Organization: MCAA

CFI Mechanical Completes Healthcare Facility Ahead of Schedule Using Technical Sales International BIM Software, Tools, and Prefabrication

When CFI Mechanical in Houston, TX, took on an $8.5-million mechanical job with an aggressive schedule requiring massive coordination before the structure was built, they knew they could count on building information modeling (BIM) software tools from Technical Sales International (TSI) to get the job done. Led by President Chuck Fell (who is also MCAA’s senior vice president and treasurer), CFI Mechanical has been using BIM tools for over a decade to improve efficiency and mitigate risk in fabrication and construction.

Because of their experience and reputation, CFI Mechanical was called upon to provide the full plumbing and HVAC mechanical systems and equipment for the new Harris Health System Smith Clinic. In fact, CFI Mechanical finished work on the Smith Clinic two months ahead of schedule.

Coordinating Multiple Systems

Opened in September 2012, Houston’s Smith Clinic is a five-story, 168,000-square-foot facility with a central plant. It features more than 100 exam rooms and the latest medical technology, including three linear accelerators, three CT scanners, two MRIs, five ultrasound units, a PET scanner, six digital mammography units, three digital radiography units, a bone density unit, and 26 infusion therapy stations. The clinic is expected to serve an estimated 160,000 patients annually, primarily low-income and uninsured.

For medical institutions such as Smith Clinic, specialty plumbing and mechanical systems—including compressed air, vacuum, nitrogen, oxygen, reverse osmosis, deionized water, high pressure steam, condensate return, and acid waste—are typical, and CFI Mechanical was in charge of it all. They knew that using BIM would help them coordinate and keep track of the many competing demands. “Early on we recognized that the BIM approach could benefit our company, our clients, and our industry,” said Fell. “Our strategic commitment to BIM and prefabrication using the software from TSI helps give us a more lasting competitive advantage.”

However, CFI Mechanical’s lengthy experience with complex healthcare projects has taught them that design drawings often lack detail and are not fully coordinated, especially mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems drawings, which can cause significant problems during construction. By contrast, the shop drawings produced by CFI Mechanical, using TSI Managed Content in conjunction with Autodesk Fabrication 2013 CADmep and FABmep software, contain the needed detail and dimensional accuracy to properly fabricate and install the MEP system components. TSI Managed Content is a comprehensive database (www.Building-Data.net) of real-world pipe fittings and valves and HVAC standard fittings and accessories that no other software can match.

With the fabrication-level detail of TSI’s Managed Content libraries, CFI Mechanical can prefabricate HVAC piping and plumbing systems from spool sheets automatically produced from the Autodesk Fabrication 2013 CADmep product. Each manufacturer component is meticulously modeled in 3D for dimensions and likeness, and all of the required information—labor hours, material prices, submittals, and specification documents—are built into the job, ready for extraction. Each individual line item in TSI’s Managed Content database has an extensive set of attributes already attached to it, meaning that the intelligent data about the designs could be forwarded to anyone in the project.

Using TSI Managed Content in Building-Data.net provides CFI Mechanical with sustainable content to support estimates, procurement, submittal documents, piping pre-fabrication, CAD/CAM fabrication, modular pre-fabrication, field layout documentation, staging, and as-built documentation.

Prefabrication Paves the Way

The Smith Clinic building is a four-pipe system with 7,500 linear feet (lf) of chilled water piping and 7,000 lf of hot water piping for the HVAC system. The building also has two process chillers with 1,800 lf of refrigerant tubing. Additionally, the job included 7,200 linear feet of storm piping, 13,450 lf of waste and vent piping, 5,060 lf of domestic water piping, and 4,140 feet of underground sanitary waste piping—all of which was designed and detailed at the CFI Mechanical shop using the Autodesk Fabrication 2013 CADmep software from TSI. CFI Mechanical was able to pre-cut over 65 percent of the piping for prefabrication, almost every hanger, and all the plumbing piping for the toilet batteries in their fabrication shop. Even the storm drains, including the multi-length hangers to account for the slope, were prefabricated in the shop ahead of time because of the capabilities of the fabrication software.

The entire building structure was concrete, and over 3,000 inserts for pipe hangers and more than 600 pipe sleeves were set through the floor prior to the concrete pour. “The Smith Clinic building was a 100-percent concrete structure with an aggressive pour schedule, and we got out ahead of it because of the CADmep from TSI,” said Fell. “Additionally, while laying the sleeves, we found wall layout issues before the walls were built and sleeves put in, avoiding much bigger problems.”

Accommodating a Compressed Schedule

The entire facility was completed in less than two years. However, because Smith Clinic is a hospital/research facility, the HVAC systems needed to be fully functional a year early so the building air would be tempered, sheet rock could be hung, and expensive and sensitive equipment could be installed. CFI Mechanical started their groundwork in December 2010 and had the air conditioning fully functional a scant 10 months later—quite an achievement considering the volume of piping necessary to complete the job.

Hospitals have unique requirements, such as these pipes that pull acid away from drains. CFI Mechanical relied on TSI BIM software to coordinate and keep track of the complex and competing demands for Houston’s new Smith Clinic.

Maintaining a Competitive Advantage

Using TSI’s software, CFI Mechanical can take design-intent models from designers and engineers and create models that can be built efficiently from real-world, manufacturer-specific content. With BIM software from TSI, CFI can proceed to estimate, cost-analyze, prefabricate, procure, manufacture, and install their building systems with greater levels of productivity.

Fell’s team at CFI Mechanical feels strongly that without their collaboration with TSI, meeting these tight project deadlines would not be possible. “The software is very fast, efficient, and user-friendly. And most importantly, TSI’s professional services—from configuration and implementation to training, phone, and online support—are great. TSI provides the kind of service and expertise (most of their team have real-world, on-the-job MEP experience) that you just don’t get when dealing with big conglomerates,” said Fell.

Fell continued, “TSI’s MEP managed content library is far superior to what’s otherwise available, because TSI really listens to the end-users, takes that input, and improves their product offerings on an annual basis.”

CFI Mechanical prefabricated these toilet batteries and other structures for the Smith Clinic in its shop, relying on TSI software to improve productivity and gain a competitive edge.

CFI Mechanical’s prefabrication and modularization help speed up their projects. They also reduce the project budget and required onsite resources and cut purchase and installation costs. Their software features spooling tools that enable them to slice their models into manageable, modularized sections that contain all of the information required for fabrication so that most, if not all, of the skill and labor required for fabrication can be done in the shop, which increases efficiency, productivity, and safety in the field. “And improving field productivity,” said Fell, “is key to how a mechanical contractor earns a profit.”

For more information, visit www.technicalsalesinternational.com.

Hart Engineering Minimizes Facility’s Downtime Thanks to Speed of Viega ProPress for Stainless

Faced with the challenge of replacing all of a biotechnology company’s existing piping with stainless steel in just 14 weeks, Hart Engineering found that Viega ProPress® systems provide clean, consistent connections quickly. Viega ProPress for stainless steel offered a complete solution, including pipe, valves, and fittings in two high-quality grades of stainless steel, 304 and NSF-approved 316.

Hart Engineering, the mechanical contracting arm of The Hart Companies of New England, undertook the installation for one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products designed to treat serious diseases. The company’s plant was shut down for 14 weeks so that all of the existing piping could be replaced with stainless steel.

“The project involved us going through all of the suites in the plant and repiping them,” said Mike Feldman, Hart Engineering’s vice president. “We had to take the rooms apart and redo the piping and insulation through the ceilings and ceiling grid. It was a major effort, and it was all done on very short notice. We worked seven days a week, around the clock, for those 14 weeks.”

According to Feldman, the customer had more than 20 pharmaceutical manufacturing suites in its facility. The high-purity suites contain equipment such as bioreactors, which grow bacteria and other organisms used in the production of pharmaceuticals.

“In biotech applications, we use Viega ProPress for stainless primarily for drains and vents,” said Feldman. “Because it’s stainless steel, we are able to install it in the high-purity manufacturing suites. We installed Viega ProPress for stainless in the large suites, one of which had four bioreactors with multiple reactor vessels.”

Founded in 1941, The Hart Companies has specialized in biotechnical applications since 1989, when the industry began to grow throughout New England. The Hart Companies encompasses a group of design, engineering, and construction companies headquartered in Cumberland, RI. Hart Engineering had previous experience with Viega ProPress systems.

Viega ProPress systems allow installers to make secure, dependable connections for copper or stainless steel in less than seven seconds on sizes up to 4”. Because Viega ProPress fittings are available in more than 600 different configurations, a complete system can be installed with the same press tool.

Built for Speed

Before starting the project, Hart Engineering first had to convince the plant’s owners and engineers that the work could be completed much faster by using the Viega ProPress for stainless system. “Viega ProPress for stainless wasn’t in the original specifications because the company’s engineers didn’t know about the system at the time,” said Feldman. “We showed them what we wanted to do. Once they understood the benefits, they wrote a special clause in the specs allowing us to use the Viega system.”

Feldman explained that it was critical to get the biotechnical plant up and running again as soon as possible because as long as they were working, the plant wasn’t manufacturing. The longer the installation took, the longer the plant would have to go without producing product.

“We did everything we could to minimize the downtime,” Feldman said. “They really couldn’t afford to waste any time. Every day of the shutdown was costing a lot of money. The customer agreed to use Viega ProPress for stainless because it was a very large building and we had a lot of piping to install. It was to their advantage to approve the use of the pressing system. Time was of the essence, and pressing was the fastest way to do the job.”

“We saved about one third of the time compared to welding. That time savings is huge, considering that the labor rates for my guys are almost a hundred dollars an hour.”

— Mike Feldman, Vice President, Hart Engineering

The installation work was handled primarily by Hart’s own crew of pipe fitters and tradesmen. Feldman estimated that his team used between 4,000’ and 6,000’ of stainless steel on the project.

“We used mostly 1” and 1-1/2” pipe all the way up to 2”,” said Feldman. “Most of the fittings were standard fittings, such as couplings, elbows, and tees.”

Saving Time and Labor

Feldman thinks that the best benefit of Viega ProPress for stainless is the time it saves. “It’s much faster to install with pressing,” he said. “We saved about one third of the time compared to welding. That time savings is huge, considering that the labor rates for my guys are almost a hundred dollars an hour.”

Feldman’s second most important benefit of the Viega ProPress for stainless system is that there is no flame, which negates the need for a hot work permit. “That’s a huge advantage,” Feldman said. “With Viega ProPress for stainless, you can go into areas that don’t allow hot work, even if it’s a hostile environment. That’s very important, especially in existing biotech suites.”

Before adopting Viega ProPress, Hart Engineering joined pipe by soldering and welding, depending on the piping that was being replaced. Feldman believes that other mechanical contractors are now using Viega ProPress for copper installations and that more will use stainless as they become more familiar with it.

Two years have passed since the biotech project, and Feldman and Hart Engineering were so pleased with Viega ProPress systems that they recently quoted another drainage and venting job for the same customer. “If we get approval, we’ll be using Viega ProPress for stainless again for some of the installations,” Feldman said. “We are always trying to get our customers to allow pressing for certain applications because of the time savings and safety benefits.”

For more information, visit www.viega.net.

MCAA thanks Viega for being a major sponsor of MCAA 2013.

Message from Frank Schaetzke, MS/C Chairman: Prefab, Products, and Productivity

In this issue of Smart Solutions, learn how contractors are increasing productivity and efficiency by using prefabrication, building information modeling (BIM), and enhanced products. For example, CFI Mechanical relied on Technical Sales International’s BIM software to execute an $8.5-million job and prefabricate piping, completing the job two months early. ACCO Engineered Systems used BIM to manage the complex tasks of creating “North America’s greenest urban office building” (and installed Daikin McQuay chillers to meet demanding efficiency standards).

Smith & Oby Company prefabricated thousands of feet of pipe using ERICO’s new CADDY® ROD LOCK channel nut, saving time and money. U.S. Engineering Company employed a multi-trade prefabrication process using Victaulic grooved systems to increase productivity while staying on schedule and on budget.

Software solutions are also helping members gain a competitive advantage. Tweet/Garot used Bidtracer’s invitation management software to win and manage a $165-million contract to renovate the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field. ACCO is putting WennSoft’s MobileTech solution in place to streamline processes dramatically and eliminate paperwork.

Member suppliers continue to improve products to meet increasingly complex needs. Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.’s Enviro-Flo drain solved a dirt-floor arena’s unique problems. For a biotechnology company’s exacting requirements, Hart Engineering turned to Viega ProPress systems for stainless steel to get clean, consistent connections quickly. Auburn Mechanical installed Aquatherm’s polypropylene-random pipe systems to combat the aggressive water that had damaged a jail’s existing pipes. Pyke Mechanical installed a new, high-efficiency BITZER Screw compressor at only marginally higher cost than rebuilding its client’s original compressor.

Members are finding that GRINNELL Grooved Flexible Couplings reduce vibrations and minimize noise while also providing a tight seal to prevent leaks. They are also using positioners designed specifically for the pipe welding industry, such as those built by Team Industries, Inc., to reduce welder fatigue and increase the work quality. To fill the occasional need for large, specialized equipment, contractors are renting from suppliers such as Lifting Gear Hire Corporation.

Finally, members can rely on our partners at CNA to keep up to date on how to protect their businesses. In this issue, learn whether your company needs a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number.

I encourage you to support the suppliers who support your association by choosing their products and services for your next bid. Visit www.mcaa.org/directory/supplierpartners.cfm for a complete list of MCAA Supplier Partners or find them in person at MCAA 2013.

Frank Schaetzke, Chairman

U.S. Engineering Company Improves Productivity, Cuts Costs Using Prefabrication with Victaulic Grooved Technologies

For U.S. Engineering Company, finding creative ways to keep the University of Colorado Hospital’s (UCH’s) new expansion on track helped them increase productivity while delivering on schedule and on budget. To maximize productivity, U.S. Engineering decided on a multi-trade prefabrication process using Victaulic grooved systems whenever and wherever possible.

As baby boomers age, demand for healthcare services is surging. As a result, healthcare construction projects are bigger, more complex, and have shorter timelines than ever before.

To meet the rigorous demands of the University of Colorado Hospital’s expansion, U.S. Engineering fabricated with Victaulic grooved systems as much as possible to meet a fast-track schedule.

“The UCH project was extremely aggressive based on the large volume of materials in a compressed timeframe, so pre-planning and creativity were needed in order to be able to perform well on the project,” said Scott Hager, associate vice president at U.S. Engineering, who was responsible for field operations on the project. “We had a 12-month critical path for all of the multiple trades to rough in, and we were anticipating the possibility of multiple shifts, seven-day weeks, and a great deal of overtime.”

U.S. Engineering is a 120-year-old, full-service mechanical contractor that has served the Rocky Mountain region for more than 40 years from its Loveland, CO, location. One of the firm’s fabrication shops is located in Aurora, near the UCH 12-story Inpatient Tower. Work on a second inpatient tower began in early 2011, with a facility opening date set for March 2013. U.S. Engineering was responsible for installing the sheet metal, mechanical, plumbing, and piping system for the 734,000-square-foot project. The $400-million state-of-the-art building doubles the size of the facility’s emergency department and, when fully built out, adds 276 more beds.

The UCH project had two mechanical rooms in the basement. One housed the heating water and domestic hot water equipment and the steam generators; the second contained the chilled water and domestic water system equipment. A third mechanical room on the fourth floor housed large air-handling units and supporting accessories. All the chilled water and steam were drawn from the central utility plant owned by the university.

“We took steps to incorporate Victaulic grooved technology where we hadn’t before and that helped with speed and ease of installation so we could successfully deliver on this fast-track project.”

— Scott Hager, Associate Vice President, U.S. Engineering

Prefabrication Improves Ergonomics, Safety, and Quality Control

The speed and ease of use of grooved technology in the fabrication shop wasn’t the only attribute that helped U.S. Engineering maximize productivity on the UCH project. The company also credits a variety of benefits associated with the prefabrication process. For the UCH project, prefabrication created a controlled environment that made for more ergonomic working conditions and better quality control. Also, the construction team’s use of multi-trade fabrication increased efficiency throughout the entire construction process. By collaborating with the general contractor and all trades—from mechanical plumbing, piping, and duct, to fire protection, electrical, gypsum board, framing, and controls—team members fabricated and assembled entire sections of corridors and headwalls at the U.S. Engineering prefabrication shop. Once the sections were complete, they were loaded on a truck and delivered to the jobsite for installation. This construction method allows multiple parallel activities to occur, resulting in faster completion times, reduced costs, reduced site safety risks, increased quality, and improved project performance.

Victaulic Products Increased Speed, Ease of Installation

U.S. Engineering had prefabricated with grooved pipe-joining previously, but the UCH project was the first project on which it incorporated primarily Victaulic technology. As a result, grooved systems were used in a large portion of the major mechanical and large bore piping, including pump equipment work, headers, and connections, where the company had previously used welding. U.S. Engineering incorporated Victaulic Advanced Groove System couplings for quick and easy large-diameter connections, check valves, straining devices, butterfly valves, stainless steel systems, and flexible and rigid couplings. QuickVic® 107H Couplings with proprietary Grade “EHP” gaskets rated to 250° F (121° C) for unmatched performance on hot water systems were also included, as well as Style 607 QuickVic® copper couplings and Style 47 Dielectric Waterway fittings that served as a transition waterway between copper and stainless pipe.

“We took steps to incorporate Victaulic grooved technology where we hadn’t before and that helped with speed and ease of installation so we could successfully deliver on this fast-track project,” said Hager. “We definitely saw faster installation times in the mechanical rooms that were highly complex, and we were able to eliminate spool pieces of so many flanges by replacing them with Victaulic grooved couplings and valves.”

Hager, who began working with grooved mechanical couplings in 1989, said there were also big benefits in the quality of the completed product over welded flanges. “I have a lot more confidence in not experiencing leaks using grooved couplings. They are a lot quicker to install and are a great product.”

According to Bret Russell, superintendent at U.S. Engineering, who is responsible for managing the fabrication shop, the firm’s pre-planning paid off. No additional shifts and limited overtime were needed to complete the job successfully. And Russell would know. He measures the fabrication shop’s productivity by calculating per inch of pipe used, per hour, per day.

“We were able to groove approximately 29,200 diameter inches for the UCH project from November 2011 through August 2012. And that’s while also prefabricating for two to three other similar-sized jobs,” said Russell. “Welding and flanging can’t even compete. Grooved is more than six times faster, which is a considerable labor savings and a tremendous boost in productivity.”

By using mostly Victaulic grooved mechanical systems in the fabrication shop for the plumbing and piping, Russell’s team saw other cost-saving benefits. “We reduced the need for welding and soldering consumables and various equipment parts,” he said. “These types of savings are increasingly more important as jobs become more demanding.”

Increasing Safety

Using grooved systems also played a significant role in increasing safety in the shop. Mike Parker, project manager at U.S. Engineering, noted that the ability to take assembly off of the jobsite and into the fabrication shop in a controlled environment reduces the amount of field fitting and exponentially increases safety over welding. It also allows changes in the field without a big impact on labor. “With grooved, there’s no cutting or grinding to create sparks and flames like welding,” said Parker. “You don’t have the added dangers associated with welding, soldering, and brazing, and that’s important when you take safety as seriously as we do.”

Hager agreed, saying, “Victaulic is much less accident-prone than heavy flanges and large heavier lug style valves that we’ve used in the past. I have no doubt that grooved offers safer installation than welding.” He added that because grooved reduces labor, exposure to injury also decreases.

U.S. Engineering was recently recognized by the Colorado Division of Labor with an Excellence in Safety Award for their outstanding commitment to workplace safety and workers’ compensation cost containment. “Ensuring a safe working environment” is among U.S. Engineering’s core values.

“We were able to groove approximately 29,200 diameter inches for the UCH project from November 2011 through August 2012. … Welding and flanging can’t even compete. Grooved is more than six times faster, which is a considerable labor savings and a tremendous boost in productivity.”

— Bret Russell, Superintendent, U.S. Engineering

Gaining a Competitive Edge

Hager, Russell, and Parker all felt that prefabricating with Victaulic grooved technology was the right fit for the UCH installation. The company believes so firmly in using prefabrication as a competitive advantage that they now begin all projects by identifying what cannot be fabricated in the shop.

“Jobs are going to continue to get larger, harder, and faster, and for healthcare projects like UCH, thinking outside of the box and using prefabrication is the way of the future to meet budgets and tight schedules,” said Parker. “Anything we can do to speed up the process ahead of time and offsite keeps us competitive. Using grooved couplings from Victaulic gives us a leg up and will definitely be part of our strategy for future projects.”

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com.

MCAA thanks Victaulic for being a major sponsor of MCAA 2013.

ACCO Pairs BIM and Daikin McQuay Chillers for North America’s Greenest Urban Office Building

Commitment to energy-efficient products such as Daikin McQuay’s Magnitude® chillers and reliance on building information modeling (BIM) to manage a complex project helped ACCO Engineered Systems complete what has been called “the greenest urban office building in North America.” The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) headquarters in downtown San Francisco at 525 Golden Gate opened in July 2012. It produces a 50-percent-smaller carbon footprint and uses 32 percent less energy and 60 percent less water than similar 13-story office buildings.

Complexity Demanded Teamwork

The scope of the SFPUC building project entailed an exacting design and construction process. ACCO Engineered Systems in San Leandro, CA, served as the mechanical contractor on the project. Nial Keeling, P.E., ACCO HVAC project engineer, said the project’s complexity demanded teamwork, so he relied on BIM.

“This was not a standard job,” said Keeling. “The sheer volume of paperwork involved, including owner-directed changes and requests for information, was huge due to the complexity of the systems. Everyone on the team worked well together.”

ACCO met the complex requirements of the SFPUC Headquarters, which includes integrated hybrid solar array and wind turbines, by using BIM and energy-efficient products such as Daikin McQuay chillers.

Solar and wind power, high-efficiency mechanical systems, natural ventilation, and daylight harvesting all contribute to the remarkable energy savings at 525 Golden Gate. The exterior of the building uses roof-mounted solar arrays and wind turbines that can generate up to 7 percent of the building’s energy needs. On the interior, additional shading devices control glare and minimize heat gain while light shelves facilitate daylight harvesting. Lighting and work station equipment shut off automatically after hours.

After factory-certified testing to AHRI Standard 550/590 for water cooled chillers, two Daikin McQuay Magnitude chillers were selected for the building, one 500 tons and one 250 tons. With magnetic bearing compressors and integral variable frequency drives, these chillers are 40 percent more energy-efficient than traditional centrifugal compressor chillers. Their performance allows the building to satisfy varied operating conditions efficiently, especially at part load, which occurs frequently in the mild San Francisco climate.

The SFPUC headquarters houses more than 900 employees and includes a data center in the lower level, a childcare center, and a café. The SFPUC estimates that building and owning its new headquarters will allow the department to save local residents around $3.7 billion ($500 million in 2012 dollars) over the expected 100-year life of the building.

A Traditional Mechanical System With a Modern Twist

The building’s HVAC system design is based on a traditional four-pipe system and includes the two chillers, two rooftop cooling towers for the chilled water system, two large VAV custom air-handling units, heat exchangers, and an underfloor air-distribution system that conserves building space, minimizes ductwork, and allows personal control of airflow.

The building’s underfloor air-distribution system accommodates data lines and most of the ventilation infrastructure, including air-handling equipment as well as linear and swirl diffusers in the floor that supply air for cooling. The building envelope includes operable windows that occupants can control. If a window is opened, the building automation system shuts off the flow of conditioned air through the underfloor system to the corresponding zone.

With all the efficiency measures, the building’s design exceeds ASHRAE 90.1 requirements for energy efficiency for heating and cooling in new office buildings by an impressive 51 percent.

The approximately 10-foot by 30-foot mechanical room is a partial 14th floor where the chillers were installed. “The rigging requirements included setting the chillers in place and anchoring them down based on the seismic data as calculated and signed off by the structural engineers and architect,” said Keeling. “The chillers, which themselves are seismic compliant, had to be anchored to undertake a seismic event and isolate the vibration between the chillers and the building.”

Building Intelligence

From the building elevators to the waste water treatment system to solar and wind systems, a comprehensive Integrated Building Management System monitors and helps to manage approximately 13,500 data points collected from every building system. This system makes all HVAC-related information—including the plumbing and fuel oil system—readily accessible.

Another unique advanced system is an on-site grey- and black-water treatment technology called the Living Machine®, which reclaims and treats all of the waste water from the building to meet the demand for the building’s restrooms. The Living Machine can treat 5,000 gallons of water daily, reducing per-person water use from 12 gallons to five.

Public Enthusiasm

The SFPUC building has generated widespread enthusiasm from San Francisco residents. Public tours of the facility that began in June quickly reached capacity. The SFPUC encourages self-guided tours of the building lobby, where visitors can view the digital arts wall and read about the sustainability and architectural innovations of 525 Golden Gate.

For more information, visit www.daikinmcquay.com.

MCAA thanks Daikin for being a major sponsor of MCAA 2013.

MMC Contractors Bridges the Gap Between Design and Fabrication With TSI Tools

Automated Systems Save 300 Percent in Layout Time

For the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, MMC Contractors met the demands posed by a complex design and environmental challenges by using tools from Technical Sales International (TSI). With Autodesk® Fabrication CADmep™ 2013 software, MMC Contractors was able to take the 2D drawings and detail the angles, hangers, couplings and air handling units in a fully-detailed building information modeling (BIM) 3D plan, then fabricate the entirety of the museum’s mechanical systems.

In addition, MMC Contractors used the Trimble Total Station with TSI’s JOB-Site Solutions™ for laying out all of the hangers, points, fittings, and equipment related to piping. MMC Contractors estimated that the automated system saved them over 300 percent in layout time.

MMC Contractors provided full mechanical HVAC construction and installation of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems that would simultaneously preserve the artwork, keep visitors comfortable, and limit the museum’s impact on the surrounding environment. Because artwork is fragile, humidity, temperature, and light must be maintained at optimal levels to preserve it.

Ambitious Design

The unique architecture and structure of the Crystal Bridge Museum meant that conventional layout methods would not work, so MCC Contractors used the Trimble Total Station with TSI’s JOB-Site Solutions software for layout, saving an estimated 300 percent in layout time.

Nestled in a forest ravine in the middle of the Ozark Mountains in Bentonville, AK, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art takes its name from a nearby natural spring, and the concrete, glass-and-wood building is one of the most ambitious museum buildings in recent years. MMC Contractors’ Kansas City office was responsible for the entire mechanical package—from creating the 3D model to fabrication and installation for the 201,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art museum.

The Crystal Bridges Museum campus is nestled between two hills across 120 acres, and the complex structure traverses a stream within the wild landscape. Two opposing galleries serve to both dam and bridge the stream, creating two ponds from the natural flow of water. The entirety of the museum frames, traverses, and dams those two creek-fed ponds. Additional structures are lodged into the steeply sloping terrain on either side and comprise galleries, classrooms, a library, curatorial and administrative offices, and a 250- seat auditorium.

Spatial Constraints

To complicate matters, the Crystal Bridges Museum architecture harmonizes with the art collection it was designed to house; therefore, the MEP systems had to fit within the design seamlessly. Additionally, part of the aesthetic beauty of the museum is its natural surroundings, which inspired the design. Eight pavilions follow the ravine’s contours, and the rooms are shaped to fit into the steep slopes of the ravine setting.

“With the spatial constraints, trying to fit everything in was extraordinary because of the shapes of the buildings.

Mechanical fittings aren’t made for this type of building,” said Dennis Miller, project manager for MMC Contractors. But with TSI software, MMC Contractors was able to model everything to the most minute detail, create spool sheets, and fabricate—all from the same model—giving confidence and comfort in the field that all of the pieces were accurate and would fit. Miller noted, “In one area, we had to lower the ceiling elevation by 18 inches, and all fabrication was done precisely using the software—everything fit just right.”

The polished architectural concrete walls, with varying radii and curvy roof lines, made it cramped, difficult, and delicate work to install piping and air systems. MMC Contractors coordinated the challenge of detailing and installing an air supply system to complement the lamella ceiling structure, made up of three-quarter-inch wood on three-and-one-half-inch spacing, providing thermal comfort without compromising the architecture of the space. The piping and HVAC systems have very exacting requirements. The HVAC is designed to be quiet, so duct work and grilles are oversized to reduce air velocity, thereby reducing noise. Even the return air ducts are oversized. Because of the unique architecture and structure, conventional layout methods would not work. So MCC Contractors used the Trimble unit to layout piping, housekeeping pads, and hangers.

Prefabrication for a Remote Location

Not only were the MEP installation spaces tight inside the buildings, the jobsite was further constrained by its remote location. The terrain was steep and rough, with a 120-foot drop in elevation from the construction trailers to the jobsite half a mile away. The diverted streambed in the middle of the construction site left little room to maneuver. MMC Contractors’ just-in-time delivery of prefabricated components provided the solution.

One of the benefits of prefabrication for construction assemblies cited by MMC Contractors is greater control over the process and schedule. Prefabrication could be planned and scheduled with precision in the shop environment without concern for delays caused by bad weather or uncertain labor supply. Other benefits of prefabricating the MEP components were especially important in the confines of the limited site space at Crystal Bridges:

  • Labor savings
  • Waste reduction
  • Reduced manpower on jobs
  • Improved ability to meet job schedules
  • Fewer jobsite parking issues
  • Reduced material handling costs
  • Improved safety

Confluence of Running Water and Precious Artworks

Another serious challenge was the handling of storm water. Because the creek runs under the museum buildings, during construction the eponymous Crystal Creek was temporarily routed through a 36-inch low-flow pipe that could only handle about one inch of rainfall in four hours. Larger amounts would overflow and wash through the jobsite, requiring a close watch on the weather. Consequently, a pre-rain checklist was rigorously followed. Leaving equipment on the jobsite when a storm was predicted was not an option.

Two buildings of the Crystal Bridges Museum are located directly over the creek. In fact, the upper pond discharges straight toward the building, then disappears under it. To protect the building and its multimillion dollar contents from flooding, the project included a complex flood control system, including weirs under the buildings to protect against a 500-year flood.

Time, Cost, and Labor Savings

MMC Contractors developed efficient means and methods for construction to improve quality, minimize schedules, and lower costs—even in rugged, remote sites like the Ozark Mountains. Modular fabrication of entire components, such as restrooms, was completed at their 22,000-square-foot fabrication shop in Kansas City, MO. MMC Contractors also prefabricated the major mechanical equipment offsite on skids, which were then installed as single components instead of individual pieces. Prefabricated piping assemblies were then brought in and connected to equipment skids so that the Crystal Bridges mechanical rooms could be installed and functional much more safely and quickly.

For larger equipment that could not be skid-mounted, such as air handling units, chillers, and boilers, MMC Contractors used equipment piping connections that were prefabricated in their onsite shops to expedite the installation. With this project, MMC Contractors found that prefabrication clearly reduces labor costs, increases quality, reduces waste, and improves safety of the work force.

Proven Solutions

For sleeves, hangers, inserts, and equipment pad layout, MMC Contractors used the Total Station unit to triangulate orientation within the building. With TSI’s JOB-Site Solution software, MMC Contractors simultaneously matched the points to the BIM model, which enabled installation accuracy to within one-sixteenth of an inch without ever using a tape measure. With all the angles and arcs and the limited space for the MEP installation, traditional layout methods would not have worked.

The water features of Crystal Bridge Museum posed challenges for design, construction, and installation that MMC Contractors minimized with rigorous planning and prefabrication using TSI software.

“When we started, we didn’t expect to use the Trimble for laying out piping,” said Kyle Speropoulos, BIM coordinator for MMC Contractors. “But we modeled the pipe, then placed the Trimble point along the center line of the pipe in order to lay it out.”

The collection of the Crystal Bridge Museum is valued at many millions of dollars, so it was crucial that the art be protected by the climate control systems installed by MMC Contractors. To ensure that all the systems were working properly, Crystal Bridge ran a three-month trial period before any artwork was allowed in, and no problems arose.

For more information, visit www.technicalsalesinternational.com.

Limbach Company Develops New Partnerships Using AirAdvice Energy Services

Limbach Company uses BuildingAdvice software and sensors to identify energy-saving fixes, helping a Columbus, OH, property management group ensure that its buildings meet ENERGY STAR requirements. That success was the “in” that Limbach needed to secure more opportunities for energy services that may lead to preventive maintenance and retrofit contracts.

Limbach purchased the BuildingAdvice energy services delivery platform from AirAdvice, Inc., in 2011 because, “we wanted to find a way to combine our energy solutions with our proactive maintenance programs,” explained Lisa Schultz, Limbach’s service sales manager for the Ohio Branch. “BuildingAdvice became the solution for our service team. They offered a simple approach along with technical and sales resources,” she said.

Client Need Spurs Assessment

Paradigm Properties, a real estate services company managing a 19-building, 1.7-million-square-foot portfolio in the Columbus area, found they needed a better understanding of their buildings’ energy use. A major tenant, who occupied one third of an entire building, notified Paradigm that they would require that the building achieve the ENERGY STAR label as a condition of their January 2012 lease renewal.

Paradigm “really had no idea where their buildings were, from an energy perspective,” said Steve Bauman, a Limbach account representative. Limbach offered to provide an ENERGY STAR benchmark assessment for the building currently occupied by the tenant and two other nearby buildings to see how the buildings rated.

The building occupied by the tenant rated a 76, just above the level required (75) to achieve the ENERGY STAR label. Even though the other two buildings scored significantly lower and offered more immediate opportunity for operating cost reductions by reducing energy waste, the immediate focus was securing the tenant lease renewal. “Tenant renewal is a great motivator to take action,” said Bauman.

Creating an Action Plan

Limbach and Paradigm developed an action plan to achieve the ENERGY STAR label for the higher performing building, following the energy services delivery model outlined in the BuildingAdvice sales training. After the energy benchmark, the next step in the process was to conduct an energy savings assessment to identify any additional energy savings opportunities.

Using BuildingAdvice energy services shows “how bringing a solution not typically thought of as being part of a mechanical contractor’s domain can drive a significant amount of revenue back into our core service and retrofit business.”

— Jay Sharp, vice president of Limbach Facility Services

The assessment was important because the building’s energy performance was just over the minimum requirement. Any slippage in performance and the building would be at risk for not meeting the minimum requirement.

Limbach conducted the energy savings assessment using the BuildingAdvice wireless sensors and web-based software. They identified a number of low- and no-cost improvements that could be immediately implemented by in-house maintenance staff.

Once the recommendations were implemented, Limbach initiated the process to gain the ENERGY STAR label for the building. Following the award of the ENERGY STAR label in early 2012, the tenant signed a seven-year lease. As of May 2012, the building’s ENERGY STAR rating had already improved to 86, and the annual energy cost had dropped by nearly $25,000, a reduction of 17 percent.

Results Drive Business

Through this process, Limbach demonstrated the impact that an energy services approach can have on the customer relationship. “Because we were able to solve a business issue for them in a way that none of our competitors could, we were able to move from being one of many contractors fighting for a preventive maintenance contract to the role of a trusted advisor,” said Bauman.

Thanks to that relationship, Limbach is currently completing an energy benchmark analysis of the entire Paradigm portfolio. From there, the two companies will build out an action plan to determine which buildings will be the next to undergo an energy savings assessment. To get the most out of the partnership, Limbach hopes to combine the assessment with the preventive maintenance agreements. Bauman noted, “While we know that there may not be a good fit with all the buildings, we are going to do whatever we can to help Paradigm lower their energy costs. Due to the consultative role we’ve played to get to this point, we have developed a new partnership that we would not have had without using the energy services approach that AirAdvice gave us.”

Jay Sharp, vice president of Limbach Facility Services, explained the strategic importance of the energy services initiative. “This shows the power of a differentiated service message—how bringing a solution not typically thought of as being part of a mechanical contractor’s domain can drive a significant amount of revenue back into our core service and retrofit business,” he said.

For more information, visit www.airadvice.com.

Company Liability for Non-Owned Vehicles, Non-Business Use, and Cell Phones

Legal actions sometimes cast a wide net, drawing an employer into a claim by alleging that the use of a vehicle in the case was for business purposes. Business use can be alleged as the result of something as simple as storing some small tools in the automobile, taking the mail to the post office, or being on a cell phone call with the office.

While you cannot control this exposure totally in any operating business, you can attempt to manage the risk at an acceptable level. One of the foundations of risk management is that you cannot manage a risk until you have identified it. To that end, here are some tips to assist you in identifying and looking at options for managing the risk. Any of the following situations may create non-owned auto liability exposure:

  • Salespeople who drive their own vehicles on company business
  • An employee who goes to the bank for the company on his way home
  • An employee who buys supplies or runs an errand for the company
  • An employee who is asked by management to do company-related activity that requires use of the employee’s vehicle
  • An employee who is reimbursed for driving his own vehicle to attend business meetings, visit customers, or pick up supplies or parts
  • Volunteers who use their own vehicles when working for your organization

The best control is not to allow anyone to use a personal vehicle for company business. If this is not possible, consider taking the following steps:

  • Review the individual’s motor vehicle record before he or she drives. Anyone with a driving record that does not meet acceptable criteria should not be allowed to drive a vehicle on behalf of the company.
  • Annually require proof of liability insurance.
  • Regularly inspect the vehicle used for company business.

If someone driving his own vehicle for company business has an at-fault accident, the company may have to pay for damages that exceed the limits of the vehicle owner’s auto liability coverage. Further, some personal auto insurance may exclude business use so that the company’s policy may be at risk for the entire claim. CNA recommends that employee drivers carry auto liability insurance with at least $300,000 combined single limits. (The employer should keep proof of this insurance on file.) Also, recommend the following to individual employees:

  • Regularly inspect the vehicle used for company business.
  • Keep in mind that the condition and appearance of the vehicle is a reflection on the company.
  • Verify that the vehicle is maintained and in safe condition to be driven on the road.

Non-Business Use of Vehicles

Unassigned personal use of a company vehicle may occur when an employee asks to borrow or use a company vehicle. For example, the employee is moving something and wants to use the company pickup or van. Should you let the employee use the company vehicle? No. If the employee needs to use a truck for moving, the employee should go to a car or truck rental company.

Cell Phones

More than 80 percent of the nation’s 94 million cell phone owners use them while driving (at least sometimes). It is worth noting that:

  • many states have legislation to regulate cell phone use while driving, and
  • cell phone records can be subpoenaed to prove the employee was on the phone when an accident occurred.

In the past few years, cell phone usage has been an issue in several lawsuits, and employers may be held responsible if a worker causes an accident while talking on the phone.

So why aren’t employers more concerned about cell phone usage in vehicles? Interestingly, the distraction problem may not exist as much with two-way radios, which are as much a staple of contractors as cell phones, because those calls are usually much shorter. However, some states that ban handheld phones may consider two-way radios in the same manner, so you should check your state’s regulations on the use of two-way radios.

While there is no guaranteed defense against liability, developing appropriate policies, training, and enforcement mechanisms, such as the following, can help limit potential liability:

  • Prohibit employees from using cell phones while driving on company time.
  • Adopt cell phone safety guidelines, and focus on training and enforcement.
  • Direct employees to comply with all state and local laws governing cell phone use.
  • Require employees to pull over to the side of the road to take phone calls.
  • Prohibit cell phone use in adverse weather or difficult traffic conditions.
  • Prohibit texting, reading, or writing while operating the vehicle.

Each company should determine whether the benefit of employee cell phone use outweighs the risk.

To protect themselves, companies should consider establishing a written policy restricting any use of a cell phone incorporating some or all of the above suggestions and ensuring that employees read and sign the written policy. (MCAA’s Distracted Driving Reduction and Prevention Guide provides sample policy language and other information about the hazards, liability, and regulatory initiatives associated with distracted driving.)

After an accident involving, for example, driver A, an employee of your company, and driver B, one of the first steps that driver B’s attorney usually will take is to try to obtain the cell phone records of driver A. The attorney may attempt to prove negligence on the part of driver A to seek recovery of damages from you, the employer.

Responsibility for Punitive Damages

One of the issues that all fleet owners need to consider is that, depending on the state and circumstances of the claim, if gross negligence or other severe conduct is proven, the award from the court may include punitive damages. By law, several states will not allow your automobile insurance carrier to pay the punitive damages portion of an award. Based on the theory that punitive damages are meant to punish people for their “bad acts,” it is against public policy for someone to be protected from the consequences of their bad acts.

For more information, visit www.cna.com.

Danforth Cuts Material, Labor Costs Using Viega MegaPress System for Black Pipe

Using black iron pipe for Buffalo General Hospital’s expansion project saved John W. Danforth Company material costs, while the new Viega MegaPress® carbon steel pipe joining system helped them make clean, consistent black iron pipe connections. Rich Mueller, Danforth’s project manager, said Danforth saved money in two different ways by installing Viega MegaPress. “First, we saved on the cost of the black pipe compared to the copper. And second, we saved on labor by using pressing instead of threading the black pipe.”

Buffalo General Hospital is a 501-bed, acute care medical center located in downtown Buffalo, NY. It recently expanded its medical imaging capabilities, adding MRI and CAT scan equipment in the basement level of its facility. The hospital selected Danforth to handle the piping for its new heating and chilled water system. Danforth installed 200 feet of two-inch black iron pipe and around 20 reheat coils.

Viega MegaPress Saves Time

Scott Metro, Danforth’s general foreman, explained that the project involved transporting steam to a set of heat exchangers to make hot water. The installers made the hot water connection off the heat exchangers and ran it to all the components of the system, such as the pumps and an air separator.

“Normally, it would have been an all-copper job using pipe that was two inches and under,” Metro said. “The Viega rep introduced us to Viega MegaPress, and we really liked it. The materials savings helped us out enormously.”

Viega MegaPress systems are the only carbon steel press fittings for use in both water and gas applications. Available in sizes from one half to two inches, Viega MegaPress allows installers to make secure, consistent black iron pipe connections in less than seven seconds.

“The speed aspect of Viega MegaPress over threading is definitely a plus,” Metro said. “A while ago, we did a shutdown at a different hospital where we had to thread one-and-one-half-inch black pipe that was up in the air. We would have sped up the process if we could have pressed it. The job was spread out over two weekends. If we had used the Viega MegaPress system, we probably could have finished everything in just one weekend.”

Clean Process, Easy Installation

As much time as Danforth saved by installing Viega MegaPress, Metro believes that the most convincing reason to choose the new carbon steel fitting system is cleanliness.

“You can’t be clean enough when working in a hospital,” Metro said. “Pressing eliminates the oil mess, because there’s no need to thread the pipe. With threading, oil can drip onto the floors when you’re carrying the pipe. You have to stuff rags in the pipe ends to keep the oil inside. There’s no need for that with Viega MegaPress.”

Safety and ease of installation were two more reasons Danforth chose the Viega MegaPress system. Some of the pipes were located 16 feet above the floor, making them difficult to reach.

“First, we saved on the cost of the black pipe compared to the copper. And second, we saved on labor by using [the Viega MegaPress] instead of threading the black pipe.”

— Rich Mueller, project manager, John W. Danforth Company

Viega MegaPress system. Some of the pipes were located 16 feet above the floor, making them difficult to reach.

“There were multiple layers of pipe up there,” Metro said. “When you’re up that high with pipe wrenches, you tend to work a bit slower. Some fitters aren’t physically built to pull on those big wrenches. With pressing, it doesn’t matter how strong you are. You just pull the trigger on the pressing tool and the connection is done.”

For Mueller, the biggest benefit of installing Viega MegaPress is the ability to connect black iron pipe without draining the system completely.

“In the past, we’d have to try to solder the pipe with a stream of water coming through it,” Mueller said. “With pressing, after you make your cut, you just slide an open Viega valve on and let the water flow into a garbage can. You make the connection with the pressing tool and shut off the valve. Then you can finish the rest of the work.”

The flameless aspect of Viega press technology also made a huge difference to Mueller and his team, because Viega MegaPress can be joined without flame. “The tool does the same exact connection for every joint,” Mueller said. “You don’t have to worry about over-tightening and cracking the fittings or cutting a thread too deep or too shallow.”

For more information, visit www.viega.net.

Thanks to Warwick and NIBCO, Hospital Expansion Doesn’t Skip a Beat

A major expansion of the 1960s-era Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, VA, is on track and on budget, thanks in part to Warwick Plumbing and Heating, which relied on NIBCO products, prefabrication, and building information modeling (BIM) to keep the project running smoothly. Because lives are at stake, maintaining uninterrupted service during construction in the hospital is crucial.

The NIBCO 14-inch LD-2000 lug-type butterfly valve with sprocket rim and chain provides remote operation on chilled water supply and return lines. Warwick specified NIBCO products for the Riverside Medical Center expansion because of NIBCO’s product reliability, which has helped keep the project on time and within budget.

To accommodate the growth and changing needs of patient care, the hospital is transforming with a new five-story, 251,380-square-foot addition that includes a new entrance and reception area, pharmacy, 13 surgery suites, two gastrointestinal procedure rooms, pre-op and post-op areas, 72 patient rooms (and shell space for two more floors of patient rooms), and expanded parking areas. Several stages of the expansion have been completed, and considerable attention has been given to making a smooth transition despite the busy patient load.

Powering Up Smoothly

To supply power to the addition, Warwick helped expand Riverside’s central energy plant, which provides steam, chilled water, and generator capacity. Riverside doubled the size of its existing central energy plant into a two-story, 17,500-square-foot building. The HVAC system consists of a new 40,000-gallon fuel oil tank, two 1,300- ton chillers, a steam boiler, new generators, and additional medical gas lines.

Warwick used BIM and prefabrication to enhance productivity and keep costs down. For example, with BIM, Warwick’s technicians were able to route piping and duct before the walls and ceilings were in place. It was also used for prefabrication of the systems in a controlled environment at Warwick. With prefabrication, the process was streamlined to ensure that there were few scheduled shutdowns and a smooth transition. A utility bridge supported by a structural steel truss system extends across the roof of the existing structure to help provide uninterrupted service from the new construction.

Warwick chose NIBCO’s 8-inch LD-2000 lug-type butterfly valve with sprocket rim and chain because it allowed the water to flow through the bypass with no need for a special shutdown—a top priority for the hospital expansion project.

Within a 72-hour time frame during the winter of 2011, the chilled water system had to be rerouted to the separator with 12-inch and 18-inch pipes. Prefabrication of the system for the chillers reduced the number of welds required from 30 or 40 down to five or six. During the transition from the old system to the new system, seven 12-inch and 18-inch butterfly valves in the system were used to reverse the flow, rerouting the water to make a complete primary loop instead of the primary header. According to Nathan Berryman, project manager for Warwick Plumbing and Heating, the use of the butterfly valves allowed the water to flow through the bypass with no need for a special shutdown.

The project involved more than 140 NIBCO butterfly, gate, ball, and check valves. Of those, 76 were butterfly valves, including 14-inch butterfly valves with sprocket rim and chain to provide remote operation on chilled water supply and return lines. “Because of NIBCO product reliability, it’s easy to get submittals approved,” said Bob Spencer, project manager at Warwick Heating and Plumbing. “That’s something that helps expedite the process. Plus, it gives us peace of mind.”

Expanding Capacity

The three-year-long, $107-million construction project is scheduled for completion in January 2013. When completed, the Virginia Peninsula community will have access to one of the most comprehensive medical facilities combining advanced medical technology with modern facility design. All with a focus on uninterrupted patient care.

For more information, visit www.NIBCO.com, or contact Sally Boyer, manager, marketing communications, at boyers@nibco.com.

Brandt Trims Installation Time with Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. Quad Close Trap Seal Device

When Brandt needed a way to prevent sewer gas odors in the Forest Park Medical Center in Frisco, TX, they turned to the Quad Close Trap Seal Device manufactured by Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® The time saved installing the Quad Close when compared with trap primers “really makes a big difference,” said Keith Rosson, general superintendent at Brandt.

The Frisco campus of the Forest Park Medical Center is the second in what will eventually be a network of campuses located across the state. The facility consists of a four-story, 137,000-square-foot hospital, a three-story medical office building, and a five-story parking garage. The hospital is now up and running, and the rest of the facility will be complete soon.

Construction on the project was design-build. Brandt met with architects and engineers to speed up the process of developing the design and construction plan, with the ultimate goal of satisfying the building owner. For design-build projects, Brandt regularly develops a best-practices schedule that describes the products they would like to use to improve efficiency. They review this schedule with the city to get approval for products. For this project, the Quad Close was approved for and used in patient rooms as well as for infrequently used areas.

The Quad Close Trap Seal Device is designed to be installed in the drain body outlet, inside the throat of the strainer, or inside the pipe. It is made to handle a wide range of pipe and internal body diameters. It will fit inside two-inch, three-inch, and four-inch PVC and cast iron pipe. The three-and-one-half-inch model is made to fit inside a strainer throat with an inside diameter of three-and-one-half inches.

The Quad Close stays open when water is flowing into the floor drain and closes when the water stops flowing. When closed, the Quad Close prevents the emission of sewer gas, minimizes the evaporation of water in the trap, and helps prevent backup into a building.

Rosson observed that the Quad Close has saved them a significant amount of time. “We have to install trap primers in some jobs, but it really makes a big difference when we can use trap seals like the Quad Close. Trap primers just take so much more time to install, especially in multi-story buildings,” he said.

Rosson was also impressed with the ease of use of the product for retrofit.

“They are just really easy to use in multi-floor retrofit installations. It has less impact to the people in the building because you do not have to run the piping for trap primers or turn off the domestic water supply to tie them in.”

The effectiveness of the Quad Close allows peace of mind for the contractor and building owner. Rosson noted, “We have used the Quad Close in several different scenarios and locations in the past and have had zero problems. The last thing you want to happen is to get a call from a building owner complaining about sewer smells in the building. We can use the Quad Close and not have to worry about that.”

For more information on Quad Close Trap Seal Devices or to contact your local representative, visit www.jrsmith.com.

Soefker Services Ensures Supply, Cuts Costs of Refrigerant with Polar Technology’s TrakRef Software

Soefker Services, LLC, of Memphis, TN, has taken a proactive approach to managing the diminishing supply and rising costs of R-22 refrigerant by using Polar Technology’s TrakRef™ software to manage their reclaim process and get the recovered R-22 back for future use. For years, R-22 has been the refrigerant of choice for commercial and residential systems. With so much demand, production of new R-22 remained strong even as pending U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations sought to reduce use of the refrigerant because of its high potential to contribute to global warming.

Recently, regulations have been put in place to reduce production and importation of R-22. These reductions signal that the use of R-22 is being phased out, so supply will continue to decrease and prices will continue to climb. The industry now faces the question of how to ensure adequate supply of R-22 for existing systems in the coming years.

With TrakRef, “we are now able to manage and protect our supplies of R-22.”

—Steve Harvey, Soefker Services

Reclaimed R-22 Makes Up the Difference

With a limited supply of new R-22 available, reclaimed R-22 will have to make up the difference. By switching to a reclaim program that allows them to get their recovered R-22 back at virgin specifications, contractors like Soefker Services have found a way to manage margins, ensure their supply for future work, and be responsible stewards of the environment.

Traditionally, reclaim programs have been transaction-based agreements in which the recovered refrigerant is sold by the service contractor to a distributor or reclaimer. By selling the refrigerant, the contractor loses possession and cannot get that refrigerant back. The contractor must buy back the reclaimed product or replace it with newly produced refrigerant. The reclaimer owns the gas and can recycle it back to virgin specifications to re-sell it in the marketplace.

With TrakRef, Soefker Services is managing its own reclaim process and recovering R-22. “We have been very pleased with the cost savings on the refrigerant and ease of use of the program,” says Steve Harvey, general manager of Soefker Services. “However, and equally important, we are now able to manage and protect our supplies of R-22.”

Participating in a Greener America

As an MSCA GreenSTAR-certified contractor, Soefker Services works hard to promote sustainability. “It’s an opportunity for us to re-use and recycle, and it allows us and our customers to participate in a greener America,” said Harvey. Using recycled refrigerant to service HVAC systems means that less new material has to be produced. It can also be a differentiator in the service market for system owners with environmental stewardship programs.

TrakRef provides transparency throughout the reclaim process. From contractor to distributor to Polar Technology, everyone who needs access to the information has it. Controls are built in to ensure the privacy of proprietary information so that the administrator can allow access as needed to their service technicians. Because it’s mobile-ready, the R-22 “bank” numbers can be seen when needed and where needed—at the office, on the road, or at the counter.

Simplifying Refrigerant Management

The TrakRef software family also gives contractors the option to control inventory, manage work orders, and maintain aggregate system records for their customers. Traditional recordkeeping techniques—such as keeping a paper trail through purchase orders and sales orders or logging information in a computer program—has been a cumbersome process. TrakRef simplifies and organizes the information. Field technicians can enter their work-order information through a laptop or mobile device, view specifications about the systems they are working on, and provide relevant information to their customers.

For system owners, TrakRef is a hub of information, keeping records on system maintenance events, refrigerant usage, and leak-rate calculations. Many large system owners prefer that their service contractor maintain the system records for them, which creates another revenue stream and added value for the contractor.

The regulatory environment continues to get tougher on everyone who uses or handles refrigerants, from the system owner to the contractor to the reclaim company. Each version of the TrakRef software is designed with compliance in mind, meeting or exceeding the needs for EPA and California’s AB-32 reporting demands.

Given the supply limitations on R-22, the increasing regulations around refrigerants, and the value of inventory such as R-22, refrigerant management is now a key part of business for successful mechanical contractors and service groups. Soefker Services’ incorporation of TrakRef provides them the transparency they need for compliance while participating in a refrigerant banking program.

For more information, visit www.polarresponsiblerecovery.com.

Elliot-Lewis Overcomes Challenges of Historical Renovation with Innovative Carrier Systems

Philadelphia National Landmark Earns LEED Platinum Certification

By opting for Carrier’s geothermal exchange system, Elliot-Lewis helped The Friends Center in central Philadelphia upgrade its heating and cooling plant and earn LEED® Platinum certification, despite the challenges posed by an urban location and national landmark status. The Friends Center campus in central Philadelphia is owned and operated by The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers.

Friends of the Earth

Faced with the need to renovate the heating and cooling plant, the Friends decided to take this opportunity to eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels and secure the future comfort of worshippers, office inhabitants, and the children and staff of the onsite daycare center using 100-percent renewable energy. Environmental integrity, responsible use of resources, and the goal of carbon neutrality were driving forces in the Friends’ decision-making process. In addition, their design solution had to take into account the campus’s location in center-city Philadelphia.

The centerpiece of the $12.5 million Friends Center renovation is a Carrier geothermal exchange system designed to eliminate the property’s reliance on fossil fuels for heating and cooling. Using deep wells installed directly below the Friends Center campus, the new system—which includes Carrier geothermal heat pumps, air handlers, air terminals, fan coil units, hot water coils, and digital controls—enabled the Friends to use geothermal technology despite their metropolitan location, in which the extensive surface water-loop of a typical geothermal system would have been impossible. In addition, the i-Vu® open protocol web-based building automation system was specified, enabling Friends Center staff to monitor and control every aspect of the geothermal system as well as other building functions.

The Friends Center campus includes three buildings: the Race Street Meetinghouse, a national historic landmark built in 1856, and two modern facilities that house office and conference space. The 54,000-square-foot facility is home to 19 nonprofit organizations and a daycare center. It is used by about 300 employees and 75 children each day, plus the congregation of the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. In addition to the goals of eliminating the Center’s dependence on nonrenewable resources and cutting greenhouse gas emissions to zero, the integrity of the Meetinghouse had to be preserved.

Digging Deep

Geothermal technology was identified as the key to the Friends Center’s sustainable future. A traditional geothermal system would have required a well field larger than possible in the middle of Philadelphia. Instead, six deep wells—the first in Pennsylvania—were drilled for the Center’s system. Each well is six inches in diameter and more than 1,500 feet deep. Water from the wells is used to supply the geothermal heat pumps, which provide heating and air conditioning for the Center. Carrier geothermal equipment was chosen to transform the latent energy of the well water into comfort for the inhabitants of the Center.

Jonathan Salemo, project manager for Elliott-Lewis, said, “We chose Carrier because they provided heat pumps and controls that met our requirements in terms of efficiency, capacity, features, and cost. I was very impressed with the operation of the Carrier water-to-water heat pumps and with their ability to operate as both a chiller and a boiler, allowing the system to provide simultaneous heating and cooling.” This ability enables Friends Center staff to manage the comfort of the highly diverse areas of the facility using one integrated system that draws solely on renewable energy.

Minimizing Waste

To avoid wastefully replacing equipment that was still in good working order, the new system was integrated into some existing components. The facility could not use ductwork, so individual water-to-air geothermal heat pumps were used to provide efficient space comfort. In the two newer buildings, Carrier’s Aquazone 50PSW water-to-water heat pumps replaced the existing chiller and city steam system. The existing air handler was improved with a variable speed drive, which increases efficiency and extends equipment life, while the air system was upgraded to variable air volume, another efficiency improvement. Finally, fan coil units were deployed in perimeter spaces to offset heating loads.

Robert Pry, senior controls engineer for Carrier, said, “One of the most significant challenges of the controls design at The Friends Center was the integration of water, air, and ancillary systems. The equipment was connected via the open protocol i-Vu system, which allows staff to observe and control the operation of the HVAC and rainwater collection systems.”

In the end, the careful process of renovating The Friends Center paid off. The Center eliminated its fossil fuel emissions of 326 tons per year and is now positioned for a sustainable future in its center-city location. The Center was rewarded with LEED Platinum certification, indicating that the Friends have obtained their goal of responsible comfort and good stewardship of resources.

For more information, visit www.commercial.carrier.com.

Message from Frank Schaetzke, M/SC Chairman: Tips, Tools, and Solutions Save More than Money

Several of our member suppliers provided us with valuable tips for this issue of Smart Solutions. CNA explains liability for non-owned vehicles, non-business use, and employees’ use of cell phones while driving. Grinnell Mechanical Products describes how to get the most out of a supplier’s technical services team. Lifting Gear Hire Corporation makes the case for renting over buying equipment to save time and money.

More contractors are seeing how prefabrication improves efficiency, such as Trautman & Shreve, which prefabricated Uponor’s crosslinked polyethylene tubing into customized “radiant mats,” dramatically cutting installation time. Efficient Victaulic prefabrication strategies and products also enabled Marelich Mechanical to speed up installation. Warwick Plumbing and Heating combined NIBCO products, prefabrication, and building information modeling to keep a major hospital expansion on track and on budget.

Suppliers are also coming up with new products to help contractors keep costs down, such as Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.’s Quad Close Trap Seal Device, which helped Brandt minimize installation time. John W. Danforth Company employed Viega’s MegaPress® carbon steel pipe joining system to save materials costs.

This issue demonstrates that cutting energy use and costs has become a priority for all types of projects, and new information technology is the tool that helps contractors achieve project goals. Straus Systems, for example, is expanding business by installing innovative Johnson Controls software that tracks energy use and spending. Limbach Company uses AirAdvice software and sensors to identify energy-saving fixes and drive business.

Soefker Services, LLC, is using Polar Technology software to manage their reclaim process for R-22 refrigerant. MMC Contractors overcame a museum’s complex design and environmental challenges with Technical Sales International software and tools.

H&R Mechanical Contractors found the ideal solution for a building that needed a quiet, energy efficient HVAC system with Baltimore Aircoil Company’s PT2 Cooling Towers. ACCO Engineered Systems solved a client’s air conditioning problems with BITZER CSW Screw Compressors. By opting for Carrier’s geothermal exchange system, Elliot-Lewis helped a historic landmark upgrade its heating and cooling plant and earn LEED® Platinum certification. With Greenheck products, an Iowa animal shelter cut its energy bills.

MCAA is happy to partner with suppliers that help you save—whether it’s saving time, saving money, or saving the environment.

Frank Schaetzke, Chairman

Trautman & Shreve Slash Labor Time and Costs with Uponor Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems

Novel Prefab Method Cuts Installation Time Down to Two Days

With an impossible deadline to meet, Trautman & Shreve needed an ultra-efficient tool to meet the twin performance criteria of energy efficiency and cost control for the new Research Support Facility (RSF) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO. So they prefabricated 42 miles of Uponor’s cross-linked polyethylene (PEX-a) tubing into customized “radiant mats” and installed them in just two days, dramatically cutting both labor time and costs.

The NREL is the nation’s only federal laboratory dedicated to the research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. When it came time to build the $64-million, 220,000-square-foot RSF, NREL engineers looked to Uponor radiant heating and cooling to help meet their energy-neutral goals.

“In designing and building the new facility, our aim was to move the needle in how America uses energy to heat and cool buildings,” NREL Senior Engineer Paul Torcellini said. “It isn’t enough to be energy-efficient when commercially viable technology exists to make buildings energy-neutral.”

High-Performance Design

Housing 800 staff members in an open work environment, RSF boosted NREL’s campus square footage by 60 percent but increased campus energy use by only six percent. Achieving this outcome wasn’t accidental. Thorough planning with the following mission-critical goals helped guide the design process:

  • Design and build a safe work environment
  • Achieve a LEED® Platinum rating
  • Aim for ENERGY STAR “Plus” in terms of energy usage

Unique Radiant Installation

A crew at Trautman & Shreve prefabricated 42 miles of Uponor radiant tubing into mats (shown here) customized for each zone of the Research Support Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, ultimately saving time and labor costs.

Tony Barela, project manager for Trautman & Shreve, said, “The job schedule was critical on this project,” Barela says. “We knew that the five days allocated to us were not enough time to build all the radiant heating and cooling zones. It was critical we find another way.”

Barela and superintendent Don Martinez worked with the local Uponor representatives to devise a prefabrication plan for the radiant zones. After mapping out all zones, Trautman & Shreve purchased Wirsbo hePEX™ tubing in standard 1,000- and 500-foot rolls, then, using three-foot plastic rails (with loops in six- to 10-inch spacings to hold the pipe together in an even width), they prefabricated their own radiant mats.

A crew of five people spent three months in the yard at Trautman & Shreve prefabricating each zone—laying out the tubing, tying it to the rails, and rolling up each mat for storage until the decks at RSF were ready for the tubing installation.

“Zones on this project ranged anywhere from 48 to 250 feet long and up to 24 feet wide,” Barela explained. “We customized each mat in whatever dimensions were needed.” For example, on the widest zone, four 6-foot mats were connected to complete that zone.

Once the RSF decks were ready, Trautman & Shreve used a crane to lift the large bundles of tubing. A crew unrolled the tubing, tied it down, and quickly made the necessary connections. The entire radiant tubing installation took only two days, enabling Trautman & Shreve to beat the deadline by three full days.

“Overall, we saved 28 days in the construction schedule,” Barela said, estimating the true day-savings was much more like 60 versus the time required in a conventional radiant installation. These savings, in turn, helped NREL meet its budgetary goals and tight construction schedule.

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

MCAA welcomes Uponor as a new member.

Victaulic Prefab Strategies and Products Help Marelich Mechanical Speed Up Installation, Cut Costs

Efficient prefabrication strategies and Victaulic products made it possible for California-based Marelich Mechanical to overcome a tight timeline and space constraints for a 43,000-square-foot data center project by speeding up the installation process and keeping costs down. Marelich Mechanical constructed all of the project’s mechanical and plumbing systems in just three months.

Tight Schedules, Tight Spaces

The construction schedule included the installation of the chiller plant and a variable-flow split system on the mezzanine level to service bathroom and support areas. The piping systems were also required to have built-in redundancies, and all systems needed to be designed for future expansion. The equipment included five air-cooled chillers as well as 10 interior Data Aire units, with two on the mezzanine level. Other equipment included six cold/hot water pumps with variable frequency drives, 12 relief air fans with variable frequency drives, a split system, an outside condenser, two fan coil units, and two heat recovery pumps.

In addition to the tight timeline, the project’s other largest challenge was the installation of 14-inch piping on the roof that would hang under and on top of the air-cooled chiller platform, which sat a mere five to six feet above the roof. To manage the process on a fast-track schedule, the contractors detailed the project’s mechanical system during the prefabrication process and assembled the piping in spools long enough to lower below the platform. Once fabricated in the shop, Bob Goldsberry, welder and piping superintendent, and the site foreman developed a 2D layout identifying how to sequence the piping onto the truck so that it could be delivered to the field in the right order at the right time.

During the prefabrication process, all pipe spools were uniquely itemized with the 2D layout so that all materials could be easily located. Additionally, Victaulic product was selected and delivered to the fabrication shop or the field based on the spool drawings so that it arrived when and where it was needed. This process of “bagging and tagging,” along with the truck sequencing, provided a seamless transition from fabrication shop to field. Victaulic’s new 3D software helps with trucking layouts, including cribbing and spool placement, to enhance productivity while reducing material handling.

Once on site, the piping was placed on the roof using a crane. The roof setup was quickly configured under the platform using the identification process, and all prefabricated pieces were strung underneath the platform. After the pipe was hung, the contractors secured the connections using Victaulic Advanced Groove System (AGS) couplings. The only grooved piping system to offer two-piece housing segments in all 14–60-inch sizes. The work was completed within three days, and ultimately, Marelich Mechanical completed the job on schedule. Goldsberry credited Victaulic for speeding up the process, saving costs, and reducing the crew size needed to handle and install the piping.

“Victaulic AGS couplings were a fast and simple joining system,” said Goldsberry. “The alternative was to use 14-inch flanges, which would have required much more time and labor than the Victaulic couplings.”

Prefabricated Victaulic pipe spools were loaded onto the truck in sequence so that they could easily be delivered to the jobsite in the right order at the right time, saving Marelich Mechanical time on the job.

Victaulic Demonstrates Lean Strategies

It was a trip to Easton, PA, that radically changed Marelich Mechanical’s piping fabrication strategies, making the data center project possible. Goldsberry toured the Victaulic manufacturing facility to learn how to shop-fabricate and assemble pipe more efficiently.

As part of the visit, Victaulic demonstrated ways to increase efficiencies in the fabrication process, minimize risks, control project schedules, and decrease fatigue of shop workers. The tooling that Victaulic demonstrated uses a minimal footprint to deliver one-man fabrication on 24-inch and down pipe. The lean layout of the shop fabrication tooling maximizes cell throughput and minimizes travel and set-up time between sizes/spools.

“The first time I saw it, I liked it right away. I’ve assembled grooved piping systems enough in the field that I could easily see the advantages of using the lean principles Victaulic was demonstrating and applying them in our prefabrication process,” said Goldsberry.

After witnessing the productivity of Victaulic prefabrication strategies, Marelich Mechanical made the decision to work with Victaulic to implement the same strategies in their own fabrication shop. The new tooling and work cell layout allowed Marelich Mechanical to fabricate and assemble grooved piping systems larger than 10 inches in the shop, something they had previously been unable to do because of the size and weight of the larger components.

Goldsberry said it would have been impossible to get all the pumps connected for the data center within one week without the Victaulic prefabrication strategies.

“There was no way we could complete the project in the scheduled time frame without fabricating in the shop with Victaulic,” said Goldsberry. “For our first large project using the new strategy, the process went extremely well. There is no way our people in the field could have welded the joints fast enough to be successful.”

Another benefit of fabricating in the shop with Victaulic, noted Goldsberry, was the ability to decrease excess material and garbage at the jobsite. Trash remained in the fabrication shop where it was easily managed, rather than getting in the way and wasting precious time in the field.

Prefabrication Is the Future

Because of the success they have had, Marelich Mechanical tries to put Victaulic prefabrication strategies to work on as many jobs as possible, particularly those that have a lot of small offsets or big equipment connections.

Being a welder, Goldsberry anticipated some initial skepticism surrounding the new processes, but he says that everyone on his team likes it. There was a minimal learning curve, and the process was simple and safe for fabricators in the shop. Goldsberry suggests that welders and mechanical contractors just starting to use grooved in their prefabrication processes approach it with an open mind.

“I credit our Victaulic fabrication strategies for getting the data center work,” said Goldsberry. “Prefabrication is the future of where our industry is going, and we plan to take advantage of it.”

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com.

Straus Systems Grows Business with Johnson Controls’ Innovative Technologies

The Central Plant Optimization™ (CPO) software from Johnson Controls that is helping a global marketer and distributor of food service products significantly reduce its central plant energy consumption is also helping Straus Systems of Stafford, TX, advance their position as a leader in the installation of new technologies. “Straus Systems has been in business since 1933, and we continue to build our job resume,” said Vice President of Operations Management Paul Alexander. “Projects like this one that incorporate innovative technologies like CPO30 can help us differentiate our company and grow our business. Our success serves as a springboard to capture new business, particularly among companies interested in best-inclass, energy-saving solutions.”

Transforming an Outdated Building

The client is wrapping up the third phase of a multi-phase renovation that began more than two years ago with the purchase of a 20-plus-year-old former call center facility. The company purchased the 660,000-square-foot structure to create a shared services facility for its North American distribution centers. When completed, the building will house centralized functions, such as customer service, accounts payable, and accounts receivable, and include a 24/7 mission critical data center.

During the first two phases of the renovation, Straus Systems installed three 350-ton air-cooled chillers to help get the data center operational and meet the challenge of transforming an outdated, vacant building into a code-compliant, state-of-the-art facility with built-in redundancy and building automation that protects against data center downtime and ensures the reliability of call center operations.

As phase three of the renovation nears completion, Straus Systems continues to provide HVAC support to the company. According to Alexander, phase-three accomplishments include the installation of two 1,200-ton water-cooled chillers, two two-cell stainless steel cooling towers, and new pumps, as well as a complete upgrade to the central plant control system. When installed and commissioned, the water-cooled chillers will provide primary cooling to the structure, with the air-cooled system assuming backup responsibilities and providing cooling during off hours.

Upgrading and Innovation

Straus updated the original Metasys® building management system from Johnson Controls with the newest version of Metasys to better manage the facility and provide critical redundancy. The new Metasys system will allow building staff to access, report, and use data on how the building is performing, including energy usage and spend by energy type. The system will help reduce energy consumption and costs while maintaining safe, comfortable, and sustainable environments. And because the system uses the latest web-based and wireless technologies, Metasys will ensure compatibility with mobile devices, allowing users to access the information they need anytime, anywhere.

“In this particular case, the Metasys system is also providing important continuity as we complete the water-cooled system changeout, helping to maintain proper chilled water flow throughout all parts of the building,” noted Alexander. The need for redundancy means the central plant displays twice the number of controllers as would ordinarily be required in a non-critical central plant, providing a myriad of backup scenarios that will ensure data center up-time and maintain call center operations.

“My experience with Metasys has demonstrated that it is a great system, tried and true in installations around the globe,” said Alexander. “But just as important as the product and how well it performs is my relationship with the supplier of that product. I have worked with the Johnson Controls rep on a variety of projects for a number of years, and I know him pretty well. So I have faith in what he says and the recommendations he makes. To me, contractor/supplier relationships like this go a long way toward achieving success and bringing value to the products we install and, more importantly, the customers we serve.”

“Added to the more efficient chillers that we’ve installed, [Johnson Controls’] CPO30 should really help the facility shine as a result of energy savings, and the customer is going to be delighted with those same energy savings when they see their utility bills.”

— Straus Systems Vice President of Operations Management Paul Alexander

This solid relationship and his successful track record with Johnson Controls products made it easier for Alexander and his customer to embrace another innovative technology that the renovated facility features—Johnson Controls CPO30 software. It features patented relational control technology to help significantly reduce central plant energy consumption. Algorithms will make continuous real-time automatic adjustments to the central plant based on building load and weather, while web-based dashboards will enable staff to efficiently measure, verify, and manage the building’s performance in real time.

Real-time data are especially important as the company strives for efficiency and works closely with their local utility to take advantage of rebates that reward improvements in energy efficiency. “CPO30 will help them achieve these rebates in two ways,” explained Alexander. “First, and what I’m most excited about, is the fact that the software will significantly improve operating efficiencies of the central plant. Added to the more efficient chillers that we’ve installed, CPO30 should really help the facility shine as a result of energy savings, and the customer is going to be delighted with those same energy savings when they see their utility bills. In addition, CPO30 will help them document these efficiencies and support their rebate application.”

“I look at this facility as the company’s front door—the place where customers gain access to an enormous product line and register their needs,” Alexander said. “If the facility shuts down, the door is locked, access is denied, and eventually, revenue is impacted. The door needs to remain open, and it most likely will, thanks to the combined efforts of Metasys and CPO30.”

For more information about Johnson Controls, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com.

Take Advantage of Expert Advice for Mechanical Piping System Design

Planning Support Helps Reduce Waste and Save Time

“Measure twice, cut once” is perhaps the oldest adage in the construction industry. Companies like Grinnell Mechanical Products offer a technical services team of experts who work with engineers and contractors to think through every detail, and the result is improved project management that reduces scrap, decreases labor, and saves money. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of mechanical services.

Use the Right Tools and Technical Team to Avoid Rework

The second most familiar saying in construction is, “The devil is in the details.” Failing to attend to the minutiae can send your project spiraling over budget and past deadline. Rework costs your company in three different ways: you pay for twice the labor and twice the materials and get off schedule, causing a ripple effect that usually goes right to the bottom line.

Building information modeling (BIM) minimizes this risk. Using BIM, the services vendor and the design and engineering teams at the commercial construction company can expedite plan development and identify conflicts in project documents before they become problems on the jobsite.

When considering a mechanical services provider, look for a vendor that can provide BIM information in the most useful form possible. Grinnell Mechanical Services offers Virtual Layout Process, which lets companies identify interferences and space constraints before they become work-delay issues. Vendors should also be able to provide the data in multiple file formats, such as AutoCAD® and Revit®, to ensure that files can be shared with all subcontractors in the format that best suits their needs.

Your Technical Expert Should See the Big Picture

The mechanical design services provider can and should help companies stay on schedule and on budget with reporting that addresses every aspect of the build—not just the plumbing, HVAC, or electrical.

In a mechanical room, for example, a mechanical services team should help resolve conflicts by focusing on a systems approach. The plumbing component of a BIM plan, for instance, must address vents, drains, gauges, sensors, and other parts beyond the pipe. The plan should identify the right solution and provide system controls, so that one solution does not create a problem in a separate system.

Further, mechanical services providers should always recommend the best technology available for a system—not just their own products. The provider’s solution must be specific to the details of the situation. For example, a piping problem may need to be resolved with connections that are welded, flanged, pressed, or some combination thereof. A plan that employs just one type of solution is probably not the best solution and may result in a less efficient or more expensive system that will be difficult to maintain and repair over the long run. A quality mechanical services provider should also bring creativity and in-depth knowledge to problem resolution.

Ensure a Smooth Transition From Planning to Project Site

One of the most difficult steps in any job is moving it from the planning phase to the actual build site. Thousands of details can derail the process. A full-service vendor can provide a roadmap for the transition, as well as tagged cut-to-length materials that allow contractors to use less manpower, produce less scrap, and stay on schedule.

Your services provider should supply drawings and bill-of-materials documents that let supervisors eliminate multiple shipments, back orders, and overages. Pre-fitted materials, bagged, tagged, and delivered to the jobsite, increase productivity by 25 percent or more, minimizing change orders, field cutting, and scrap.

While costs for materials, handling, and labor continue to rise, schedules keep getting shorter, and good skilled labor keeps getting harder to find. Using BIM and 3D planning documents will enable engineers and job planners to save money and avoid rework. It’s the modern way to measure twice, cut once.

For more information, visit www.grinnell.com.

Animal Shelter Cuts Energy Costs, Improves Environment with Greenheck Fans and Air Systems

For its new, expanded facility, the Almost Home Animal Shelter in Fort Dodge, IA, needed an air handling system that would heat and cool while saving energy, improve indoor air quality for employees and visitors as well as the animals, eliminate odors, and remove humidity. Not only did Greenheck products meet all of those needs, but the equipment paid for itself in less than two years, thanks to reduced energy costs.

The non-profit Humane Society of North Central Iowa opened the new 10,000-square-foot Almost Home shelter in September 2010. The new facility replaces two old buildings that had served as the community animal shelter with a combined size of 2,500 square feet. Although four times the size of the old shelters, the new shelter’s annual energy bills for gas and electric are just $16,600 compared to the old shelter’s annual bill of $25,000.

The new facility has 32 indoor/outdoor kennels as well as offices, a veterinarian room, a training room, and a community center for board meetings, community functions, and even birthday parties. Separating kennel air from the office and the community center area was important to prevent odor infiltration.

Optimizing Energy Efficiency

Two Greenheck dedicated outdoor air systems with heating, cooling, and a total enthalpy energy wheel (Model ERCH) were installed at the new animal shelter to service the office area and the kennel area separately. The dedicated outdoor air systems employ total enthalpy energy recovery wheels, modulating supply and exhaust fans, and CO2-based demand control systems for optimum energy efficiency.

Model ERCH combines the benefit of a total energy wheel with supplemental heating and cooling. Fresh outdoor air is preconditioned year-round by the enthalpy wheel, recovering up to 80 percent of the heating and cooling energy contained in the exhaust air. The enthalpy wheel also removes the humidity from the warm Iowa summer air prior to entering the cooling coil, reducing the overall tonnage required to temper the fresh outdoor air and greatly reducing energy usage.

Factory-mounted variable frequency drives (VFDs), modulated by CO2 levels, further enhance the units’ efficiency by only delivering the required amount of outdoor air to the space. Ceiling exhaust fans (Model SP) and an inline cabinet fan (Model CSP) were installed to remove stale air from all areas as well as excessive moisture from the frequently washed kennel area, ensuring fresh, comfortable, odorless air for both people and animals.

Actual energy savings were much greater than originally anticipated. The original ventilation plan did not include the two Greenheck energy recovery units, and annual energy costs for the building were projected to be $40,000– $50,000. Larry Clement, a board member for the animal shelter, says the two Model ERCH units paid for themselves in less than two years based on the actual annual energy costs they experienced since the shelter opened.

“We know that the savings will continue for many years to come, and that’s important to our operations budget,” Clement said. “We couldn’t be happier with the quiet operation and the quality of indoor air. You don’t hear the fans running at all. And with 12–15 air exchanges per hour in the office area and the kennel area, there are absolutely no odors present in the office or community center area. We had a lot of respect for the quality of Greenheck products prior to installing them, but this ventilation system has exceeded our expectations, and those expectations were high.”

For more information, visit www.greenheck.com.

With BAC Cooling Towers, H&R Mechanical Contractors Meets University’s Demands for Energy Efficient, Quiet Systems

Science Building Earns LEED Certification with Recycled Materials, Minimum Waste

When faced with the challenges of installing a quiet, energy efficient HVAC system for Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU’s) new, state-of-theart science building, H&R Mechanical Contractors selected Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) PT2 Cooling Towers. The PT2 towers not only solve the energy challenges but are equipped with several features that keep noise to a minimum. The new campus facility, located in Richmond, KY, houses classrooms and labs for the departments of Chemistry, Science, and Physics & Astronomy.

Going Green

The university focused on building a sustainable, energy efficient facility. The new building meets the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® certification requirements. More than 60 percent of the materials used in the construction were diverted from a landfill. The building was constructed using recycled materials, including the rubble from nearby demolished buildings to create the cement fill, which meant that EKU did not have to truck in expensive cement. The building also has a stream system that traps rainfall and stores it as stormwater and an energy recovery exhaust air ventilation system that allows hot or cold air from the airstream to be recycled using a glycol loop, saving on heating and cooling costs.

To ensure that the HVAC system aligned with the sustainable and environmentally conscious mission of EKU, H&R Mechanical reached out to the local BAC representative for help with the system design. The all-stainless-steel PT2 Cooling Towers are inherently green, as BAC constructs them out of 64-percent recycled content. They exceed ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and have Cooling Technology Institute-certified thermal performance. The PT2 also comes equipped with premium, efficient, cooling tower duty motors. The motors have variable-frequency drives (VFDs) that provide soft starts, conserving energy by gradually ramping up the start speed and preventing high stresses on the belts, bearings, and fans.

Anticipating Future Needs

Another challenge also arose during the design phase. While the new building is not currently located near any residence halls, plans were in the works to build a new residence hall next to it in the coming years. Thus, the project provided significant sound challenges that H&R Mechanical addressed with the PT2’s various low sound options.

Cooling tower motors and fans, as well as the cascading water inside of the tower, can make the sound from the cooling towers noticeable. The BAC PT2 Cooling Towers for EKU were equipped with low sound fans and discharge attenuation to quiet the mechanical components. The issue of cascading water was eliminated with water silencers in the cold water basin. The soft starts from the VFDs on the motors also prevent loud start-up noises.

While energy efficiency and low sound were the primary drivers for selecting the BAC cooling towers, the EKU maintenance team was also concerned about the HVAC system’s durability and ease of preventive maintenance. The team has worked with BAC products in the past on other parts of the EKU campus and wanted a partner they could trust for rigging, support, and service. The PT2 makes maintenance easier with a motor removal system; all motor removal system options include davit arms to facilitate motor rigging, maintenance, and replacement.

The towers are constructed of stainless steel, providing superior corrosion protection. To ensure that maintenance is accessible and safe, H&R Mechanical Contractors worked with EKU and BAC to equip the two cooling towers with ladders and access platforms, which include handrails and safety gates, all of which are OSHA-compliant.

Construction on the EKU New Science Building is complete, and other campus construction continues with more projects on the horizon. Energy efficiency and sustainability remain the driving focus of EKU’s mission, and partnering with local contractors and vendors is important. H&R Mechanical Contractors will continue to provide HVAC support and assistance throughout the life of the equipment, helping EKU conserve energy and resources.

For more information on Baltimore Aircoil Company, visit www.baltimoreaircoil.com/mcaa.