Organization: MCAA

Pan-Pacific Mechanical Combines Expertise with Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. Flexibility to Meet Challenges

With customized solutions from Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co., Pan-Pacific Mechanical (PPM) sidestepped the challenges of the California Building Code and met their client’s demand for a visually pleasing building. PPM has the expertise to engineer creative and efficient processes, an inherent understanding of the importance of aesthetic details, and the ability to come up with the best solutions to any request. Jay R. Smith’s willingness to provide products that adapt to PPM’s custom approach ensured that construction of the new Kaiser Permanente San Diego Regional Medical Center (KPSD) went off without a hitch.

A Better, Faster, Safer Way

Chris Young, a project manager for PPM, explained that they have had challenges on past projects stemming from the California Building Code regarding anchor design for “cracked concrete” and the complexity of working with post tension (PT) decks. PPM decided that challenge needed a better solution—and it needed one before they started installing more than 1,000 lavatories and sinks on the KPSD project.

PPM likes the flexibility and ease of working with the Jay R. Smith’s Labor Saver® lavatory supports. However some situations require a more customized approach. PPM was unable to put all four Hilti TZ bolts into the support legs of the Labor Saver supports because that would breach minimum TZ spacing requirements. While Smith will supply the contractor with a letter confirming the acceptability of using just two anchor bolts in each support leg, not all inspectors are satisfied with that confirmation.

In addition, while you can scan the deck to identify where a PT cable is, you do not have a lot of flexibility as to where the posts can go. You often have to install a subframe to move the bolts off the PT cable.

As an alternative, PPM designed a custom lav plate using 1/4″ flat stock steel with an angle iron welded to the plate. That plate is then affixed directly onto the studs, eliminating the need for a floor-mounted frame. Smith 0723 concealed arms, which come with a bulkhead adapter, are then attached to the plate.

“We use the Smith products because they are applicable in so many different situations. They [Smith] are willing to work in conjunction with us when a custom approach makes the most sense,” said Young.

Not only does that plate eliminate many of the problems relating to the concrete deck, but it also can prevent a lot of headaches post installation. The Americans with Disabilities Act requirements demand sinks be a minimum of 18″ dead-center from a wall. If an extra 1/8″ or 1/4″ too much mud is applied when tiling over drywall, the contractor will have to open up the wall and re-drill the frame.

PPM’s plate eliminates that headache because it builds in 1/2″ of left/ right flexibility. PPM can make any adjustments that are needed outside the wall, saving a significant amount of time and money.

PPM designed—and Jay R. Smith fabricated—a custom lavatory plate that builds in 1/2” of left/right flexibility so PPM can make any adjustments outside the wall, saving a significant amount of time and money. This custom solution is an example of the partnership between the two companies that contributed to successful construction of the new Kaiser Permanente San Diego Regional Medical Center.

Experience Breeds Expertise

Kaiser was adamant that the main entry of the new hospital be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Early in the project, it became apparent that penetrations in the envelope of the building for overflow drains were causing a great deal of concern. Kaiser felt the standard cow tongues were not consistent with the face of the building. On top of that, the large openings could eventually be a place people would stuff with garbage or debris.

The only alternative apparent to almost everyone was to route the overflow drains to the other side of the building. However, this solution would cost an exorbitant amount of money and consume valuable space in the already-congested overhead space of the hospital.

PPM was familiar with this type of request and therefore was able to suggest a much better solution. A couple years ago, they had a similar issue when working on the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital. At Camp Pendleton, the concern was that someone could potentially insert an explosive device into overflow drains at the ground level of the building.

At that time, PPM asked Smith to come up with a locking cover for the ground level overflow drains. The result was a downspout nozzle with a perforated latching stainless steel hinge cover that could be locked securely and sits flush with the building. Those covers are now a standard Smith product. (See Smart Solutions, Summer 2015, for more details.)

“We showed the covers to Kaiser, and they were very happy with our solution,” said Young.

Success Is In the Details

It is not unusual to come across a surprise or two as you are completing a big project, and the KPSD project was not immune to those surprises. Quick thinking on the part of the contractor and fast shipping on the part of the supplier can turn a potential disaster (or, at the very least, an embarrassment) into the perfect solution that keeps the project on schedule.

“We were just days away from the turnover of the hospital support building project when we identified a cleanout located in the main entryway,” said Young.

Given Kaiser’s exacting standards for the front of the building, PPM knew their client would not want a bronze or stainless steel cleanout cover marring the aesthetics of their beautiful terrazzo floor, and they needed to do something quickly. Smith manufactures a terrazzo cleanout cover (4180) just for this very situation. The cover was rush shipped to the jobsite, and the only thing the client saw was their perfect, unblemished lobby floor.

The state-of-the-art KPSD is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. It is targeted to open in 2017, bringing quality medical care to those who live and work in the San Diego area.

For more information, visit www.jrsmith.com.

School District Creates a Comfortable Learning Environment with Rawal’s APR Control

The Nodaway Valley School District in Greenfield, IA, installed the APR Control manufactured by Rawal Devices, Inc. on all their unit ventilators to prevent the problems they had been experiencing because their direct expansion (DX) air conditioning systems were oversized for the spaces they were servicing. The Rawal controls addressed the immediate problems and also provided protection against other potential malfunctions.

Unit ventilators are designed to provide precise temperature control for classrooms by keeping the air circulating in the room while adding fresh air and maintaining a comfortable temperature. However, like all DX equipment, these units are sized based on peak design conditions (which include variables such as occupancy, solar load, thermal gain, and ventilation). Changing any of these variables, such as occupancy, or renovating a space can result in the system being oversized. Oversized air conditioning systems create a number of problems, the most important being poor indoor air quality.

Facility renovations at the school district created just such complications with their existing R-22 (DX) unit ventilators. The ventilators began to short cycle, resulting in poor indoor air quality, high humidity levels, and generally an uncomfortable learning environment.

In addition, noise from the unit ventilators exceeded the acceptable ASHRAE standard of noise criterion (NC) 30 (the equivalent of 40 A-weighted decibels [dBA], or conversation volume inside of a home). To address this problem, fan speed controls were installed to reduce airflow. Reducing fan speed eliminated teachers’ complaints about noise in the classroom because the air was no longer whistling through the grates, and it allowed the district to be in compliance with the ASHRAE noise standards. However, the reduced fan speed resulted in a lower discharge temperature off the evaporator coil causing the (inactive) hot water heating coils to freeze and burst.

Replacing the units would have been a large financial undertaking, consuming a substantial portion of the district’s renovation budget. Installing Rawal’s APR Control gave the system “continuous capacity modulation” and the ability to match the capacity of the system to the changing load conditions in a space.

By installing the APR Control on all of their unit ventilators, the school district extended the units’ runtime while keeping the active portion of the coil below dew point for better dehumidification. The APR Control stabilized the discharge air temperature, preventing the inactive hot water coils from freezing and bursting. Furthermore, the APR Control prevented the evaporator coil frosting that was caused by the fan speed controls (which were installed to meet ASHRAE NC requirements). The APR Control is expected to prevent a broad spectrum of possible complications that can arise from using DX unit ventilators, such as coil frosting, liquid slugging, and system failure.

For more information, visit www.rawal.com.

University Mechanical Use of Uponor Radiant Flooring Leads to LEED Platinum

To help San Diego State University’s (SDSU’s) Associated Students reach its goal of making all its buildings LEED® certified by 2020, University Mechanical installed an Uponor in-slab radiant heating and cooling system in the new student union. Now, the three story Aztec Center is not only highly sustainable, it is also LEED Platinum certified. (Associated Students is a student-directed, not-for-profit auxiliary organization of SDSU.)

Construction of the 202,000-square foot building began in the spring of 2011. It houses student offices, a recreation center, and an intercultural relations center, including a 1,200-seat lecture hall and a 300-seat theater.

The Aztec Center boasts numerous energy-saving features that make it more efficient than its predecessor and significantly reduce operation costs. The HVAC system includes Uponor’s hydronic radiant heating and cooling system coupled with a dedicated outside air system. It is designed to consume 40-percent less energy than standard HVAC systems.

University Mechanical used 75,000 feet of Uponor’s 5/8" Wirsbo hePEX™ tubing on three floors on the west side of the building to serve 36,000 square feet of space in the new Aztec Center, one of several energy-efficient features that led to LEED Platinum-certification for San Diego State University’s student union. — University Mechanical used 75,000 feet of Uponor’s 5/8″ Wirsbo hePEX™ tubing on three floors on the west side of the building to serve 36,000 square feet of space in the new Aztec Center, one of several energy-efficient features that led to LEED Platinum-certification for San Diego State University’s student union.

San Diego-based University Mechanical had worked on two similar radiant heating and cooling installations, both smaller in scope, at the nearby University of California at San Diego campus—the Structural and Materials Engineering Building and the Health Sciences Biomedical Research Facility.

The project used 75,000 feet of 5/8″ Wirsbo hePEX™ tubing on three floors on the west side of the building to serve 36,000 square feet of space, including dining and lounge areas on the first floor and meeting and office spaces on the second and third floors. The tubing was spaced 6″ on center and fed by 21 Uponor engineered polymer manifolds. The chilled and heated hot water were supplied from the campus central utility plant.

Today, SDSU students enjoy a highly sustainable student union, while school officials are proud to know that nearly 80 percent of the materials from the original student union were recycled or reused in the new Aztec Center.

For more information, visit www.uponor-usa.com.

KEY2ACT Outlines Best Practices for Updating Mobile Operating Systems

As more contractors equip their employees with mobile devices, it has become increasingly necessary to develop policies to guide management of those devices. One of the issues that mobile-equipped companies struggle with is how to handle operating system (OS) updates. When an OS update comes along, tech leaders need to decide: Should we update? What other systems and processes could be affected?

Updating Existing Devices

The fact is, during ownership of your devices, there will be many updates available—likely more updates than your business would prefer. When a new update becomes available, you need to determine whether users should apply this update or delay.

Your information technology (IT) team should investigate and understand what fixes and what improvements are included in these OS updates. It is important to understand very clearly if it is worth the trouble to push the updates out at this time to all devices. Only after IT believes it is useful should users update their devices.

The Risks of Updating

Upgrading your device OS creates the possibility that some apps might become unusable due to incompatibilities. If your team relies heavily on a business-critical app, your IT department should consult closely with the vendors to ensure compatibility before pushing out new OS updates.

Users also face risks when upgrading a device OS in general. In rare cases, performing an OS upgrade can wipe out the device memory or, worse, “brick” the device (that is, make your device unusable). Your IT team should test any updates to devices that are critical to your business.

Quantity and Frequency of Updates

Why are there so many OS updates? Many OS vendors, like Android and Apple, are not able to do large-scale smartphone and tablet testing on OS versions, mainly because there are so many variables that come into play. There are hundreds of different kinds of devices and tens of thousands of applications (especially with Android) that can be downloaded. A new OS certainly may fix reported issues, but it could also break functionality or apps that your staff use daily. So, these companies often rely heavily on their customer base to test the product and report issues. In turn, this often results in more updates.

For example, iOS 9.0 was released September 16, 2015; iOS 9.1 was released October 22, 2015; iOS 9.2 was released December 8, 2015; and iOS 9.2.1 was released January 11, 2016. Notice a pattern? Apple (and other manufacturers) release a new build within their versions roughly every 30 days. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just means manufacturers identify bugs and release OS updates to fix them frequently.

Deciding When to Update

Applying updates is not required. If your team is not experiencing significant issues with devices, you may not want to make a change that could cause new problems.

If updates are released every 30 days, your business may never be completely up-to-date with the latest OS version. You should factor in the importance of the update, the cost, and the time it takes to apply updates. For many businesses, it is simply not worth the time and money to push out OS updates every 30 days. When to update depends on business needs, but you should only push out OS updates if they bring significant value to your business. For some businesses, this could mean updating only when devices are experiencing incompatibility issues that can be fixed by an update. Others will want to update more frequently. There is value in making sure devices are as up-to-date as possible; therefore, there could be value to pushing out updates once every 90 days, or maybe every six months, as long as your IT personnel has done the necessary homework and testing.

For more information, call 866-KEY2ACT (539-2228) or visit www.key2act.com.

Sloan Offers Low-Maintenance, High-Tech Approach to Commercial Restrooms

Knowing when to service or replace aging plumbing equipment is critical to maintaining a clean, operational commercial restroom. Like regularly changing the oil in your car, consistent preventive maintenance helps avoid critical, costlier repairs down the road.

This dual-flush retrofit converts a manual flushometer to a sensor-activated flushometer. It provides hands-free capability while maintaining unparalleled water conservation and energy efficiency.

To streamline restroom maintenance and reduce downtime in either new construction or retrofit projects, a best practice is to choose a flushometer that fits the facility and its occupants. When updating existing flushometers, consideration should be given to new, water-efficient models as well as battery-powered options that can provide a more hygienic restroom experience.

Schools and other high-traffic commercial restrooms often benefit greatly from updates or retrofits. In one case of school district renovation project, designers convinced facility owners to retrofit restrooms equipped with over 20-year-old parts. The buildings had not been updated since the late 1990s, before sensor-operated equipment became popular. The building owner was reluctant to install automatic fixtures, but eventually chose Sloan Flushometer Retrofit Kits to update the manual flushometers to battery-operated. As a result, the owner is satisfied with the high-quality, serviceable products and the new touchless environment.

Upgrading to a high-performance, sensor-activated flushometer will save money down the line with minimal maintenance.

Retrofits are growing in popularity in the commercial restroom area. A high-tech, hands-free restroom is becoming more standard, reflecting the increasing expectations regarding hygiene, convenience, aesthetics, and water conservation.

The restroom may be one of the first places occupants see in a commercial building but one of the last places they expect to see new technology. To eliminate the potential spread of disease-causing bacteria and improve overall restroom cleanliness, electronic sensing technologies enable touchless activation and make pushing the flushometer handle with your foot a thing of the past. Because they dispense water only once per use, they also help conserve water and energy. Whether retrofitting a restroom or maintaining existing parts, in the end, it pays to be proactive.

For more information, visit www.Sloan.com/parts.

Harrell-Fish Inc. Goes Digital with Jonas Construction Software

Move Slashes Payroll Processing Time, Improves Cash Flow

With their new Jonas Construction Software, Harrell-Fish Inc. (HFI) has reduced their billing cycle, enhanced payroll processing, and improved their overall service operation. HFI began looking at software solutions so they could rely less on manual processes. They also plan to transition to mobile technology. Jonas helped HFI realize immediate results, while HFI positioned themselves for a successful transition to Jonas eMobile in the near future.

On the construction side of the business, with the Jonas Purchase Order module, HFI has seen a big improvement. Chief Financial Officer Dave Conner explained, “Prior to Jonas, all of our purchase orders were handwritten, then manually processed and matched with the invoices when they arrived. It was just a very manual process overall. Now, with Jonas, we were able to write 15,000 digital purchase orders within Jonas in our first year alone, allowing us effectively to go from no electronic processing to a completely digital process.”

Over the past three years, HFI has grown from $9 million to $13 million on the industrial side. With Jonas, HFI has accommodated that growth without hiring any additional back office staff. Notably, HFI is now able to turn around billings about five days quicker with Jonas, improving their cash flow in the process. They have also reduced their payroll processing time from about four hours a month spread out across three employees to about an hour only with Jonas.

By partnering with Jonas Construction Software, HFI is running a more organized and efficient operation. With the service dispatch board, they are better able to schedule and manage their technicians through an easy-to-use dashboard view. If any discrepancies occur, they are quickly able to locate and correct them before the problem worsens.

In terms of overall functionality within Jonas, HFI has been impressed so far, “The great thing about Jonas, and this is very important to us, is that they have demonstrated a constant improvement of the product and take the input of their customers very seriously when making enhancements to the software,” stated Conner. “We truly wouldn’t be able to do things we are doing now without Jonas.”

Jonas Construction Software “allow[ed] us effectively to go from no electronic processing to a completely digital process.”

—Dave Conner, Chief Financial Officer, HFI

HFI also likes the ability to design their own forms with Jonas, which helps to simplify the entire reporting process. Also, with the additional savings they have attained through optimizing processes with Jonas, they have been able to put more money into the completion of actual projects. Since becoming a Jonas Construction Software partner, HFI has made great improvements with respect to enhancing and streamlining their business processes. HFI took the time to prepare for the transition to Jonas, which led to a smooth deployment process and put them in a position to succeed from the start. By implementing the software on a gradual basis, they allowed their employees to get acclimated to the system. Having already provided their technicians with tablets in the field, they are ready to implement Jonas eMobile solutions. With the backing of a fully integrated and automated software solution in Jonas Construction Software, HFI knows they can continue to grow without having to worry about investing in further software.

For more information, visit www.jonasconstruction.com.

DSI Uses CADDY Products to Gain an Edge in the Competitive Austin Market

Faced with the need to minimize noise and limit work to daytime hours for a hospital remodeling project, Dynamic Systems, Inc. (DSI) prefabricated as much as possible, calling on CADDY products from Pentair to get the job done and also saving time on the jobsite. The project called for DSI to add a floor to the hospital while the hospital was still serving patients.

Denny Gosser and the other DSI project managers meet regularly with the prefab shop to discuss how they can be more efficient on the jobsite. This constant examination of their means and methods has led to DSI becoming one of the top mechanical contractors in the booming Austin, TX, market.

Before concrete decks were poured for the hospital, the DSI team positioned preset anchors, located by using building information modeling (BIM) as well as GPS and laser-guided location solutions. Because the overhead anchors were installed before the concrete was poured, Gosser eliminated much of the timely hammer drill use that would normally be required on such a project.

DSI used CADDY ROD LOCK, a threaded rod fastening system that is available in a lot of different configurations for a multitude of applications. Unlike traditional methods that involve hours of threading nuts or other hardware onto threaded rod, with CADDY ROD LOCK, the assembly is lifted and locked into place, saving DSI valuable jobsite time.

The DSI team prefers to use a CADDY ROD LOCK Telescoping Strut Replacement, or TSR, for light-duty trapeze applications. The TSR is a strut profile that telescopes to accommodate rod spacing from about 12″ to 20″. “We really liked the CADDY TSR200RL,” said Gosser. “It’s much easier than dealing with 20’ sticks of strut everywhere. We also don’t have to cut strut, so we saved time there, and it also didn’t disturb the hospital.”

Gosser specified CADDY ROD LOCK TSR for applications such as medical gas, heating, hot water piping, and domestic water piping. In some applications DSI had to use a three-layer trapeze with different services running down the same pathway. Because the profiles could be easily pushed up the threaded rods, building a three-layer trapeze was faster than building a single-layer trapeze with traditional methods.

“Now that they’re available,” said Gosser, “we’ll use the CADDY ROD LOCK preset anchors for similar applications in the future. These anchors allow the threaded rod to be pushed in place, rather than threading it in. This way you can preassemble the hanger to the rod, then just shove the rod into the hanger.”

For larger applications CADDY offers traditional strut profiles, precut to length, with integrated CADDY ROD LOCK devices on each end. They can be used the same way as the TSR, but work with heavy-duty applications. Gosser said he uses the TSR solution for applications from 10″–16″ and will turn to CADDY ROD LOCK strut in precut lengths for larger applications.

DSI Project Manager Denny Gosser said CADDY SLOT LOCK clevis hangers, shown here ready for pipe installation, make the job easier for installers, minimizing fatigue and maximizing safety.

Another example of adopting an innovative solution to solve a very common problem is Gosser’s use of CADDY SLOT LOCK clevis hangers. Unlike a traditional clevis hanger, CADDY SLOT LOCK has a rigid bar that slides in place to join the two halves of the hanger, rather than threading a long bolt through the hanger halves and into a nut on the outside. Additionally, Gosser noted that CADDY SLOT LOCK makes the job easier for the installers. “It minimizes fatigue and maximizes safety as well,” he said. “The guys spend less time with the pipe on their shoulder, but also less time with their hands off the ladder.”

When asked about the reaction of the installation crew to these new solutions, Gosser said, “The team recommended using the same stuff on the next hospital.” When it comes to applying innovative products and techniques, DSI knows what they want. “We have the set of materials that we like to use, and it’s all CADDY stuff,” said Gosser.

For more information, visit www.erico.com/caddy.asp.

Icon Mechanical Streamlines Inventory Management and Cuts Costs with Milwaukee Tool’s ONE-KEY™ App

In search of a way to track equipment efficiently, Icon Mechanical took advantage of Milwaukee Tool’s ONE-KEY™, the first digital platform for tools and equipment. Now, it has a full picture of the company’s allocation and location of equipment and has experienced a noteworthy increase in tools being returned. “It’s made our jobs so much easier,” said Frank Dickerson, warehouse operations director for Icon.

Game-Changing Technology

When Dickerson first heard about ONE-KEY from his Milwaukee Tool sales representative, he was a bit skeptical. “You just never know if what you’re hearing about is just a sales piece or the real deal,” said Dickerson. “I’ve been in warehouse operations all my life, and sometimes you run into situations where you’ve been oversold.”

Dickerson is responsible for managing and maintaining the company’s growing list of equipment. The company specializes in the design, fabrication, installation, modification, and ongoing service of process piping, power piping, boiler making, industrial equipment installation, and HVAC for health care, laboratories, pharmaceutical, educational, and commercial buildings—so the equipment list is extensive.

First introduced little more than a year ago, Milwaukee Tool’s ONEKEY combines tool and software technology into a tool management solution that provides a better way for work to get done for any size company. This technology can help solve user problems and frustrations the industry has never before been able to address.

The application offers a variety of functionalities to increase company and user productivity—including the ability to track tools in real time, customize M18 FUEL™ ONE-KEYcompatible products, and generate reports for electrical terminations with key electrical products. In getting started, Dickerson was particularly interested in ONE-KEY’s simplified tool and equipment management function.

Through the ONE-KEY inventory management functionality, a user can create a central place to manage all of their tools and equipment across their network of jobs and operators—all through the free-to-use web and mobile app. Putting information where it can be easily accessed allows users to keep track of the location of their tools and equipment at all times.

“At the time, we really didn’t have any system in place to track our equipment, so the idea that ONEKEY would allow me to do this all in one place—and for free—was incredible,” said Dickerson.

Up and Running

In February, Icon began working with Milwaukee Tool and implementing the inventory management functionality of ONE-KEY. “It wasn’t hard to get started with, and we received a really positive response right away for how streamlined it made our entire inventory process,” said Dickerson.

When tools and equipment are brought to him after job completion, Dickerson is able to bring up the ONE-KEY app on his phone, confirm a tool came from the correct jobsite, verify the serial number, log it back into the system, and receive it back into the warehouse. When equipment is ready to be allotted to the next jobsite, he just needs to go into the app, add the person and what jobsite it is going to, and close the app. And this process works with every tool he has—not just Milwaukee tools.

“I can’t say enough how easy it is to learn and use,” said Dickerson. “Just to see how easy it would be for my staff to use, I equipped them with some smartphones and got them up and running with ONE-KEY. The adoption of the system has been received very well…. My entire staff is now using it on a daily basis. It’s that simple—anyone can use it.”

Before using ONE-KEY, Dickerson had a hard time locating tools. Tools would not always make it back to the warehouse. The new system has led to full accountability for the entire company.

‘A Feature for Everyone’

ONE-KEY is opening the door to the first-ever fully connected jobsite. It has already started to noticeably and positively affect the productivity and performance of companies taking full advantage of its features.

“Everyone has a smartphone these days anyway,” said Dickerson. “ONE-KEY is free, and it’s simply a no-brainer. With the ability for ONE-KEY to introduce new functionality to tools even well after purchase, I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to use it. There’s a feature in ONE-KEY for everyone—you just need to try it out,” he said.

Given the success he has seen with the inventory management feature, Dickerson plans to introduce other features of the ONE-KEY system to Icon—everything from using the app to configure Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL ONE-KEY-compatible tools to improve the end of line quality control process to keeping a virtual eye on where these tools are in real time.

“Before we started with ONE-KEY, we weren’t a dedicated Milwaukee customer. After our experience here, I’m committed to purchasing Milwaukee,” said Dickerson. “We’ve been going through some growth and we’re going to have a lot more jobs. My goal is to use ONE-KEY for every resource it has. Absolutely.”

For more information, visit www.milwaukeetool.com.

Erickson Incorporated Gives Hill Group a Big Lift

Thanks to Erickson Incorporated, a global provider of innovative aerial services, The Hill Group saved around $45,000 on several heavy lifts along the downtown lakefront of Chicago, IL, in one day. They also shortened their project timelines considerably.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Erickson crew safely and quickly carried two 18,600-pound chillers to the top of a building across the street from Maggie Daley Park using an S-64F Aircrane, a heavy-lift helicopter. After quickly refueling at Vertiport Chicago, the Aircrane lifted two more cooling towers, weighing 10,000 lb. each, to the top of another building in less than one-and-a-half hours. The total project was completed by 10:50 a.m.

The Hill Group saved thousands of dollars and shortened its project timeline by relying on Erickson Incorporated to place heavy cooling equipment on the roof of a Chicago skyscraper.

The Erickson Aircrane has a lift capacity of 25,000 lb. and is used for a variety of infrastructure and construction needs. In addition to flying and installing heavyweight ventilation and air conditioning units onto rooftops, the Aircrane is capable of raising electrical transmission towers, transporting timber, and fighting substantial forest fires with a 2,600-gallon hydrotank. The versatile S-64 aircraft was chosen by The Hill Group for its lifting capacity, which shortened the project timeline by reducing the number of lifts and avoiding the need to assemble the sections of the units on the roof.

“The Hill Group would like to thank the entire Erickson team for their efforts on this project, especially Steve Reavis. Steve’s expertise was an invaluable asset through all stages of planning this helicopter lift,” said Owen Putman, Project Engineer at The Hill Group. “The lifting capacity of the helicopter allowed The Hill Group to avoid disassembly of the chillers and cooling towers, which led to increased profitability and an improved construction schedule.”

For more information, visit ericksoninc.com.

Victaulic Helps A.T. Chadwick Renovate a Philadelphia Icon

To meet the coordination challenges and compressed timeline of an historic building renovation in downtown Philadelphia, A.T. Chadwick turned to Victaulic’s drawing services team. The speed of installation of Victaulic grooved piping systems would also prove crucial to meeting deadlines, as well as reducing costs. Thanks in part to Victaulic, A.T. Chadwick finished on time and on budget.

An Icon on Walnut

One of Philadelphia’s most striking examples of art deco architecture, the 25-story building at 1616 Walnut Street originally opened in 1930 and earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Located in the popular Center City area of Philadelphia, the building attracted the attention of real estate developers who, in 2012, purchased the property and planned a $50-million renovation to create a new luxury apartment building, Icon 1616. The mechanical portion of the project entailed replacing the old HVAC equipment with efficient, contemporary equipment as well as running new piping.

Time & Logistics Crunch in the Heart of Philly

Used to the challenges that come with working in downtown Philadelphia, A.T. Chadwick knew the 1616 Walnut project would present coordination issues. Preparation would be critical for a site with no laydown area and limited time in which to close surrounding streets. Adding the typical bottlenecks of a construction elevator and crane serving multiple trades meant that material would have to be very well coordinated before it even arrived at the site. With labor rates approaching $100/hour in the metropolis, any unproductive time quickly translates to wasted money. In addition, construction began in May 2013 and was scheduled to finish in November that same year.

To solve these challenges, A.T. Chadwick turned to Victaulic for help. At up to 10 times faster to install than other pipe-joining methods, the company’s grooved piping products would help ensure rapid completion of the mechanical system installation. The speed of installation greatly reduced labor costs, contributing to overall total installed cost savings. A.T. Chadwick submitted an option credit for grooved systems when it bid on the project. The owner approved the cost savings credit and agreed with A.T. Chadwick’s recommendation to use Victaulic.

A.T. Chadwick took advantage of drawing services from Victaulic CPS, which modeled the penthouse mechanical room and strategically placed equipment such as the plate-and-frame heat exchangers around the existing elevator equipment. Victaulic’s speed and coordination helped A.T. Chadwick meet the project’s tight timeframe.

A.T. Chadwick also brought in the Construction Piping Services (CPS) department at Victaulic, which offers drawing and building information modeling (BIM) coordination services. They knew from experience that CPS can help shrink the timeline in the drawing phase. Whereas contractors may be limited by the number of draftsmen or BIM coordinators available to staff a project, Victaulic CPS can assign multiple members from its team of 80 global project coordinators to complete drawings quickly. CPS acts as a partner, offering services such as flagging long-lead-time items during the drawing phase to ensure products are available when the contractor needs them. In addition, Victaulic’s bag-and-tag service enables products to be shipped to the fabrication shop or jobsite for just-in-time delivery, labeled and packaged per the contractor’s direction.

From 1616 Walnut to Icon 1616

With a plan in place for timely completion of the project, preconstruction work began. The existing elevator equipment was to remain in place in the penthouse mechanical room, so the CPS team had to place the new mechanical equipment around it strategically. The Victaulic project coordinator visited the site to take measurements, ensuring the equipment was accurately represented in the contract drawings. Being mindful of clearance for maintenance and egress in the tight space, CPS designed and drew the 2 1/2″ to 10″ condenser water and cooling tower piping systems and the 2 1/2″ and larger cooling tower equalizing system. A.T. Chadwick handled all other systems.

Upon completion of the drawings, CPS produced fabrication drawings with correlating bills of material. “It saved us time for the material take off, for the spooling of the drawings, fabrication, and gave us assurances that everything would fit accurately per the drawings,” Brian O’Kane, A.T. Chadwick project manager, explained. “It took the guesswork out of it.”

CPS also coordinated bag-and-tag product delivery to A.T. Chadwick’s fabrication shop, where pipe spools were cut to length and grooved. Materials and equipment were then consolidated and transported to the jobsite, which allowed the contractor to ensure materials arrived on site perfectly organized and timed for the crane lift date.

O’Kane described how the day progressed: “We blocked down the street, set the crane up, and towed 30-plus cars to have access. We started at midnight and started picking at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The materials were put in loading containers and picked up to the roof. We picked all the prefabricated piping, cooling towers, pumps, and sent them all up to the mechanical room on the top of the building in a single day.”

Victaulic couplings, fittings, valves and accessories were installed on the 2 1/2″ to 10″ mechanical piping systems. O’Kane reported that the installation went smoothly, with the project finishing on time and on budget. The quick installation of Victaulic products helped A.T. Chadwick meet the tight timeframe, as did the speed and coordination advantages of Victaulic’s drawing services. “It worked out very well,” O’Kane remarked. “CPS is very professional. They’re exacting and very reliable.”

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com.

Message from Bill Tavenner, MS/C Chairman: Finding the Win-Win

MCAA and our Supplier Partners recognize that you’re always aiming to meet your clients’ needs while improving productivity, cutting your costs, and saving time on the job. In this issue of Smart Solutions, you will learn how Zurn Industries, LLC and Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® helped keep projects on track with customized solutions. You can also read how Egan Company overcame time challenges and space constraints to provide Bethel University with an energy-saving HVAC solution by installing Daikin Applied highly efficient Rebel rooftop units. The Hill Group saved around $45,000 by relying on Erickson Incorporated’s aerial services for several heavy lifts in downtown Chicago, IL. Using the Miller® PipeWorx 400 welding system, De-Cal, Inc. improved productivity by as much as 40 percent.

Other stories in this issue illustrate how the right products can help you meet the complex, varied challenges you face as a contractor. A.T. Chadwick turned to Victaulic’s drawing services team and grooved piping systems to manage a historic building renovation without a hitch. Working within the limitations imposed by a hospital renovation project, Dynamic Systems, Inc. prefabricated as much as possible, calling on CADDY products to get the job done and also saving time on the jobsite. PAR Plumbing found that HOLDRITE® support systems allow them to work within the narrow confines of New York City high-rises.

Digital innovations in the contracting field are arriving daily. This issue of Smart Solutions has examples from Jonas Construction Software, Technical Sales International, and Milwaukee Tool on how contractors used digital solutions to improve productivity and grow their businesses. Other innovative companies are marrying technological and mechanical solutions—such as touchless sensors for restrooms (Sloan Valve Company) and smartphone monitoring of HVAC operations (Daikin Applied’s Intelligent Equipment® controls).

With all these digital solutions come new concerns about managing devices and software, so KEY2ACT offers tips on when to upgrade your operating system. Also in this issue are insights from Baltimore Aircoil Company on getting the most from your evaporative cooling equipment and from Wayne Water Systems on selecting the right sewage pump for the job.

You can also read about University Mechanical’s use of Uponor’s radiant heating and cooling system to achieve LEED® Platinum certification and All Area Plumbing’s selection of stainless steel waste and vent piping systems from Josam Company for a restaurant in need of a product that could stand up to just about anything. MCAA and our Supplier Partners know you aren’t just looking for solutions, you’re looking for Smart Solutions.

Bill Tavenner, Chairman

Egan Company Earns High Marks for University Installation of Daikin Rebel Comfort Control

By installing Daikin Applied highly efficient Rebel rooftop units, Egan Company overcame time challenges and space constraints, providing Bethel University with a more effective, energy-saving solution to its HVAC needs. Installation of the units was phased to meet the university’s budget and had to take place when dorms were not occupied. Egan Company had to use existing openings on the roof. The units were installed in August 2013, August 2014, and March 2015.

Demands of Dorm Life

Egan Company found the Daikin Rebel rooftop unit improved student comfort and delivered substantial energy savings thanks to an energy recovery wheel that draws 60 percent more humidity from the air stream.

Bethel University, a topranked, evangelical Christian university based in St. Paul, MN, needed to replace rooftop equipment original to two nearly identical residence halls built in 1977. “One of the driving forces to replacing the old units was trying to get better ventilation, drier air, and make it more comfortable inside the dorm rooms,” said Chuck Broz, HVAC technician supervisor at Bethel University.

The four-story Bodien residence hall sits on a hillside and is connected to the three-story Edgren hall by a common student lounge in the middle of the complex. While the dorm rooms in the 52,720-square-foot complex are served by existing McQuay (now Daikin Applied) fan coils (many of which were replaced in the late 1990s), student life, showers, and the variable Minnesota climate meant the existing rooftop units that supply dedicated outside air had to work extra hard to keep pace.

Energy-Efficient Solution

Selecting the highly efficient Rebel rooftops allowed the university to bypass using large amounts of chilled water from its central chiller plants in a two-pipe system to take advantage of the direct expansion (DX) technology in the new Rebel rooftop units. “One of the biggest reasons we selected the Rebel units was to get, from the DX side, significant efficiency while being able to put in the reheat air with very little moisture content,” Broz said.

The seven-ton Rebel rooftop units provide high part-load efficiencies at 20.6 IEER (integrated energy efficiency ratio), which surpasses ASHRAE’s 90.1 standard by 84 percent. “Rebel has some of the highest IEER ratings in the rooftop market because of the inverter compressors.

In combination with the energy recovery wheels (ERWs), these units are 60 percent more effective at removing moisture from the air,” said Matt Dodds, applications engineer at Daikin Applied.

Broz credits the mechanical installation services by Egan Company along with the Daikin Service Group as critical to the success of the project. “Everyone’s level of effort— including installing new curbs, pulling the old equipment off, and installation of the electrical and hot water lines—made this a very efficient and well-done installation job,” Broz said.

In addition, two of the Rebels—one on each of the buildings—feature Daikin’s Intelligent Equipment® control solution for real-time data that benchmarks performance and monitors system operation. “Our energy managers use Intelligent Equipment to gather data, and we use it to see the detail of operational data and monitor the units. We also appreciate that we can connect remotely to the units on laptop or smartphone,” Broz said.

A+ Results

Egan Company managed time constraints and space restrictions for Bethel University’s HVAC upgrade with Daikin Rebel units, which are a big improvement over the old units, according to Chuck Broz, HVAC technician supervisor at Bethel.

Bethel University administrators and its students are pleased with the comfort levels. Broz said the difference in humidity levels across the two buildings was dramatic in the early operation of the new Rebels in one residence hall versus the other that still operated with the original rooftop equipment. “We’ve maintained everything below 55-percent humidity with the Rebel unit. With our existing equipment, we were well over 80-percent humidity throughout the building space, even with the fan coils in the dorm rooms, because various doors are left open.”

Quiet, unimpeded operation adds additional quality to the student’s studying and living conditions. Broz noted that the extremely-low-audible output of the Rebel units goes unnoticed by students. “The Rebel units are very quiet due to the inverter compressor technology,” he said.

Energy savings are significant given reduced natural gas consumption with less reliance on the chiller plants that serve the complex as well as the reduced electrical consumption of the Rebels versus existing rooftops.

Notably, the ERW technology on the Rebels (which heats up outside air) provides significant energy savings, especially during Minnesota’s cold winter months.

page15-left — Daikin’s Intelligent Equipment control solution allows Bethel University to gather data remotely and monitor performance and operation 24/7.

“In the winter, we’ll use Intelligent Equipment to look at the energy side to optimize use of the energy wheels, instead of using building heat, especially as it relates to the restrooms and showers. In the summer, we use Intelligent Equipment to see if we’re doing an effective job of keeping the dewpoint and humidity at low levels,” Broz said.

Broz recommends Daikin for not only HVAC equipment, but also service solutions, adding, “The Daikin Service Group crew is very good, and we appreciate that they call to make sure the equipment is running well.” Bethel University was so pleased with the performance of its Rebel units that it ordered a new four-ton Rebel rooftop unit to serve its new, state-of-the-art wellness center, which houses its fitness center and exercise science program and opened in fall 2015.

For more information, visit www.DaikinApplied.com.

U.S. Engineering Saves Time, Labor with Zurn Lean Construction Plumbing Solutions

Zurn Industries, LLC enabled U.S. Engineering Company to “move the chains” faster than usual during the rough-in phase of building a new stadium for Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Patrick Barnett, project manager for U.S. Engineering, said Zurn’s lean construction practices provided “at least a 10-percent” labor savings for the company.

The new 41,000-seat stadium, targeted to open for the 2017 football season, features Zurn carrier banks and stabilizer plates prefabricated to specification—as well as Zurn’s acclaimed new EZCarry™ High Performance Carrier System. The Zurn products and processes helped U.S. Engineering save time and money in several ways:

The Zurn Z1201 EZCarry® High Performance Water Closet Carrier System is 30-percent lighter than conventional carriers, making it ideal for prefab projects where fast installation is a priority. The Zurn EZCarry carrier delivers industry-leading line carry, ensuring waste evacuation for standard and low-flow installations, a significant lifecycle benefit for building owners.
Custom built lavatory and urinal carrier banks (Z1231-CB and Z1222-CB) designed to fit predetermined spaces meant that U.S. Engineering only had to do “quick adjustments” rather than building and setting each carrier.
Zurn custom-packaged all components together for each work area, eliminating the time-consuming (and sometimes confusing) steps of organizing and assembling the parts from different boxes.
The Z1035-Q stabilizer held floor drains in place during construction and concrete installment, keeping the drain placement and orientation correct to the desired height and pitch to the finished floor. This solution removed the need to “box out” to prevent the drain from moving.

By consulting with U.S. Engineering during the design phase, Zurn had exact dimensions, allowing them to devise customized, engineered solutions where the carrier banks and stabilizer plates were going to be installed. In addition, prefabrication reduced installation time and made installation easier. With prefabrication, systems can be tested before shipping, so the contractor is less likely to spend time fixing problems onsite. “It was very helpful to have Zurn as a partner for a project of this scale,” said Barnett, whose firm has worked with Zurn many times in the past. “They are the front-runner for many reasons, and it’s always really good to work with them.”

Zurn custom built lavatory and urinal carrier banks (Z1231-CB and Z1222-CB) designed to fit predetermined spaces, so U.S. Engineering only had to do “quick adjustments” rather than building and setting each carrier.

Colorado State University’s new stadium will be an on-campus, multipurpose facility. It replaces the current 32,500-seat Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium, located about four miles off campus. The new stadium will also be named after Sonny Lubick, the university’s famed football coach who led the Rams to six Mountain West Conference titles and nine bowl games from 1993 to 2007. In addition to football games, the new stadium also will host other sports, entertainment, civic, cultural, and commercial events. It will also serve as the home of additional athletic offices and training spaces.

For more information, visit www.zurn.com.

WebLEM

JRGF

MCAA PAC

MCAAGreatFutures

Manufacturer / Supplier Council

MCAA Behavioral Code

Trimble Technology Proves Vital to Success of Prout Boiler, Heating & Welding, Inc.

Coordination Across Trades Made Possible by BIM

Prout Boiler, Heating & Welding, Inc. relied heavily on Trimble’s AutoBid Mechanical and PipeDesigner 3D® to plan out a multitrade prefabrication approach during the bidding process for a hospital expansion project and take charge of multitrade coordination throughout the expedited construction schedule.

“On many jobs, the mechanical contractor is the prime trade coordinator, bringing together all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and sprinkler systems,” explained Mike Savko, construction manager with Prout. “3D technology, and PipeDesigner 3D specifically, is very familiar to the industry. From a coordination standpoint, everything we do is clear to the other trades. The fact that we can coordinate with people we work with is a big plus.”

Building information modeling (BIM) solutions are keeping Prout competitive in a field with increasingly frequent demands for fast-track, multitrade coordination and prefabrication that begins long before the structural framework is in place. In the past 10 years, Prout has invested in 3D tools that have helped the firm deliver ever-more-complex piping solutions with greater efficiency, while also setting the stage for emerging business opportunities.

Take, for example, the Salem Regional Medical Center’s patient private room tower in Salem, OH. Savko explained, “This project, among many others, demonstrates just how much our business has changed in recent years and the importance of technology to meet expectations. Technology in the way of bidding and 3D detailing software is a game changer for us—and our clients.”

Youngstown, OH-based Prout Boiler, Heating & Welding is a commercial and industrial plumbing, HVAC, and process piping company, with emphasis in the construction and renovation of health care and education facilities primarily in the state of Ohio.

Synchronized Workflows

The Salem Hospital tower project was the first project in Northeast Ohio to use multitrade prefabrication. The $42.5-million project includes three floors of private patient rooms, guest and visitor amenities, and a two-level, underground parking structure. The owner stipulated an 18-month construction schedule, with completion in 2014.

“AutoBid Mechanical has allowed us to generate full labor and material reports fast enough to turn bids around in as little as a day or two. … In the old days without the software, we would already be behind.”

—Mike Savko, Construction Manager, Prout Boiler, Heating & Welding, Inc.

To facilitate the fast-track schedule, the overhead corridor rack systems, patient room bathroom pods, and medical gas headwall units were prefabricated in parallel with the structural work.

Savko said, “Most new building construction puts the MEP trades on hold until at least the structural framework is available. With the expedited schedule on the Salem project, the owner could not afford for that type of sequential construction. Instead, we used our in-house design team to coordinate the plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, and electrical work with BIM and began prefabrication at an offsite warehouse in parallel with the tower shell erection.”

Tools of the Trade

Savko noted, “It wasn’t that long ago that our legacy pipefitters used pencil and paper to take measurements in the field and draw things up by hand. That’s not something that we can do anymore and stay competitive. Owners won’t pay for that. They expect work to be handled with technology for improved accuracy and less waste. We agree—though not just any technology will do.”

Prout first invested in Trimble AutoBid Mechanical in 2000 as a way to generate labor/material quotes quicker than by hand. Savko said, “AutoBid Mechanical has allowed us to generate full labor and material reports fast enough to turn bids around in as little as a day or two. When there are multiple projects to estimate week after week, or if another subcontractor asks us for a last-minute price, we are able to meet the deadlines. In the old days without the software, we would already be behind.”

Prout used its in-house design team to coordinate the plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, and electrical work with BIM, followed by offsite prefabrication that began while the building shell was being built.

The biggest benefit of PipeDesigner 3D, according to Prout detailers, is the ability to create pipe fabrication drawings. Detailers take advantage of PipeDesigner 3D’s extensive database with over 36,000 items with representation from 34 manufacturers every day to create drawings. Savko said, “It’s easy to pick pipe and fittings from the library. If it’s not readily available, or it’s a special item, PipeDesigner 3D’s Data Editor makes it easy to create or revise an existing similar object. We can do anything with the software.”

Detailers also appreciate the automatic creation of a bill of materials from the 3D model, a list that includes cut links and fittings tags, along with installation information and fabrication points for welded projects.

“Thanks to 3D technology, we keep finding efficient ways to expedite the whole piping process from layout to design to fabrication and enhance our multi-trade coordination capabilities. … Since implementation in our company, it’s paid for itself tenfold.”

—Mike Savko, Construction Manager, Prout Boiler, Heating & Welding, Inc.

Another big advantage to PipeDesigner 3D for Prout is coordination. Savko added, “Many of our competitors sub out their coordination tasks to an engineering firm. With this technology, we are able to do it all in-house.”

Prout also implemented Trimble DuctDesigner 3D in 2014—even though they are not a duct supplier. “We’re a piping contractor,” emphasized Savko, “but because we are often the model coordinator for trade subcontractors, we needed the ability to draw duct accurately in our drawings with speed so that we get truer as-built conditions. We’re saving time doing coordination with the DuctDesigner 3D.”

The company’s use of PipeDesigner 3D came in particularly handy on the Salem tower project.

Racks and Tracks

As part of the Salem tower project, Prout detailed all the mains and branches and designed and fabricated 60 corridor racks. The corridor racks were each 20′ long by 8′ wide by about 27″ high. Bathroom pods were roughly 6.5′ square by 10′ tall.

Savko explained, “We own the corridor rack design, so I drew the structural racks from scratch, placed our piping, duct, the sprinkler fitter’s piping, and the electrician’s conduit using PipeDesigner 3D to verify fit. The other subs did not have PipeDesigner 3D available, but because we were able to lay everything out for them, it wasn’t necessary. We accounted for everyone’s line sizes and number of conduits in various areas to designate ‘zones’ that belonged to each sub.”

Once the racks, pods, and walls were complete, the prefabricated items were delivered to the tower construction site for installation.

While Savko doesn’t know exactly how much time was saved on the project, he is very aware of the advantages created by prefabricating the bathroom pods and corridor racks. He added, “We were installing bathroom pods and corridor racks before exterior walls were going up. We were in the building doing install right after the floors were poured with concrete. Normally, we would have just started putting hangers and piping up. On this project, we had full corridor main systems and bathroom groups completed.”

Looking Ahead

Prout recently used the combination of AutoBid Mechanical and PipeDesigner 3D to bid a hospital heat exchanger project. In this case, the mechanical room was jampacked.

Savko said, “With our laser tools, we were able to get measurements in a couple hours, draw it in PipeDesigner 3D, and then draw in a new heat exchanger along with details about how we’d do the replacement, including labor hours and materials. We refined our material-based drawings and won the job and the subsequent fabrication, and, as an added bonus, we had installation drawings ready for our field guys.”

The benefits of estimating and detailing solutions are also playing a big role in the company’s strategic growth, which includes expanding its industrial pipe fabrication and commercial prefabrication services. Prout detailers are looking forward to using Trimble’s Quick Link integrator tool that will allow take-off in AutoBid Mechanical and define route lines in PipeDesigner 3D to automatically draw pipe and fittings, which would expedite the drawing process. Savko said, “Much like the Salem tower project, the owners want the project completed faster so they can start generating revenue earlier than conventional construction. We’d like to expand our fabrication shop to meet growing demand—the success of this endeavor will depend on our detailers and PipeDesigner 3D.”

Savko concluded, “Thanks to 3D technology, we keep finding efficient ways to expedite the whole piping process from layout to design to fabrication and enhance our multi-trade coordination capabilities. I went for training on PipeDesigner 3D in 2007. Since implementation in our company, it’s paid for itself tenfold.”

For more information, visit http://www.trimble.com. MCAA thanks Trimble for being a supporter of MCAA 2016.