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.

DPR’s design-build partner on the project is PageSoutherlandPage. Together they have completed approximately $200 million in data centers in Texas.

Technical Details: The data center will be outfitted with 12 MW systems over 30,000 sq. ft. of white space with the following equipment set:

• 1 N Utility Feed At 161 KV (By Others)
• Single-Ended 161 KV Substation Rated At 20 MVA With Provisions For Double Ending (By Others)
• Tri-Bus 15 KV Switchgear With Auto Transfer Capability
• Underground Medium Voltage Distribution In Tri-Bus Configuration For Critical Power
• Overhead Low Voltage Distribution To White Space
• Underground Medium And Low Voltage Distribution In Traditional A/B Bus Configuration For House Power And Mechanical Loads.
• 3 Mode (Single Bus, Double Bus, And Tri-Bus) Medium Voltage N+1 Diesel Rotary UPS (DRUPS) Plant With 24 Hour Fuel Storage
• 120/ 208V Remote Distribution Panels (RDP’s) And Remote Power Panels (RPP’s) For White Space Legacy Equipment

Phase 1 facility features include:

• High-Availability, concurrent maintainability on all components
• Entire critical load fully Level 5 Commissioned
• 38,253 sq. ft. of data hall white space
• Supports average energy densities of 200 watts/sq. ft.
• Structurally Sound: FEMA 356 “Essential Facility” category
• Seismically Reinforced: Building and all improvements seismically reinforced to a 1.5 Structural Importance Factor
• Carrier-Neutral: Six Tier I carriers on-property: Level 3, AboveNet, CenturyLink (Qwest), AT &T, Verizon Business and Tata Communications.
• Low latency: 17 msRT to San Jose, 3.5 msRT to Seattle, 45 msRT to Chicago, and 87 msRT to Tokyo, Japan

Building I is a 15,000-sq.-ft. addition to the present school of architecture.  The addition consists of 3 studio spaces and a new auditorium.  There was no disruption in the architectural class schedule during construction.  In addition, to the 15,000-sq.-ft. addition, the project includes renovation of the 1st floor of the existing school of architecture.  This project achieved LEED® Gold Certification.

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.

Renovation work included, but was not necessarily limited to, refurbishment of existing
areas with paint, new base and flooring, wall coverings, new machine room-less passenger
elevator, projection screen and repair and refinishing of Portland cement terrazzo flooring.

To allow the facility to remain operational during the day; construction was completed during
the night hours from 6:00pm-4:30am Monday-Friday. The entire project was divided into
9-phases to maintain functionality of all existing areas.

New areas of the expansion/renovation consisted of the following:
Phase 1: New Doctor’s Wing
Phase 2: Health Promotions Area
Phase 3: Renovation/Relocation of Psychiatry Area
Phase 4: Expansion/Relocation of Medical Records
Phase 5: Expansion/Relocation of Pharmacy with new retail space
Phase 6: Expansion/Relocation of new North wing of Medical Clinic
Phase 7: Renovation of existing Administration Area
Phase 8: Renovation of existing Allergy Care Area
Phase 9: Expansion/Relocation of new South wing of Medical Clinic

The 50,000-sq.-ft., two-story wood and steel structure seamlessly blends into the surrounding natural environment, presenting an understated yet elegant aesthetic that belies the complexity of the design components and construction processes that went into the project. From the diverse array of exterior building materials including aluminum, glazing, copper panels, stone, stone veneer and wood siding – all carefully overlaid to form a highly thermal rated exterior skin – to the highly energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems, to the rooftop photovoltaic panels that generate on-site energy, every building component contributes to the net- zero energy goal. The design includes two slender daylit office wings flanking a beautifully landscaped courtyard. The regional architectural language and material selection brings local poignancy to a replicable prototype.

Throughout the process, the Foundation emphasized the importance of ensuring that the design of the building—and the idea of energy innovation in the workplace—would be replicable, opening the door for a new generation of more environmentally sustainable buildings. The Foundation estimates that replication would cost $477 per square foot to feature the environmentally-friendly technologies used in this building.

The building began with deconstruction. The 1.5-acre site, set among 1960’s era buildings, was cleared in a way that maximized landfill diversion. In fact, more than 95% of construction waste was successfully recycled or salvaged, which earned the project the maximum LEED Points for Construction Waste Management. Rainwater is collected for toilet flushing and irrigation, and stormwater is retained on-site. Inside, meeting rooms are outfitted for remote collaboration, promising dramatic reductions in travel-related carbon emissions. Additionally, a transportation demand management plan helped eliminate the need for an underground parking garage, further reducing the organization’s carbon footprint.   Through integrated building design and aggressive reductions in plug loads, the building’s energy use will be reduced by 65%. In addition, innovative use of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels will offset any energy used.

The 36,000-sq.-ft. building is designed to bring construction and architecture professionals together to work and learn as a team. It also serves as a gathering place for members of the industry to meet and interact with each other and with students aspiring to join them in the industry.

The project is pursuing LEED Platinum certificaiton.

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.

The Health Sciences Education Building (HSEB) is part of the inter-institutional campus for health science education and research, and supports the colleges of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, and biomedical informatics. The new 268,000-square-foot, six-story facility consists of administration and faculty offices, lecture halls, learning studios, flexible classrooms, student and faculty services, clinical skills suite, simulation suite, gross anatomy facilities, class laboratories, learning resource center, cafeteria, student lockers, group study rooms, conference rooms and miscellaneous building support. HSEB and future research buildings are connected by a north-south structure that houses public functions and spaces for the occupants of these facilities as part of an effort to ensure that educators, researchers, students, and teachers meet and encourage an interdisciplinary approach to pedagogy and research.

A key characteristic of the program is a model of collective resources shared by the University of Arizona’s College of Pharmacy and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and by Northern Arizona University’s College of Health and Human Services programs. An interactive planning process, which involved educators from the cross-section of health sciences disciplines, has worked collaboratively to create an educational vision of a team-based continuity of care model.

Careful consideration of the site layout and grading allowed the team to conserve the proper adjacencies and site security while improving sustainability and significantly reducing site development cost. As a result of the initial planning process, the team was also able to reduce the construction schedule by two months.

The $50 million renovation project will be accomplished with true Integrated Project Delivery methods, with full support of the Owner through a multi-party Integrated Form of Agreement. This will be the most significant IPD project to date on the East Coast.

The conference center, with 1,800 seats for lectures or 700 seats for banquets, is the largest facility of its kind in Forsyth County. It was designed with maximum flexibility, providing 10 different configurations from 650 sq. ft. to 14,000 sq. ft. for college and community events.

Highlighting the success and innovation achieved on this project was:

• An adaptable, solution-oriented project team that adjusted to changing cost factors to ultimately deliver a project that exceeded owner’s expectations;
• The delivery of a renewable building that achieived LEED Gold certification despite strict budget constraints; and
• Implementation of a “paperless” project management system.

Because of its unique nature, this 77,000-sq.-ft., two-story building was challenging in design and construction. It houses a diverse array of fine and performing arts spaces, ranging from a “black-box” performing arts theatre to music rehearsal rooms, photography labs and much more. The building has over 42 specialized instructional spaces, each of which was unique with its own specific construction requirements.

During the design phase, the preconstruction team comprised of DPR, architect, LPAS, and the owner faced a major challenge when the construction market was hit with a period of rapid cost escalation. The price tag for the project, which was to be funded under public bond monies, suddenly spiraled up several million dollars. Facing a deadline to obligate the bond funds, the school district looked to DPR to find solutions that would shave the extra cost to make the project buildable within its original budget.

The team met the challenge. One solution included an “out-of-the-box” approach to construct a new structure approximately 400 feet from the existing arts building rather than within its original footprint as had been planned. This option reduced the need to relocate occupants during construction and ultimately shaved approximately $1.5 million off project costs. The use of Building Informaton Modeling also saved $400,000 in architectural / structural change orders.   

The project received the "Energy Efficiency Partnership Program Best Practice Award in HVAC Design & Retrofit” from the  California Community College Chancellor’s Office. 

• The 183-bed UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital at Mission Bay with an urgent care/emergency department, pediatric primary care, and specialty outpatient care
• The UCSF Women's Specialty Hospital with 36 beds, cancer care, specialty surgery, and birth center
• UCSF Cancer Hospital at Mission Bay, Part of the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center which will house 70 beds and offer inpatient and outpatient surgery for cancer specialties
• A 207,400-sq.-ft. outpatient building
• 36,000-sq.-ft. energy center, helipad, parking and support services

DPR is working with UCSF, Anshen + Allen - part of Stantec Architecture, Cambridge CM, and 17 subcontractors at the Integrated Center for Design and Construction (ICDC) to deliver the ground-up, 878,000-sq.-ft. hospital complex. This project aims at LEED Gold certification and will feature 16 individual gardens, creating a total green space totaling 4.3 acres. Over an acre of these will be rooftop gardens which will help to reduce storm water runoff. The complex will deliver 100 percent outdoor air, rather than re-circulated, to every space.

When completed, the new Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Patient Care Pavilion will house 243 medical/surgical and acute rehabilitation beds. The Patient Care Pavilion building consists of two major components: a patient care tower and a basement and rooftop central utility plant. The new tower will be 13 stories tall, with 11 stories reaching approximately 184 feet above ground, and two levels below grade, wrapping around the existing Merritt Pavilion and providing approximately 230,000 sq. ft. of new space.

Construction of the new facility was adjacent to the existing Eden Medical Center, which remained in full operation until the new medical center was completed. The new Sutter Eden Medical Center opened to the public on December 1, 2012.

In addition to building a landmark regional medical center that will integrate the latest medical technologies, the project is truly breaking new ground in healthcare construction:

• Integrated Project Delivery (IPD): The team used an 11-party Integrated Form of Agreement (IFOA) contract. In previous cases, only the owner, architect and general contractor have signed the agreement and formed the core IPD team.
   
• Building Information Modeling (BIM): This was one of the first instances where model-based estimating was used to generate estimates quicker and more frequently, giving the team greater access to real-time cost information.
   
• California OSHPD phased plan review system: This was one of the first projects to use this system, resulting in an overall schedule savings of nearly 12 months.
   
• California SB 1953 earthquake safety law: This was the first new medical center in Alameda County to be built in compliance with this law.

One of the most critical challenges was removing exterior precast panels to expose the building substructure. Field measurements for steel tie-in points, exact dimensions of concrete edges, and structural openings all had to be verified. However, removing the panels left the building's exterior skin exposed to weather and environmental breaches to Infectious Disease Controls. This condition was more exaggerated in some cases because some of the panels were three stories tall, opening three floors at a time to the exposures referenced.

The DPR staff engaged in many creative methods to get this segment of work done and still keep the areas behind the precast in operation. It was necessary to constantly come up with new ways to install temporary weather protection and monitor the installations. Coordination with the facility and end user for shut downs of the space was continuous. The work was completed with no incidents to patients, staff, or the facility.

The team created an electronic model of the concrete structure using Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools. Because the details could be accurately modeled electronically, potential clashes were resolved before workers broke ground. DPR was also able to give the subcontractor a 3D view of what the underground work looked like, resulting in a higher level of quality.

The emergency department expansion added 25,000 sq. ft. and 16 additional ED beds to the facility. The two-story vertical expansion added 40,000 sq. ft. to be used for labs, offices, materials management on the first floor and four ORs, a 15-bed PACU and 27-bed ICU.

Both the vertical and horizontal expansions were built concurrently, increasing the already high level of importance on strict infection control procedures. The team constantly monitored particulate counts and enclosures around temporary walls. Throughout months of construction directly above occupied operating rooms and inside the active emergency department, no unplanned shutdowns occurred.

Project won Best of 2012 Healthcare Project by ENR Southwest Magazine.

Achieving this milestone was all the more notable in light of the highly challenging and intensive journey the team faced when it took over the construction management (CM) of the $660-million (construction cost) project in 2008, after construction had already begun in 2007. Even with reshaping the construction process midstream the team met the critical target date for delivering this landmark healthcare facility, which opened to the public in August.

Designed by CO Architects, and dubbed the “hospital of the future” for its many cutting-edge features, the 740,000-sq.-ft., 11-story Palomar Medical Center accommodates up to 360 patient beds, 12 operating rooms, a 50-room trauma center, a 60,000-sq.-ft. undulating green roof and a 40,000-sq.-ft. central plant, among other features. The hospital incorporates many sustainable design principles and reflects the owner’s commitment to creating not only a healing environment for patients, but one that also supports the well-being of the staff through features such as skylights and light wells that deliver natural lighting into employee-only spaces.

The team made a midstream shift to a hybrid integrated project delivery model and kicked of the process with a series of meetings between the owner, Palomar Health, the architect and engineering team, an outside facilitator, Lou Bainbridge, and key trade contractors to align goals and expectations and establish a high-performance team to focus on continuous improvement and project/team success.

The project features decorative metal paneling housing the interactive screen array and video walls in the main space. Conference rooms with operable partition dividers allow for flexible use of meeting space and fabric-wrapped acoustic wall panels, located throughout the facility, mitigate sound in public spaces and meeting rooms. Strategically placed BASWAphon acoustical plaster ceilings also aid in the control of sound transmittance. The briefing room is equipped with a Cisco Telepresence system, comprised of three display screens. The visual and interactive details were crucial in creating the environment envisioned by Kaiser Permanente. Examples of these elements include graphic image wall coverings displaying Kaiser branding and information about technology displays. Various technology demonstration areas are located in the facility, each containing display niches which demonstrate how doctors utilize technology for the betterment of the patients. Graphic image shades along the front windows are used not only to reduce light transmittance indoors but also to provide a visual display for passersby on the street, grabbing their attention and inviting them in to learn more about Kaiser Permanente.

Along with a commitment to green, the project team utilized some of the latest technology to improve the design and construction process. DPR utilized BIM for several purposes on this project including the coordination of the large amount of self-performed concrete work, totaling some 32,000-sq.-ft., as well as helped the team coordinate the extensive under slab plumbing work. DPR estimates a 375% return on investment, based on the savings realized through increased productivity and avoided rework when divided by the total BIM implementation costs.

The centerpiece of the project is the Alex G. Spanos Heart and Vascular Center, a 121,130-sq.-ft., four-story (plus basement) building that will enhance Mercy General's cardiac and heart program. Also included is the complete remodel of the existing hospital's North Wing and additional work on the “Get Ready” projects.

The new building design features craftsman-style architecture with brick exterior skin and cultured stone accents. Additional elements include a unique “healing garden” and interior features designed to promote a healing atmosphere, including extensive use of natural lighting and features to reduce noise and enhance patient safety. Stained glass from an existing chapel will be removed and reused in a new chapel planned within the Heart Center.

Highlights of the project include: Cardiac Surgery and Cardiac Catheterization Center, Cardiopulmonary Conditioning Center, and Chapel and Healing Garden.

Sensitive to the concerns of neighbors and the existing operational facility, the team designed a foundation system that uses drilled auger cast-in-place piles rather than driven piles, for a less disruptive installation.

Due to the tight project site, the team faces logistical challenges ahead with tying the new heart center into the existing Medical Office Building via an underground tunnel, all while maintaining complete patient access and full operation of the existing facility.

Ultimately, the finished product will be well worth the wait and team effort: an architecturally stunning, state-of-the-art facility that will meet the growing healthcare needs of the Sacramento area.

The 91 bed, OSHPD approved facility is anticipated to be complete in 2013.

The project was delivered using lean construction techniques designed to maximize overall production value, reduce waste, and maintaining the highest quality. For example, over 90 percent of the demolished Emporium building was recycled. DPR reused all of the concrete from the demolished building, which saved approximately $450,000 in transportation, material and landfill fee costs. The steel and aluminum went to American Steel in San Jose, finding new life as cars, cans and other products made from recyclable materials.

Along with lean construction practices, DPR developed three-dimensional (3-D) and four-dimensional (4-D) virtual building models that resulted in a more efficiently delivered project. Early on, the virtual building models, which incorporate the element of time into 3-D computer-aided-design drawings, helped communicate sequencing issues during design coordination. The models were used during the MEP installation and have enabled the prefabrication of most of the materials for a just-in-time delivery. This process, according to the MEP subcontractors on the project, is improved productivity by as much as 20 percent on this part of the project.

Although this tower expansion was designed in 2D, DPR modeled all major components of the project's structural, mechanical and electrical systems in 3D to determine, review and prevent potential clash detection problems. Additionally, DPR modeled interior components of the building to allow the owner to virtually walk critical spaces and make adjustments to locations of medical equipment prior to construction in the field.

The interior build-out consists of a laboratory/analyzer room, offices, conference rooms, reference libraries, IT room, lunch rooms, locker/shower rooms, and shop area. The shop areas have two 40-inch long (10-ton) and one 40-inch long (5-ton) overhead cranes, plus eleven 1-ton floor-mounted jib cranes (18' high). Additionally, there are eight welding booths with central exhaust system in the shop area.

The electrical system is a 480V 3ph 200A service with a motor control center. The mechanical system consists of a 40-ton and 35-ton air handling unit, hot water boiler, closed system air-cooled cooling tower, Liebert DX coils with variable air volume and constant air volume.

With the developer's budget and LEED credits in mind, the preconstruction team conducted cost studies of multiple office buildings, as well as the effectiveness of different parking systems.
Life cycle cost analysis showed that spending more on some items, for example the mechanical systems and glazing (upgrading to the more efficient Aircool Chillers with VFD, and Solar Band XL windows), up front would pay off in utility cost savings in about six years. The developer's budget was reached after an extensive value engineering effort, including $2,900,000 in suggestions, none of which affected LEED certification points.

The team, which self-performed the concrete, utilized BIM software to accurately detail/build the cast-in place concrete structures virtually and minimize construction waste. A “Tenant Manual” was created for future tenants to help guide them through the LEED-CI Certification process. More than 92.03 percent of all construction waste was recycled, with 2,944,690 pounds of debris diverted from landfills.

The buildings are part of a 333-acre master planned project in northwest Austin. The property includes a 182-acre habitat preserve for the golden cheeked warbler. Construction was scheduled around the bird’s mating season, when noisy work is not allowed.

Using 3D clash detection tools to identify and resolve conflicts before construction started has improved quality and efficiency enabling construction to finish on time, completing this highly complex project in 22-weeks. This technology, coupled with close collaboration, has helped the entire team be more efficient, making it another successful project for Autodesk.

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.

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.

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.

More Info & Live Webcam

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.

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.

Despite a very fast schedule and highly complex scope, the project was completed under budget and with just 16 punchlist items at substantial completion.

Fast Computer, Fast Schedule
It almost goes without saying that one of the fastest computing facilities in the world would be built on an equally fast schedule. The 10-month schedule included minimum 56-hour workweeks for the field teams, sometimes with only DPR-mandated days off. In addition, there were 41 weather impact days—far more than usual in Austin—that were absorbed by the schedule.

All owner milestones were completed on time or early, and the owner was able to move into the space two months early to begin build-out of the super-computer. The project was also awarded the University of Texas Safety Through Exemplary Performance (STEP) Silver Award. The project was completed with zero accidents, zero recordables and zero lost time incidents.

Self Performed Work
DPR self-performed demolition, drywall, accessory installation and concrete to help drive the schedule and fill in difficult to contract scopes.

The project design includes the use of UPS flywheels in lieu of the more typical static batteries. The UPS flywheels have several advantages for this project: they use about 30% less space than static batteries, are not potential explosion hazards, don't require special room ventilation, and have a life span of approximately 20 years. In emergency situations they provide 14 seconds of load at 100%, which is more than enough time for emergency generators to reach full capacity.

In lieu of the split DX units that were planned for the roof, the team recommended using Water-Cooled Chillers and a Cooling Tower. DX units are less expensive to install, but much more expensive to run. Using life cycle energy analysis tools with the BIM, the team determined that although the Water-Cooled Chillers were more expensive to install, over a 15-year period the University would save upwards of $16 million in energy and maintenance costs.

The ceiling in the data center white space was lower than in a typical data center, and did not have the load capacity to support the data cable trays. The team designed the load from the cable trays to be supported from the raised access flooring below. Rather than hanging from the ceiling, the trays are supported from below via poles at the base of the server cabinet.

The cable tray support system was designed electronically in BIM, and run through clash detection software during design. The team was able to see exactly how much space was available for cabling, and make adjustments where needed. In some instances, the design left as little as ½” clearance. Having the entire design and construction team involved in the clash detection, accurate changes could be made in the drawings rather than the field when changes are more costly to implement.

To help expedite the schedule, an early release package for abatement was developed for the portion of the building that was unoccupied prior to the project starting. When the building was vacated, DPR was able to move quickly and could focus on the white space, demarcs and electrical room demo and build-back.

Technical Details

• Tier Level: Tier III
• Structure: Precast concrete
• Raised Floor: 9,000 sq. ft.
• Critical Load: 1.44 MW
• Watts/square foot: 150/sq. ft.
• Hot aisle/cold aisle containment
• Rotary Flywheel Uninterruptible Power System (UPS): 2N
• Chilled Water System: N+1 system for cooling of white space and UPS rooms

Pre-set goals for the project included: 

• Completion of each phase ahead of schedule
• Zero defects at substantial completion of each phase
• Exceeding 75% local workforce participation

In order to beat the schedule, DPR incorporated Lean construction practices for an open and consistent dialog between trades resulting in higher predictability and smoother workflow. By using this collaborative approach, each phase of the project was not only delivered ahead of the contracted schedule but also with zero defects at substantial completion. This allowed Facebook to begin populating their data suites and trafficking live data sooner. To exceed the hiring goal, DPR collaborated with subcontractors, held career fairs, and posted hiring information to Facebook and other websites. This dedicated team effort allowed the project to attain 90% its manpower from the local workforce for both buildings.

Facebook plans to build multiple data centers on the Lulea campus, beginning with a 290,000 sq.-ft. first phase that was completed in late 2012, and begin supporting traffic in the first half of 2013.

The expansion of Facebook’s infrastructure beyond the U.S. reflects the increasingly global makeup of its user base. More than 75 percent of Facebook’s 800 million users are located outside the United States. Building data centers closer to these users will improve the speed of their connection and overall Facebook experience. The Facebook announcement has been celebrated in Sweden, and particularly in Lulea, where economic development officials have been marketing the region as a data center destination due to its combination of a cool climate, strong connectivity and plentiful supply of cheap, renewable energy.

The cool, dry climate allows the use of outside air to cool the data centers, similar to Facebook's Prineville, OR and Forest City, NC sites (also built by DPR). The average daily temperature in Lulea ranges from high of 41 degrees Fahrenheit to low of 27 degrees Fahrenheit. The area averages just four days a year with high temperatures exceeding 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The nearby Lule River produces about 13.6 million MW hours of hydro-electric power, equal to 10 percent of Sweden’s total demand for electricity. Lulea, Sweden has some of the cheapest power rates in all of Europe.

Inside the data center buildings, Facebook is implementing the server and data center designs outlined in the Open Compute Project, which the company launched in February 2012 to release its custom designs for servers, power supplies and UPS units.

Read more about Facebook's Open Compute Initiative

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Several value added services were performed for this client including:

• A site search covering 11 states, 30 communities and 50 specific sites
• Negotiation of an incentive package, including utility and infrastructure extensions and grants, enterprise zone tax credits and other incentives to assist this large client to locate in Nebraska
• Due diligence of the selected site and all associated infrastructure
• Coordination of all utility and infrastructure needs with the applicable state entities
• Iinterview, recommendation, selection and management of all specialty consultants covering air emissions, water emissions, water use, groundwater (well) and environmental permits

This unique building configuration provides the client with a ‘quicker to market' solution and lower day one capital costs.

• Developed economical mechanical and electrical systems that have the least amount of impact on the existing building structure avoiding costly reinforcement of the existing structure and a longer schedule.
• Constructing the exterior foundations and underground site utilities during the winter.
• Sequencing the delivery of major pieces of outside mechanical and electrical equipment with the exterior work due to tight sight constraints.
• Developing economical construction solutions to get the major pieces of outside mechanical and electrical equipment above the 500 year flood plain.
• Utilized the undeveloped warehouse space to pre-fabricate mechanical and electrical utilities for server racks for quick installation. Quality control and production was greatly improved due to “shop fabrication” in lieu of “field fabrication” techniques.
• Utilized very detailed field coordinated BIM technology cad drawings to maintain high level of quality control between all trades improving quality and production.

The building shell is structural steel with pre-cast concrete panels. The site was overexcavated six feet below the finished floor to make room for 46 miles of underground conduit and 45,000 cubic yards of lean concrete backfill which will support this critical facility. Inside DPR built-out the infrastructure down to the remote power panels. A static UPS system with diesel generators provide the back-up power source.

This Confidential Software Provider joins a growing list of technology companies drawn to Quincy, a small farming town near the Columbia River in Grant County with a population just over 5,300. The town is attractive for its abundant land, inexpensive cheap power from the Columbia River and network of fiber optic cable lines.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools are being used to streamline coordination of equipment installation and to resolve clashes before designs are complete. At the construction mid-way point, the team has identified 400 major clashes that have led to re-sizing of ductwork, lowering ceilings and re-routing of mechanical and electrical systems. The mechanical team estimates that the electronic coordination has saved them approximately two months on the schedule and $50,000-$10,000 due to lack of conflicts.

DPR created the architectural, structural and miscellaneous support models. The mechanical and electrical subcontractors each created their scopes in the model, as did the telecommunication and fire protection contractors. The subcontractors have gained the most use of the models through multidiscipline coordination, shop drawing creation and visuals to attach to RFIs.

At the end of the project, the model will be handed over to the owner to use with their ‘as-built’ documentation and facility management.

The team, including UCSD, DPR, RTKL, and the engineering and subcontracting firms embraced a collaborative, high performance team approach and achieved unprecedented success in healthcare, sustainability and collaboration. “At the onset of the project, we determined that the only way to succeed was to do this as a team,” according to Randy Leopold, the university’s principal architect for the project.

Recognizing the need for a roadmap to drive the team towards the same goals, the stakeholders developed a mission statement, “As a team, inspire,” and core values; integrity, openness, enjoyment, progressive, and determination, which provided a clear focus for the entire team. Delineation between companies was blurred and the team was able to function as a collective unit and perform effectively in the office and in the field. When ever-changing activies ensued, individulas joining the project observed the level of cohesion and followed suit.

“As unexpected and highly complex issues arose while building the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center, our foundation of trust allowed our team to find timely and non-traditional solutions to problems that could have led to delays of many months,” said DPR Project Manager Carlos Crabtree overseeing the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center. “Because of our creative strategies, this project is ahead of schedule and under budget.”

Also contributing to the success and taking collaboration even further was the use of full-scale Building Information Modeling (BIM); leadership from all disciplines pooled resources to accomplish pipe routing, conduit and ductwork, systems, assemblies, and sequencing for use by all trades, including interior drywall partitions and equipment supports.

The construction was completed in December 2010—four weeks ahead of schedule, with a public opening spring 2011.

Phase one of an extensive master plan for the campus, the facility is anchored by a 133,000-sq.-ft. cancer outpatient center and supported by 76 patient beds on two floors inside of Banner Gateway Medical Center. Utilizing the multi-disciplinary care approach pioneered at MD Anderson, services include medical, radiation and surgical oncology, pathology, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, as well as other supportive clinical services. The new, state-of-the-art design merges the “high tech” world of medicine with the “high touch” needs of cancer patients and their families to provide an unmatched environment for cancer care in the valley.

The building also features a “Lantern of Hope,” a symbolic beacon for patients and their families, lighting the path of hope along the cancer journey– hope for healing, acceptance and personal wishes. The four-story metal structure is constructed of water-jet cut metal and steel, and is patterned to reflect the leaves and branches of the palo verde tree, known for its healing properties. The lantern is illuminated by the sun during the day, and from within at night with beautiful colors of light.