Partnering in Best Practices

STLCC gains from CMa process
By Karrie Welborn

A good partnership exists when all parties communicate clearly, resolve issues without negativity and complete a project to the highest quality. An example of such a positive partnership was created for the St. Louis Community College (STLCC) project involving the renovation of science labs on three separate campuses. STLCC chose S. M. Wilson to provide pre-construction and construction management agency services for the Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative Districtwide Science Lab Renovation in March 2007.

The project won the Best Practices Award for Design Effectiveness from the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers. This award “measures the results of the design effect, including input variables and design execution, against the specified expectations of the owner.”

This project included the following construction sites and renovations:

STLCC Forest Park (8,100 square feet) Four chemistry labs, two biology labs, prep room and office.
STLCC-Florissant Valley (7,800 square feet) Three chemistry labs, one chemistry prep room, computer lab, hazardous storage room, normal storage room, biology lab and anatomy/physiology lab.
STLCC-Meramec (6,800 square feet) Two biology labs, three biology prep rooms, two chemistry labs, two chemistry prep rooms and one office

Using the Construction Management Agency Method
The strong partnership between STLCC, S. M. Wilson and the architectural firm Christner, Inc., proved to be a leading factor in the success of the project. Christner is a leading designer of science laboratories for higher education and has collaborated with S. M. Wilson previously on award-winning labs. S. M. Wilson suggested using the Construction Management Agency (CMa) method as the most efficient process for the project. CMa is a construction method establishing the general contractor as Construction Manager (CM) for the entire project. The CMa oversees the project and acts as a liaison for the owner in communications with architects and subcontractors. Reasons to designate a CMa include time constraints or the complexity of the project. This was the case in the STLCC lab renovation.

The timeline for the project was five months. It needed to be managed across three separate campuses
concurrently, using three different crews. According to Lori Thompson, STLCC Director of Physical Facilities, it was difficult for one person from her staff to effectively monitor all three locations. S. M. Wilson was able to expedite the project’s completion by assuming the role of CMa.

A challenge for S. M. Wilson was the need to keep noise levels to a minimum. Although the bulk of the work was completed during the summer, there were periods when students were on campus. In fact, finals occurred during a portion of the demolition process. By coordinating with STLCC personnel and working when nearby classrooms were empty, S. M. Wilson successfully resolved this issue.

Best Practices
In addition to being recognized for the best practice of Design Effectiveness, the project utilized seven other best practices. A best practice in any industry is a method of work that will lead to a more effective process during a project and a higher quality of work at completion.

The St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers, following the Construction Industry Institute, (CII) recognizes 14 Best Practices in the construction industry—of these 14, the partnership of S. M. Wilson, STLCC and Christner, Inc. used eight.

Front End Planning
Constructability
Materials Management
Design Effectiveness
Team Building
Dispute Resolution
Quality Management
Zero Accident Techniques

According to Jim Dearduff, LEED AP Project Executive for S. M. Wilson, front end planning was key to keeping the project on target. Acting as CMa, S. M. Wilson was an integral part of the initial architectural meetings with Christner and STLCC. As a result of this front end planning, strategic information was available to S. M. Wilson. This information was used to expedite the project’s progress. Being able to determine potential challenges while in the planning stages meant on-site problems were avoided, cost estimates were more accurate and potential mistakes were avoided. A high level of communication and cooperation existed throughout the project. Weekly planning meetings, clarification and communication among the three organizations encouraged cooperation and partnership.

For Christner’s Project Manager, Randy Moskop, the result was a quality project. He believes that the end result of any project depends on the quality of the communications that take place within the first weeks. With S. M. Wilson present from the beginning and the communication level among all the partners high, the project achieved its educational goals and was completed on time and on budget.

Health, Education & Research Associates (HERA)
In order to create a more effective design, Christner used HERA, a consulting firm based in St. Louis with expertise in laboratory and advanced technical facilities. HERA’s knowledge of current codes, safety, sustainability,regulatory guidelines and knowledge regarding efficient use of existing lab space, proved to be a vital factor in the creation of these state-of-the-art labs.

HERA visited each campus and made observations as to the lab’s accessibility, hazardous material limits,
ventilation and laboratory circulation. These observations were discussed and applied to the planning and design of the new science labs.

The Labs
Christner used a three-dimensional computer program to model each lab. The STLCC team was able to
see exactly what the end result would be. Because the original labs were approximately 40 years old and built prior to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all rooms had to be brought up to ADA standards. With the use of the computer program, college officials were able to see clearly how the labs could look, give reactions to Christner and add input to the final design. With this interactive technical and personal process, STLCC officials knew exactly what they would be receiving at end of project.

The Results
Thompson was impressed with the results of this first foray into the CMa process. “It was just a tremendous coordination,” she said. “We had a learning curve. They had to be a little patient with us. S. M. Wilson brought the job in. It was a huge effort—a terrific job.”

For S. M. Wilson, the award to STLCC recognizes their efforts to create and sustain strong partnerships as well as their diligence to the project and owner expectations.