Cam Magazine July 2009 Mechanical Environmental Construction

July 1 Web Cover

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VOL. 30 • NO. 7 • $4.00

IN THIS ISSUE:

“VOICE OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY”

MECHANICAL Super-Sized Valves in Warren and DDOT Central Maintenance Facility Upgrade

ENGINEERED EXPERIENCE: New Multi-Media Theater at Detroit Science Center

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Blade Restaurant, Fountainebleau Resort Miami, Florida

The Trend Millwork Group of Companies Union Manufacturers Since 1964 Lincoln Park, Michigan / Ann Arbor, Michigan Windsor, Ontario, Canada

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2009 SUMMERSPECIALS JULY FEATURE: DON’T HAVE THE TIME, MANPOWER, OR MONEY TO HAVE YOUR UNDERCARRIAGE UPDATED THIS TIME OF THE CONSTRUCTION SEASON??

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Contact your local Product Support Sales Representative today! Larry Moran Denny Ignatowski Dave Brown Rick Welch Luke Powers Greg Corbat Tim Fleszar Roger Barber

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ON-SITE LABOR CONTRACTS THE NEW WAY TO MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT Imagine if you had a Cat Certified, trained and equipped technician at your disposal. You could reduce your downtime and cut costs. No longer would you have to worry about shop tools, inventory, clean-up, rework and training a new service employee. Just think, you would have Cat Technical Support available when you need it!

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©2009 Caterpillar All rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, ”Caterpillar Yellow” and the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

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34 Heavy Metal Meets High-Energy Bills

HydroTherm Offers Ultra-Energy Efficient Cast Iron Boiler

36 The Green Toolbelt

Turner Construction Establishes Subcontractor

“VOIC E OF TH E CONSTR UCTION I N DUSTRY”

LEED AP Policy

®

FEATURES 14 On the Jobsite

Ottawa Street Power Station: A Powerhouse of a Project

MECHANICAL

40 Greenprint for the Future Got Soy? BioBased® Insulation Offers

Sustainable Spray Foam

CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHT

18 Thrown Under the Bus

DDOT’s Central Maintenance Facility

22 Blue Rover

Detroit Water and Sewer Department Installs Largest Presure Relief Valve System in Michigan

ENVIRONMENTAL

44 Engineered Experience

New Immersive Multi-Media Experience at the Detroit Science Center

DEPARTMENTS

26 Building a New Mindset at Skyline High School

New High School Supports Lush Expanse of Forest and Pond

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Industry News Safety Tool Kit Product Showcase People in Construction CAM Welcomes New Members CAM Buyers Guide Update Construction Calendar Advertisers Index “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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PUBLISHER EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Kevin N. Koehler Amanda M. Tackett E. Dewey Little

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Mary E. Kremposky David R. Miller

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGN DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Matthew J. Austermann Marci L. Christian Gregg A. Montowski Cathy A. Jones

DIRECTORS OFFICERS Chairman

Robert J. Michielutti, Jr., Michielutti Bros., Inc.

Vice Chairman

Brian J. Brunt, Brunt Associates

Vice Chairman

Glenn E. Parvin, C.A.S.S.

Treasurer

R. Andrew Martin, F.H. Martin Constructors

President

Kevin N. Koehler

DIRECTORS

Stephen J. Auger, Stephen Auger + Associates Architects

M. James Brennan Broadcast Design & Construction, Inc.

James C. Capo, DeMattia Group

Brian D. Kiley, Edgewood Electric, Inc.

Frank G. Nehr, Jr. Davis Iron Works

John O'Neil, Sr., W.J. O'Neil Company

Donald J. Purdie, Jr. Detroit Elevator Company

Jacqueline LaDuke Walters, LaDuke Roofing & Sheet Metal

2006 GRAPHIC DESIGN USA MARCOM International Creative Awards

AMERICAN INHOUSE DESIGN AWARD

Gallery of Fine Printing 2002 Bronze Award

2005 Gold Award

Michigan Society of Association Executives 2002, 2004, 2005 & 2007 Diamond Award 2003, 2006 Honorable Mention

The Communicator International Print Media Competition Overall Association Magazine Magazine Writing

CAM Magazine (ISSN08837880) is published monthly by the Construction Association of Michigan, 43636 Woodward Ave., P.O. Box 3204, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204 (248) 972-1000. $24.00 of annual membership dues is allocated to a subscription to CAM Magazine. Additional subscriptions $40.00 annually. Periodical postage paid at Bloomfield Hills, MI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER, SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: CAM MAGAZINE, 43636 WOODWARD AVE., BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302-3204. For editorial comment or more information: [email protected]. For reprints or to sell CAM Magazine: 248-972-1000. Copyright © 2008 Construction Association of Michigan. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. CAM Magazine is a registered trademark of the Construction Association of Michigan.

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“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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REPRESENTING

INSURANCE & BONDING General Insurance • Surety Bonds 1175 West Long Lake Rd. Suite 200 • Troy, MI 48098 248-828-3377 Fax 248-828-4290 - Bonding 248-828-3741 - Insurance e-mail:[email protected] www.vtcins.com Al Chandler Bob Trobec Mike Miller Del Valenti Ian Donald

Rod Gawel Tim O’Malley Joe McIntyre Kathy Irelan Tom Skuza

Jason McLelland Jeff Chandler Jim Boland Julie Rourke Ken Boland

Teresa Casey Gary J. Beggs Ken Kelbert Chad Teague

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INDUSTRY

NEWS

Special Dreams Farm “Land to Hoe” Cruise – Save the Date!

August 7, 2009 is the date for the next fundraising event for Special Dreams Farm. The "Land to Hoe" Cruise aboard the 138foot yacht "Ovation" on beautiful Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River will raise both awareness and funds for the organization's newly acquired 31-acre farm in St. Clair County. Special Dreams Farm is a place for developmentally challenged adults to work, contribute, find meaning and self-esteem. Those with special needs can actually work the Farm, planting, harvesting and selling crops. The Farm also provides recreational activities such as swimming and therapeutic horseback riding so participants can have fun while increasing their self-confidence and physical abilities. The "Land to Hoe" Cruise will be a firstclass event. The three-and-a-half hour evening cruise will feature an ongoing gourmet supper, premium open bar, dancing, and entertainment by the ten-piece Kimme Horne Show Band. The Michigan construction industry has been a great supporter of Special Dreams Farm in the past. Both sponsorships and individual tickets are available. For more information, please call Marian at (586) 7495377, Mary at (586) 716-9863, Jeanne at (248) 361-1891, or visit the website at www.specialdreamsfarm.org.

CertainTeed Corporation Presented with the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Exceptional Energy Management

CertainTeed Corporation and its parent company, Saint-Gobain, are honored to be selected as a 2009 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Energy Management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This prestigious award recognizes SaintGobain and all of its North American businesses, including CertainTeed, for their accomplishments and leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. CertainTeed, a leading North American manufacturer of building products, is the first-ever manufacturer of fiberglass insulation to win the award. Well known for the manufacture of sustainable building products, environ-

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mental responsibility also plays a leading role in CertainTeed’s daily operations. For example, the company’s insulation facility in Chowchilla, CA, was able to leverage its investment in metering and controls to reduce energy use in its manufacturing process. The advanced metering systems provided the information to operators that allowed them to make more informed decisions, which led to improved consistency and energy savings. CertainTeed’s insulation plant in Athens, GA, reduced energy consumption by 7 percent in 2008, while the Mountaintop, PA, insulation plant reduced consumption by 6.11 percent per unit. The company’s roofing plant in Shreveport, LA reduced its use of natural gas by 15 percent and received a 2008 Save Energy Now award from the U.S. Department of Energy. CertainTeed is not only a leader in resourceful manufacturing operations, but also in the manufacture of products that help create more comfortable and healthy homes and buildings. CertainTeed manufactures a variety of energy-efficient products, including fiberglass insulation batts and rolls; fiberglass blow-in insulation; polyurethane spray foam; smart vapor retarders; Landmark™ Solaris Solar Reflective Roofing Shingles; CedarBoards™ Insulated Siding; and the T-Roc™ Thermal Insulation System, along with many others that are ENERGY STAR certified. Many of these products can also help homeowners earn energy efficiency federal tax credits included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. CertainTeed products have also been used in a variety of energy-efficient green building projects, including the Comcast Center in Philadelphia, the tallest LEED® Gold certified building in the United States; 7 World Trade Center in New York, and the world’s first LEED Platinum home remodeling project in Minnetonka, MN. ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award winners include Fortune 500 companies and small business, all dedicated to reaching annual goals to shrink energy use. ENERGY STAR works with more than 12,000 organizations to improve the energy efficiency of products, homes and businesses. ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award winners are selected from the organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program. EPA introduced ENERGY STAR in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes, and “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. In 2007, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $16 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov. To learn more about CertainTeed and energy efficiency products, visit the newly redesigned www.certainteed.com.

increasingly look to us to provide leadership in helping them achieve their green building goals, and engaging a fully LEED AP team from planning through execution makes realizing those goals much easier. Being green isn’t just something we do at Christman for show or to follow a trend—it’s something that translates into good business and it’s how we strive to operate on a daily basis.” LEED AP accreditation is awarded

through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a national organization dedicated to expanding sustainable building practices and education. LEED APs undergo a rigorous instruction process that culminates in a comprehensive test. Once accredited, a LEED AP is able to be a key participant in the design process that supports and encourages integrating sustainable design features into construction projects. Having a LEED AP

The Christman Company List of LEED APs Reaches 65 Construction Management Firm Demonstrates Commitment to Sustainable Construction

The Christman Company recently reached a major green milestone when its 65th employee achieved LEED Accredited Professional (AP) status. This puts Christman nearly two-thirds of the way toward its goal of having all planning and operations staff become LEED APs, including the company’s project engineers, managers, executives, superintendents, and project planners. LEED APs have the skills to work within the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, which sets the standards for sustainable green building and development practices through universally accepted tools and performance criteria. In just under a year, Christman has more than quintupled its LEED AP staff through a focused company-wide effort on developing this area of expertise, with more soon expected to join the ranks. “Christman’s LEED APs have displayed a commitment to strengthening their knowledge of sustainable construction, and we are proud of them all,” said Christman CEO Steven F. Roznowski, LEED AP. Roznowski, leading by example, has also earned LEED AP status as part of the initiative. “Our clients and business partners

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working on a project also streamlines the process for that building to receive LEED certification. Christman’s efforts to train its operations and planning staff go far beyond just “teaching to the test,” rather a true understanding, capability, and expertise in LEED is generated. The company has achieved developing employee expertise in sustainable design and construction principles by employing both its significant green project experience and highly effective LEED project management tools developed by company leaders. Christman’s experience in sustainable construction includes nearly three dozen projects, with the majority LEED Registered (in progress) or Certified. The list of LEED certified projects include the company’s own national headquarters, The Christman Building, in downtown Lansing. The Christman Building received the world’s first “Double Platinum” LEED certification, earning LEED Platinum status for both its commercial interiors and its core and shell. Christman’s new West Michigan headquarters in Grand Rapids is following closely behind, with a LEED Platinum certification expected for Christman’s commercial interior spaces and LEED Gold

certification for the building’s core and shell. With corporate headquarters in Lansing, Christman maintains offices in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Plymouth, as well as locations in Alexandria, VA and Augusta, GA.

Onset Weather Stations Track Green Roof Performance at Ford Plant Web-based systems track soil moisture and weather conditions on one of the world’s largest green roofs Onset Computer Corporation, the world’s leading supplier of data loggers, recently announced that Ford Motor Company has installed the company’s Web-based weather stations on the green rooftop of its environmentally friendly Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn. Two Onset HOBO® U30 weather stations monitor soil moisture levels on the green roof, as well as general rooftop weather conditions, and transmit the data to the Internet for access by Ford engineers. The data is being used on an ongoing basis to verify that the 10.4-acre vegetated roof is helping to reduce the amount of stormwater released after periods of rainfall. The data also helps plant personnel maintain the

health of the rooftop’s sedum groundcover, and contributes to the energy savings at the plant by reducing heating and cooling costs. Ford Motor Company’s actions to reduce the amount of energy used to manufacture vehicles and support its U.S. operations have earned it a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s coveted 2009 ENERGY STAR Award for the fourth consecutive year. The company’s HOBO data logger and weather station products are used around the world in a broad range of monitoring applications, from verifying the performance of green buildings and renewable energy systems to agricultural and coastal research. Based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Onset has sold more than one million data loggers since the company’s founding in 1981. For more information visit Onset at www.onsetcomp.com or call 1 (800) 5644377 or (508) 759-9500.

French Associates, Inc. Announces Partnership with ENERGY STAR®

French Associates, Inc., Rochester, recently announced a fundamental commitment to protect the environment by

SAFETY TOOL KIT Announcing the 2008 CAM Safety Achievement Award Winners

E

ach year we bestow our Safety Achievement Awards to those contractors who maintain injury rates below industry average, as set by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We divide the applicants into three groups based on hours work, and then take the average of Lost Workday Case rates and Recordable rates. Submitted Experience Modification Ratings (EMR) then breaks any ties that should occur. The top Joseph M. Forgue Director of Education three companies in each category receive & Safety Services Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, while all others receive a recognition certificate. We also award special honors to the entry with the lowest EMR. This year’s top awards went to:

Gold: Walsh Construction Group; Ideal Contracting, LLC; and Centerline Electric, Inc.

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Silver: Barrett Paving Materials, Inc.; Eagle Excavating Co.; and Midwest Steel, Inc. Bronze: George W. Auch Company; Power Process Piping, Inc.; and Ajax Paving Industries The Lowest EMR Award went to Alberici Constructors, Inc. There were a total of 37 submissions this year. This is a good way to recognize your employees for maintaining a good safety record. Of course we will be doing this again next year, so don’t forget to submit your application!

And please remember that CAMSAFETY is offering FREE, on-site and hands-on safety training under our grant from MIOSHA. To find out more about this opportunity, contact me at 248-972-1141 or at [email protected]. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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becoming an ENERGY STAR partner. French Associates’ voluntary partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program means that French Associates will continue to help their clients improve the energy efficiency and performance of their facilities. French believes that an organization-wide energy management approach will help its clients enhance their financial health and aid in preserving the environment for future generations. In partnership with ENERGY STAR, French Associates will help its clients measure and track the energy performance of their facilities at all locations, and set a goal to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings by 10 percent or more, in support of the ENERGY STAR challenge. French Associates will also encourage its staff and community to learn about the benefits of energy efficiency and to implement appropriate energy-efficiency measures. The architectural firm will also encourage other architects, engineers and developers with whom they work to join ENERGY STAR and take the ENERGY STAR challenge. On average, French Associates has been able to help its clients reduce energy consumption by nearly 20 percent each year. In fact, some clients have seen their facilities realize over a 30 percent reduction in total energy consumption and nearly an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions, resulting in cleaner air and a healthier environment.

Locally Grown Tomatoes in January? New Commercial Greenhouse May Soon Sprout in Mt. Pleasant

Eating locally grown produce in the middle of January may become a possibility thanks to Archiopolis Architects, LLC. The Ann Arbor-based architectural firm has designed a modular northern climate hybrid solar greenhouse for commercial purposes. The greenhouse is designed to use a geothermal or geo-exchange system for cold-weather heating and warm-weather cooling, said Ed Kelly, RA, Archiopolis principal. Passive solar energy strategies are employed to drive down energy consumption to the lowest level possible. “The most important passive solar energy strategy in this type of structure is the use of insulated shades,” said Bob Tinker, RA, fellow Archiopolis principal. Like a flower closing its petals at dusk, the greenhouse

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closes at night, meaning the insulated panels seal over the greenhouse glass, allowing the structure to retain all the heat collected during the day. Kelly explains further: “The greenhouse has large, pivoting, insulating reflector panels between the 12-foot bays. The panels have a solar foil underside that is cranked up in the daytime reflecting additional light down to the growing area. At night, the panels pivot down to the ceiling level.” The greenhouse owner then doesn’t have to heat as much air volume in the greenhouse. Archiopolis now has a client interested in creating a community greenhouse in Mt. Pleasant. Central Michigan University agricultural engineers would monitor the experimental installation. “It is not a totally proven concept yet, and it will take some experimentation,” said Tinker. A Midwest commercial greenhouse manufacturer will be selected as the engineer and builder of this greenhouse system. An engineering colleague of Kelly’s created the concept of the pivoting, insulating reflectors in the late ‘70s. “He actually built a 6,000-square-foot version of this greenhouse,” recalled Kelly. “It was operational for three years; he even patented the process in 1981.” The patent expired in 1998; the inventor also passed away. “His wife and some of his engineering friends contacted me and said, ‘can you breath life back into this,’” continued Kelly. “We then created a set of 3D CAD concept plans.” His former colleague’s legacy may spring to life this year. “We hope to get the first prototype up and running this fall,” said Kelly. The Michigan Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture may provide a grant under the Rural Energy for America Program. The

program may offset 25 percent of the cost of the renewable energy systems employed in the project, such as the geo-exchange system and passive solar strategies.

CAM Magazine Now on Facebook & Twitter

CAM Magazine has now expanded its online presence beyond our homepage to include the popular networking sites Facebook and Twitter. Twitter users from around the world can sign up and receive instant updates and links to CAM Magazine news and features, as well as receive alerts and promotions from CAM. Visit our Twitter page at www.twitter.com/CAMMagazine. Facebook users can also receive news and updates on CAM Magazine features, view project photos, as well as post comments and be involved in online discussions. Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com and search for CAM Magazine.

CAM Magazine Correction

In CAM Magazine’s June 2009 issue, an incorrect group photo was placed on page 8 in the news brief, “WCA Unrolls the Red Carpet for 2009 Pyramid Award Winners.” The news brief, describing the Pyramid Award granted to the Romulus Athletic Center under the heading, Best Project Team – Projects between $3 Million & $25 Million, should have been attached to the photo shown below. The gentlemen in the photo (from left to right) are: George Nixon,

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SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN ROOFING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS T. F. Beck Co. Rochester Hills MI 248.852.9255

Detroit Cornice & Slate Co. Lutz Roofing Co., Inc. Ferndale MI Shelby Twp. MI 248.398.7690 586.739.1148

J. D. Candler Roofing Co., Inc. Livonia MI 313.899.2100

Fisher Roofing Co., Inc. Dearborn Heights MI 313.292.8090 LaDuke Roofing & Sheet Metal Oak Park MI 248.414.6600

Christen/Detroit Detroit MI 313.837.1420

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North Roofing Co. Auburn Hills MI 248.373.1500

Schena Roofing & Sheet Metal Co., Inc. Chesterfield MI 586.949.4777

Dave Pomaville & Sons, Inc. Warren MI Schreiber Corporation 586.755.6030 Detroit MI 313.864.4900 Newton Crane Roofing, Inc. Royal Roofing Co. Orion MI Pontiac MI 248.276.ROOF (7663) 248.332.3021 M.W. Morss Roofing, Inc. Romulus MI 734.942.0840

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project manager, Wilkie & Zanley, Architects, Wyandotte; David M. Zanley, principal, Wilkie & Zanley, Architects; and Dennis J. Levko, vice president, J.S. Vig Construction Company, Taylor.

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PHOTO BY IKE LEA, COURTESY OF THE CHRISTMAN COMPANY

By Mary E. Kremposky, Associate Editor construction riddle: How do you transform a power plant into an office building, reconfiguring its structural steel frame and even changing the floor lines all within the confines of an intact masonry shell? The Christman Company of Lansing is solving this 220,000-square-foot riddle as part of the transformation of the former Ottawa Street Power Station in Lansing into the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America’s national headquarters. “As far as we know, the project is the largest transformation of a power plant in the world,” said Chad A. Teeples, Christman’s senior project manager. Ironically, the Lansing power plant, now undergoing adaptive reuse as an office building, was originally designed to resemble an office building. The Lansing-based Bowd-Munson Company designed the elegant masonry shell and decorative windows to complement the downtown buildings of Michigan’s capitol city. Coal was never combusted in a lovelier shell. The expansive Art Deco windows echo the tiered configuration of the building, a nine-

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story structure rising to a height of 192 feet in four distinct segments. Christman will replace all of the original windows with energyefficient and historical replicas. The masonry even celebrates the act of burning coal; the building was originally constructed in the late 1930s with a 1940s addition - a time when people worried more about Hitler than greenhouse gases. The black granite base represents coal; the brick façade subtly changes color, moving from purple and red near the base to orange and yellow in its upper reaches as a symbol of combustion rendered in stone and brick. Limestone accent bands complete this beautiful masonry shell that helped earn the building a berth on the National Register of Historic Places. The project required some brick and mortar repair. Schiffer Mason Contractors, Inc., Holt, is handling the masonry restoration. Complementing this mid-century gem, Christman is also constructing and linking a four-story, 100,000-square-foot addition to the old station. The contemporary glass curtain wall building will “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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MAINTAINING A PLANT WITHIN A PLANT Another milestone is anticipated in October 2009, namely the dismantling of a fully operational chilled water plant installed by the Lansing Board of Water and Light in the late ‘90s. (The power station was decommissioned in the mid-80s.) Because this vital plant supplies air conditioning to Lansing’s state and municipal offices, Christman Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

Removing select members of the existing steel structure without disturbing the stability of the building was based on a thorough structural and stability analysis.

PHOTO BY IKE LEA, COURTESY OF THE CHRISTMAN COMPANY

BUILDING A SHIP WITHIN A BOTTLE Groundbreaking occurred on this $182 million dollar project Oct. 9, 2008. The Christman team had to surgically remove structural steel members, selecting pieces from throughout the massive plant, all without disturbing the stability of the building. Troy-based Ruby + Associates, Inc., Christman’s structural engineering consultants, performed a stability analysis to determine a precise sequence for dismantling the pieces. According to Teeples, elements of the original structure fell into three different categories: steel members, concrete floors and interior masonry walls slated for immediate demolition; steel elements retained temporarily for stability but ultimately tagged for removal; and the massive, riveted steel columns destined to permanently become part of the transformed building. Actual physical removal and insertion of steel was the second piece of the puzzle to fall into place. Tackling the problem from both ends, Christman carved a 15 x 15 foot hole in the foundation wall to remove existing materials and build the lower floors. “We drove a 60-ton crane down into the basement through the hole to erect the first three floors,” said Teeples. Because the newly built floors blocked access for large steel pieces, Christman then hoisted steel members through four 20 x 20 foot openings in the roof. “We picked each piece of steel up one at a time, lowered them through the roof opening, placed the steel on carts, and wheeled them across the floor. We then hoisted the steel into place, and welded or bolted it.” Douglas Steel Fabricating Corporation, the Lansing-based structural steel contractor, repeated this process about 800 times, once for each of the approximately 800 steel pieces lowered through the roof openings. The Christman team compares the process to building a ship in a bottle. Teeples provides the timeline for this precision work sequence. Christman began demolition of the plant’s interior elements in early October 2008, removing about 12,000 tons of steel and concrete from within the power plant and leaving a fairly cavernous interior. MidMarch 2009 marked the beginning of turning this cavernous hollow into contemporary office space by hoisting in the steel for construction of new floors. “The retained elements went out as the new floors went up,” said Teeples. “The power plant has different floor elevations and different requirements than an office, so the floors didn’t match.” Christman reconfigured the interior steel and floors all the way up to the seventh level by July 2009. Labor Day 2009 will mark a major milestone for the project: all the complicated reshuffling of steel for new floors will be completed and in place.

PHOTO BY MARCI CHRISTIAN

contrast with the historic power station, as well as serve as a window drawing in grand vistas of the original building. As demolition contractor, Homrich Inc., Carleton, demolished three 3-story buildings due north of the plant to clear the way for the new addition. Merlyn Contractors, Inc., Novi, handled excavation and site utilities, and Rohrscheib Sons Caissons, Inc., New Hudson, placed caissons to a depth of 32 feet for the new addition. The entire project is the result of an intricate redevelopment package of diverse financing sources assembled by a public-private partnership with equally diverse and numerous project partners, including Christman as project developer, the Accident Fund’s parent company Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the City of Lansing, the State of Michigan, and the Lansing Board of Water and Light. The ambitious project will also be LEED® certified.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this soaring building rises in four distinct tiers to a full height of 192 feet. An overhead crane rail (lower right), once used to service the power plant turbines, will be incorporated into the new development. had to protect this operating plant throughout the demolition and steel phases. Christman is building a new chiller plant as part of the project. Once built, the existing plant can be decommissioned and the three large cooling towers covering the Art Deco building’s western face will be uncovered. Demolition of an adjacent parking deck, beginning in early August 2009, will complete the unveiling of this once-obscured façade along Grand River Avenue. CAM MAGAZINE

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Temporary plastic enclosures protect this two-story-high chiller plant that occupies the first two levels of a section of the building. Christman also built a “cushion” of rubber tires and steel plates to shield the plant from falling debris and floor vibrations during construction. Beyond the power station, construction is proceeding with other components of this multifaceted project. Late June 2009 marked the beginning of steel erection on the fourstory addition due north of the former power plant. A steam pressure reducing station located within the building near the chiller plant had to be relocated to a specially built vault outside the building. This powerhouse of a project is expected to reach substantial completion by the end of 2010 with owner occupancy slated for April 2011. Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, St. Louis, MO, is the lead architect; Quinn/Evans Architects, Ann Arbor is the historical architect; Tower, Pinkster, Kalamazoo, is the project’s mechanical and electrical engineer; and ARUP’s Chicago office is HOK’s structural engineering consultant on this amazing project. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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MECHANICAL

B Y D AV I D R . M I L L E R , A S S O C I AT E E D I TO R eing abandoned by friends or turned into a scapegoat is usually an unpleasant experience. The phrase “thrown under the bus” quickly gained traction as a way of describing this phenomenon because it simultaneously speaks to the actions of others that put a person in the position and to the duress it causes. Most people would not want to be under a bus, but some people do their best work there. Without the dedicated work of maintenance personnel who are willing to work under a bus voluntarily, even the newest vehicles would eventually grind to a halt. General contractor DeMaria Building Company, Detroit, and architect/engineer URS Corp., Southfield, recently combined their talents to make the world under the bus a little brighter by upgrading the DDOT’s Central Maintenance Facility in Detroit. Allied, Inc., Ann Arbor, supplied and installed new hydraulic hoists, while PartlanLabadie Sheet Metal Co., Oak Park, installed ventilation and vehicle exhaust systems as a part of this effort.

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HYDRAULIC HOISTS DDOT’s Central Maintenance Facility was in dire need of attention before the project. The hydraulic hoists that elevate vehicles for service were a key concern. “Before we came in, about 40 percent of the hoists were operational,” explained Trey Neubauer, project manager, commercial and industrial groups, DeMaria Building Company. These functioning hoists were scattered around the 95,000-square-

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P H OTO S B Y C U R T C L AY TO N S T U D I O S foot facility, so DeMaria divided the work into four phases to keep some hoists in working order throughout the project. A total of 49 new hoists were installed. Unlike the existing units, which were 30 to 40 years old, these Rotary® hoists included modern safety features. “The biggest safety feature is the mechanical locking system,” said Thomas Clark, sales manager for Allied, Inc. “The lifts are electrically/hydraulically operated, so they are held up by hydraulic pressure. These lifts have a mechanical locking system that is totally independent of the hydraulic system.” Both the new and existing lifts feature a restricting orifice that regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the cylinder, which provides some protection against a sudden drop. In the event of a massive rupture, lifts without a mechanical locking system could drop in as little as 7-8 seconds. Odds are, an observant maintenance worker would have time to get out of the way, but only a mechanical locking system is a sure bet, as it prevents the drop all together with a spring activated, pneumatically released locking dog that automatically engages every three inches as the lift goes up. Pits for the hoists are about eight feet deep and are made of solid concrete with reinforcing steel. The uppermost concrete was removed, but the base of each existing pit was salvaged to cut costs. The concrete pits needed to be adapted to an entirely different configuration, as the existing lifts had no mechanical locking system. The old system included several pumping stations with common hydraulic and return lines supporting multiple lifts. Problems along “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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an ordeal. Replacement parts were not available, so the system underwent continual modifications with comparable parts from other manufacturers. Toward the end of their functional lives, two or three hoists were routinely “Frankensteined” together to create a single functioning machine. The new hoists will operate much more efficiently and also in a more pleasant environment thanks to the ventilation upgrades installed by PartlanLabadie. VENTILATION SYSTEMS Much like the hoists, the system designed to vent vehicle exhaust at DDOT’s Central Maintenance Facility was showing its age. “The existing system was antiquated,” said Craig Pessina of Partlan-Labadie. “It was an underground system, but that made sense because a lot of the older busses had low exhaust discharges. All of the new busses exhaust out the top, so hoses had to be brought all the way up from the floor to the top of the busses. The hoses wouldn’t stay attached and bends prevented them from providing proper exhaust.” Partlan-Labadie installed over 50 manually retractable hose reels supported by a total of 12 fans. Ten, 7,000-cfm fans support the eight-inch hoses that provide bus exhaust, while two, 5,000-cfm fans support the smaller six-inch coupe system that exhausts vans and

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEMARIA BUILDING COMPANY

these lines affected every hoist that they were tied into, so each new hoist has individual supply and return lines. Protective PVC sleeves carry the lines through the concrete, which should minimize future maintenance issues. Each lift operates out of a trench that lets it move forward and backward as needed to accommodate different vehicle wheelbases. A poured concrete box that would allow this movement was originally planned, but cost savings were realized with a steel box encased in concrete. The steel was less labor intensive, while the concrete provides a barrier between the metal and the ground to prevent corrosion. The same hydraulic motor that moves the cylinders up and down now allows them to be repositioned inside the trench with the touch of a button. In addition to accommodating the movement of the cylinder, the project team had to plan for many different vehicle configurations in the DDOT fleet. Four different types of rear suspensions, along with countless other variations, necessitated individual attention. DDOT had relied on lifting adapters created in-house, but field measuring of the vehicles allowed for the creation of structurally sound units that were designed specifically for the DDOT fleet. Prior to the installation of the new hoists, even the most basic maintenance tasks were

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Pits for the hoists are about eight feet deep and are made of solid concrete with reinforcing steel. The uppermost concrete was removed, but the base of each existing pit was salvaged to cut costs. Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

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MECHANICAL

The 49 new hoists installed feature modern safety features that were lacking on the existing hoists. They were also designed to accommodate many different vehicle configurations in the DDOT fleet.

small trucks. A sling system was originally considered for hose storage, but this would obstructed the workspace with dangling hoses because a significant amount of slack was required to accommodate the older busses with lower exhausts that were still in service. The manual hose retraction system requires little more effort that

raising a window shade, making it an appealing option over the much more costly electrically retracting system that was considered. Like other members of the project team, Partlan-Labadie’s work was impacted by different vehicle configurations. Not only was there a mix of vehicles that exhausted near ground level or at the top, there was also a lack of consistency among each type of exhaust. Busses that exhaust from the top, for example, featured either a straight pipe or one set at a 30-degree angle with an angled cut, depending on the manufacturer. Partlan-Labadie designed a modified nozzle that clips directly to the tailpipe of any vehicle in the DDOT fleet. The ingenious design even features an automatic release that prevents damage to the system or the vehicle if a maintenance worker forgets to uncouple the vehicle before pulling away. Accommodating the busy work schedules of DDOT maintenance technicians was a constant challenge. “We had to maintain operations at the facility,” said Darren Murry, vice president, Commercial and Industrial Groups, DeMaria Building Company. “We could only take one-quarter of the lifts at a time, so it was very challenging logistically. We also had to operate on a second shift to make sure that all of our concrete braking and floor removal didn’t interfere with DDOT operations.” The end result of this effort is a very functional facility. No detail, no matter how small, was unceremoniously thrown under the bus. Every aspect of DDOT operations was carefully considered before systems were placed under the busses, where they will operate with ease and efficiency that is unparalleled.

Partlan-Labadie Sheet Metal Company Ventilation ● Air Conditioning ● Exhaust Systems ● Industrial Sheet Metal ●

Partlan-Labadie Sheet Metal Company has earned a reputation for excellence and quality, whether the job is a six million dollar ventilation system or a fifty dollar belt guard. 12901 Cloverdale ● Oak Park, MI 48237 Ph: 248.545.0434 ● Fx: 248.545.5472 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.partlanlabadie.com 20

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MECHANICAL

Blue Rover By David R. Miller, Associate Editor

ew children’s games have an object that is as easy to understand as “Red Rover.” After choosing up sides, one team links arms and forms a line before asking a member of the opposing team to come over. The opposing team member then gets a running start to try to break through the line. An interesting variation of this game, which could be called “Blue Rover,” is currently being played in the City of Warren. In this version, Blue Rover is the powerful stream of water provided by the Detroit Water and Sewer Department (DWSD) and the outstretched arms are Warren’s aging water mains. Warren recently acted to provide another layer of protection against the onslaught of high-pressure water by adding pressure reducing valve (PRV) stations at three locations where DWSD water enters the system. The new system includes a 19,000-pound, 36inch diameter valve, manufactured by Cla-Val, Newport Beach, CA, that is the largest in Michigan, and possibly the world. Other key players in this project include the engineering firm of Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, Inc., Shelby Township; pre-engineered control valve station controls designer and manufacturer Engineered Fluids, Inc., (EFI), Centralia, IL; general contractor, Jenkins Construction, Detroit; and valve station supplier Kerr Pump & Supply, Inc., Oak Park.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDERSON, ECKSTEIN AND WESTRICK, INC.

This pre-engineered station was installed at Eight Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue.

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The 36-inch PRV seen here prior to installation is the largest in Michigan, and possibly the world.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ENGINEERED FLUIDS, INC.

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UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM The City of Warren receives water directly from Detroit, but the pressure under which this water is delivered can vary. Spikes of up to 100 PSI, along with drops down to about 45 PSI during periods of heavy demand, are common, but the City of Warren can now essentially set the pressure in its system by electronically adjusting the PRVs. The high water pressure from DWSD will now leave the PRVs at around 60 PSI, which is much more suitable for Warren’s system. “Warren performed a study and found that they were experiencing over 300 water main breaks a year,” explained Lyle Winn, PE, senior project engineer for Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick. “In a newer community, you may only see a couple of breaks a year, but Warren’s water main system is much older.” Most water mains are made of plastic and ductile iron today, while cast iron, asbestos cement and concrete pipe with a steel cylinder were more common choices in the 1950s and 60s. Warren’s system likely contains significant quantities of cast iron with some plastic and ductile iron. Cast iron can become more brittle than ductile iron, and it lacks the flexibility of plastic, making it susceptible to breakage under highpressure flows. Warren’s water system is connected to the Detroit system at 14 locations, but PRVs were only installed at three sites along Eight Mile Road where pressure spikes and water usage are the most pronounced, including a 12-inch line at Ryan Road, a 24-inch line at Van Dyke Avenue, and a 42-inch line at Groesbeck Highway. Pre-engineered stations ranging from 12 feet in diameter, to 15’ x 24’, were installed underground at these locations. MAKING THE SOLUTION WORK Creating a consistent flow into the Warren system emerged as a key project challenge. Water usually enters the PRVs at a pressure greater than the desired 60 PSI. Pressure on the inlet side of the valve is monitored electronically, and the valve automatically adjusts to create the desired PSI on the outlet side. In some cases, differential pressure between the outlet and inlet sides of the valve, or PSIG, is less than five PSI. Because PSIG can be so low, pressurereducing valves require a separate control pressure system using a booster pump, pneumatic tank and controls. Inlet and outlet pressure transmitters, along with valve position sensors, transmit information Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ENGINEERED FLUIDS, INC.

MECHANICAL

Spikes of up to 100 PSI, along with drops down to about 45 PSI, are common as water enters Warren. Pressure can be set at about 60 PSI as water leaves PRVs like this one.

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to the Warren DPW offices, allowing for remote control of the stations. The valves are rated based on the number of gallons per minute they can accommodate, which limited available options for the massive 36-inch valve that was needed. “It was a challenge finding someone who made a valve big enough to accommodate the flow,” said Michael Kristl, municipal market manager for Kerr Pump and Supply. The specialized 36-inch valve was cast in Bosnia and machined in Switzerland before arriving in Warren. If a single valve had not been available, then a series of smaller valves operating in parallel would have been necessary or a separate PRV station would have been required at each connection to the 42-inch distribution line. This would have resulted in a much larger station on the 42-inch line or a significant number of smaller stations at each connection, all of which would have increased costs. Each station would also need to be buried in areas where existing underground utilities already take up much of the available space. All of the valves are situated in pre-engineered vaults that include electrical lighting, heating, dehumidification, ventilation, controls, and a chain fall crane to accommodate maintenance activities involving heavy valve components. The stations are even UL-listed, which minimized the need for inspections. Now that the weakest links in Warren’s water system have been effectively reinforced, the city can confidently ask DWSD to send the water on over.

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Green Digest, Part I

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Building a New Mindset at Skyline High School PHOTO CHRISTOPHER LARK PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

B y

M a r y

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K r e m p o s k y ,

n fairy-tales, kissing a frog turns an amphibian into a handsome prince. At Skyline High School, saving a frog helped turn a controversial project into an award winning facility with LEED® Silver certification. Beyond this fairy-tale ending, natural wonders will never cease on this 109-acre site in Ann Arbor Township thanks to the strong commitment to sustainability on the part of the entire project team. The site houses a massive 380,000-square-foot school, but still supports a lush expanse of forest and a pond filled every spring with the shrill canoodling of frogs. A silent spring would have fallen over the entire site without the “green” commitment of the Ann Arbor School District, Lansing-based Granger Construction Company, and a joint architectural venture of TMP Associates, Inc., Bloomfield Hills, and

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Mitchell and Mouat Architects of Ann Arbor. This commitment has created a building with stellar energy performance, largely generated by installation of one of the largest horizontal geothermal fields in North America. A FROG-FRIENDLY SCHOOL Both frog and forest were preserved in building this massive school and its assortment of parking lots and athletic facilities. With the aid of a herpetologist, the pond’s assorted frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, and other residents were removed, identified, and temporarily housed, some at the Detroit Zoo’s Amphibiville. The pond’s muck, water, and even its fringe of plants were then moved to another “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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location on the sprawling site. Once established, the “hoteled” amphibians and reptiles – almost 5,000 in total - were released into the pond surrounded once again by all the comforts of their own muddy home. As laudable stewards of the land, the project team preserved a lovely stretch of oak-hickory forest due north of the building, a maple woodlot in the southeast quadrant, and a buffer zone of trees between the school and a nearby neighborhood.“The best stands of trees were kept,” said Richard Mitchell, AIA, principal of Mitchell and Mouat. The project gained a LEED innovation in design credit “for exemplary performance in impacting the site as minimally as possible,” said Eric Sassak, AIA, LEED AP,TMP’s director of sustainability. “The intent was to set aside green space equivalent to the development footprint, meaning all the hard surfaces from the building itself to the sidewalks and parking. We actually doubled that amount on this site. Sassak explains the site strategy: “The more than four dozen different site schemes honed our approach to the site. The design

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PHOTO BY FRED GOLDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

July 26-43 Environ

A wind turbine rotates above the school’s main entry, generating power for the science lab and visibly marking this educational facility as part of the drive for sustainability.

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PHOTO BY FRED GOLDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

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The athletic fields of this innovative high school are green in more than just color. Underlying this new playing field is a section of one of the largest geothermal fields in North America.

team worked hard to minimize hard surfaces by being disciplined with the parking count and the number of parking areas on the site, and by stacking the school vertically.” The building is four stories rather than two, helping to control its sprawl across the site. “We only developed 60 percent of the site, which is an accomplishment for a comprehensive high school and all its facilities,” said Benjamin J. Schneider, LEED AP, Granger project manager. Stacking the building vertically and thoughtfully plotting its design, reduced both its building footprint and its carbon footprint. Skyline High School has half the exposed skin, roof and walls of a high school of similar square footage. “With less exposure, the building is much more energy efficient,” said Sassak. “The more skin, walls and roof a building has, the more places there are for heat to escape in the winter and heat to enter in the summer.” The entire building envelope is designed to reduce the carbon footprint of this massive high school. To lessen the cooling load, a white roof reflects heat and a large canopy over the south side shades the walls from direct sunlight. THE EARTH EXCHANGE The building’s insulation, its exterior skin,

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and its lighting systems all contributed to the building’s stellar energy performance. TMP’s engineering team, Peter Basso Associates, Inc., Troy, developed an energy model for LEED certification that showed the building is 44 percent more energy efficient than the baseline model of ASHRAE 90.1. The project’s geothermal system – more accurately described as geo-exchange – contributed the most to this enviable percentage. This geo-exchange system is one of the largest horizontal geo-exchange fields in North America. About 90 miles of geoexchange loops – one-inch, high-density, polyethylene tubing - were installed in a horizontal grid of trenches five- to seven-feet below the school’s synthetic turf stadium, three baseball fields, the campus green, and a wedge of parking lot. The L-shaped geoexchange field blankets 14 acres, running along the school’s eastern border and into the southeastern quadrant for ease of access to the building’s mechanical room. “It was the shortest distance for feeding all those header pipes back into the building,” said Schneider. The core construction challenge was backfilling the 7-foot-deep trenches with native soil instead of sand, a conventional backfill material typically used on water main installations. “A geo-exchange system counts

on the conductivity of the native soil to pull heat out of the ground in winter and dissipate heat into the ground in summer to heat and cool the building,” said Schneider. “Sand doesn’t transfer heat the same way as clay, silt and other soil.” Adds Sassak, “Heat exchange counts on a soil with less air, and if possible, more water to make the optimal contact with those pipes. Sand drains water away easily and actually has a high air content.” Each classroom has its own heat pump located directly above in a long, linear mechanical penthouse. Altogether, the facility has 80 to 100 heat pumps, an amount equivalent to the number of unit ventilators or other more conventional heating and cooling source units that would be required for such a sizeable school with its numerous classrooms and other individual spaces. “Large heat pumps serve the gym, cafeteria, auditorium and other common spaces,” said Schneider.“The geo-exchange system has a 6year payback. In a 50-year building, anything that pays itself back in 10 years or less is almost a slam dunk.” Thanks to this geo-exchange system, this sustainable building has a few missing pieces, namely no chiller, no boiler for heating, and virtually almost no natural gas use at all except for a smaller boiler for domestic hot water use, said Mitchell. Money was actually placed in the bond specifically for sustainable mechanical and electrical systems. But volatility in the price of concrete, steel and other construction commodities led the project team to target the geo-exchange system for possible exclusion. “We bid the conventional heating and cooling system against the geo-exchange, and through working with each other and the school district, we were able to hold onto this reserve and achieve the geo-exchange system,” said Sassak. Keeping the upper floors light minimized steel costs. The classrooms are housed in an almost separate structure of mainly glass and metal panels perched on a solid masonry base containing the pool, auditorium, gym and other large common spaces. RECYCLING WATER AND WASTE The project achieved another memorable feat: the development has zero impact on stormwater despite a massive building and its parking lots, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces. “I am on the planning commission in this area,” said Mitchell. “It’s the only project we have ever seen that retained 100 percent of the stormwater. It “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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said Schneider. Granger not only sorted the waste into separate containers for metals, wood, and drywall, but also contracted with waste haulers who took the sorted materials to different locations directly engaged in recycling specific materials. Waste disposal costs are the product of the trucking fee and the cost a facility charges for accepting waste. “It is actually less expensive for waste haulers to take materials to recycling places,” said Schneider. “A recycling facility usually takes the material for free. We actually received rebates from the waste hauler on the metals, because they were taking the metals to places that were giving quite a bit of money per pound for the metals.” Because recycling saves money and aids the planet, Granger has now adopted recycling as standard practice on all of its projects. Granger had already inserted recycling as a contractual requirement for all trade contractors on the Skyline project. “On a job of this size, we also hired a dedicated cleaning management crew from a local Ann Arbor firm that policed the dumpsters,” said Schneider. “This job was added to the crew’s job of managing undefined waste on site.” (Undefined waste is the large mass of debris

PHOTO CHRISTOPHER LARK PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

was retention, not detention, meaning the water is kept on site.” A series of three ponds flank the southern perimeter of the site. “We release the water to these ponds, and as one fills it is pumped to the second pond, and then to the third,” said Mitchell. “A pump station pulls the water out of the end pond to irrigate all the athletic fields and other areas. We didn’t put in any wells that would impact the ground water or the water table.” The site constantly recycles the water from runoff to pond to field and back again, creating a system simulating the natural hydrological cycle. “Of the rain that hits a natural site, 80 percent is absorbed by the earth, 10 percent evaporates, and another 10 percent runs off the site,” explains Mitchell. “The goal of the district was to only allow that same 10 percent to run into Newport Creek. With our stormwater management approach, the same quantity of water is now going into the stream.” The project yielded equally impressive numbers for construction waste recycling. Granger diverted 83 percent of construction waste from the landfill and reduced waste disposal costs from an original budget of $150,000 down to a final budget of $80,000,

Thanks to the preservation of a wonderful expanse of oak-hickory forest, students enjoy this leafy vista from the comfort of the classroom interior. Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

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not contractually allocated to masons, plumbers, and other specific trades.) According to Sassak’s tally, 3,057 tons of material was recycled in the course of building Skyline High. Sassak’s calculations also determined that almost a pound of garbage is generated per pound of building. If not recycled, waste the equivalent of the entire building is thrown into a landfill.“I used

some ‘rule of thumb’ numbers for what the building would actually weigh,” said Sassak. “If you consider what happens during the actual production of the materials, it probably is about a pound of garbage per pound of building. The amount of material that comes to the site in packaging is truly staggering. It is not just construction site waste. Perhaps as architects, engineers, and construction

managers, we have to start getting the message out to our suppliers. Less packaging would also save suppliers money.” A BREATH OF FRESH AIR At Skyline, Granger also managed indoor air quality throughout construction, keeping the ends of ductwork sealed against construction dust. At building completion, the ductwork is flushed for two weeks and filters are changed at the end of the process. Granger used a MERV-13 filter with the capability of trapping a high-level of particulate (MERV 16 and 17 is used in flushing specialty clean rooms).“When the occupants begin using the building, they are not impacted by any of the airborne residue left over from construction,” said Schneider. With such effective measures and outstanding results, the project team has even inspired themselves. “One of the fruits of this project is that it has motivated our company to form a Sustainability Team,” said Schneider. “We have a construction waste recycling and indoor air quality program on all of our projects, and we are trying to learn from every sustainable project experience and apply those lessons learned to all new Granger projects. We feel strongly that it is the right thing to do in our industry.” As its role in IAQ control, TMP specified a broad range of products with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content, including products ranging from low VOC glues, coatings, and adhesives to paint, particleboard casework and flooring. “We actually achieved four out of four LEED credits in this area,” said Sassak. GOING BEYOND THE BASICS The project team advocated for LEED before the district took the measure of actually inserting LEED certification as a contractual requirement for Skyline High School.“We talked to the district about LEED,” said Mitchell. “They embraced it so quickly. In fact, they put it in our contract. They asked for a certified building, and we exceeded it with Silver LEED certification.” Added Sassak, “Only one LEED Gold high school exists nationally, and there are no Platinum-level high schools. Silver LEED places Skyline in rarefied air nationally. The ones with a higher level of LEED certification tend to be smaller schools. For a comprehensive high school of this size with a large pool, athletic facilities and auditorium, it is a very impressive achievement.” TMP and Mitchell and Mouat have now pulled this rabbit out of its “green” hat twice, both firms having

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As one of many remarkable achievements, the project team generated a stormwater management system able to retain 100 percent of stormwater on site. Three ponds aid the effort by sequentially storing stormwater; water in the third pond is used to irrigate the school’s sizeable athletic fields and other landscaped areas. PHOTO BY FRED GOLDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

worked jointly to attain LEED Silver on the nearby Whitmore Lake High School. A “GREEN” ROUTINE The team’s close collaboration delivered LEED Silver at Skyline High School. “We were asked to deliver a great deal, and I think because Ann Arbor Public Schools and Granger were so willing to work with the AE team, we were able to achieve it,” said Sassak. On the construction end, Granger’s entire Skyline construction staff was certified as LEED AP. Granger has constructed a LEED Gold facility for Washtenaw Community College and another LEED project for Lansing Community College. In general, Sassak credits LEED’s third-party accountability as the backbone of sustainable design and construction. “Having the thirdparty oversight of LEED heightens your internal need to do well,” said Sassak. “You just don’t get that fine-tooth comb necessarily run through your work the way you do with LEED. It’s an additional motivator. If you don’t have LEED in place, you’re much more likely to take an easier solution that might have an impact that’s not as beneficial as what LEED would ask you to do.”

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For many, an integrated approach to sustainable design and construction is now the new industry standard. “It is a new mindset and it has come to define how we all do our work,” said Mitchell.“It is just a matter of routine for us now. In the past, we would attack certain aspects, such as a good building insulation system or a good mechanical system, but planning a project holistically from site planning to recycling of construction waste – integrating all work under the umbrella of sustainability – is key, along with the owner’s commitment. Having a framework allows it all to happen.” The project makes “green” part of the routine for the entire student population of Skyline High School. Students are greeted daily by the sight of a small wind turbine rotating above the main entry. The turbine is both an iconic symbol for this sustainable high school and an actual generator of power for the school’s science lab. Skyline partners with two other Ann Arbor high schools experimenting with solar power; each school places its own data online and compares the merits of alternative energy experiments. True to the pioneering spirit of this new educational facility, the wind turbine’s helical

shape differs from the average wind turbine. “It is less apt to kill birds, it is completely silent, and it does not generate torque ripple,” said Sassak. “It’s helical shape means that no matter which way the wind is blowing, the turbine is under a constant force. Bladed turbines, either propeller or eggbeater shape, will constantly cycle on and off, generating torque ripple and transferring vibration to the building. We would have had to do something really expensive to dampen vibration.” The entire project team has shepherded both the district’s financial resources and the site’s natural resources to produce an awardwinning project that has already garnered multiple accolades. Skyline High School’s growing list of awards includes the Washtenaw Contractors Association 2009 Pyramid Award, the 2008 Build Michigan Award winner from the AGC of Michigan, a Building of America Green Award, the Learning by Design Outstanding Project Award from the Council of Educational Planners International, the Facility Engineering Society of Detroit’s 2008 Design and Construction Award, and a Sierra Club award for low-environmental impact. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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Green Digest, Part II

E N V I R O N M E N TA L

Heavy Metal Meets High-Energy Bills HydroTherm Offers Ultra-Energy Efficient Cast Iron Boiler By Mary E. Kremposky, Associate Editor

ydroTherm has found the Holy Grail of heating technology a cast iron boiler with an efficiency rating capable of delivering significant energy savings. HydroTherm, a boiler manufacturer with facilities in Boyertown, PA, compares its KN-Series of boilers to the discovery of fire: “KN-Series boilers by HydroTherm may just be the biggest breakthrough in heating technology since fire itself. Think that’s an overstatement? Consider this: the KNSeries combines 99 percent efficiency and the small footprint of modern copper boilers with the lifespan and reliability of cast iron boilers.” Whether it’s the Holy Grail or the biggest thing since a caveman set his own hearth ablaze, the KN-Series is truly a unique line of boilers offering building owners the new gold standard in the heating industry - a proven cast iron product able to meet the energy efficiency demands of the 21st Century. Quality Water & Air, Inc., Troy, has supplied six KN-20 boilers (2 million BTUs per boiler) for the renovation of the historic Argonaut Building, the former General Motors Design Center in Detroit currently being renovated by Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. and Walbridge Aldinger as a second campus for the College for Creative Studies. Crain’s Detroit Business lists the $145 million dollar project as one of the largest construction projects in Michigan as ranked by estimated cost. “Owners are not generally aware of this boiler line,” said George Grudich, president of Quality Water & Air, plumbing and heating distribution specialists in business since 1971. “I see what owners are looking for, and this really fits.” He explains the significance and merits of this new product line. Cast iron boilers have been the industry standard for reliability, having repeatedly proven their metal over the course of decades. “Owners love their cast iron boilers,” said Grudich. “They’ve got this cast iron boiler sitting in their building for 35 years. It is a real workhorse of a product, but now they want an energy efficient boiler for today. But cast iron boilers only offered an efficiency beginning at 56 percent and progressing up to 85 or 86 percent. Higher efficiencies over 90 percent could only be achieved by steering away from the old cast iron standard.” HydroTherm’s introduction of the KN-Series now offers building owners the best of both worlds: the trusted reliability of cast iron with energy efficiencies well exceeding 90 percent. “It is unlikely that any other boiler will consume substantially less energy than a KN boiler,” states product literature from HydroTherm, a division of Mestek based in Westfield, MA. Introduced six years ago, the KN-Series has two gas-fired condensing cast iron boilers (KN-2 and KN-4) and three gas-fired direct vent cast iron boilers (KN-6, 600 MBH; KN-10, 1,000 MBH; and KN-20, 1,999 MBH). All the boilers have low carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, as well as whisper-quiet operation and a

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compact footprint perfect for renovation and historic preservation projects. B e y o n d energy efficiency, the KN-Series of boilers can easily fit through a standard doorway.“The nice thing is you don’t have to tear sections of the building down to install the boiler in a renovation project, ” said Grudich. “You would have to actually build the boiler right into the room to get a boiler with the capacity of the KN-20 into the building.” Quality Water & Air has provided the KN-Series of boilers in several prominent buildings, including Warren City Hall, Lear Corporation in Southfield, the Executive Tower Apartments in Toledo, and Meijer Store # 985 in Grand Rapids. Quality Water & Air has also supplied these energy-efficient boilers to a library in Ann Arbor and a medical clinic in Clinton Township, as well as a U.S. immigration center in Detroit, and Delta Dental and Detroit Credit Union facilities. The KN-Series offers a self-adaptive design tolerant of changing conditions. “Depending on the size of the boiler, the series offers a turndown ratio of up to five-to-one,” said Grudich.“A turndown ratio means a building might be sized for a 2 million BTU boiler, but on a warmer day, the boiler can be turned down to one-quarter of that or one-fifth. For example, a 2 million BTU boiler with a turndown ratio of four-to-one could scale back down to 250,000 BTUs.” The KN 20 boiler, used in larger commercial or industrial buildings, has a turndown ratio of five-to-one. The KN series are also modulating boilers, which means the boiler can adjust up or down the scale with the ease of a driver pressing a gas pedal to vary the speed of the car. “It is not a situation where it either fires at 250,000 BTU or 2 million BTU,” explained Grudich. “It can fire at any point up and down the spectrum.” HydroTherm has even cracked the code and created a cast iron boiler that will not corrode in the condensing mode. “A boiler will generate condensate to get to the desired efficiency,” explains Grudich. “Sometimes it is a problem for the boiler to operate in a condensing condition, because the condensate can be corrosive. This boiler will enter the condensing mode to boost efficiency, but the condensate will not effect the life or maintenance of the cast iron boiler.” HydroTherm’s gas-fired condensing cast iron boilers are typically used in radiant heating applications or in snow melt systems. Equipped to meet the 21st Century, HydoTherm’s KN-Series can warm a building or sidewalk, while preventing a building owner’s wallet from “overheating.” “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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Green Digest, Part III

E N V I R O N M E N TA L

The Green Tool Belt

Turner Construction’s New Initiative Helps Subcontractors Enter the New Green Economy

B y

M a r y

“Going green”

E .

K r e m p o s k y ,

is changing the daily routine on a growing number of jobsites across the country and in Michigan. From waste management practices to protecting indoor air quality, subcontractors are on the front lines in an owner’s quest for LEED® certification. Subcontractors, equipped with trade knowledge and “green” awareness, become an even more vital resource on a LEEDregistered project, ultimately helping to deliver a more sustainable community and boosting their own marketability in the new “green” economy. With these goals in mind, Turner Construction Company’s initiative requests subcontractors to either obtain LEED Accredited Professional (AP) credentials on LEED-registered projects or take an online LEED training course. “The purpose is to increase subcontractor awareness of sustainable construction practices associated with attaining any level of LEED certification,” said Lynley M. Weston, LEED AP, sustainable construction group manager, Turner Construction Company, Michigan office. “It is to make sure that the whole construction team understands in advance what will be

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E d i t o r

required of them, what to expect, and how to be prepared to proactively address LEED requirements on a project. Unpreparedness with regard to addressing LEED requirements can be costly, and in that sense, this is also a measure to keep costs from escalating for owners seeking LEED certification. “To a certain degree, Turner’s initiative is similar to requiring a safety orientation and certification prior to beginning construction,” Weston continued. “Additionally, many subcontractors in Michigan who already have a LEED AP on staff would automatically qualify with regard to Turner’s initiative. Those who do not can either pursue LEED AP status through the USGBC, or take the ‘Essentials of LEED Professional Accreditation’ course also offered through the USGBC.” Cost control played a role in establishing this new initiative. According to Weston, “the objective is to avoid unnecessary costs that might accrue as a result of a subcontractor’s unfamiliarity with sustainable construction practices, such as construction waste management strategies that keep waste materials separated. It is “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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also to ensure that strategies adopted by the project team to achieve LEED certification are understood by all and to ensure that all necessary documentation be submitted in order to obtain final LEED certification upon completion of the project.” Nationally, Turner Construction Company has 83 completed LEED projects and 140 in progress, said Michael Deane, Turner’s national chief sustainability officer based in New York City. He recently answered a few questions regarding the policy. Q. WHAT GAVE RISE TO THIS POLICY? Deane: First, we wanted to practice continual improvement on our LEED jobs and after committing to education and training for our own staff, the next step was to require it of our subcontractors. Turner has a long and rich history of providing education both to our own people and to the larger community. This is a continuation of the same underlying philosophy. Since 2006 we have provided all Turner new hires with green building training. We also deliver our own LEED AP training internally and now have over 900 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff, far more than any other builder. We believe this fundamentally changes how we approach our work. We have also provided LEED AP training to some of our clients. Also, we wanted to establish ourselves as the leaders in this field and this was one way to “walk the walk and talk the talk.”

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Q. WHAT BENEFITS DOES IT PROVIDE? Deane: We have found that the biggest contributor to higher costs for green buildings is lack of knowledge. By requiring that knowledge not only of our own staff but also of those we hire as subcontractors, we improve the probability that we can deliver the greenest building possible for the lowest cost. Jobs where the workers and management team understand green building means and methods run more smoothly with less problems, fewer delays and fewer cost increases. Q. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERM “MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE”? DOES THIS REFER TO A PROJECT MANAGER, SUPERINTENDENT, OR FOREMAN? WHAT JOB TITLE WOULD BE CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR COMPLIANCE TO THIS NEW POLICY? Deane: For subcontractors the term is meant to identify the team leader -either foreman, superintendent or project manager - not a lower-level employee and Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

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BIDDING MADE

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not someone “back in the office” but the person in charge of performing the work in the field. Q. HOW MUCH OF AN INVESTMENT IN TIME AND MONEY DOES EACH OPTION REQUIRE? (BECOMING A LEED AP VERSUS TAKING THE ONLINE COURSE.) Deane: Taking the Turner online course costs $200 and takes 3 to 5 hours. It is called the “Essentials of LEED” and is meant as a broad introduction and overview. It is not meant as a substitute for being a LEED AP. Our experience tells us that passing the exam to become a LEED AP takes about 20 hours of class time plus 20-40 hours of independent study. Taking the exam costs $300.

“The purpose is to increase

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Lynley M. Weston, LEED AP Sustainable Construction Group Manager Turner Construction Company

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Q. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH OPTION? Deane: The Essentials course is an overview and an introduction. Becoming a LEED AP represents a significant investment and thus shows a high level of commitment. It is also an indication of a certain level of proficiency that is much greater than taking our online course, which is quite good for what it is, but not as in-depth as the LEED AP preparation. Q. WHAT TYPES OF PROJECT COSTS CAN BE INCURRED BECAUSE OF SUBCONTRACTOR UNFAMILIARITY WITH LEED PROCEDURES? Deane: Depending on the situation and the possibility of a “worst case scenario,” it can mean anything from paying too much for materials, not ordering the right submittals, installing the wrong materials, and losing time and money to remove and re-install work. Or it could mean negative health consequences for workers or occupants if things are done wrong and finish materials or systems are damaged or deficient. This can result in failure to achieve individual LEED credits or even failure to achieve LEED certification. This can negatively affect a building’s value as an asset, its cost to operate, the health, well-being, and productivity of occupants and the rents or sale price it can achieve in the market. Owners, contractors and subcontractors alike are the beneficiaries of this new initiative that promotes increased knowledge of sustainability, serves as an aid in cost control, and confers greater marketability in today’s emerging “green” economy. Sustainability makes good market sense and just plain good sense. As more and more owners opt for LEED, Turner’s initiative helps subcontractors make sense of it all.

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Bennett Holland & Associates, Inc. Manufacturers Representatives

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GFOR R ETHE E FUTURE N P R

I N T

got soy? BioBased® Insulation Offers Sustainable Spray Foam By Mary E. Kremposky, Associate Editor s there anything a soybean can’t do? This miracle plant can be made into biodiesel or a specialty cheese. Soybased resins help make a mean kitchen cabinet, and Henry Ford once used this versatile bean to build car components. Now, you can add spray foam insulation to the long list of soy-based products, thanks to BioBased® Insulation, a company based in Fayetteville, Arkansas that is committed to making the world’s structures more sustainable by developing and marketing performance-tested, environmentally responsible spray foam insulation products through a global network of certified dealers. The firm’s goal is to reduce dependence on petroleum products by correctly sealing buildings for the sake of energy efficiency and to utilize the latest technology for the incorporation of renewable materials into its products.

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The company’s latest product release in late 2006 is a soy-based spray foam insulation called BioBased® 1701s. According to information provided by BioBased® Insulation, the product is applied using water instead of a chemical blowing agent. BioBased 1701s replaces a portion of the petroleum used in the production of traditional spray foam insulation with a soy-based polyol called Agrol®. BioBased 1701s, a biologically based, spray polyurethane foam insulation product, received a Green Product Award from Building Products magazine in November 2008. HEALTHY, RENEWABLE & ENERGY EFFICIENT BioBased 1701s is quickly accumulating an impressive list of firsts: The product is the first water-blown closed cell foam in the

industry. BioBased 1701s is the first spray foam insulation to attain the stringent indoor air quality certification called GREENGUARD for Children & Schools, the highest certification level granted by the GREENGUARD program. The certification program takes into account the characteristics of school buildings and the special sensitivities of children and other populations who spent countless hours within their confines. Under the program, indoor products must meet strict emission levels based on health criteria established by various public health organizations. The GREENGUARD Certification Program is an industry-independent, third-party testing program for low-emitting products and materials. “To date, more than 100 manufacturers across various industries offer GREENGUARD indoor air quality certified products,” according to information “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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supplied by BioBased Insulation. “All GREENGUARD-certified products are listed in the GREENGUARD Online Product Guide, a free indoor air quality resource. GREENGUARD is a valuable tool for architects, designers, product specifiers, and purchasing organizations that want to locate, specify and purchase off-the-shelf, low-emitting products for indoor environments.” Agrol, BioBased Insulation’s 96 percent pure soy polyol, was one of four products to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s P2 (Pollution Prevention) Award in 2006. This 96 percent pure soy polyol is used not only in spray foam insulation but is also found in EnviroCel™ and BioCel™ carpet backing from Universal Textile Technologies, in Astro Turf products, and is currently being used by the automobile industry to make head and arm rests for select models of Chrysler, Ford, Honda, and Toyota. Together Agrol and BioBased Insulation are reducing our collective carbon footprint. Every 1 pound of soy polyol that replaces one pound of petroleum prevents 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide from contributing to global warming, according to a Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability analysis by the U.S. Soybean Board. While the concept of a carbon footprint may seem abstract, those monthly utility bills are very personal and direct. Spray foam insulation completes an airtight seal, reducing leaks and energy costs. With its ability to boost energy efficiency and lower heating and cooling costs, spray foam insulation appears to be in demand. Spray foam insulation as a product class “is a growing category in the insulation market, because it provides a tight air barrier, sealing a home or building and making it more energy efficient,” said Jennifer Wilson, brand manager for BioBased Insulation. “BioBased Insulation products are strong in the residential market. Even in a down housing market, we have continued to see growth in our business across the country.” Currently, BioBased Insulation’s business is about 70 percent residential and 30 percent commercial. “As green building standards like LEED become more mainstream, commercial construction projects are focusing more and more on energy-efficient products, especially ones that help seal the building envelope,” said Wilson. “This trend places us in an advantageous position.” Brown Lumber in Traverse City is a BioBased certified dealer in Michigan. “We became a BioBased dealer at the beginning Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

of 2008 and since then we have received a lot of interest from residential builders and a few commercial projects,” said John Schaub, Brown Lumber Installed Sales and Service. “The ‘green’ architects love the product and the ‘green community,’ which is growing in numbers, likes the idea of an environmen-

tally friendly product that uses renewable resources for their base polyol.” Brown’s market area is a line across central Michigan from the tip of the mitt to Clare. A company in southeastern Michigan is also on the verge of becoming a BioBased certified dealer.

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BIOBASED® INSULATION

July 26-43 Environ

The product is the first water-blown closed cell foam in the industry, according to BioBased® Insulation.

INSURANCE

BIOBASED INSULATION AIDS PLATINUM LEED PROJECTS Building owners have the choice of using one of two available BioBased spray insulation foams. Introduced in 2003, BioBased 501w is an open cell product best selected as a general-use insulation capable of providing an air barrier. BioBased 501w was named Outstanding Green Product of the Year by the National Green Building Conference in 2003, and also earned a berth on GreenSpec© Product’s Building Green Top 10 list. As the more recent, closed cell product, BioBased 1701s is a Class II vapor retarder when installed at 2.5 inches. Several organizations have used BioBased Insulation as part of Platinum LEED certified projects. These LEED-certified projects selected BioBased Insulation both for the product line’s environmentally friendly ingredients, and because they work. “BioBased Insulation products perform as good as traditional, petroleum-based spray foam insulations,” said Wilson. “That’s no small feat. In the past, bio-based products faced many hurdles, including cost, color, smell and performance. The fact that we can say

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our product is cost-competitive, performs as good as, looks and smells like traditional spray foams is a huge advancement.” BioBased Insulation also supports its product with third-party testing based on ASTM standards and the attaining of certifications where applicable. “We don’t know if we were the first to market water-blown and soy-based insulation, but BioBased 501w was the first soy-based and water-blown spray foam insulation to be ICC rated (ESR 1383) in the United States,” said Wilson. BioBased 501w is a low-density product (0.5 lb.). The open cell foam is Class I fire rated at 4 inches and has low VOCs in the finished foam. Installed R-values are: R-13 at 3.5 inches; R-20 at 5.5 inches; R28 at 7.5 inches; and R-37 at 10 inches. BioBased 501w was developed using a proprietary soy technology; BioBased 1701s was the company’s first product to incorporate Agrol, the 96 percent pure soy polyol. The more recent BioBased 1701s is a medium-density product (1.7 lbs.). The closed cell product is Class I fire rated at 1.5 inches and again functions as a Class II vapor retarder at 2.5 inches. Installed Rvalues are: R-12 at 2 inches; R-15 at 2.5 inches; R-18 at 3 inches; R-19 at 3.5 inches; R-28 at 5 inches; R-39 at 7 inches; and R-44 at 8 inches. BIOLOGICALLY BASED SPRAY FOAM 0101 BioBased Insulation is energy-efficient and sustainable, but what exactly is it? BioBased insulation is still a polyurethane foam, but incorporates renewable resources as a replacement for a portion of the petroleum. Wilson explains: “Spray polyurethane foam insulation is a two-component system with an A side and B side. All spray foams use the same A side, namely a petroleum-based polymeric isocyanate. The B side is a blend of polyols (the building blocks of foam), blowing agents, flame retardants, surfactants and catalysts. All polyurethane foams are at least 50 percent petroleum based, because of the A side’s functional requirements. “We’ve made our products more sustainable by adding bio-content and decreasing the petroleum-based products used on the B side,” continued Wilson. Again, the company has replaced a chemical blowing agent with water for added sustainability. Wilson explains how the two sides blend and perform on the jobsite. “It is the combination of the full A side and the B side that creates a reaction that produces the foam,” said Wilson. “The A and B sides are kept separate until application. At that time, they are pumped through hoses and mix at the nozzle of a spray gun as they are being sprayed. That mixing starts a chemical reaction that quickly expands the liquid and turns it into a plastic foam.” With all its attractive attributes, spray foam insulation does have a higher price tag counterbalanced by a substantive energy payback. “Spray foam insulations cost three to four times more than fiberglass initially, but typically home or building owners can realize as much as a 50 percent savings in their heating and cooling costs when they use spray foam with other responsible building practices,” said Wilson. “Those practices include good doors and windows, good air sealing, and right-sizing the HVAC unit.” With the emergence of biofuels and bio-products, the humble soybean has a bright future. The next time someone says,“it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans,” I would take it with a grain of salt.

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CONSTRUCTION

HIGHLIGHT

he world that we experience is governed by a rigid set of physical laws. Without the presence of a counteracting force, a dropped book will fall to the ground just as surely as the sun will rise. Engineers who make their living thorough their understanding of these laws can accurately predict every nuance of an experience like a whitewater rafting trip or a roller coaster ride. Their predictions are converted from slide rule to real world at the Detroit Science Center’s Toyota Engineering Theater, an immersive, multi-media experience that incorporates state-of-thedramatic digital video, art computer-controlled lighting, a 43-foot

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projection screen, and active seating. Architect Neumann/Smith Architecture, Southfield, and construction manager Turner Construction Company, Detroit, led the project team that made this unique accomplishment possible. ENJOY THE RIDE Young people have had their minds opened to careers in science and technology courtesy of the Detroit Science Center since the facility opened in a modest storefront in 1970. Their eyes were opened eight years later, when the center moved to its spectacular current home at the corner of Warren and John R Roads in downtown

Detroit. The square footage of this facility was more than doubled in 2000, but this accomplishment was achieved with ambitious future plans in mind. “When we added onto the center in 2000, we had this space that was always planned as a theater, but we weren’t too specific about what type of theater we wanted,” explained Tom Mott, director of facilities and exhibit maintenance at the Detroit Science Center. “When we looked at the space again, we decided on an engineering theater to explain the different engineering fields to children and adult visitors. We wanted to get people excited about engineering.” “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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If getting people excited about engineering is the goal, the Toyota Engineering Theater is more than up to the task. The name of the premier program at the venue, Engineering Adrenaline, speaks for itself. Visitors will be able to experience the show, which includes a vignette about an Olympic kayaker who designed a whitewater rafting park, with an unparalleled level of realism. “We wanted total immersion,” said Mott. “We didn’t want people sitting in comfortable chairs watching a movie. They actually feel like they are participating in the movie. As they go down the whitewater rapids, their seats will move in relationship to the water. When they hit a wave, a mist of air and water will be blown in their faces, so they will actually feel like they are on the water.” Making all of this work was a complex challenge for mechanical engineers and contractors. Seats are mostly configured in groups of four sitting atop a common bench, although some three-seat benches were included to maximize the available space. Even with a large circular stage eating into the available 4,400 square feet of space, the project team was able to fit 166 seats on approximately 50 benches inside. About 200 traditional seats might have been possible, but very little inside the Toyota Engineering Theater is traditional. Each seat sits on a pivot point that allows a complete range of movement forward, backward and to each side. Every bench is tied into electrical, data, air and water systems. In fact, the 156 cfm, 100-PSI air needed to operate the theater necessitated the installation of a larger compressor for the entire facility. A two-inch copper line carries air to the theater, where it provides pneumatic pressure for movement, air and water jets. Programs can also be augmented with special lighting effects and ceilingmounted fans that can simulate large wind gusts. Air piped into the facility can be even scented to provide an aroma that is appropriate to the show and a “tickler” underneath the seats can provide tactile sensations. Needless to say, members of the project team were not always tickled about the complexities of these installations.

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Long-lead time items were identified and ordered early, including a set of eight-footwide sound-rated doors. These doors were originally curved to mimic the circular shape of the space, but a savings of about $45,000 was realized by modifying the design of the wall to allow for a flat door, even though this left less time to obtain the special soundrated doors that were needed to keep the excitement inside the theater.

“Other than procurement, the main hurdle was the cast-in-place concrete,” said Mike Carlstedt, project manager for Turner’s Special Projects Division. “It was not a typical concrete floor. We needed to install a fill material in lieu of pouring a solid concrete riser. The back riser is about five feet off the original slab-on-grade. We used about 2,400 sheets of 4”x8”x2” insulation that we cut to fit and interlocked together.

GETTING THERE WAS CHALLENGING Several critical milestones marked the construction process at the Toyota Engineering Theater. Construction started during December of 2008, and had to be complete by February 20 to allow enough time for complex audio/visual installations prior to the March 14, 2009 opening. Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

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HIGHLIGHT

Seats are configured in groups of three or four that sit atop a common bench (bottom). Every bench is tied into electrical, data, air and water systems (right) to offer an unparalleled level of realism.

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BOTTOM AND INSET PHOTOS COURTESY OF TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

The Toyota Engineering Theater is an immersive, multi-media experience that incorporates state-of-the-art digital video, dramatic computer-controlled lighting, a 43-foot projection screen, and active seating.

“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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Another challenge was the coordination of the mechanical and electrical work that needed to be installed prior to the concrete pours. Each bench location required air, water and electrical piping to allow the seats to operate. We had to make sure that everything was properly installed, tested, inspected and passed by the City before pouring.” The insulation, which filled an entire semi truck and half of a second one, arrived bundled together in large packages that took up valuable space on the jobsite and were difficult to move around. Space was at a premium at the operating science center. No outdoor laydown space was available and deliveries had to be scheduled when the facility was closed. Other than the actual work area, only a 50’ x 50’ area just outside the theater was available, so most materials were installed the week, or even the day, that they arrived. The theater needed a dedicated HVAC system to operate. Placing this equipment on the roof would have marred the clean look of the museum’s five degree sloped roof. Fortunately, a small corner of the floor

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where the Toyota Engineering Theater now resides was an underused space that could be modified to house this equipment. “The first finished floor of the Science Center is about five feet above grade on the exterior of the building,” said Stan Cole, principal, Neumann/Smith Architecture. “That gave us an opportunity to get some intake air through the side of the building underneath the first floor and into the mechanical room.” Getting all of the equipment into the space was undoubtedly a challenge. Tasks like this, and untold others, await the young minds that will be introduced to the challenging field of engineering at the Detroit Science Center. THE FOLLOWING SUBCONTRACTORS AND PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS CONTRIBUTED THEIR SKILLS TO THE PROJECT: Audio/Video – Media Mation, Torrance, CA Concrete – Amalio Corporation, Sterling Heights Demolition – Homrich, Inc., Carleton

Doors/Frames/Hardware – LaForce, Inc., Auburn Hills Electrical – Conti Electric, Inc., Sterling Heights Fire Protection – Tri Star Fire Protection, Inc., Plymouth Flooring – Turner Brooks, Inc., Madison Heights Glazing – Modern Mirror & Glass Co., Roseville – Controlled Mechanical Temperature, Inc., Walled Lake Millwork/Rough Carpentry – Turner Self Perform Group, Troy Miscellaneous Metal – Davis Iron Works, Inc. Painting/Acoustical Wall Covering – Eugenio Painting Co., Grosse Pointe Woods Subcontractors and professional consultants listed in the Construction Highlight are identified by the general contractor, architect or owner.

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SHOWCASE Leonard's Model 170 single outlet mixing valves for lavatories and sinks, and Models 270 & 370 for single or multiple outlet mixing valves, for lavatories, sinks or small hot water heater applications are featured. The literature details a Selection Guide, Flow Capacities and Specifications. The valves which are ASSE Standard 1070 listed feature a copper encapsulated wax thermostat, locking temperature setting and integral check valves on hot and cold inlets. For a copy of Leonard Valve's Temperature Limiting Valves brochure, contact Leonard Valve Company, 1360 Elmwood Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910; phone (800) 222-1208; fax (401) 941-5310; e-mail: [email protected]; or visit www.leonardvalve.com.

Dow Brings Recyclable Carpet One Step Closer to Reality

Many advances to make carpet recyclable have been achieved over the years, but providing a recyclable backing material has been a significant challenge. HYPOD Polyolefin Dispersions from The Dow Chemical Company take carpet sustainability to the next level in multiple applications including modular carpet, broadloom, thermo-moldable products and artificial turf allowing carpet manufacturers to apply a thermoplastic backing, rather than a thermoset backing, while still using conventional coating equipment. HYPOD Polyolefin Dispersions are thermoplastic which tends to be more compatible with carpet fibers and can facilitate easier recycling at the end of the carpet’s life. Thermoplastic backings also use less material, which may help preserve resources and energy and result in a lighter weight carpeting. A lighter weight product typically requires less cost and fuel for shipping and allows for easier installation. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com

Leonard Valve Temperature Limiting Valves Highlighted in New Color Brochure

A new 4-page color brochure describing Temperature Limiting Valves is now available from Leonard Valve Company, leader in the manufacture of thermostatic water mixing valves.

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testing, installation, mating connectors, troubleshooting and full connectorization on the wire harness. The finished, readyto-pump feedthrough plates are available to accommodate a variety of mixed configurations of feedthroughs including those from the DECo Ductorseal®, Studseal™, Optiseal™ and Potcon™ product families. The plates can house a variety of connector densities and counts, as well as mating connectors, and readyto-go, fiber optic bulkheads. The assemblies are available in various sizes ranging from 6” through 48” in diameter and offer full strain relief. They can be provided with or without connectors, and are shipped to customer facilities as a complete assembly, ready to install and pump. DECo also offers vacuum outgassing bakeout for components or the entire unit. Common applications for these systems include space simulation, HVAC compressors, magnetic bearing flywheels, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and mass spectrometry. For additional information on DECo solutions, including product brochures and videos, please visit www.douglaselectrical.com.

Douglas Electrical Components Portplate Assemblies Add Value and Minimize Potential Downtime

Douglas Electrical Components, Inc. (DECo) has introduced Portplate systems, which combine fully assembled, pre-tested multiple feedthroughs on a single plate. The custom-designed and fabricated port plate assemblies minimize the amount of potential downtime due to system leaks, which would usually result in high costs and delays, associated with troubleshooting. The DECo-pioneered port plates can hold multiple sealed feedthroughs, depending on the project needs, and can be replaced as one unit, should leakage occur. Customers benefit from the full range of service provided with these assemblies, including design, mounting,

Create a Phantasy Wall with Vitrulan Logo

With Vitrulan Phantasy Logo, even a facility’s walls can be a reflection of the company or organization’s identity. The product, made of 100 percent finely spun glass yarn, can be combined with any wall covering design in the company’s Phantasy Plus series to create a unique, individualized style – whether it be for “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

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one feature wall or the entire wall area. Phantasy Logo is well suited for use in hotels, restaurants, retail stores, banks, corporate offices and more. All Vitrulan glass deco fabrics are highly resistant to wear and tear and feature excellent reinforcing characteristics for interior walls, reducing maintenance time and costs. They can be coated with any color of latex paint or a combination of low VOC epoxies or polyurethanes to achieve a highly durable and stylish wall covering. Vitrulan glass deco fabrics and coatings also offer unparalleled hygiene qualities, as well as environmental benefits. They are chlorine-free, emit low volatile organic compounds and have a high permeability rating, making them a good choice for hygiene-sensitive areas like restaurants and healthcare and assisted living facilities. Plus, with Vitrulan glass deco fabrics, there are no pores and pockets in which micro-organisms could accumulate. The result is a wall covering that not only looks great, but also offers benefits for the environment and human health. For more information, visit Vitrulan online at www.vitrulan.com or call 888267-4067.

Duro-Last® Roofing, Inc. Adds Dark Gray Membrane to Product Line Duro-Last Roofing, Inc. has introduced a new color – dark gray – to its standard membrane offerings. Other standard Duro-Last membrane colors include white, tan, and gray. Like the other standard Duro-Last membranes, the dark gray material is a proprietary thermoplastic formulation that provides exceptional flexibility, resistance to U.V. radiation, and flame retardance. Standard Duro-Last membrane thicknesses are 40 and 50-mil. Duro-Last adds no “filler” material to increase membrane thickness. A key

Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com

Duro-Last difference is the reinforcement scrim within the membrane. It’s a weftinsertion knitted scrim with a density of 14 x 18 threads-per-inch – among the highest in the industry. Duro-Last meets or exceeds all major fire and wind code requirements, and regional approvals as necessary throughout the country. These certifications reinforce Duro-Last’s leadership in providing the consistent, watertight integrity that building owners expect. For more information, contact Fred Sitter at 800-248-0280, or visit the website at www.duro-last.com.

Green Glue Helps Noiseproof Your Life Green Glue is an eco-friendly viscoelastic compound used between layers of standard drywall to ensure high quality soundproofing at a low cost. Green Glue dramatically improves sound isolation and significantly lessens impact noise and structure-borne sound transmission. STC (or Sound Transmission Class) is the industry measurement system used to determine the degree to which a wall can stop sound transmission. The higher the STC score, the lower the amount of sound transmission occurring from one room to the other and the quieter the connecting room. Walls containing one layer of drywall typically register an STC level of 3336. An application of Green Glue and an additional layer of drywall will improve the STC score to 45 or higher, decreasing sound transmission by up to 90 percent. As additional layers of Green Glue and drywall are used on the walls, ceiling and floor these results are further amplified.

Fine Line of Exit Signage Introduced by Pathway Pathway has announced the Fine-Line exit sign as the latest offering in its family of emergency lighting products. The new Fine-Line exit sign is an architectural grade, super slim, diecast aluminum sign that is only 7/8” thick. The Fine-Line boasts an energy efficient L.E.D. light source, with a full and even legend illumination, universal mounting and precision diecast aluminum, construction. The Fine-Line is available with red or green LED operation and comes in a satin brushed aluminum finish with a premium nickel cadmium battery. Made in the USA. For more information, contact the Pathway sales department at 1-800-3420592; fax 1-800-207-0090; or [email protected]; or consult your local Pathway representative. Visit us online at www.pathwaylighting.com, or write to us at Pathway Lighting Products, Inc., P. O. Box 591, Old Saybrook, CT.

Green Glue is also the most effective noiseproofing solution on the market at dissipating low frequency bass sounds, those associated with subwoofers in home theater entertainment systems and other external environmental noises. One case of Green Glue can typically cover 100-200 square feet; a typical room requires three to five cases of Green Glue to be completely noiseproofed. Each case contains 12 29-oz. tubes of Green Glue. Green Glue is a cost efficient noiseproofing option and is fast and easy to install. Costs for noiseproofing start under .50¢ per-square-foot, and the company estimates that an average 15 x 15 foot entertainment room can be soundproofed with Green Glue for roughly $350 in addition to the cost of drywall. To learn more about Green Glue and noiseproofing, visit the website at www.greengluecompany.com. CAM MAGAZINE

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Saginaw-based Pumford Construction has added four more employees who have become Leadership in Energy and Efficiency Design Accredited Professionals (LEED APs). They join Reinbold Brian Swedorski, AIA, LEED AP, who is already on Pumford’s expanding list of LEED APs. They are: Greg Turner, LEED AP; James Jacobs, EIT, LEED AP; Chris Bohinski, LEED AP; and Jason Reinbold, LEED AP. Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. (FTCH) Engineers ● Scientists ● Architects ● Constructors is pleased to announce the following promotions: Rick W. Davis; Wayne E. Langland, PE; and John A. Willemin, PE to senior associate and vice president; also David J. Baar, PE; Michael L. Berrevoets, PE; Michele J. Buckler, PE; Christopher M. Kretovic, AIA, LEED® AP; James A. McCarty, LEED® AP; Brandi L.E. Miller, PE; Carl J. Otte, PE; and David M. Yanochko, PE to associate. FTCH has offices in Grand Rapids, Lasing, Kalamazoo, Farmington Hills, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Malika Reynolds-Sylvain has joined Lansing-based Granger Construction as the firm’s new business and community development leader. Her responsibilities will include identifying new business opportunities, creating greater awareness for the services Granger offers, and promoting additional relationships with firms owned by individuals Reynolds-Sylvain from diverse backgrounds. Giffels-Webster Engineers, Rochester Hills, has announced that Michael Polmear and Nancy Todd have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environment Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) status. Polmear is an associate with Giffels-Webster Engineers and Todd is an engineering technician.

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Anthony J. Rusciano has been re-elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Plunkett Cooney, one of the Midwest’s oldest and largest full-service law firms, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills. Rusciano is the firm’s longest serving Board member with 17 years of service, including eight years as Board Chairman from 1997 to 2002 and again from 2006 to 2008. He joined the firm in 1980 and has been a Rusciano shareholder since 1985. Dan O’Donnell, RA, senior project manager with Oliver / Hatcher Construction (based in Novi and Grand Rapids), has passed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Accredited Professional exam and has O’Donnell obtained his LEED® AP Certification. The Albert Kahn Family of Companies (Kahn), a leading provider of architecture, engineering, planning, design and management services, is proud to announce a milestone of achieving over 100 LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs). Over 50% of Kahn’s technical staff is accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. The firm celebrated its first LEED Accredited Professional in 2002, and has seen the number of LEED APs double in the last year.

C O R P O R AT E

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Detroit-based DeMaria Building Company has been hired to provide construction management services for a 45,000-square-foot office renovation in Novi. The scope of work includes a phased renovation of the second and third floors, project design, budgeting, demolition, new construction and specialty finishes. In 2008, general contracting firm Rudolph/Libbe, headquartered in Ohio, achieved 2 million hours worked without an associate missing work due to a safetyrelated incident. This achievement spans more than two years, and represents more than $500 million in construction value.

Alta Lift Truck Services, Inc. and Detroit Forklift recently announced that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which Alta will acquire the assets of Detroit Forklift. Detroit Forklift, based in Detroit, was established in 1984 and has earned a reputation in the MetroDetroit area for its dedication to customers and thorough, educated service staff. Under the agreement, Alta will retain many of their employees and assets. Taylor-based J.S. Vig Construction, a full-service general contractor and construction management company, has received the 2009 Pyramid Award for the Best Project Team between $3 million and $25 million from the Washtenaw Contractors Association (WCA). J.S. Vig was honored for their contractor role in the renovation and expansion of the Romulus Athletic Center. The facility is an 89,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art recreation facility featuring a running track, fitness area, aquatic center with five indoor pools and a 30-foot slide, an outdoor pool, concession building, locker rooms, two cafes, banquet facilities, three gyms, rock climbing wall, youth center and childcare area. AZD Architects, Bloomfield Hills, recently received 12 awards in one month for architectural design. The firm collected 11 awards from the Hour Detroit Home Awards, including “People’s Choice – Best Overall Home.” AZD also received one award from the National Association of Home Builders for “Best in American Living.” A.Z. SHMINA, INC., Brighton, recently announced the following: The completion of two projects for the University Of Michigan Cardiovascular Center; the Nuclear Cardiology Relocation and the General Clinical Research Center Relocation, which is adjacent to Nuclear Cardiology. The projects total $6,000,000. Also, A.Z. SHMINA has been awarded the contract for renovations to the Monroe Metropolitan Waste Water Treatment Plant. This $10,000,000 project is slated for a Spring 2010 completion and will result in many upgrades to the City’s facility.

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Stephen Auger + Associates Architects (SA+A), located in downtown Lake Orion, recently announced the following: The firm has been awarded the contract to provide architectural design services for Prototype Branch Design for Community Choice Credit Union in Farmington Hills. Also, SA+A, a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), has completed plans for the Orion Pointe Medical/Professional office building, to be located on Lake Orion near the historic downtown district. Frank Rewold and Son of Rochester commenced construction on this 15,000-square-foot building, which is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2010. SA+A has also announced that they have been awarded the contract issued by the Oakland Township Historic District Commission to provide architectural design services for the Main House project at Cranberry Lake Farms. Cranberry Lake Farms is a sixteen-acre historic district located at 388 West Predmore Road in Oakland Township. The Main House was originally built in the 1840’s.

Contracting Resources, Inc., a Brightonbased, design-build and construction management company, has been awarded two new contracts by William Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe. The first is a one-story MRI addition located on the west side of the existing hospital. This project consists of a new MRI room, control room, storage, ultrasound room, and stress test room. Also, the hospital has awarded Contracting Resources a first floor renovation project to an existing treatment room in the northwest corner of the Rose Cancer Center. This project is for Allie’s Angels, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting children with life threatening illnesses.

Chevron Products Company has introduced a redesigned website at www.DeloPerformance.com specifically for the latest news and product information on Delo branded products. The Delo family contains a full line of engine oils and extended life coolants. New features and services on the Delo website include: An easy-to-navigate user interface with an all-new look; instant access to Delo product information; commercial sector news and industry trends; online access to the new campaign print ads and other Delo promotions; revamped retailer and marketer locators; marketer testimonials; and new, more powerful selling tools.

FieldTurf Construction has recently opened an office in Auburn Hills that will operate as a regional office for the world's largest sports surfacing manufacturer. The Auburn Hills office is the first of many FieldTurf Construction locations slated to open around the country in the coming months. FieldTurf is currently in use in some of the most prominent institutions in the state including Ford Field (Super Bowl XL was played on FieldTurf), the Pontiac Silverdome, University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Wayne State, and Grand Valley State. Firestone Building Products Company, LLC, recently unveiled their newly redesigned online Technical Database. Designed to provide commercial roofing professionals with easier access to important Firestone specification and installation information, the new site also provides users with new and unique tools and information. The site is accessible at http://www.firestonebpco.com. New to the site are a search function, file cart, cool roofing section, and a tool where users can set-up an account to subscribe to monthly site updates and view their download history.

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WELCOME

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NEW

MEMBERS

-

&

BUYERS

GUIDE

U P DATE NORTHERN BAY PAINTING, LLC BAY CITY PACKAGE DESIGN & MANUFACTURING, INC. WHITMORE LAKE PLUMBING PROFESSORS, CANTON PRO TECH, LLC, MACOMB

W E L C O M E

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M E M B E R S

PROGRESSIVE PANEL SYSTEMS, INC., DBA PROGRESSIVE SYSTEMS, INC. ZEELAND

AIR CLINIC HEATING & COOLING MADISON HEIGHTS

EATON ELECTRIC, TROY

SCHAAF & ASSOCIATES CONSTRUCTION, INC. EAST TAWAS

B/C CONTRACTORS, INC., YPSILANTI

FITZGIBBONS FLEET FABRICATORS JACKSON

SPALDING DEDECKER ASSOCIATES, INC. ROCHESTER HILLS

CONCRETE STRUCTURES, LLC WATERFORD

MARTY WILDFONG AND ASSOCIATES MIDLAND

ST CLAIR PLUMBING & HEATING, INC. ST CLAIR

COVENANT ENVIRONMENTAL, LLC HOWELL

MICHIGAN PAVERS & WALLS, LLC FENTON

STD CONTRACTORS, PONTIAC

CURBCO, INC., SWARTZ CREEK

MIDLAND FENCE COMPANY, MIDLAND

DETROIT DRAFTING, LLC, BLOOMFIELD HILLS

NORMS TOTAL AUTOMOTIVE SOUTH LYON

TELTOW CONTRACTING, INC., CASCO UNIVERSAL SPIRAL AIR, LIVONIA US FINANCIAL SERVICES, SOUTHFIELD

As you all are probably aware, the 2009 Construction Buyers Guide has been out on the street for several months now. In an effort to keep our information as accurate and up-to-date as possible, we’re including here all the changes and corrections we have received for members’ company listings as of June 1. Changes from the book are in bold. To see continually amended company listings, check out the Buyers Guide Online at www.cam-online.com, updated mid-month. Return to this section every month in CAM Magazine to get heads-up information and news involving the Construction Buyers Guide. Questions? Contact Mary Carabott at 248-972-1000 for answers and to find out how to add to your online listings. No updates will be made to the online Buyers Guide from July 15 thru January 15. To obtain additional copies of the Guide, stop by the CAM office and pick them up at no additional charge, or send $6 per book for shipping to have the books sent to your company via UPS. Please call ahead of time for authorization if your firm requires a substantial number of copies. Invoices for the listings have been generated and mailed. Prompt payment ensures a good-standing membership and ability to list in the 2010 Buyers Guide. We will gladly answer any questions regarding charges on invoices. Preparation for the 2010 Buyers Guide has begun – look for renewal forms in your mail in early August.

Architectural Southwest Stone Co., LLC 15195 Farmington Rd., Suite A8 Livonia, MI 48154 Phone: 734-422-1965 Fax: 734-422-3381 The Christman Company (Replacing Ann Arbor Location) 38701 Seven Mile Rd., Suite 435 Livonia, MI 48152 Phone: 734-245-0130 Fax: 734-245-0139 Contrast Mechanical, Inc. 15825 Leone Dr. Macomb Twp., MI 48042 Phone: 586-786-1200 Fax: 586-786-1205

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Envision Electric Contracting, LLC 12450 Universal Dr. Taylor, MI 48180 Phone: 734-403-2000 Fax: 734-403-2001 G3 Technologies, Inc. 8187 Clyde Park Ave., SW Byron Center, MI 49315 Phone: 616-583-0780 Fax: 616-878-3211 Howard Structural Steel 807 Vets Memorial Pkwy. Saginaw, MI 48601 Phone: 989-752-3000 Fax: 989-752-3048

JHB Group (Formerly Hiipakka Building, Inc., Jonathan/JHB, Inc.) 4000 Crooks Rd. Royal Oak, MI 48073 Phone: 248-755-1035 Fax: 248-594-9464 MAV Development Co. 2727 St. State St., Suite 100 Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Phone: 734-930-6700 Fax: 734-930-6701

New Technology Construction, LLC 2401 Front St. Toledo, OH 43605 Phone: 419-691-4646 Fax: 419-698-1150 Signature Glass, Inc. 26415 Gratiot Ave. Roseville, MI 48066 Phone: 586-447-9000 Fax: 586-447-9009 Tri-Tec, LLC 31455 Southfield Rd., Suite A Beverly Hills, MI 48025 Phone: 248-971-1180 Fax: 248-971-1181

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CONSTRUCTION CALENDAR

CONSTRUCTION

CALENDAR

Please submit all calendar items no less than six weeks prior to the event to: Calendar Editor, CAM Magazine, P.O. Box 3204, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204.

Industry Events July 14-Sep. 15 – CAM Golf Outings July 14 - Dunham Hills Golf Club, Hartland Aug. 19 – Cherry Creek, Shelby Twp. Sep. 15 – Wabeek Country Club, Bloomfield Hills Reserve a spot in one or all of these outings by calling Diana Brown at 248-9721000.

July 24 – Sep. 29 – TriCity Builders Exchange (TCBX) Spring/Summer Social Outings July 24 – Golf Outing, Beech Hollow Golf Club, Freeland Sep. 29 – Golf Outing, Sawmill Golf Club, Saginaw Contact TCBX manager Josh Meyer at 989-754- 4872 for more information.

FACCA RICHTER & PREGLER, P.C. Lawyers Specializing In Construction Litigation ■ ■ ■

Contract Disputes Corporate Matters Lien & Bond Claims

Patrick A. Facca

■ ■ ■

A/E Liability Arbitration Construction Claims

CAMTEC CLASS SCHEDULE CAMTEC, the training & education center of the Construction Association of Michigan, has announced its spring/summer class schedule. For registration information, or to obtain a catalog, call (248) 972-1133. Start Date Class July 29 - Construction Law Panel/Discussion Topics to be covered include: AIA Contracts; Contracts & Subcontracts for Non-Attorneys; Preparing Documents to Preserve Construction Liens & Payment Bond Claims; Techniques for Controlling & Working On Delayed Projects; Accounts Receivable Management - A to Z Collections; and Lien Payment Bonds. Q & A will follow.

GSV STAKING, LLC CONSTRUCTION STAKING SERVICES 20 Years Experience Using State-of-the-Art Equipment

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ADVERTISERS INDEX Ace Cutting Equipment & Supply ......................47 Acme Maintenance Service ..................................11 Aluminum Supply Company - Marshall Sales, Inc. ........................................43 Bennett, Holland & Associates ............................39 CAM - Affinity ....................................................IBC CAM - ECPN..........................................................38 CAM Lien Forms ..................................................39 C.F.C.U. ..................................................................25 Cochrane Supply & Engineering, Inc. ..............29 Curran Crane Co., J.J.............................................23 DTE Energy ............................................................31 Danboise Mechanical, Inc. ..................................19 Deppmann Company, R.L. ..................................24 Detroit Terrazzo Contractors Association ..........16 DiHydro Services, Inc. ........................................27 Doeren Mayhew ....................................................51 Facca Richter & Pregler, P.C. ................................53 Fishbeck Thompson Carr & Huber ......................6 G2 Consulting Group, LLC ..................................37 GSV Staking, LLC ................................................53 Granger Construction Company ........................27 Guy, Hurley, Blaser & Heuer, LLC ......................45 Hartland Insurance Group, Inc. ..........................9 Hilti, Inc. ..................................................................8 Jeffers Crane Service, Inc. ....................................13 Limbach Company, LLC ....................................BC MasonPro, Inc.. ......................................................17 Michigan CAT ..........................................................3 Michigan Propane Gas Association ....................33 Navigant Consulting, Inc.. ..................................54 Next Generation Services Group ........................41 Nicholson Construction Company......................54 North American Dismantling Corp. ..................23 Oakland Community College ..............................11 Earth Retention Systems - Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI

Oakland Companies..............................................42 Operating Engineers Local 324 ..............................5

VERSATILE GEOTECHNICAL CONTRACTORS

Osborne Trucking & Osborne Concrete, John D. ........................39 PM Technologies, LLC ........................................21 Partlan-Labadie Sheet Metal Co.. ........................20 Plante & Moran, PLLC ........................................30

Dan Thome, District Manager Midwest District Office 5945 W. Main Street, Suite 102 „ Kalamazoo, MI 49009 Phone: 269.353.8421 „ Fax: 269.353.8435 www.nicholsonconstruction.com

Quality Water & Air, Inc. ......................................35 SANI-VAC Services, Inc. ......................................37 SMRCA ..................................................................12 TEMP-AIR, Inc. ....................................................16 TES Consultants, PC ............................................47 Trend Millwork....................................................IFC

MICROPILES „ ANCHORS „ GROUTING „ AUGERCAST PILES SOIL NAIL WALLS „ SOIL MIXING „ DIAPHRAGM WALLS „ VIBRO TECHNOLOGIES

Valenti Trobec Chandle, Inc. ................................7 Wayne Bolt & Nut Co.. ........................................19

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CAM MAGAZINE

JULY 2009

“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

July 48-56

6/18/09

12:13 PM

Page 55

July 48-56

6/18/09

12:13 PM

Page 56

Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital

Our Vision

To be the first choice mechanical contractor and service firm in the markets we serve, consistently exceeding the expectations of our stakeholders: Our Customers, Our Employees, Our Investors, and Our Partners.

St. John Health - Providence Park Hospital