groundbreaking A JE DUNN CONSTRUCTION PUBLICATION
vol 49
MARKET EXPERTISE
groundbreaking volume 49 on the cover: Baptist Saint Anthony Hospital Harrington Cancer Center, Amarillo, Texas published by: JE Dunn Construction 1001 Locust Street Kansas City, MO 64106 editorial team: Emily Gallagher Katy O’Donovan design team: Susan McCullick Anne Binkley Hailey Briones
INSIDE THIS ISSUE JE Dunn in the News...........................................................4 Getting Ahead: The Benefits of Early Contractor Involvement in the Industrial Space.......................................6 New Revenue Streams Take Flight in Aviation......................12 A Critical Approach: Elevating a Safety Culture in Mission Critical........................................14 Aptitude: Understanding How Technology Integration Improves User Experience.................................16 Delivering Together: The Value of Maximizing Collaboration in the Federal Space....................................20 The Healthcare Master Planning Journey: Three Keys to Mitigating Risk & Optimizing Outcomes..........................22 Closing the Loop: Integrating Design & Construction in Semiconductor Manufacturing.......................................28 PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS
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Westminster Schools K-12 Campus Improvements................10 Kansas State University Shamrock Zone..............................26
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JE Dunn Honored as a Healthiest Workplace in America............................back page
Construction Commentary The sight of our blue cranes going up more and more across the country brings a sense of normalcy and underscores the belief that construction is starting to pick up where it left off before the onset of the pandemic. Projects are stirring back to life, and we’re seeing new projects across our vertical markets come online with the pipeline looking very promising. While the outlook is positive, that doesn’t mean the current market conditions and projects are without their challenges. From identifying new revenue streams to ensuring projects are tailored for each client’s unique needs, we’re applying the lessons learned in the last year and a half to be a more creative and adaptable building partner. With a focus on timely insights to fuel informed decision-making and support from beginning to end, we’re committed to a transparent, collaborative process. This year has been one of learning, growth, and adaptation, and it’s time to focus on how we can continue delivering on our projects while providing an exceptional client experience. We want you to know we’re listening to you, and we’re committed to improving for you. While COVID challenged us in new ways and required us to react quickly, I think our commitment to our clients and our guiding principles put us in a unique position to improve and become a better partner, builder, and steward of our communities. Thank you for trusting JE Dunn.
Gordon Lansford President & CEO JE Dunn Construction JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking | 3
LEAN, MEAN, MATERIALS HANDLING MACHINE Evaluating materials handling operations may provide the key to more productive, safe, and profitable jobsites, and superintendents who embrace change on this front give their companies a competitive advantage. Construction organizations and field workers are now embracing new ways of performing work and evaluating their safety practices to apply more forward-thinking alternatives. Superintended Ken Cornell shared his insights with Construction Superintendent at https://cutt.ly/lWAssXW, where he outlined ways superintendents can drive change.
EVOLUTION OF VDC TO MAXIMIZE HEALTHCARE PROJECT SUCCESS Recent changes in the AEC industry – like technological advances, more complex facilities, increased collaboration, earlier involvement of contractors and trade partners, and more offsite prefabrication – are having a ripple effect throughout the healthcare design and construction world. Healthcare Virtual Design & Construction Director Sara Curry discusses the changing role of VDC in healthcare projects and how teams are adapting to them in a recent issue of Medical Construction and Design magazine. Read the article in full at https://cutt.ly/4WAa5bP.
REMOVING RISK FOR A SAFE SITE Senior Safety Manager John McKenzie shares lessons learned from implementing Prevention through Design (PtD) on the Portland International Airport project. This collaborative approach integrates safety into the design process to eliminate risks for construction workers as well as future building occupants and maintenance staff. Read the article in Aviation Pros at https://cutt.ly/TWAaNM9 to see how a PtD approach helps us build safer buildings for the long run and enhances schedule and cost savings along the way. 4
FIELD VDC: ENHANCING CONSTRUCTION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY “The days of VDC being in a silo in the office are over, which is why in the field, we work hand in hand with other team members in the office.” VDC Director Dylan Lowder shared his experience with Construction Superintendent on how the primary use of VDC has changed from clash detection to full team integration, eliminating surprises in the field and changing the timing of all parties’ involvement as well. His full article appears at https://cutt.ly/6WAszUR.
RETHINKING DATA CENTER COMMISSIONING: THE MOVE TO MODULAR Traditional building commissioning (Cx) relies on proven processes to ensure seamless and efficient facility operation. However, today’s climate is forcing a change — with a higher demand for buildings and the increased need for speed to market, construction teams are employing different methods within modular construction to rethink the traditional process by redefining the levels to reduce cost and schedule. Senior Project Manager Priya Velamakanni shared with Mission Critical magazine how utilizing modular construction can help streamline the commissioning process and increase speed to market. Her article appears in full at: https://cutt.ly/vWAs3uB.
SUCCESSFUL SETUP: THE ADVANTAGE OF MEDIUM-VOLTAGE CABLING The rise in data center usage— bolstered by the move to remote work and distance learning—has put pressure on data center owners to deliver facilities faster while increasing capacity. Today’s mission critical facilities require increasing amounts of power, which lends itself to the use of medium voltage (MV) equipment and cabling in many data center designs. Engineering Services Manager Mike Fernholz outlined steps for a successful MV cable installation with 7x24 Exchange magazine’s Fall 2021 issue. His full article is available here: https://cutt.ly/QRyMKfH.
3 STRATEGIES TO UTILIZE ON YOUR NEXT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROJECT Demand for inpatient behavioral health facilities has increased more than any other specialty hospital in recent years, but understanding the reasons behind it helps set project teams up for success. In a recent blog for healthcare design, Vice President Josh Meadows explained why the demand for behavioral health is on the rise and strategies for meeting the needs of owners and patients during construction. Read his blog for healthcare design at https://cutt.ly/LEMIrUw.
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
HCA Sarah Cannon Cancer Hospital at Medical City Plano, Plano, Texas
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THE BENEFITS OF EARLY CONTRACTOR INVOLVEMENT
IN THE INDUSTRIAL SPACE 6
BY ALEX JACKSON, SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER
Early involvement sounds like a simple concept, but when executed correctly, it has complex—and far-reaching—effects. From better collaboration and informed decision making to cost-saving solutions while delivering an optimal facility, early contractor involvement (ECI) can not only be the difference in cost and schedule, but it can also improve quality from design and construction all the way through owner occupancy. By creating a direct line of communication between owners, contractors, and designers, JE Dunn’s collaborative delivery methods provide proven cost and schedule savings over traditional design-bid-build. A recent study by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) found that design-build reduces cost growth by 3.8 percent on average compared with traditional design-bid-build. Ideal for complex projects, industrial clients are seeing the benefits of ECI for optimizing the design and construction process while delivering a facility that meets their needs.
A BETTER PROCESS
In addition to demand for industrial facilities ramping up, the complexity of projects is also increasing, especially in the manufacturing and advanced/automated warehousing markets. Design-build isn’t typically a great fit for developers’ prototype projects due to their standardization and predetermined specifications, but for highly specialized, advanced facilities, ECI can maximize scope and help with team cohesion. Collaborating early helps ensure the design is constructible and
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Before exploring the results, it is important to understand the reasons ECI translates to smoother, more cost-effective projects. The biggest advantage when it comes to early involvement is the critical experience of those in the field. With years of experience to lean on, construction professionals know how things will fit together, the sequence of the work to be put in place, and the best approach to ensure the design
and the constructability of it match up, establishing a smoother process from the start. That expertise is put to the best use at the beginning of the project—when planning and understanding the impact of the work has a greater influence on the overall success of a project. Additionally, early involvement allows the construction experts to impact decisions – whether constructability, cost, or schedule – without change order cost and delays that would be incurred later in the project. The objective is to reduce change orders and eliminate late project value engineering activities that are detrimental to a project schedule.
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Southeast Toyota Distributors Vehicle Processing Center, Commerce, Georgia
efficient before it gets too far down the road, allowing a contractor to provide valuable input for structural, mechanical, and unique local conditions up front. Because designers are not tied to procurement of materials, builders are better suited to help identify decisions on construction material availability, which can be a huge schedule impact, both positive and negative.
REAL-TIME RESULTS Up-front involvement and collaboration have real and direct impacts on project design that are immediately seen from both cost and schedule standpoints. From early procurement to working alongside architects to compare design impacts against the budget in real time, ECI provides many opportunities to shave cost while maintaining the integrity of the owner’s intent. “Early involvement allowed us to offer multiple options for materials and equipment vendors for a recent manufacturing project in South Carolina,” said Engineering Services Director Todd Stuart. “JE Dunn’s Engineering Services team leveraged vendor relationships to procure a combined package of mechanical equipment, building controls, and fire alarm. This resulted in a six-figure savings for the client.” Leveraging ECI correctly also shows owners how and where time can be saved on the schedule in addition to immediate cost impacts for many reasons. These include a reduction in change orders, enhanced prefabrication planning, and the ability to essentially fast track portions of the design to align with construction activities – all saving time on the schedule.
GSA DOE NNSA NSC Campus, Kansas City, Missouri
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Some impacts come down to seemingly simple changes—but have complex ramifications thanks to the timing of them. During a recent addition to an operational manufacturing plant, the team was able to provide a 16-week schedule savings at no cost to the client, among other schedule- and cost-saving solutions. This was made possible by providing options and weighing their repercussions before design was complete. “Due to JE Dunn’s experience and understanding of current market conditions, we were able to suggest modifying the construction type from Pre-Engineered Metal Building (PEMB) to Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) structure. This suggested change saved an estimated 16 weeks on the project with no additional cost,” said Vice President Brent Strength.
A COLLABORATIVE, CREATIVE PROCESS While the benefits are easy to see on paper, it’s the end users who ultimately see the tangible results that ECI offers. At the Southeast Toyota Distributors Vehicle Processing Center in Commerce, Ga., the owner prioritized their associates, keeping their needs at the forefront for every decision, which trickled down to the design and construction team.
OTHER ECI OUTCOMES IN RECENT INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS: • Doubled processing efficiency via collaborative design-build and active engagement in the design for an automotive project. • 67% reduction of safety violations and incidences as compared to other existing facilities due to recommendations from JE Dunn early in design.
• Six-week schedule reduction for the installation of overhead MEP due to early identification of prefabricated systems, alongside JE Dunn’s virtual design and construction team.
SCOTT BODDEN, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
The project also underscores the importance of collaboration between all parties—owner included—at the beginning. Not only does it foster an honest relationship, but it also helps feed the creative process to develop solutions while considering the cost implications and working to identify the best way to solve it together. “By truly working with the owner and design team together, we are able to present options while having an honest conversation to provide guidance based on our field experience and expertise,” said Strength.
THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT The bottom line when it comes to early contractor involvement is that owners get the best of both worlds—schedule and cost projections with such a high level of accuracy that they aid decision making and improve the quality of each project. The ripple effect means the results are across all three aspects—cost, schedule, and Kansas Dairy Ingredients quality—creating a positive domino effect that Processing Plant, Hugoton, Kansas delivers optimal results for all parties. Though complex projects are the most conducive to ECI results, the good news is that it’s not just large-scale projects that feel the impact. Brought on during the preconstruction phase for a recent $10 million project to provide input up front and analyze potential savings, the team utilized ECI and identified cost savings that amounted to $900,000—a 9 percent savings on total project cost. By having means and methods discussions early in projects, teams usually end up with better design that is more cost effective and makes the best use of dollars and resources, so all parties come out ahead.
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• $600,000 in savings over precast sandwich panels as a result of pricing exercises for building types that considered multiple factors, including projected energy usage and local development codes.
The project was and should serve as a blueprint of the potential outcomes of ECI, as well as the value of transparency and trust between all parties. We established a set of mutual project goals at the beginning—developed with employee input and buy-in— which helped drive the options the team presented early on. The new facility is now twice as efficient as the old one, and safety incidents have been cut in half thanks to collaborative design and construction and truly thinking through the way the building is used.”
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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Westminster Schools K-12 Campus Improvements Atlanta, Georgia
One of the nation’s leading independent K-12 schools, the Westminster School in Atlanta, Ga., embarked on campus-wide improvements to renovate and build top-notch facilities to match its prestigious academic reputation. This multi-phased project includes the construction of a new administrative welcome center, classroom building renovations and new addition, new central energy plant, 405-car precast parking deck, and replacement of the football stadium and surrounding hardscapes and landscapes. Tailored specifically to the school, the project underscores the value of applying lessons learned to ensure goals are met. PART OF THE PLAN The Masterplan for this project was developed in 2012 and was created without the benefit of a “Standard” or a “Program.” Most K-12 projects are built with a standard or a common program that evolves around the Department of Education guidelines for curriculum. Materials are typical and generally basic, which allows them to be more widely used, accelerating construction thanks to the repeatability of design and materials. The Westminster School project was neither standard nor common; it was 100 percent custom to ensure it incorporated community and faculty input into the design process. Because the client essentially had a blank canvas, it challenged the team to complete phase one as perfectly as possible, as it would serve as the foundation for the remaining phases. While the team worked to capture the client’s vision in the design, it wasn’t until construction began that certain aspects became clearer and required changes. The evolution of the design in the first phase resulted in more than 550 potential change items, half of which had to be executed within 10 months of phase one. “The first phase of the project presented a learning curve for all parties for the design and execution of the client’s vision, but because we were meticulous in perfecting it, the exercise set us up for success for the forthcoming phases,” said Senior Project Manager Travis Alford.
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IMPROVING THE PROCESS The team leveraged lessons learned from the first phase to mitigate any potential delays further changes might cause. As changes are part of the process, the team was able to avoid the time crunch, saving them from adversely affecting our schedule. “We took what we learned from the first phase—in schedule and design—to start conversations with the design team early enough to make changes either via submittals or via issuance of new documents,” said Alford. “This gave us more time to plan the work and execute without the added pressure of schedule impacts. For example, in our early coordination meetings for overhead and wall device locations (switches, control pads, thermostats, projectors, etc.), we worked with the architect for aesthetics while also incorporating the functionality from the low voltage/audio visual contractors hired by the owner to ensure it fit both needs before work began.” A FUTURE OF SUCCESS With a rich tradition as one of the top private schools in Georgia, it was important to the client to not only update their buildings, but also ensure they delivered students a unique educational experience while setting them up for success beyond their walls. “This project brought the school closer to the higher education institution feel that many—if not all—of these K-12 students will experience upon high school graduation,” said Alford.
Bringing this project on board has boosted the excitement and enrollment of this K-12 school and has opened the doors for construction viability on this campus for the next five years.” TRAVIS ALFORD, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
The new administrative building, known as the Barge Commons, will be home to the school’s president, as well as Student Admissions and Alumni Affairs offices. Renovations to the existing football stadium include new precast bleachers, locker rooms, press box, concessions building, and tailgating plaza, while the existing three-story classroom building, Campbell Hall, also saw improvements such as all new MEP, high-end finishes, and updated technology. New construction includes a central outdoor dining courtyard and threestory classroom addition known as Hawkins Hall. The new facility features floating classrooms, a state-of-the-art integrated learning lab (known as the CAT lab), a cafeteria, and open collaborative spaces. The project completed in April 2021.
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Nashville International Airport, Nashville, Tennessee
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TRUE OR FALSE: Anchorage, Alaska, was the busiest airport in the world in 2020. Believe it or not, this is true—and it points to the adaptation of the Aviation industry to not only stay afloat, but also to thrive during the uncertain conditions COVID brought with it. Like airlines, construction companies had to find new revenue streams to capitalize on the rapidly changing conditions as COVID began to grip the world. As traveling decreased and online ordering increased, so too did the need for cargo and associated facilities, creating the demand and urgency for facilities to keep up with Americans’ changing habits. BEHIND THE SHIFT As shutdowns moved across the nation and people were confined to their homes, eCommerce sales skyrocketed. The pandemic pushed more US consumers online, boosting eCommerce sales 44% from 2019 to 2020 and contributing to an additional $105 billion in online revenue last year. This jump is credited for accelerating eCommerce by two years—and that shift in the way people are shopping not only changed the Aviation industry, but it also shifted owners’ long-term plans to accommodate the acceleration.
little different today than it did before the pandemic, with all sectors of air cargo seeing growth. Integrators UPS and FedEx reported revenue increases of 19-20% in 2020, and Atlas Air, a dedicated cargo airline, saw $65 million more in 2019 profits than the previous year. Integrators and air cargo are not the only ones seeing growth thanks to eCommerce—domestic airlines are as well. In 2019, air cargo made up 12% of airline revenue; this more than doubled in 2020 with it accounting for 30%. This growth also created a greater need for freight forwarders to expand or modernize facilities to handle sending packages back out, requiring more space or renovations to facility layout to accommodate the rapidly rising need. “We’re starting to see projects that speak directly to this demand,” said Vice President Iana Tassada. “In August of 2021, Amazon opened its $1.5 billion air hub in northern Kentucky to help accelerate its push for faster delivery and to better control its logistics network.” Domestic airports are also getting creative to accommodate the increased cargo traffic while exploring a new revenue stream. With cargo-handling capacity now an important factor in airport traffic, some smaller airports are focusing more on
BY DON SUMMERS, VICE PRESIDENT
non-passenger travel opportunities than in the past. “We’re seeing a shift for smaller airports in the amount of cargo planes they run in and out,” said Tassada. “This has resulted in the need for larger cargo handling equipment and facilities, both at smaller airports that are shifting to a higher volume of air cargo and at larger ones that are identifying a need for more efficient cargo operations.” THE FUTURE OF AVIATION While many air cargo-specific facilities and airlines felt the largest immediate impact of the eCommerce shift, high-passenger airports are finding ways to capitalize on the shift as well. The eCommerce boom, along with COVID and how it changed
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport Air Cargo Building C in Atlanta, Georgia
CARGO-DRIVEN CONSTRUCTION Like any unexpected change in market needs, the shift to more cargo capacity and infrastructure to accommodate it means the direction of Aviation looks a
IANA TASSADA, VICE PRESIDENT
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
eCommerce forced owners to adjust their future plans and investigate alternate revenue, as it was quickly apparent when passenger travel halted that cargo and other non-passenger segments picked up. Consumers’ habits have had a ripple effect on the industry, and air cargo is just one part of a larger shift in revenue streams
the public’s shopping—and travel—habits underscored the importance for airports to remain diversified in their revenue streams. It’s always been a best practice to have healthy diversification of aeronautical (passenger-driven) and non-aeronautical revenue streams. COVID reinforced the need for airports to be diligent in that, and having cargo operations at their airport is a great opportunity to increase non-aeronautical revenue — something that is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
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A CRITICAL APPROACH :
EL EVAT I N G A S AF E T Y C U LTU R E IN MISSION CRITICAL BY DESMOND CLARK, SAFETY MANAGER
Safety is the top priority on every jobsite, but the challenge now is how to not only improve upon it, but also to instill it into the culture and get buy-in from every single person who walks onto the project site. It requires trying different approaches and a commitment to a safety-first mindset—one that goes beyond the jobsite and extends to overall care. JE Dunn’s mission critical team recognizes that safety is more than an EMR score or other statistic; it’s a culture shift and holistic approach that acknowledges emotional and mental health are large parts of overall health and safety. Employed on mission critical jobsites in recent years, the JE Dunn teams are seeing results with a shift in approach, technology, and claims management. 14
KEEPING A FINGER ON THE PULSE Deployed as a pilot program a few years ago, fatigue-monitoring wearables provided valuable insights and data aimed at driving safety decisions on a daily basis. While widespread deployment of the program is still being reviewed, the insights gleaned extended beyond those project teams and contributed to the evolution of JE Dunn’s comprehensive safety program for mission critical. A key indicator the wearables identified was sleep quality in addition to quantity. The scores, though, were telling a deeper story and pointed toward other factors that could be explored and addressed to improve overall safety—including mental health. Leadership took that information and used it to expand JE Dunn’s safety program on all mission critical sites to rethink resources, training, etc., to then implement a more holistic approach.
One of the first things we did was send out non-biased perception surveys to keep our finger on the pulse to pinpoint gaps in safety and where we could do better as a team. We wanted honest feedback about how our teams and trade partners felt regarding their relationships with the owner, whether they felt valued, etc., which helped us identify more ways to get our workforce in front of the owner to bridge that gap while showcasing their expertise. We also asked about teams’ well-being, and what we found was that many people had high anxiety and worried about job security, health, and their families, among other things. Because of these perception survey results, we researched mental health experts in construction to bring mental health sessions to our jobsites where a clinical psychologist talked about topics ranging from suicide within the construction industry to personal struggles. “The biggest thing we wanted to establish was that JE Dunn is a safe space, and that everyone’s voice will be heard,” said Vice President Chris Teddy. “Part of these sessions involved project management sitting in front of our craft workers and not only having open dialogue, but also showing vulnerability. The conversations were eye opening to everyone—owners included—and went a long way into leveling the playing field, so to speak, when it came to issues everyone is facing and ensuring everyone felt valued.”
Improved mental health includes a clearer head for more attention to detail. The safety program also integrates technology to help direct focus should any mental slipups occur. Fatigue Bands – Much like an activity tracker, fatigue bands monitor sleep of workers each night. The bands report a fatigue score each day to indicate whether employees are work ready or if fatigue presents a potential risk. Warning Lights – Warning lights have been installed on forklifts as well scissor lifts to create a visual marker to indicate a safe distance to stand while working next to the equipment. They also shine ahead of the equipment to warn others as equipment is traveling.
CLAIMS MANAGEMENT Knowing that incidents are an unfortunate hazard that comes with construction, we took a proactive approach to mitigate lost-time incidents to head them off before they become problematic. “Often times, we see what an employee may deem as a minor injury not worthy of treatment snowball into a much larger, lost-time recordable if left unchecked or untreated,” said Teddy. “To head off those potential situations, we started providing on-call doctors at all mission critical jobsites. This gives our men and women the confidence of speaking to a trained doctor who can set them up with a work plan to better manage an injury before it results in lost time. Since employing this, we have more first-aid incidents rather than recordables, which benefits everyone. Last year, we used our virtual doctor a total of 61 times. Of those 61 times, only 10 became recordables, which kept the remaining 51 at a first-aid site level—a significant savings in cost.” REAL-LIFE RESULTS Looking at safety from a different, holistic angle was an approach not seen in mission critical construction—or much of the construction industry at all. The payoff? An industry-leading safety program for mission critical construction that permeates into the culture across the entire company. Some results are difficult to quantify, but the stories of the holistic training in action speak for themselves. “We had a situation where a foreman noticed something was not quite right with one of his workers, and because of the additional mental health safety resources and training, he pulled the worker aside and identified a deeper issue. The superintendent and foreman went above and beyond to support him and gave him the time he needed while ensuring he was secure in his job. Those types of things never happened before we included mental health as part of safety,” said Teddy. “We’ve had other general contractors reach out to ask what we are doing in our reimagined, more comprehensive safety program, so while there’s more to learn and a number of ways to evolve, we know we are on the right track.”
Zoning - Zoning allows or denies access to certain areas based on individuals’ training. This ensures that workers who are not performing a certain type of work or qualified for the work don’t have access to particular zones.
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Badging – Teams use badging to ensure only approved employees are allowed onsite and that they have gone through appropriate testing and training. This also allows leadership to identify who is onsite at any given time for head count in case of an emergency.
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Understanding How Technology Integration Improves User Experience In today’s connected world, technology is entrenched in most every aspect of our lives and affects our experiences in more ways than we often realize.
BY CHRIS ANDREWS, APTITUDE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN & PRECONSTRUCTION 16
It’s easy to take technology’s impact for granted – until our technology tools do not work properly. This is also true for the more complex technology in modern buildings; when every system works in harmony, users benefit from a better experience and buildings operate efficiently. Yet, achieving the seamless connectivity that helps create a positive experience is not always a simple task. It requires early planning, collaboration, and the foresight to understand how users will ultimately engage with each space in a building long before the foundation is poured. It also requires the ability to anticipate potential challenges and envision a user’s best possible experience. A user’s experience with a building may start before they ever enter it. These interactions with a building’s surrounding environment can be a critical opportunity to help create an overall positive experience. Users may encounter technology through motion sensing lights, audio-visual systems, with secure doors that automatically lock, and with adequate bandwidth to support their network connection needs. The foundational components of any building’s technology framework is similar, typically starting with structured cabling,
electronic security, and audio-visual capabilities. Yet each project can vary greatly depending on how a building will be used. To lay the groundwork of a successful technology design, Aptitude’s design team discusses at length with an owner what needs to be plugged in, what systems need to connect, and how people will use each space. In doing this, we can align with the owner and gain a better understanding of what they envision for the experiences that will take place within the building and can create a technology design to support their vision. Thinking about how users encounter technology is always top of mind for our team, and we are continually looking for ways to improve. Here is an overview of three unique user experiences, each within a very different building, that can be greatly impacted by the technology design and planning that took place. For each of these scenarios, the building would be supported with similar infrastructure, yet customized for its unique needs.
For a hotel guest, audio-visual, card access, elevator systems, and wireless internet often make up a large portion of their technology touch points. When a hotel guest arrives, their first experiences rely on wireless internet to check in with a hotel app on their phone, with a wired connection that allows their credit card to be processed quickly, and with a key card or electronic key that allows for access to their assigned room.
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A Hotel Guest
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This is important, because, for example, if customers can’t quickly scan an electronic ticket and make it to their seats until the third inning, or a text to a friend doesn’t go through, their experience has already been negatively impacted. The density of wireless connection at guests’ seats are equally important to consider, because a fan might want to check in on the MLB app, post a picture, or chat back and forth with a friend. Today’s sports fans are often just as engaged on their phones as they might be in the game itself. The next interaction that can impact a guest experience is at the concessions stand, where planning for adequate bandwidth can mean the difference between efficient purchases versus long, slow lines that discourage fans from buying.
The elevators or lobby are often the next experience a guest has during a hotel stay. Technology touch points might include digital signage or wayfinding that helps them navigate the hotel or informs them of amenities. It might also encompass audio-visual systems. These also each require planning and a strategic technology systems design. Upon arriving in a room, a television panel and remote control typically offers much more than entertainment. It might be a platform for ordering room service, connecting with the concierge, accessing information about hotel amenities, or controlling the lights, temperature, or curtains. Each of these systems must be integrated and supported with the right infrastructure, so they all work seamlessly for the guest and help create a positive impression during their stay.
A Sports Fan A sports fan’s experience begins outside the stadium in the parking lot and becomes more immersive with interactive displays and points of interest as they approach the entrance. When a fan reaches the ticket booth, they are simultaneously interacting with the same network as the recent immersive experience and the hoard of people rushing to cheer their teams onto victory. Our goal in a design is to ensure we have captured the journey from the earliest possible point of engagement so that the network density and integration support the wide range of experiences. 18
Sound systems, video boards, and integrated light systems are other important components of a sports venue’s technology needs. These can add to or take away from a fan’s overall experience, and they require integration and a thoughtful design. For example, undersized sound systems lead to echoes and poor intelligibility, meaning each video board in a sports venue often requires custom sizing and custom graphics. When lighting is integrated with sound and video, the immersive experience we are seeking at live sporting events is achieved.
A Hospital Patient When a patient walks into a healthcare setting, their first experience is often an electronic check-in at a kiosk, or with scanning a QR code that allows for check-in on a phone. This interaction must of course be connected to wireless internet. Within a hospital setting, a patient’s experiences are often tied closely to a television in their room. In addition to entertainment, the television remote control or a panel on their bed with displays on the video panel might be how they order food from a menu customized to their dietary needs, or even view care suggestions customized to their healing or physical therapy needs. These choices offered to a patient can make a significant impact on how they perceive their hospital stay experience, and delivering these services depend on integrating the right technology and supporting those systems.
For each of the user journey examples highlighted here, the key to ensuring successful technology integration is early planning. When a technology systems integrator, such as the team at JE Dunn’s strategic trade partner Aptitude: Intelligent Integration, is brought on board during design and preconstruction, they can create a holistic technology systems design that helps make the vision for an overall positive user experience a reality.
For more visit www.aptitudeii.com
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Hospitals also include a complex network of access control systems with badge access or two-factor authentication to enter different parts of the building, monitored and controlled doors, video surveillance systems, and audio-visual systems. The best technology design considers how each of these systems work together, looking for efficiencies and strategizing the best way to support and integrate effectively. Again, the best way to achieve a successful technology systems design that helps support a great user experience is with early planning and collaboration.
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Working together to restore panels at the USAFA Cadet Chapel in Colorado Springs, Colorado
DELIVERING TOGETHER: THE VALUE OF MAXIMIZING COLLABORATION IN THE
F ED ERA L S PA C E In an evolving market where projects are large in scale and come with their own set of requirements, collaboration is crucial to finding success in the Federal space.
BY MARGARET BOWKER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Integration of the complete team via collaborative delivery in all phases fosters transparency and improves results. In the Federal market, the delivery method is often dictated by the funding strategy. However, with projects increasing in complexity and size, it is a collaborative mindset and culture combined with JE Dunn’s collaboration tools and processes that have the most impact on project outcomes regardless of the delivery method.
method works because of its established parameters, collaboration is even more important between team members to ensure the building can be constructed as specified, particularly when unique circumstances present themselves—as in the US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel. “The restoration of the Chapel is unlike any project I’ve worked on, from a coordination standpoint,” said Senior Project Manager Donny Tennyson. “Though we utilized a traditional delivery method, this project presented opportunities for collaboration with the owner and our specialty trades. From the submission of certified pricing and a massive temporary enclosure, to coordinating specialty contractors due to the number of historic pieces; we needed a collaborative mindset to execute.” EARLY INVOLVEMENT WITH DESIGN-BUILD
COLLABORATION WITHIN TRADITIONAL METHODS In the Federal space, a Best-Value procurement, where price and technical approach are important, but the design is complete, is a favored process due to funding profiles that fund programming and design well before the contractor is involved. While this delivery 20
A delivery method gaining traction because of opportunities for early collaboration between the owner and the design-construction team is Design-Build. Integrating design and construction teams early in the process means constructability is considered concurrently with the owner’s design goals being developed—saving
valuable time on the front end while providing clients the most value. “The Design-Build delivery method streamlines the process by bringing design and construction expertise together on one team. Designers get the benefit of real-time cost estimating and constructability reviews during design, while the contractor has visibility to the importance of design decisions and can accelerate schedule with early packaging,” said National Design Director Chris Migneron.
An effective Design-Build team should be able to work efficiently to save the owner time and money without sacrificing quality.” CHRIS MIGNERON, NATIONAL DESIGN DIRECTOR
awarded the Ambulatory Care Center at Tyndall due to the collaboration at the Clinic. After successfully completing 24 military clinics utilizing IDBIO delivery, JE Dunn self-performed the design of the Mountain Home Medical Center—a feat that we plan to do again on the $28M Tyndall Air Force Base Ambulatory Care Center in Florida, proving that collaboration tools that were previously reserved for larger work are also instrumental in smaller projects. OTHER TOOLS OF THE TRADE Collaboration begins with a commitment from all parties for transparency, but there are some additional tech tools that can enhance the process while fostering a team-first mindset. At the $305M Fort Leonard Wood Hospital project, JE Dunn and RLF performed 10 virtual reality models—the first military project to utilize 3-D technology—for the stakeholders to digitally walk through the space before finalizing the design. Once the design was refined, the team provided eight physical mockups, so healthcare professionals could get a feel for the space and contribute to the final product.
Another first for the US Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Leonard Wood was the implementation of Collaborative Analytics. Through monthly surveys focused on communication, engagement, quality of work, innovation, organization, accountability, level of support, and team environment, the team continuously monitors stress and productivity and plots USACE Medical MATOC Mountain Home AFB Clinic Renovation, Mountain Home, Idaho them on graphs to better identify trends. “By finding these pinch points as they arise, potential issues can be dealt with before they become a strain on efficiency and production,” said Vice UPPING COLLABORATION WITH IDBIO President Bob Latas.
At the Tyndall AFB Medical Clinic, the JE Dunn team involved all design and construction team members as well as our trade partners in partnering sessions, charrettes, and pull planning. Throughout the process, Bluebeam Studio, BIM (Building Information Modeling), and BIM 360 Field helped the team visualize critical design and schedule issues. The IDBIO process, where furnishings and equipment were essential to the design, was the driving factor in JE Dunn being honored with an AGC Build America Award. And JE Dunn was just
Scheduled for completion in 2024, early indicators of Collaborative Analytics suggest it is a game changer when it comes to collaboration and transparency. “A benefit of Collaborative Analytics is the ability to identify collaboration issues while there is still time to affect the outcome,” said Kelly Miller, Program Manager, Kansas City District, Fort Leonard Wood Replacement Hospital project. “The attention being focused on collaboration and improving our partnership has resulted in a better understanding and appreciation of how our different perspectives lead to better outcomes and establish a high degree of trust between team members.” COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT While finding ways to collaborate—within traditional delivery methods or by incorporating new tools such as Collaborative Analytics— the commitment to applying lessons learned further enhances the process and fosters a team-first mindset critical to the success of large-scale projects.
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
While Design-Build relies on early collaboration, Integrated DesignBuild Initial Outfitting (IDBIO) takes design-build to another level. IDBIO focuses on the end-state of a project and requires the highest level of collaboration between all parties. It is ideal for medical projects or facilities with complex furniture and equipment needs as all furniture, equipment, tools, and accessories can be planned for during design for a true turnkey client experience. This approach minimizes changes after construction because all the furnishing and equipment needs, like space requirements and utility needs, were considered during the design phase.
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Extensive preconstruction planning, including optimization of offsite prefabrication plans, were key to minimizing risk and accelerating the schedule for the University Health System, Women’s & Children’s Tower Addition in San Antonio, Texas.
THE HEALTHCARE MASTER PLANNING JOURNEY:
THREE KE Y S T O M I T I G AT I NG R I SK & O PTIMIZING OUT C OM ES
BY PAUL ZUBECK, SENIOR HEALTHCARE PROJECT MANAGER 22
Today’s hospitals are focused on multiple priorities such as improving patient outcomes, gaining operational efficiencies, retaining staff, transforming the customer experience, incorporating new technology, reassessing service line priorities, competing for local market share, and meeting financial targets. These priorities—and the plans and strategies that impact them— are inherently quite dynamic. Each of these priorities either impacts or is impacted by the hospital’s physical infrastructure, which is why multi-year, multi-phase, campus-wide design and construction initiatives are such complicated and critical components of many hospitals’ strategic plans.
With their potential to impact many hospital priorities, these types of projects require the right approach to ensure success, especially because they present many unique challenges and complexities. For instance, these initiatives typically consist of a series of interrelated renovation and expansion projects over several years. With that comes a bigger resource requirement for everyone involved, from the construction manager and trade partners to the design partner and owner. According to Healthcare Vice President Russell Templin, “Anytime more stakeholders are involved, risk and complexity increase.” Also, because these projects are underway for multiple years and the initial design and preconstruction planning phases are much longer, funding and design must be more future-proof and flexible. With investments of this size, projects must remain just as relevant when they finish – to demographic needs, clinical best practices, leading technology, customer preferences, revenue potential, current building codes, etc. – as when they were first envisioned. Many owners also leverage multiple funding sources for various pieces of the project. For example, they might use revenue generated from a new space to fund a future phase of work. “The risk and complexity of estimating, budgeting, and funding are closely intertwined and inherently greater on projects like this, too,” added Healthcare Preconstruction Services Director Sam O’Connor.
Despite the increased risks and challenges of master-planning initiatives, embracing best practices in three key areas can make all the difference in the multi-year journey and ultimate outcomes.
Proper planning is critical for all construction projects. But with years-long project trajectories and higher stakes, a rigorous and successful preconstruction planning phase is imperative for master plan initiatives. “Today’s preconstruction services can’t just focus on estimating,” said Templin. “It takes more than just pricing to set up a project for success. Logistics, safety, phasing, scheduling, lean management, and virtual design and construction (VDC).
When done well, these ‘pre-building’ services are all about mitigating risk and providing the best opportunity to influence project outcomes before physical construction begins.” RUSSELL TEMPLIN, HEALTHCARE VICE PRESIDENT
There are several key ingredients to preconstruction services success, including collaboration, early involvement, and effective communications. Healthcare Preconstruction Services Director David Harlow says communication starts with effectively listening to all stakeholders, especially the owner, “because good plans shouldn’t just consider what we think is important; we also need to make what is important to them important to us and our planning, too.” Early involvement of key stakeholders – owner, contractor, design, and trade partners – along with embracing lean construction practices helps lay the foundation for effective communication, collaboration, and trust throughout the project. “Getting everyone involved and leveraging lean from the earliest stages of planning create the mindset of collaboration, respect for others, trust, and accountability needed for long-term teamwork and success,” said Harlow. Effective communication also impacts the budgeting and estimating components of successful preconstruction services. “Because the budget needs to be relevant for multiple years and projects, being able to provide the owner with near-instantaneous pricing updates as ideas and designs change is essential,” said O’Connor. This means budgets must account for year-over-year phasing and escalation throughout the entire project, and contractors must be able to quickly articulate how budgets are changing relative to all other moving parts of the design and planning process. “This allows owners to have all the facts needed to make informed decisions by enhancing transparency, and therefore increasing trust throughout the planning process,” he added. Similarly, early involvement of VDC services sets the project up for good decision-making in areas such as prefabrication planning, trade partner selection, and constructability. Because there are multiple buildings and spaces, each with varying ages, involved with these master plan initiatives, there are “more layers of the onion to peel back, which means more risk to mitigate,” said Sara Curry, Healthcare VDC director. “We can help make the design partner aware of what they can’t see on campus, so they can account for those challenges in their drawings, rather than waiting to discover them during construcHCA Centennial Medical Center tion, which could result in rework, delays, Tower Addition, Centennial, Colorado and additional costs.”
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
Perhaps most critically, master plan initiatives impact so many areas of a hospital’s campus over multiple years, so there is far more potential for disruption to daily operations than with a typical construction project. This increases the complexity of phasing, logistics plans, and “make-ready” work necessary for business continuity in countless areas of the hospital, in addition to loading docks, utilities, parking, patient entrances, ambulances, helipads, and the like.
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Optimize Construction Success through Preconstruction
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Employ Strong Leadership and Foster Communication
Another key success factor for these multi-year efforts is strong leadership and an equally strong team. Because key stakeholders must work together for multiple years to complete a project, collaboration, trust, and leadership are even more essential. Similarly, every facet of the team needs strong leadership. Without leaders capable of maintaining focus on both the big picture and the details, too many pieces can fall through the cracks. “On smaller projects, a team might be able to compensate for one weak link,” explained O’Connor. “But you can’t claw your way through a big project for three to seven years. Teams just can’t recover if each stakeholder’s key players aren’t strong enough and consistently in sync with each other.”
Perhaps most importantly, the onsite project team should be willing to go above and beyond to meet the owner’s needs and lend a helping hand, even when it is not part of the contract or project scope. “The wrong team can wear out its welcome pretty quickly on projects like these, especially because you touch so many areas of the hospital over several years,” explained Gross.
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Minimize Disruptions to Ensure Business Continuity
Similarly, part of being a good partner is understanding that the “jobsite” is not primarily a construction zone. Rather, first and foremost, it is a hospital full of staff, patients, and visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, when projects transition from design and planning to construction, one of the biggest priorities is minimizing disruption to the hospital’s campus and daily operations.
Superintendent Jim Hert helps a woman to her car after noticing a puzzled look on her face as she tried to navigate around the construction site at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida.
One of the most important qualities for successful project leaders is a willingness to be nimble and flexible. Since projects unfold over the course of years rather than months and construction must revolve around the hospital’s daily operations, plans are always subject to change at a moment’s notice. “We always have a plan when we start jobs like these, but how we get there will inevitably change,” elaborated Healthcare General Superintendent Adam Gross. “Being able to adapt is critical.” To that end, building strong relationships with the hospital’s key stakeholders is also pivotal to success. This includes the hospital’s facilities team, executive leadership, as well as the end users of the areas being built or renovated. Listening to and understanding what they want and need when the space is complete — and keeping those objectives in mind alongside the hospital’s overarching goals — will ultimately lead to a smooth turnover of the finished space and higher client satisfaction. Furthermore, fostering strong, authentic relationships also keeps the lines of communication open to remain adaptable and helps prevent surprises. “Being able to pick up the phone and quickly discuss changes and challenges so the facility is never caught off guard—and so we can get the information we need about the hospital’s operational plans, current census, daily surgical schedules, and other key details—is invaluable to keeping projects on schedule,” said Gross. 24
Good contractors and trade partners see themselves as an extension of the hospital and will jump in to help solve problems or make the client’s life easier. It’s just the right thing to do as a good, long-term business partner.” ADAM GROSS, HEALTHCARE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
One of the main ways to do this is ensure all logistics, safety, phasing, and scheduling plans limit the impact to hospital operations as much as possible. Naturally, planning, communication, and flexibility are all keys to success. Take for example a hospital with the state’s highest labor and delivery census, which required triple the phasing to accommodate patients and maintain business continuity. “It might have slowed us down, but it was essential to stay out of the hospital’s way as much as possible,” said Adam Riggs, Healthcare project manager.
In order to keep projects moving, teams should make sure everything they could possibly need to stay productive is fabricated, delivered, and stocked. Plans can change, and the team needs to be ready with labor and materials to shift gears at a moment’s notice.”
University Health System, Women’s & Children’s Tower Addition, San Antonio, Texas
ADAM RIGGS, HEALTHCARE PROJECT MANAGER
Similarly, logistics can be particularly complicated on these projects. Busy campuses create tight sites for cranes and laydown areas for materials and equipment. They also require safety and logistics plans that account for constant patient, visitor, and hospital movement on the campus.
“Due to phasing and the particular logistics on one unique campus, we literally had the flow of traffic driving through part of our construction zone to maintain the hospital’s operations,” said Healthcare Vice President Brandon Moore. “I’ve also led projects where we’ve relocated critical utilities three or four times throughout construction to ensure the hospital had what it needed every step of the way. These aren’t greenfield construction sites,” he added, “so the logistics required for success can be intense.” Minimizing disruptions also involves hiring the right trade partners and educating them on the intricacies of hospital construction. In addition, because daily work plans are always subject to change, teams should be prepared with available materials and supplies for alternative work.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS Given the long-term, high-stakes nature of these master planning initiatives, this work requires a level of sophistication and capacity for complexity less typical on shorter, simpler projects. But with the right people and partners, smart plans, and a willingness to go above and beyond to protect the hospital’s investments, operations, and patients, success is sure to follow.
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
Keeping the patient at the heart of plans is also key to minimizing construction’s impact on the facility. That could mean scheduling construction during off hours to reduce risk of vibrations to delicate surgical procedures, or it could mean choosing quieter saws to limit disruptions to patients focused on healing. Smart teams also try to relocate as much of the work off campus as possible, which can improve trade partner productivity while also eliminating some noisy activities from the hospital, such as banging ductwork together.
Because hospitals are full of vulnerable, fragile patients, one of the most important ways these teams minimize construction’s impact is not just by planning for what can be seen, but also for the risk of the unseen — infection. Demolition and construction are inherently messy, creating dust and potentially exposing decades-old contaminants hidden behind walls and ceilings. “Infection control gold standards are absolutely imperative on these projects,” underscored Gross. “The last thing we want to do is compromise a patient’s health with our work. So, we must take meticulous measures and work closely with the facility’s infection control leaders to develop detailed plans for protecting patients and preventing infection.”
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TWO COLLEGIATE TEAMS. ONE PHASED APPROACH.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Kansas State University Shamrock Zone Manhattan, Kansas
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With renovations that touched both Bill Snyder Family Stadium and Bramlage Coliseum at Kansas State University, the Shamrock Zone addition aimed to enhance the fan experience for multiple venues with upgraded amenities as well as increase capacity and add revenue-generating spaces. It included a three-level south end zone club expansion, connecting concourse to the facilities, a roof replacement of the basketball arena, and a complete replacement of the mechanical systems in the arena. To ensure the end zone expansion was complete prior to the football season as well as limit disruptions to the basketball and volleyball teams during the replacement, the team phased the work and sequenced it around the teams’ schedules. A SOUND SYSTEM With a project kickoff in early 2020, the biggest challenges—in addition to working during the onset of the pandemic—were preparing for the 2020 football season. All of the sound for the stadium was through large speakers that sat on top of the new structure. “Before we could place the new sound system on top of the structure, we had to have steel erected, concrete placed with 100 percent structural strength, as well as electrical rooms and gear in place,” said Project Manager Chris Ryan. “The general public also had to have a path to pass through the south end zone to go to the either west or east side of the stadium. All of these were performed and completed prior to the 2020 season.”
To achieve this, a best value approach was used to bring in a steel contractor early to jump start the steel erection beginning the first of June. High-early strength concrete was utilized to get to strength quicker. Gameday preparation meetings were also held with the client, client vendors, and construction trade partners. These meetings fleshed out potential issues and ensured team chemistry to get ready for the first game in September 2020. PHASED TURNOVER Due to the approaching football season and upcoming work on Bramlage, the team utilized a best value approach to bring on key
trade partners to meet the project’s quick start and demanding schedule prior to the 2020 season, plus a phased turnover of building at the end. Though the south end zone was completed and turned over in June 2021, the Bramlage portion of work could not start until the 2020-2021 basketball season ended in March 2021 and was turned over six months later in September 2021. “The phased approach allowed us to turn over areas of the project to the owner based on their needs. The owner needed to occupy the new south end zone building, as the second floor of the new building housed the offices for the Athletic Department staff. Getting them into the space early gave their staff time to adjust to the new space, all while preparing for the upcoming 2021 football season, where the Athletics Department was selling tickets and preparing for full capacity home football game days. The basketball arena was not a critical space for season preparations; it simply needed to be complete and ready for fans on the first home football game of the 2021 season,” said Ryan. A BETTER EXPERIENCE As an NCAA Division I program committed to enhancing its sports facilities in recent years, the fan and athlete experiences are a top priority for Kansas State University. After renovating and expanding the north end zone and west stadium over the past five to seven years, the Shamrock Zone project dresses up the south end zone and provides additional bathrooms, concessions, and family services for not only the south end, but the entire stadium. The south end zone was the final piece to enclose the entire stadium. On football gamedays, this space is utilized for fans sitting in the new Shamrock Zone premium seats. For men’s basketball games, the Shamrock Zone will serve as a club area from pre-game to post-game for Ahearn Fund members within a certain membership level.
CHRIS RYAN, PROJECT MANAGER
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
This project is especially cool because it improved the experience for fans of multiple sports. It creates a unique gameday atmosphere in a state-of the-art facility—an experience that will stick with fans forever.”
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BY COLIN FEATHERSTONE, VICE PRESIDENT
CLOSING THE LOOP: INTEGRATING DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION IN
SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING
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PHASE 1
Setting the Standard with the Base Build
The base build phase of the designbuild process typically consists of the core and shell of the fabrication building (FAB) and all the supporting infrastructure required to bring the FAB into a “blow down,” or positive air pressure, state—commonly referred to as clean protocol level 3. To position the entire project for success, the importance of cleanliness and attention to detail starting at the beginning of construction and leading up to clean protocol level 3 cannot be overstated. During the base build phase of the subfab (fab and interstitial levels of the FAB), cleanliness is critical to maintain a “clean build” mentality, as it allows the project to seamlessly transition into the successive levels of clean protocol during the FAB fitout and tool install phases. As the base build phase transitions to the PLS phase, the clean protocol levels progress from 1 thru 4, elevating the FAB to a higher level of cleanliness at each stage.
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
The chips manufactured in semiconductor fabrication facilities are highly specialized and require a complex process to produce— and the methodology for executing the design and construction for these facilities is equally complex. Design and construction of semiconductor fabrication facilities is comprised of three phases: base build, process lateral systems (PLS), and tool install, with each phase dependent on the others. The challenge of successfully integrating them can be overcome with a thorough understanding of the tool install phase and our "backward pass" approach to planning, design, and construction.
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PHASE 3
The Importance of Tool Install
Tool install, the third and final phase, is a specialty design-build process and requires specific trade partner and tool manufacturer engagement that is different from all the other phases of a FAB build due to the speed of associated activities, sensitivity of the tools to environmental conditions, high value of the tools, and strict safety protocols. This phase requires the highest level of collaboration between all stakeholders working in a controlled environment. The importance of enough delivery docks and available space for uncrating the tools is only the start of this well-choreographed dance.
Tool install has several sub-phases of execution and sign-off: • Prefac – This is the phase of the scope after blowdown for prepositioning/pre-facilitation of systems tied to the PLS POCs in the subfab and under the raised manufactured flooring (RMF) to ready the FAB level for tool move-in.
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• Hook up - This is the point that the FAB level tools and all equipment have been set in their final locations and are ready to be hooked up to their POCs. PHASE 2
Transitioning to FAB Fitout
Process Lateral Systems (PLS) involves the interconnecting systems between the base build main systems and the lateral points of connection (POC) that are provided for tool install. The key to success is understanding that the design of the PLS must be driven from the tool matrix, or tool layout needs per functional bay, to ensure they are sized and routed correctly and meet the tool demand. The PLS is typically installed in an offsite manufacturing (OSM) approach with piping preinstalled onto premanufactured racks and then installed as an assembly onsite. It is critical to the tool install phase that the POCs for the tools have been qualified to meet the necessary QA/QC FAB spec prior to tool installation. Once the FAB cleanroom is fitted out and meets the cleanliness levels specified—as well as the POC qualifications—it is considered ready for equipment (RFE) and the final phase, tool installation, may begin. While this sounds like an obvious and straightforward concept, the number of systems to be coordinated, stringent quality specifications of each system, various specialty vendors for each system, and multiple design teams to coordinate for the various systems create a level of complexity that requires an experienced FAB fitout construction manager with specialized processes, systems, and tools to effectively lead and manage the work.
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• S L1 – This is the safety level 1 sign off that normally includes certification of power and some gases to facilitate tool set up by the owner’s and vendor’s engineers. • S L2 – This is safety level 2 sign off where chemicals and certain other gases are connected to the tools. • S L3 – This is level 3 sign off where the highly flammable, toxic gases and chemical systems are connected to the tool.
As technology advances and chip designs change, the tools needed to fabricate those chips change as well. Typically, a change in technology or a new chip design constitutes a change in the tool set, which drives a FAB expansion or retool of an existing FAB. Our advancements in virtual design & construction enable us—and our partners—to be more streamlined, accurate, and efficient in our approach to tool install. Using the 3-D, 4-D, or 5-D virtual model, we can plan for tool install space, timing, and resource needs from the very beginning of the design process of a new FAB building or a retool of an existing FAB building. The virtual model and our unique approach help us facilitate a quick and nimble reaction to these ever-changing needs.
BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND complex process on a massive scale. This ensures the FAB support rooms, which house the specialty systems, are designed and procured early enough to reduce changes to design and/or construction throughout the project lifecycle. It also enables the team to create a detailed road map to success. This road map drives the timing decisions required for the long lead equipment needed to facilitate the “just in time delivery” philosophy, in addition to enabling the right design at the right time to meet the construction, and ultimately, the tool install schedule.
The solution is to engage and integrate our tool install subject matter experts (SMEs) as part of the base build team to coordinate with our client’s tool install team as early as possible using our backward pass approach. As the partnership develops between our SMEs, tool install team, and base build team, the needs are quickly identified, and the schedule and execution priorities are integrated to meet the tool install milestones.
Our backward pass approach is facilitated by our SMEs who have a complete understanding of the moving parts and pieces in all three phases of the FAB build and are familiar with the tie points for all the support buildings and support rooms, as well as their interdependencies on one another. Integrating this knowledge with our scheduling and modeling processes and tools ensures the “critical path” runs through the POC of the first tool of the tool set and commissioning of each system—closing the loop and connecting all three phases.
Early engagement of the specialty design and turnkey vendors that feed data back into the detailed design are also critical for a such a
JE Dunn Construction | groundbreaking |
The tool install team is historically brought to the table too late in the base build execution, so all too often, the project gets derailed once the tool install requirements are fully known. In this fragmented-team scenario, the primary goal of the base build team is to meet the blow down and RFE milestones. Without the early engagement of the tool install team, the team is unaware of—and unable to plan for—the needs specific to the supporting rooms, specialty chemicals, UPW, spec gases, or the equipment required to install qualified POCs for the tools to tie into.
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JE DUNN HONORED AS A HEALTHIEST WORKPLACE IN AMERICA JE Dunn was recently named one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America by Springbuk, the most-trusted US awards program for companies focused on the health and well-being of their people. The award is based on six categories: Culture and Leadership Commitment, Foundational Components, Strategic Planning, Communications and Marketing, Programming and Interventions, and Reporting and Analytics. “As a company, we believe health and well-being is one of the best things we can invest in for our people,” said CEO Gordon Lansford. “Being recognized along with the other companies across the country is an honor and a tribute to the culture we have created here at JE Dunn.”
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