

To meet the completion date and accommodate the move-in of an army of researchers, the team installed the HVAC and plumbing in one lab without utilizing a traditional shop process. Instead, the team relied on the design documents, which were coordinated by the subcontractor, MEP designer and DPR, and completed the 2nd phase 10 days ahead of schedule. Both phases of the project were completed on time and under budget.

The 33,000-sq.-ft. GLP lab includes 13 double lab modules, four single lab modules, seven tissue culture rooms, three linear equipment rooms, a darkroom, microscopy, histology, office, conferences rooms and workrooms. This portion of the project was completed in a fast six months to accommodate the owner's need for research space.

The GMP lab was constructed in space adjacent to the occupied GLP lab, and will be validated by the FDA. The 7,700-sq.-ft. space includes four production rooms, a quality control room, cell freezing room and offices. The vivarium, located on the opposite side of the building, houses small animals and includes animal holding, cleaning and sterilizing areas.

A SketchUp model was used to coordinate shop drawing with the stainless steel wall vendor in Colorado, which saved time on the schedule and improved the quality of the final product.

The project was completed under budget and on schedule in January 2008. In order to meet Roche's schedule requirements, the steel had to be ordered prior to project award to make the mill manufacturing dates. To accommodate this, DPR released the steel early and coordinated with the steel vendors during the buy out to limit the owner's exposure. Each manufacturer submitted cost break-outs for the steel and for cancellation, allowing the Roche to assess prior to award the possible exposure they faced. Additionally, DPR self-performed over $5 million in concrete, drywall, doors/frames/hardware and rough carpentry.

The building was originally designed to meet LEED®-NC Certified rating. DPR Construction, Inc. acted as the LEED Project Team Administrator at no additional cost to the Owner. Using the DPR Project Status Report card, DPR submitted the final project and is in the review process for LEED-NC Silver Certification for an additional $15,000 premium to the Owner. DPR's LEED accredited project staff held regular meetings with the architect, engineer, and owner to facilitate the completion of all LEED online templates and supporting documents.

The institute's design took full advantage of the site and is highlighted with a 1,000-ft.-long garage that serpentines along an adjacent street. The garage abuts a similarly curved, trellis covered walkway that connects the six buildings located along its spine. Crews, using large drilled piers to support the structure, excavated a deep utility and maintenance tunnel under the walkway.

The design's two levels of walkways, one below grade and one at grade, give GNF employees the ability to circulate through, meet in and access any level of any building with ease. The tunnel is a serviceway for the telecommunication and utilities infrastructure.

Labs, being as systems-oriented as they are, see 40 to 50 percent of construction costs go into state-of-the-art electrical and mechanical systems. Operational costs are fairly high because of the nature of the systems, but if labs are not working, scientists can't do research in a safe environment.

Crews had to haul away 110,000 cubic yards of soil, while storing 20,000 cubic yards onsite.

To meet the aggressive June 27 contractual delivery date set in late 2005, when DPR Construction started as the general contractor, sticking to an aggressive schedule was imperative. Other contractors said it couldn't be done; but this is just the kind of challenge that DPR relishes. To accomplish it, three million craft and management hours were worked in just 65 weeks with some work going on 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a full year. In all that time, there was only one lost time safety incident.

In addition to the accelerated schedule, part of the project was constructed within an operating facility and had to be performed without disrupting ongoing operations. The central utility plant, which affects all of the systems Genentech uses to produce its validated biopharmaceutical drugs, had to double in size. DPR accomplished this without a single un-planned shutdown. Throughout the entire project, there was a 70 percent overlap of construction crews and Genentech start up and validation staff. Contractor and Owner broke down the normal barriers to foster an extremely collaborative and cooperative effort, which included training Genentech staff to work within a construction environment.

Maintaining operations and meeting the schedule required creative phasing. Innovation and flexibility were a must. A unique approach was necessary to accommodate Genentech's request that DPR's first order of business on site be the re-bid of the entire build-out. The re-bid needed to be done while all the equipment remained on schedule for fabrication and delivery, which occurred prior to the interior build-out start. Because the equipment had already been procured and fabricated, DPR developed and executed a plan to install it first; then built out the facility around it.

Validation was another issue. There were more than 300 subsystems to complete, start up and validate. Looking at the process from a purely mechanical perspective, Genentech and DPR developed a plan to begin validation of specific systems before final completion of the overall project. Thus, the facility was turned over system by system, piece by piece not by area or building as would occur during a normal construction turn over process.

CCP-2 is the largest biotechnology fermentation facility of its kind and will produce biotechnology drugs for serious and life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Like the products it was built to produce, its creation required ingenuity, flexibility and collaboration. From the owner to the contractor to the city officials, CCP-2 is truly a shining example of what can be accomplished when knowledge and desire conspire to make the impossible possible.

“The project was unique in that while unassociated with the university, it sits on UCSD land,” said Brian Gracz of DPR. “This meant that UCSD was responsible for issuing permits and inspections, but since it was a private project, we were held by the university to build to the city of San Diego's construction standards.”
          
Unique timing issues also resulted in a gap between the original estimate and the actual start of construction due to negotiations between the building's tenants and UCSD. The first estimate for the project was completed in 2003; however, when the project began to move forward in January 2005, the numbers had changed significantly due to price escalation. Rather than re-estimating the entire job, which would cause further delay, DPR developed a price escalation calculation based on historical inflation data, as well as information gathered from subcontractor opinion polls and other industry publications. According to Gracz, this calculation was used to create a percentage increase on a trade-by-trade basis that could be applied across the board, allowing the team to provide an accurate estimate accounting for the extended buy-out period without revisiting of the items in the original estimate.

DPR delivered this project on time and with zero defects.

Due to the size and complexity of the two-story facility, DPR broke down the building construction into six areas within the project schedule, thus streamlining all work sequencing. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used 100 percent for the four-month structural steel erection, all Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) systems and all mock-up/first installs. 3D models were generated to detect/identify early-on clashes between systems and minimize issues in the field.

Sequencing and scheduling of major activities to support the construction schedule were key. The jobsite ran two shifts throughout the entire construction. The second shift work was carefully pre-planned and the major subcontractors for each shift were chosen by using DPR's Planning System (based on the Last Planner™ methodology) to truly identify what activities were the most logical actions to take place at each time of the day.

Integral with the building design and many site improvements, the Life Science Building will be a sustainable building designed to be LEED® certified at a minimum Gold level.

Working within a tight budget, this compact, 80,000-lb. (approximately 34,000 sq. ft.) copper-clad structure, provides a home to one of the largest nursing programs in the United States and serves as the campus' primary gateway on its marquee corner. The new ground-up, multi-use, 84,000-sq.-ft., 5-story facility contains classrooms, office and administrative spaces, a 200-seat conference center and a 60-seat computer classroom laboratory.

The first floor houses the Blood Bank and Stem Cell Laboratory (approx. 18,000 sq. ft.); the second floor houses the Donor and Therapeutic Aphaeresis, National Donor Program and support areas (approx. 18,000 sq. ft.). The project has achieved LEED®-NC Silver Certification, making this City of Hope's first LEED-Certified structure on their campus.

While the parties ultimately entered into a different form of agreement for the project, they did employ certain processes consistent with principles of IPD.

“DPR has worked on several IPD projects, and we are a huge supporter of lean, integrated project delivery systems, along with the use of BIM,” said Seastrom. “City of Hope, particularly Dick Thompson, wanted to implement processes consistent with IPD on the Gonda project.”

During the design phase, the team brought on design/build MEP subcontractors to participate in the Target Value Design (TVD) process, a lean construction tool that incorporates cost as a factor in design to minimize waste and create greater value. The idea is that once a target cost is set for a project it should never be exceeded.

The new four-story research laboratory facility, targeting LEED-NC Silver certification and connected to an existing structure, will double the space for investigations into diabetes and other serious metabolic diseases.

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In March of 2008, DPR completed a 10,000-sq.-ft. buildout of a research laboratory for emerging nanoscience technologies for the California Institute of Technology Kavli Research Institute. The 8-month project, which took place in a fully occupied, functioning facility, features three classes of cleanrooms: Class 100, Class 1,000 and Class 10,000 - similar to highly technical microelectronic manufacturing facilities. To offer some perspective, according to Wikipedia, the ambient air outside in a typical urban environment might contain as many as 35,000,000 particles per cubic meter. Cleanrooms, which DPR has constructed more than $3 billion worth over the last 18 years, are classified according to the number and size of particles permitted per volume of air (i.e., Class 100 means 100 is the maximum permitted number of particles per cubic foot).

Although well-experienced in cleanroom construction, with its large ductwork and stringent clean-construction protocols, DPR still had to overcome several challenges in the building of the Caltech Kavli research laboratory. The Kavli lab is located in the subbasement of a five-story building, two levels below grade, which means the space in which to locate the mechanical systems that support the laboratory's equipment was limited. Simply put, space was extremely tight. DPR quickly mitigated the problem, however, by working with the HVAC contractor to design/assist the mechanical needs of the project.

In addition, Irvine facility capacity increase plans necessitate a purified water system capable of supporting higher WFI demand. The stills have far outlasted their original life expectancy of 15-20 years and must be replaced by a robust, efficient generation system that complies with current GMP design standards and satisfies future production needs.

The ultimate goal of the Irvine WFI Storage & Generation System Upgrade Project is a robust, flexible, energy-efficient, GMP compliant, cost effective, automated purified water generation system that can quickly respond to changing production needs and future capacity expansion.

Specific scope components include:

• City feedwater booster pump replacement (3 total).
• Three (3) pretreatment trains consisting of carbon filtration, water softening, sanitization skid, and ancillary components.
• Three (3) 6000 gph vapor compression stills.
• Two (2) Storage Tanks (15k gallons each).
• Interconnecting piping, pumps, heat exchangers.
• All necessary instrumentation and controls for a fully automated system.
• Arch/infrastructure/support utility modifications.
• Relocation of existing maintenance support areas and Mens bathroom.
• All required installation, commissioning & qualification activities/costs/permits/fees.
• Upgrade of existing Reverse Osmosis system to ensure reliable sterilizer process supply.
• The new generation & storage system will be interfaced with the existing WFI distribution system – no modifications or enhancements to the current piping system are included in this scope.
• Existing brine pits will be reused.

A primary aim in building this facility was to accelerate the pace of discovery and innovation. The facility has been designed to meet the most stringent demands by experimental programs in biotechnology and nanotechnology; to enhance communication and collaboration between researchers with an open, shared lab design and a central atrium linking all floors; to be flexible allowing for rapid reconfiguration of space and equipment to meet the changing demands of the research programs; and to be a hub providing the linkage between the multi-disciplinary research groups and those from leading industries and regional institutions.

Building A was completed Fall 2004 and achieved LEED® -NC Gold certification. Building B, was completed Fall 2005 and achieved LEED® -NC Platinum certification.

The Department of Forensic Science provides technical assistance and training, evaluates and analyzes evidence, interprets results, and provides expert testimony related to the full spectrum of physical evidence recovered from crime scenes. Their wing includes a firearms laboratory with firing range and laboratories for vehicle inspection, biology/DNA, prints, toxicology and controlled substances.

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner conducts a medical legal death investigation, serving as the principal case investigator in their locality for deaths falling within their jurisdiction and statutory authority. The wing includes a main autopsy room, body storage coolers/freezers, and BSL-3 operating room.

“The customer had three main goals for the project: schedule, cost and recycle,” said DPR's Carlos Crabtree. “By salvaging a majority of the existing building's materials, we met all three.” DPR kept all the cabinet boxes and benches, salvaged more than 75 percent of the casework, reused existing fume hoods and recycled acoustical ceiling tiles. An existing cold room was refurbished and other specialty items were pulled from the existing structure during demolition and reincorporated into the new facility. “Every effort was made to use as much as possible and minimize material going to local landfills,” said Crabtree.

This approach proved not only to be good for the environment, but for savings and the schedule as well. While there was a premium on the demolition, similar new casework systems would have cost considerably more. In addition, using existing casework took lead time out of the equation and allowed DPR to shave extra weeks off the schedule by self-performing the retrofit and installation. As a result, the project's certificate of occupancy was received one day ahead of schedule and what would have been an eight month job was completed in six months.

This project involved the demolition and renovation of an existing cellular phone chip testing facility into a pain medication monitoring laboratory.  The transformation involved the retrofitting of the existing air handling and electrical systems to meet the new requirements of the project. The laboratory area consists of a GC/LC laboratory, GC/LC prep, data entry, aliquoting, cold room, accessioning and screening.  Support areas include office, chemical storage, gas storage, data center, maintenance, bio-hazard, shipping and receiving, training, break and file/material storage areas.

In the first phase of the project, DPR completely demolished the existing kitting space and part of the manufacturing space and reconstructed it as a manufacturing space to bring the operation up to 21st century standards. Part of this renovation involved a replacement of an existing rooftop air handling unit which served several areas and could only be out of service for a 24 hour period. In addition, the first phase included a new employee breakroom on the first floor in the former visitor seating area and a testing laboratory in the former location of the caged supply area.

The second phase commenced in mid-February 2009 and was completed in June 2009. This involved the complete demolition of the remaining manufacturing space and some of the existing distribution areas to make way for new cold rooms and a labeling room. Also, in this phase, a rooftop air handling unit was replaced similarly to the one replaced in the first phase.

The third and final phase commenced in June 2009 and was completed in late July 2009. This phase involved the renovation of existing office areas and the construction of new employee locker rooms in a space that was used as office space.

The two-phase remediation provided DPR with an opportunity to assist ALZA in enhancing various programs that better integrate construction with the company's validation plan. For example, during the project, 140 Building Management System instruments were pre-calibrated, tracked, retired or post-calibrated, and a model tracking process (which has become the calibration department's primary tool for coordinating calibration work) was developed and initiated.

DPR self-performed the foundation for the tableting suites, drywall and framing; other subcontractor crews were available throughout the project for increased flexibility, permitting our teams to make progress in areas while steering clear of active production.
Both phases of the project were finished on time and within budget without sacrificing quality. In fact, the German inspectors from the MHRA were extremely complimentary and made the general statement that this remediation project serves as a model of how they would like to see other pharmaceutical companies respond to similar types of upgrades.

The pilot plant, completed in May 2007, contains areas for gowning and lockers, cleaning preparation, Class 10,000 sampling/dispensing and labeling, Class 10,000 drug solution, coating, assembly and packaging, waste storage, bathrooms and showers, server room and shipping/receiving and warehouse. It also included an environmentally controlled crystalization room. DPR assisted in the installation of the owner-supplied pouching machine, which arrived in eight pieces and had to be carefully moved into the space and assembled over three days.

Challenges on this project included the design/build MEP systems and the aggressive design schedule. In order to meet deadlines, it was imperative that materials were ordered and released on time. The design approval process with the city, while challenging to the schedule, proved to be a great opportunity to develop a good working relationship with the city inspector.

To ensure that the end users would have a space that met their daily needs, Alexza production and science managers were accompanied on frequent jobwalks with clipboards and forms and asked to identify issues they had with the space.

The lab and office renovation consists of new open office space, structural upgrades to support additional mechanical equipment and chemical labs. The scope of work for the labs includes casework, fume hoods, nitrogen, clean air and hydrogen.

The building features energy efficient mechanical equipment and extensive natural day lighting. The project was constructed using 17 percent recycled-content materials. Eighty-six percent of construction waste was diverted. By incorporating motion-detection lighting controls, high-efficiency boilers and chillers and glazing on windows to reduce heating loads on the building skin, it also surpassed Title 24 energy requirements by 25 percent.

DPR worked with Alexandria Real Estate Equities to evaluate the upfront costs of building green. The first cost for construction to meet LEED® requirements was less than one percent of the project's overall cost. Much of this cost will be recouped in long-term savings. This project demonstrates that the cost differential between energy efficient/high performance green construction can be minimal. The key is to make the right choices in building materials, systems and project team.

With the energy-efficient design, mechanical equipment and extensive natural daylighting, this project achieved Silver LEED certification under the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)'s pilot program for Core and Shell.

As a validated facility, this project required a significant amount of documentation. Highly experienced in building validated facilities, the DPR team began preparing for the validation process before a single tool was picked up. By developing the documentation plan early, DPR eased the process of compiling and delivering the 40+ binder turnover package.

The project is comprised of three buildings totaling 351,803 sq. ft. of biomedical research facilities and associated sitework, conference, administrative and ancillary components. All three buildings have an abundance of laboratory casework, fume hoods, cold rooms, and glassware washing equipment for basic biomedical science, drug discovery and technology development.

The research buildings are three-story concrete structures with a cladding of stucco, metal panels, and window systems. The administrative building has a four-story office element and a single story auditorium. The campus includes both BSL-2 and BSL-3 lab spaces, along with a small animal vivarium. As Construction Manager, Weitz-DPR worked closely with other team members during the preconstruction planning phases, which spanned two years, prior to commencing work in the field in October 2006.

The team turned over the first building 45 days early, and the second two buildings in November, also ahead of the December completion date.

The buildings achieved LEED®-NC Gold Level Certification.

Sustainable features of the buildings include $3.5 million of dual-pane, low-E exterior glass, which provides natural daylighting and views, and perforated metal screens that shade the buildings. Approximately 50 percent of the complex’s hardscape is stabilized decomposed granite, chosen to reduce the “heat island” effect, and a large retaining wall was made of recycled concrete. DPR also demolished, crushed on-site and reused 4,400 tons of asphalt and concrete for the sub-base of the fire access loop road. In fact, about 90 percent of the site’s waste was either reused on-site or diverted from landfills.

One notable unique project feature was that more than 70 percent of the process systems were designed to be modularized. By pre-fabricating the modules and having them tested in factories prior to installation, the number of technical issues onsite was tremendously reduced. The use of modules also allowed process work to proceed on an accelerated parallel path from building construction, significantly reducing trade stacking and fast-tracking the construction/validation schedule.

The final product exceeded the owner’s expectations, and the DPR construction team was commended for their efforts in securing the Manufacturing Building Certificate of Occupancy ahead of schedule.