MCAA is hosting a webinar on the benefits of using electronic knowledge assessments for daily safety training. MCAA partner in safety ClickSafety, which provides OSHA 10 and 30 hour safety standards training courses for MCAA members at discount prices, will be presenting the webinar.
The knowledge assessments technology provides users with one daily question on a subject from a previous safety training session. The question is received by the users on their PCs or mobile devices. User response time is less than 60- seconds, and feedback is immediate. After a short period of time the daily questions become “smart-questions” homing in on each individual user’s weakest competencies.
The webinar will be presented September 12, 2018 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The length of the webinar will depend on the number of questions, so please allow 30 to 45 minutes for the webinar from start to finish.
MCAA Board member Larry Gunthorpe passed away August 19, 2018 at the age of 58. Larry will be missed by all in the MCAA family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Janet and the Gunthorpe family during this difficult time. You can read Larry’s obituary and share your condolences with the Gunthorpe family here.
MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions: EVAPCO, Inc.
Only EVAPCO offers two patented water treatment systems that can be factory-mounted for the easiest, most dependable set-up ever: Smart Shield®, the safer solid chemistry system with controlled-release technology, and Pulse-Pure®, the pulsed-power way to treat your water with zero chemicals.
Building Start Building Start’s mobile, cloud-based software will streamline field data collection efforts for Mechanical Contractors for equipment startup, pre-commissioning checklists and service professionals.
Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!
For a record-setting continuous concrete pour, Couts Heating and Cooling, Inc. installed more than 20 miles of Uponor radiant tubing to create a thermal cooling system that would ensure the integrity of the concrete as it cured. Applying this new technique, Couts not only smoothed the way for this rapid, massive project, it also benefitted from the ease of installation. The PEX tubing’s “extreme flexibility made it fast and easy to install around the rebar in the base of the structure,” said Mike Martin, Couts piping department manager.
Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.
Under pressure to make up for lost time on a huge tunneling project, Shinn Mechanical Inc. used cordless Milwaukee tools to install Victaulic grooved couplings on an innovative piping design, shaving months off the original schedule. “Pairing Victaulic couplings with Milwaukee tools allowed us to finish a job scheduled to take eight months in only 10 weeks,” said Mike Shinn, company founder.
Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.
Video Technology Attracts Customers, Speeds Payment
Within 90 days of adopting the XOi Vision™ platform’s field service management program See, MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions (MacMiller) landed a huge national account, based in part on the company’s use of video technology. With See, MacMiller technicians can easily link video and photos to customer accounts through mobile devices.
Growing Demand for Digital Communication
MacMiller is a full-service design-build mechanical contractor that focuses on making buildings work better. Their clients include Nike, Boeing, and Microsoft. MacMiller wanted technology to help set the company apart from competitors, improve customer engagement, and empower employees to communicate better with each other. Company executives identified mobility and collaboration technology as two key growth drivers of success.
MacMiller recognizes that strong customer engagement is vital in service-oriented trades. Trust must be earned, which is especially challenging when customers work offsite or in regional offices, affording little or no opportunity for face-to-face contact. New and younger customers demand a higher level of communication and collaboration from their field service providers. MacMiller executives worked with technology partner KEY2ACT and XOi Technologies to create KEY2ACT’s See software, powered by XOi.
Seeing Is Believing
From MacMiller’s perspective, one of the biggest Vision benefits is the opportunity it provides to increase customer engagement. Much of the work done by MacMiller, like pipe and duct work, is hidden behind walls. Video and photo documentation allows customers to see exactly what technicians are doing.
At the start of each job, technicians wearing smart glasses record a short video showing the equipment to be maintained or repaired, while introducing themselves and describing the work they plan to do. Photos and video are automatically streamed to the cloud, creating one central repository of visual evidence. At the end of the job, technicians record another video summing up their work. When the call summary report is emailed to the customer, it contains a link to access the visual content.
See how XOi Vision integrates into KEY2ACT to provide techs with a seamless experience:
https://youtu.be/fJdnryqDGjg
“While there are incredible operational efficiencies that enable mobility and collaboration for our staff through telepresence and increased accountability, the real benefit of this technology is that our customers can now witness firsthand the current state of their building through a multimedia experience,” said Bradd
Busick, MacMiller’s chief information officer.
Service Foreman Travis Espheter added, “To me, the coolest thing is the customer’s reaction when they get it. They’re pretty shocked that there is this technology out there.”
Video Documentation Speeds Payment
The ability to better understand the work completed helps customers pay bills faster, with fewer phone calls to MacMiller. A large site may have 20–50 service calls in a month, and when the customer reviews a bill, they often cannot remember the details associated with each charge. Access to pictures and video clarifies each job.
See improves customer engagement and delivers a service experience that differentiates MacMiller from competitors. Instead of spending customer meetings going over bills and work orders, service managers focus on future projects. See also helps attract new customers.
As MacMiller CEO Gus Simonds said, “Anytime we can get some more client engagement creates a higher level of trust. If we can help that building operator make a better decision about something, then I think he’ll be more confident about what MacDonald-Miller can do for him.”
For more information, visit www.xoi.io or call 800-230-7047.
Rework plagues owners, managers, and subcontractors alike. It is one of the biggest reasons for stagnant and declining productivity and steals hours, days, and even months from projects. In some cases, it causes such severe missed deadlines and budget overruns that subs fail to meet contracts, facing legal consequences or, at the very least, the potential loss of their good name and future business.
Much of the rework that is seen as a “necessary evil” by subcontractors can be avoided through better collaboration and more efficient processes. With these tips from PlanGrid, you can learn the common causes and effects of rework—and avoid the need to fix what has already been built.
Common Causes of Construction Rework
First and foremost, it pays to understand why rework crops up:
Design changes and errors: Plans change frequently for a myriad of reasons; mistakes happen, or there is a misalignment between what is designed and what can actually be built.
Missing documents and details: The information that teams need is hard to come by or, even more commonly, the information is not available when it is needed.
Lack of collaboration: Work environments may fail to encourage teamwork and might even create adversarial relationships between stakeholders.
Poor communication: Teams may be unable to exchange information while in the field, especially when project data are stored in a trailer hundreds of yards, if not miles, away.
Ineffective procurement: Teams may fail to get supplies on time or get the wrong materials and supplies altogether.
Schedule pressures: Problems can arise when rushing to meet a deadline or failing to adhere to designs or quality standards.
How Much Does Construction Rework Add Up?
The consequences of construction rework can significantly undercut your bottom line or even bankrupt you if the owner or other major project stakeholder is unhappy enough to litigate. According to some estimates, between 4 and 6 percent of total project cost is due to rework, and that is only counting direct cost or what is reported. This estimate fails to capture all the little side projects and do-overs that suck up so much of a worker’s time and job materials.
If rework is not properly documented, subs can end up taking the blame and footing the bill for a large portion of it. Even if the worst does not happen, rework still results in lost money, lost time, and massive frustration.
One of the biggest challenges to meeting final project deadlines and intermediate markers is productivity. Unfortunately, rework is one of the biggest productivity sucks. In some cases, it can negatively impact productivity by up to 300 percent. A full 30 percent of all work performed by construction companies is simply just fixing something that was not done right the first time.
Losing time and money is a source of serious discontent for everyone on a project—especially the boots on the ground. Rework takes a toll on morale, with subs having to tear down work they thought was already complete. In turn, worker frustration can negatively impact productivity and motivation, which begins a new cycle of lost time and money, and on it goes.
Four Ways to Reduce Rework in Construction
Most rework results either from missteps in the early stages of a project or from systemic problems that plague a project throughout. Here are four ways specialty contractor teams can reduce rework.
Ditch Paper and Manual Processes: It’s simple: using paper and relying on outdated technology— such as Excel spreadsheets and lengthy email threads lead to consistent errors and miscommunication. These methods do not track changes in real time. Subcontractors are forced to trek long distances to an office for information they need, and then it is often too late to make good use of it. Instead, go digital and adopt technology to automate some of those tedious and typically error-ridden administrative processes like submittals.
Align Project Teams Early On: When all stakeholders and subcontractors on a project treat their jobs as independent of others, chaos is likely to prevail. Rather than letting havoc reign, consider working towards more collaborative delivery methods that treat everyone on the project as part of one firm. When team members are aligned at the start of a project, motivations shift from “How can I do my part?” to “How can we complete the project together?”
Improve Field Communications: Communicating in the field is hampered by many roadblocks, resulting in frustrations, delayed schedules, and, yes, rework. Cloud-based technology and collaboration software allow team members to keep each other up to date about changes and make sure plans reflect the latest, regardless of whether the jobsite has cell or internet service. The right software provides instant access to your project documents, is easy to use, and keeps communications centralized so everyone knows what is happening in real time.
Set Quality Standards: Project closeouts are often delayed because of concerns about the quality of subcontractor work. To reassure general contractors and prove things were done correctly the first time, adopt systematic standards for processes, workflows, tools, and equipment. Institute a system of checks and balances to ensure quality assurance and quality control measures are consistently met to reduce the potential of construction rework.
At the end of the day, rework starts with early action. If you understand the most common causes and take immediate and concrete steps to alleviate the potential for problems, you are far less likely to suffer at its hands. By keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid cost overruns, missed deadlines, and unhappy general contractors and owners.
By working closely with Daikin on design and modeling, ACCO Engineered Systems successfully installed 875,000 tons of sheet metal, miles of condenser and hot-water piping, and 21 large-capacity Daikin Self-Contained air conditioning (AC) units on a fast-track schedule with no room for delays. The energy-efficient HVAC systems helped the premier $1.2-billion Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, become the first NFL stadium to achieve LEED® Gold certification.
Tall Order, Short Timeline
Stadium construction began in April 2012 and was scheduled to finish in time for the first preseason 49ers game in August 2014. The South Bay microclimate and energy performance were chief considerations for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. Thermal comfort of the football players and visitors’ comfort were also considerations.
A condenser, tower water system for heat rejection of the packaged AC units, and a highly efficient heat pump for the domestic hot water system were determined to be the best HVAC solution for the stadium. Mechanical equipment also had to meet the energy performance requirements for LEED Gold certification and the California Energy Commission’s Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.
The entire HVAC system was specified as variable flow with enhanced controls to optimize the performance and improve energy savings. The ventilation system was specified as centralized VAV with airside economizer. As part of the energy modeling, the equipment and system evaluation was critical because of the unique peak demand of event days, such as football games and concerts.
Daikin water-cooled Self-Contained AC units were the clear choice given the equipment specifications and “required on job” dates. While commercial grade AC equipment was the engineering baseline, the flexibility of using an original equipment manufacturer was important so that contractors could incorporate preheat coils, air flow measuring stations, and control interfaces such as smoke control. The efficiency of the Daikin Self-Contained AC units and the refrigerant specifications exceeded the minimum requirements for Title 24 standards.
Daikin worked closely with ACCO by providing 3D CAD files of the 100-ton water-cooled Self-Contained AC units to assist with the modeling of the equipment rooms, ductwork, and piping systems, which made for a smooth installation process.
Equipment room space was at a premium both in the belly of the stadium and in the upper luxury suites and office areas. The compact design of the 21 large-capacity Self-Contained AC units, sized up to 100 tons each, enabled the designers to save space in the equipment rooms by having fewer units. The units were semi-customized to include preheat coils for winter conditions. Normally, the hot water coils would be ordered separately. For this project, the Daikin engineers were able to insert the hot water coil into the standard cabinet, which also saved space. In addition, some of the stadium mechanical rooms are located near occupied spaces; the plenum fans on the Daikin Self-Contained AC units generate less noise than similar models of other manufacturers, so they met the stadium’s low noise requirement.
Complex Construction Schedule
To speed the construction effort, Levi’s Stadium was developed in a sequenced plan for logistics, stocking, and installation. The facility was built as three
independent projects running concurrently: suite tower section, bowl side (main and upper concourses), and event level (lower bowl). The construction sequence was incorporated as part of the engineering efforts to avoid start-up issues, given the common ductwork and piping systems between the suite tower, bowl side, and event level.
ACCO installed the sheet metal, piping, and HVAC systems, maintaining cleanliness in compliance with indoor air quality standards for LEED certification. Daikin worked closely with ACCO by providing 3D CAD files of the 100-ton water-cooled Self-Contained AC units to assist with the modeling of the equipment rooms, ductwork, and piping systems. The modeling and design efforts made for a smooth installation process.
Building the stadium required complex sequencing among various trades. ACCO alone employed 125 engineers and field personnel to design and install the sheet metal and condenser and hot-water piping. Deliveries of materials and equipment, including preassembled ducts and piping components, were made on a just-in-time basis, with multiple daily transfers made to the jobsite from a nearby receiving yard.
On-Time Opening
As part of the ventilation system start-up, local and factory Daikin technicians were on site to verify the packaged AC unit controls. Work included preparing the interfaces to the stadium’s building automation systems (BAS), firmware updates, and operational settings among numerous HVAC applications. Start-up and commissioning efforts began in summer 2013 to ensure the entire construction and operations teams were synced for a successful delivery of MEP, various BAS, and food service systems. Systems were operational in time for the stadium’s soft-opening event in April 2014 to include commissary and other early move-in spaces.
After a record-setting and fast-tracked building process, Levi’s Stadium hosted the first 49ers preseason game and received LEED Gold Certification for Building Design and Construction of a new facility. Visitors can view a live dashboard display, located inside the stadium near the 49ers Museum, featuring current energy measurements, water and air monitors, and other dynamic green features.
After the inaugural season in 2014, the HVAC systems were reevaluated, and performance was compared with the energy modeling. The Daikin Self-Contained units performed as specified.
On February 7, 2016, Levi’s Stadium was the proud host of Super Bowl 50 and accommodated nearly 72,000 visitors.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, design-build contractor Western Allied Mechanical, Inc. has been using Viewpoint software for over a decade. As a result, it has streamlined project management and processes—for example, cutting RFI response time from days to minutes.
Western Allied adopted Spectrum, a completely integrated construction enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, in 2005. The move helped Western Allied significantly modernize its operations, drastically reducing its reliance on paper and manual processes—like spreadsheets and duplicative data entry into disparate construction management solutions—to facilitate workflows, accounting, and financial reporting. Several years later, when Spectrum became the first construction ERP to move to the cloud, Western Allied took advantage of the easy, browser-based access to construction data and collaboration tools in real time to further improve productivity.
Opening the Box
Operations Manager Jim Jeffrey said Western Allied really committed to “opening the box”—that is, taking full advantage of Spectrum’s features. The company deployed Spectrum’s document imaging functionality throughout the company, implemented deep reporting and business intelligence tools, and tracked productivity in its sheet metal and piping shop. As a result, it has streamlined project management and job compliance tasks.
“Using Spectrum’s job compliance features really helped in keeping us on track, knowing when all of our compliance documents are completed,” said Project Administrator Donna Nielson. “It makes it very easy to see, with Spectrum’s dashboard, when you’re out of compliance. You can just click on that dashboard item and drill down.”
Western Allied has taken part in several product and new functionality beta tests with Spectrum and Viewpoint. This year, it is beta testing both Viewpoint Team™ and Viewpoint Field View™ products.
“We’re finding Team to be a very powerful program. It allows for the compilation and organization of submittals and RFIs and other project documents. It has shortened our RFI response time from days to literally minutes,” Jeffrey said.
“Field View, meanwhile, allows the field to provide on-the-fly issues logs and punch list documents to be sent to project manager and office support personnel,” Jeffrey continued. “This has been both a refinement and a boon to our field QA/QC issues. This product has and will speed up the zero punch process that we employ.” Western Allied has also embraced Viewpoint’s Service Tech solution, increasing efficiency among technicians in the field and for back-office processes. The company can now keep a digital history and enhance scheduling of its entire service department—that is, everything from electronic dispatch to time keeping and site history to work orders and purchase orders.
“When I saw Service Tech, I was really excited because it looked to be just what we needed,” said CFO Jeff Pierce. “We wanted a solution where we could push out work orders, service calls, and preventative maintenance tasks and be able to get the time back in and facilitate the billing process quicker. For a CFO, that’s always important.”
Keeping pace with the changing technology and landscape of the field is important to Western Allied. “We have clients that are very dynamic companies, and their needs can change even between the time you’ve started a project and when you’ve delivered it,” said Jeffrey.
Western Allied was awarded Viewpoint’s 2017 Innovator of the Year for Spectrum. Watch the company’s full story here.
Wasted time and lost productivity are enemies in any welding operation. Many companies have seen significant productivity increases, without sacrificing quality, by converting from traditional welding processes such as stick or TIG to advanced wire processes, such as pulsed MIG and Regulated Metal Deposition (RMD®), a modified short-circuit MIG process from Miller Electric Mfg. LLC. These processes offer consistent weld quality and travel speeds that are three to four times those of stick or TIG.
A modified short-circuit MIG process such as RMD offers easy weld pool control thanks to more forgiveness to variations in stickout and gun angle. This helps reduce operator training time, along with delivering quality arc performance that helps boosts productivity. This process also produces less spatter and eliminates the need for backing gas, saving time and money.
Pulsed MIG offers better fusion and fill at the toes of the weld, higher travel speeds and deposition rates, and shorter changeover time, because the same wire and gas can be used with modified short-circuit MIG processes.
Improve Efficiency and Quality
Using newer welding approaches and directing the arc energy where it is needed allows novice and experienced welders to improve their skills. A more consistent arc is also easier to manipulate to ensure good fusion, resulting in better weld quality and less rework.
Advances in remote control welding technologies, such as also ArcReach® technology from Miller, gives welders complete control of parameters at the weld joint using the wire feeder or remote—eliminating the need to walk back to the power source to make changes. These technologies also reduce the likelihood of trips and falls.
Benefits of Advanced Technology
Many financial and business benefits can be realized by converting from traditional welding techniques and processes to more advanced solutions.
Increased productivity. New machines can pay off quickly in increased productivity and other factors. For operations struggling to find and retain skilled welders, productivity improvements can help meet demands while making the most of the current workforce. If you source fabricated components from regions where labor costs are high, productivity improvements provide a significant cost reduction.
Reduced scrap loss. With stick welding, a common goal for welders is to achieve stub loss (the portion of the electrode not deposited in the weld) of 2–3”, which translates to “planned scrap” of 16 to 25 percent of each electrode. Converting from stick to a wire process eliminates stub loss costs and produces labor savings because it is a more productive process.
Fewer failures and rework. Consistent arc performance and filler metal selection are key to achieving higher first-time weld pass rates. Processes and technologies that offer more consistent arc performance can help reduce the time and money spent on weld failures and rework. A high level of rework impacts quality and can lead to delays, disrupting the entire flow of the construction process. (For more about the cost of rework and how to avoid it, see “Four Ways Specialty Contractors Can Reduce Construction Rework.”)
The Bottom Line
Understanding the potential productivity gains offered by advanced processes and new technologies can help ensure that jobs are completed on time and on budget. Change can be difficult, but companies willing to accept some level of risk might be rewarded with faster project completion, potential cost reductions, and better utilization of assets. Proper training is key to mitigating the risk.
iBusiness Technologies’ MobiliForms solution “saves the company in excess of $500,000 annually,” said JEC Service Co. Service Manager Sean Thurston, by increasing labor efficiencies in the field and office. Since the company adopted MobiliForms, field staff complete their startup checklists, project management records, work orders, and timesheets on Apple iPads® for instant transmission. Thurston estimated that JEC’s 20 field technicians save at least an hour a day using this approach, which quickly adds up to substantial savings for the business.
A thriving HVAC, mechanical, and sheet metal contractor based in Waltham, MA, JEC’s leadership knew that going paperless was essential to their mission and continued growth. After carefully evaluating the options, they selected MobiliForms because of its strong track record among MCAA and MSCA members and because it did not require them to change their software.
“We couldn’t live without it,” said Director of Operations Paul Donato. “It paid for itself quickly, and the functionality is incredibly valuable for our 20-plus field techs.” Real-time data, tight record-keeping, and historic documentation positively impact operations for the entire company. MobiliForms’ cloud storage has proven to be an essential collaborative tool for JEC. In addition, the company found it easy to deploy because it did not require any changes to their existing backend software.
Using KEY2ACT’s Connect technology to gather building data during a year-long retrofit project, Brandt found glitches in the products it was installing and was able to fix them before completing the work—without going over schedule. Brandt also uses Connect during commissioning to validate a building’s entire system at one time, which has proven invaluable.
The largest MEP services contractor in Texas, Brandt is dedicated to helping customers lower operating costs and increase efficiency by designing, building, servicing, and retrofitting energy-efficient building systems. To keep their competitive edge, they aim to make themselves so valuable that their customers would not think of leaving. Brandt actively seeks out advanced technological tools to provide the best customer service possible.
The Power of Data
Connect is a cloud-based solution that pulls data from a building automation system to identify trends and pinpoint potential problems before they happen. The solution works with all industry building automation systems and requires only one easy-to-install unit per building. Brandt first started using Connect around 2012.
On a recent job, Brandt was contracted to upgrade a 25-year-old Trane control system. The project included fan-powered box (FPB) replacements and the retrofit of VAV boxes with new air dampers and controls. About 250 VAV retrofits were required, and the entire project was scheduled to take one year.
As the new controllers were being installed, Joe Spry, Brandt’s commissioning
controls supervisor, started evaluating the boxes’ performance using Connect. About a month into the changeout, Connect’s data revealed sporadic CFM power and pressure readings in most of the retrofitted VAV boxes and some of the
new FPBs.
Gary Coulson, a senior HVAC technician for Brandt, uses a clamp meter to check electrical circuits. Connect from KEY2ACT lets Brandt turn data from buildings and equipment into action, pinpointing potential problems before they occur.
After trying a few different things, the team found a different brand of pressure sensor that provided a more stable reading. Even though almost 50 percent of the boxes had already been installed, Spry and his team were able to install the new pressure sensors in all the boxes before the project’s scheduled end time.
Brandt also found two other glitches
during the project. First, control of
the electric reheat in the FPBs was
not performing per the sequences,
but thanks to Connect, the issue was
identified and the team was able to
make the proper changes early in
the project. Second, Connect helped
Brandt find several overcooled areas
in the building, which led to the decision
to change out a handful of VAV
boxes to smaller boxes. Quickly identifying and correcting issues within the project’s original timeframe created a better experience for the customer and
a smoother project for Brandt.
“Finding these issues during the project made the fixes easier, because we were still mobilized in the install mode,” Spry said. “It also reduced the number of comfort complaints as the project progressed.”
100-Percent Commissioning
With Connect, Brandt can validate a building’s entire system at once, not just the 10 percent of equipment that is normally commissioned during new construction. Spry described the value of 100-percent commissioning as
“unbelievable.” He noted, “We come off a job with more confidence that
there’s no issues with the way things operate, the way they’re sequenced to
operate.”
With Connect, Brandt also has more independence when it comes to data
acquisition and it can better partner with controls vendors. “I don’t have to rely now on the controls contractor,” said Spry. “If I can tell him he doesn’t have to create all his trends to take up all his memory, that I’ve got it, then we’re in a partnership. Some of the major controls vendors in our area, now when I come onsite, they understand exactly what I’m doing and how I’m going to be there to utilize my software to help them finish their checkouts.”
Stellar Tech Support
Brandt has been using Connect for several years now, and during that time Spry has been impressed not only with the product but also with the team behind it. Response times are quick, and suggestions for product improvements are often implemented. If Brandt comes across an issue that they cannot quite solve on their own, KEY2ACT is quick to help, Spry said. “I’ve had solutions within 30 minutes,” he continued. “It’s the best tech support I’ve been associated with.
“For me, KEY2ACT is the most powerful tool I have for what I do in my job.”
Who Needs a Sit/Stand Workstation and How to Set It Up
Over the past few years, a greater focus has been placed on employee health and wellness as it relates to the issue of sitting versus standing at a computer workstation. The number of sit/stand workstations is on the rise, causing employees to ask the question, “Is a sit/stand workstation right for me?” Working in the same location for hours can affect concentration and muscles, which can in turn affect work productivity. CNA offers this guidance on how to maximize comfort while working at a computer workstation and reduce pain and injuries.
Living More Sedentary Lives
Sedentary behavior is a significant health risk and a major contributor to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Sedentary jobs have risen 83 percent since 1960 and now account for 43 percent of all U.S. jobs. One study found that an extra hour of sedentary time per day was associated with a 22 percent increase in type 2 diabetes and a 39-percent increase in the odds of developing metabolic syndrome. Another estimated that prolonged sitting is responsible for 430,000 deaths across 54 countries and that sedentary behavior is the number-two risk factor for mortality, second only to smoking.
Sitting
Sitting at a typical office workstation can increase disc pressure in the low back, placing the body into a static posture and thus increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease. With this in mind, more organizations are taking proactive steps to identify and address sitting during the workday.
Standing
On the other hand, prolonged standing work is associated with its own health problems. Standing puts greater strain on the circulatory system and on the legs and feet, and the performance of many motor skills is reduced. Prolonged standing is associated with the development of varicose veins. In addition to health risks, workers may see a decrease in dexterity when working while standing.
What Are the Advantages of Standing?
An increase in metabolic activity (20-percent increase in calories burned)
Reduced strain on the lower back
Increased muscle activity
Fewer complaints of discomfort
Improved mental clarity
Is There a Solution?
The combination of sitting and standing through the workday seems to offer the best solution to this issue. The human body responds best to a balance of both dynamic and static activity, and a sit/stand workstation could meet these needs.
Who is the ideal candidate for a sit/stand workstation? Employees not experiencing pain or discomfort from sitting and who can get up and move
on a frequent basis may not need to alter how they work. However, employees who experience discomfort or pain in the back or upper extremities and who do not get up from their workstations very often may benefit from this solution.
A company should evaluate who needs a sit/stand workstation very carefully, as employees with orthopedic issues (e.g., conditions affecting the ankle, knee, or hip), inflammation, or joint disease may not be able to stand. In addition, some
overweight individuals may not feel comfortable standing at a desk under any circumstances.
Design/Best Practices
Alternate between sitting and standing on a regular and frequent basis. For example, spend 20–30 minutes standing and then sit for 45 minutes to an hour.
When standing:
Wear good supportive shoes, not shoes with a heel.
Use a foot rest to raise one foot off the ground, changing the tilt of the pelvis.
Do not stand in a static posture; move from side to side.
Provide height-adjustable work surfaces with keyboard trays that will fit both sitting and standing users.
The keyboard and mouse should be at the same level—at or slightly below elbow height.
Make sure the keyboard, mouse, and monitor height are set at the correct level for the employee in either the sitting or standing position.
Place the monitor approximately an arm’s length away. The top of the screen should be slightly below eye level, with the brightest light source to the side and not directly over the monitor.
The employer should provide training and education on how to adjust workstations to accommodate individuals of different sizes and heights. Education should focus on the fundamentals of ergonomics and the benefits of good neutral postures.
Employees should change positions on a regular basis. Individuals can walk around to get a drink of water, make copies, or speak to a colleague, for example.
Summary
Users of a sit/stand workstation can get the most benefit by incorporating more movement into a workday. Employees should alter their posture often through the day and not stay in one position for an extended period of time—whether sitting or standing.
Tools Pay for Themselves Quickly by Minimizing Installation Time
For the new Texas headquarters of a major worldwide corporation, Brandt Construction chose Viega for chilled water and domestic water—a “no-brainer,” because the company does nearly all its work with Viega product. “Viega is dependable, and Viega’s people in town support us really well,” said Craig Hawkins, project executive. “Pressing with Viega is tremendously efficient versus brazing or soldering. We’ve tried other similar products and had issues with them or the quality doesn’t seem to be as good as the ProPress®.
“We’ve been using Viega for a long time,” Hawkins continued. “The first project I remember using press on was the Plano Presbyterian Hospital, around the mid-2000s. We have a standard spec set up for all our work, and I’d say probably 98 percent of our work is Viega. Really, it’s a Brandt standard.” The new campus includes several office buildings and a specialty building, plus multiple parking garages on about 100 acres of land. The main plant has five 1,200-ton chillers and five cooling towers to deliver the chilled water to the buildings. That work was all done in ProPress Copper, sizes 3” and smaller. Approximately 75 restrooms across the campus receive hot and cold water run via ProPress as well.
“We used a lot of fittings,” Hawkins said. “A lot.”
Hawkins pointed out that Brandt has a large stock of ProPress guns, and that it is easy to train new employees on them. At first, he said, the cost of tooling was concerning to some, but after so many years and countless dollars saved on installation time, everyone can see how quickly the tools pay for themselves. Plus, the ease of use of ProPress is important for the way Brandt runs their installations.
“We have a pretty rigid policy. Every joint that’s made, it has to be signed off by the installer. He puts his employee number on the joint,” Hawkins explained. “In our many years of use, we might have had a couple of issues, but they were installation issues, not issues with the fittings.”
Viega District Manager Joel Armstrong lent a hand at the beginning of the project, training some of the employees working on the installation to make sure everyone was on the same page. Hawkins said Brandt usually conducts a refresher course for large projects like these so that there are no issues down the line during installation.
Brandt’s crew of approximately 170 workers plumbed the entire multi-building project, finishing in August 2017.
Since Muir-Chase Plumbing installed Zurn Retrofit Pint urinal systems in every bathroom across campus, Caltech is saving 6,056,130 gallons of water and $42,393 per year. Californians know the value of every drop of water, and the world-renowned science and engineering institute in Pasadena recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of water resources.
Caltech’s plumbing shop regularly retrofits its water systems, from cooling towers to plumbing fixtures. But even with its own in-house experts, Caltech needed more bandwidth to make a campus-wide upgrade happen. Fortunately, opportunity and timing aligned.
The City of Pasadena Water & Power (PWP) approached Caltech about its water conservation programs. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, regional water supply wholesaler, teamed up with PWP to offer water-saving services and valuable rebate incentives. The water conservation team visited
Caltech’s impressive 124-acre campus.
With oversight from the institute’s plumbing experts, the team completed the efficiency studies and offered water-saving options, along with the calculated
project costs after rebate and the return from future savings.
Caltech decided to retrofit its restroom urinals campus-wide. It would take time and resources, but the program rebate offset some of the project costs, providing a faster payback. The project also benefitted the institute and surrounding communities. Every flush uses gallons of water—a shared, limited resource in
California.
“We completed smaller urinal retrofit projects consistently over the past several years, but we needed to really move the meter with regard to water consumption,” said John Onderdonk, director of sustainability programs at Caltech. “The program fit our initiative and wouldn’t have been possible without collaborative effort by the whole project team.”
Zurn’s highly efficient urinals optimize flow by using more power with less water. Today, Caltech’s upgraded urinals consume 87-percent less water than traditional urinals that use 1 gallon per flush, exceeding the 30-percent threshold set by LEED for green buildings. Caltech is already looking into future project investments, such as low-flow faucets and toilets.
For a recent retrofit, Arden Engineering Constructors knew that an accurate as-built assessment of the project was essential to ensure a smooth process, so they put their Trimble® TX6 Scanner and RealWorks® Office software to the test. The scan took one field worker about 4 hours, compared with an estimated 32-man hours for manual measurements—a labor savings of 90 percent.
Technology Investment Pays Off
Several years ago, Bill Cameron, building information modeling (BIM) manager for Arden Engineering Constructors recalled, the company began to see a substantial uptick in the number of RFPs for MEP and HVAC systems renovation and retrofit jobs, as opposed to new construction projects. As a first step, such work typically requires an accurate picture of preconstruction conditions. For every pipe and duct in a HVAC system, for example, there are numerous hangers, sleeves, and other components precisely positioned within the structure to support it. An as-built model gathers precise measurements for all relevant MEP elements of the building, so contractors can determine current conditions and assess the impact of the redesigned system. The conventional method for generating as-builts for MEP systems is to measure and record all components across the building site by hand. To modernize this process, Arden Engineering Constructors sought out 3D scanners and point cloud modeling alternatives.
Already a loyal user of Trimble technology, including Trimble PipeDesigner 3D and SysQue® for Autodesk Revit™ MEP, the team adopted the Trimble TX5 laser scanner and later the TX6 scanner along with RealWorks office software. They chose the Trimble TX6 3D laser scanner because it provided the speed, quality, and range to make in-field data collection fast and efficient. RealWorks allowed them to create 3D deliverables. Arden Engineering Constructors estimated that the TX6 scanner paid for itself after about four projects with increased speed and
accuracy of gathering as-built preconstruction data.
“One of the biggest benefits of the TX6 scanner is the high-speed scanning and consistent accuracy. We estimated it would have taken about four days or 32 man-hours to complete an as-built assessment manually.”
For a new and retrofit project for a small biopharmaceutical facility located in Cambridge, MA, Arden Engineering Constructors took on a project that included HVAC, controls, balancing and fabrication work, and the addition of a roof mezzanine. Phase 1 of the project required them to set up a temporary boiler and
chiller plant to service the existing nine-building campus, which featured 644,771 square feet of laboratory, office, and retail space across nearly eight acres. It also included all remodeled and installed duct work for the existing area and the addition to support the next phase of the project. Phase 2 involved integrating the chill water plant, new chillers, and new chilling towers.
Completing an accurate as-built assessment of the project was essential to ensure that retrofitting of additional MEP systems would not clash. Arden Engineering Constructors used the Trimble TX6 3D laser scanner to gather the precise 3D location of surfaces, HVAC components, objects, and duct work. Scans were conducted outside and indoors with scanning speeds of 500,000 points per second and a scanning range of 80 meters standard on most surfaces (and 120 meters with an optional upgrade). Cameron said each scan took approximately
seven minutes, and all the scans were completed over a four-hour period. During each, the scanner collected millions of data points, also called a point cloud.
“One of the biggest benefits of the TX6 scanner is the high-speed scanning
and consistent accuracy,” said Cameron. “We estimated it would have taken about four days or 32 man-hours to complete an as-built assessment manually.”
Cameron continued, “With the Trimble scanner, we had access to high-quality data fast, and we were able to quickly capture clean data even in bright sunlight. We scanned this project as sort of a favor to the contractor on site, so they didn’t have to put it out to bid. That saved them approximately $10,000 and helped us
secure future phases of the project.”
Arden Engineering Constructors relies on Trimble’s TX6 Scanner to capture a building’s MEP details much faster and more accurately than workers measuring by hand. Using RealWorks software in concert with their other BIM programs, they translate the data into digital models that are essential to effective planning and coordination among all the contractors involved.
From Data to 3D
After the scan, the data were exported into Trimble RealWorks software to register, analyze, model, and create 3D deliverables. RealWorks essentially segments the cloud data into bite-sized pieces, which is easier for CAD modeling software to digest.
Using RealWorks, Arden Engineering Constructors modeled the point cloud’s specific MEP components and exported these solid objects to the 3D design package, Autodesk Revit, for finish detailing activities. The point cloud served as a starting point for MEP system detailing efforts and was used to determine the
project design impacts on the existing structure. Once the laser scan of point cloud data was converted, the team used SysQue to inject greater intelligence into the 3D BIM model. With SysQue, Arden Engineering Constructors was able to include real-world content in the design, including detailing, fabrication, manufacturing, and installation specifications. The model was viewed in Revit, then exported to Autodesk’s Navisworks software, which created a snapshot of the project including models, the scene’s environment, viewpoints and redlines, and measurements for coordination among trades.
“After we scanned the building, we forwarded that information on to the construction manager on the project,” said Cameron. “The point cloud from the scanner and RealWorks gave us a clear and accurate picture of what we were looking at for phase 2 of the project. We also liked that the point cloud data from the scan folded seamlessly into our Revit, SysQue, and Navisworks workflow.”
A Step Ahead
Cameron believes Trimble scanning technology along with the ability to convert point clouds into modeled 3D components help set Arden Engineering Constructors apart as a leading HVAC and MEP services contractor. The team can tackle complex projects for customers and offer comprehensive and innovative solutions that save time and money and meet the industry’s highest quality standards.
“We see the industry trending towards relationships, more than pure dollars and cents,” said Cameron. “Customers want to know that we can provide complete MEP services including balancing how our scope of work on a project impacts all other trades and the project’s overall cost. Trimble’s 3D scanner and software helps us do this and it fits into our BIM workflow. It’s just one more reason why we’re positioned much better to help customers in the MEP and mechanical services space because we’re thinking big picture.”
Close coordination with Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. is helping the mechanical design assist subcontractor Pan-Pacific/Murray Company (PPMC) tackle a tough job: building the NFL’s most massive stadium complex. At 3.1 million square feet, the Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park will house not just a 70,000-seat stadium but also a hotel, offices, retail spaces, residences, and restaurants.
Pan-Pacific Senior Project Manager Carl Wisdom and Purchasing Agent Andrew Glendinning will tell you that what particularly stands out in a job of this scale is the sheer volume of the plumbing involved—despite all their experience working on substantial projects.
Given that extraordinary volume, you want to do as much prefabrication work as possible, and that takes precise coordination and collaboration between all parties involved, from the supplier to the contractor, as well as other trades working on the project. The demand for coordination can be seen with something as standard as the installation of drains needed to remove water from the stadium’s seating area risers.
Team Work
The stadium seating area of the arena was precast in concrete. Structural precast risers and tubs (the front row of each deck) were cast offsite in sections that stretched up to 45’ in length and weigh in at about 30 tons each. Then they were shipped to the stadium for installation.
Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. scupper drains (1520T-G-U-SSM) were located in the tubs to remove water and debris running through the stadium during wash downs and weather events. The drains would eventually be installed in forms used to cast the concrete. However, they first needed to be prepped and protected for the pour.
Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. scupper drains (1520T-G-U-SSM) were integrated into the forms used to cast the concrete stadium seating sections. Smith and PPMC worked together to speed up the preparation for the precast, so that after the sections were installed, PPMC could quickly make connections and install the grate onto the drains.
To help speed up this process, Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. removed the finished grate and added protection by covering the drain opening with fiberboard, then adding layers of tape to bring it flush with the precast. To ensure Smith understood the magnitude of what was coming their way (259 scupper drains) and to allow time to prep the drains as required, PPMC ordered the drains far in advance.
The prepped drains were then delivered to PPMC, which added the specified nipple for the waste portion of the pipe and protected the threads from concrete using a foam gasket. Once all the preparation work was complete, PPMC shipped the scupper drains for the pour. After installation of each section at the stadium, all PPMC needed to do was go in, make their connection, and install the grate onto the drains.
Coordinating on a Game Plan
The carriers, however, were a different story. To put things into perspective, the project has more than 2,700 lavatories, urinals, and toilets throughout the stadium, and each fixture required a carrier. Wisdom said PPMC elected not to preorder the carriers, as there was a good chance they would run into trouble nailing down the number of right, left, and back-to-back connections needed. If anything changed in the plans, they would then have to go back to Smith and revise the order.
It seemed like a good call at the time, but Wisdom said that decision led to a deficit of carriers when they were needed. While Smith knew precisely which types of carriers they would need to manufacture for the project, they also had to fight against the clock to complete the order. To add to that slow start out of the gate, Smith had to modify 75 percent of the carriers to fit the low-profile, floor-mounted back outlet water closets installed throughout the stadium.
To help PPMC meet their goals and avoid further delay, Smith preassembled every carrier by attaching the barrel, faceplate, and nipple before shipping. This way, once PPMC had the preassembled pieces, they could immediately start prefabricating each battery of lavatories, urinals, and water closets.
“Smith is jumping through hoops to get them to us on time,” said Glendinning.
Smith engineers said that PPMC would be the last customer to need modifications on the carriers to accommodate similar low-profile water closets that are appearing more and more on job specifications. Creating high-quality, contractor-
friendly products that help make a job go smoother and faster is a high priority for Smith. To that end, what were considered modified carriers for this job are now available as standard figures in the Smith catalog.
Marching Toward the End Zone
Ground was broken on the new stadium in 2015, and it is expected to be finished by 2020. Once it is complete, it will be the world’s most expensive stadium, coming in at just under $5 billion. The Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District at Hollywood Park will be the home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams. It will also host Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, the College Football National Championship game in 2023, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Olympic Games.
In addition to the stadium, the district will include the new NFL Media headquarters; a 6,000-seat performing arts venue; 780,000 square feet of office space; 890,000 square feet of retail space; 300 hotel rooms; 2,500 modern residences; 25 acres of public parks, open space, pedestrian walkways, and bicycle paths; and family and fine dining.
To comply with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, your company must establish a safety program to protect workers who may be exposed to chemical substances. MCAA’s Model Hazard Communication Program can be quickly tailored to create your program.
Making sure that current Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are readily accessible to workers at all times is easy with electronic access to SDS BinderWorks.
If you have any questions about these resources, or about other occupational safety and health issues, please contact Pete Chaney.
We are headed towards a crucial labor shortage in the building trades industry. In fact, it is already apparent in many parts of the country—but there are things that can be done to combat it, and it starts with a shift in your mindset on how to tackle recruiting.
Forward-thinkers Tim Herbert, UA Lead Organizer, Washington State Pipe Trades and Josh Windy, UA Organizer, Michigan Pipe Trades, will be joining us in Huntington Beach, CA at this year’s MSCA18 educational conference to share the steps they’ve taken to address this issue in their area in a creative and successful way. This talk will include new perspectives on ways to find and contact potential recruits as well as the importance of creating and fostering long-term, on-going relationships with those considering a career in the HVACR industry. You will learn about a new interactive database they created to help track and maintain contacts; and how local contractors are involved and engaged in the process. This session will provide you with a fresh outlook on recruiting and provide you with the tools you need to ensure you are attracting the best talent to fulfill your manpower needs.
MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:
DEWALT Industrial Tool Company
The new 20V MAX* Corded/Cordless Inflator (DCC020I) from DEWALT can be operated off a DEWALT battery and a wall or car outlet. For heavy-duty applications and more, this go-to option is a convenient choice for a variety of uses on and off the jobsite.
Kahua Grow your presence. Collaborate with any member of The Kahua Network. That means straightforward data sharing, seamless communication, and new business connections.
Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!
