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Jan 21
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Mastering Adaptive Reuse Construction

By Industry Insights

How to Master Adaptive Reuse Construction

Summit Design + Build’s Project Engineer II, Ben Cohen, shares his insights on how to master an adaptive reuse construction project.  

Adaptive reuse is the process of revitalizing old buildings for new and modern functions, other than those the building was originally designed. These projects play an extremely important role in maintaining the aesthetic of historic districts and protecting architecturally significant buildings. In order to master adaptive reuse, you must always expect the unexpected and take the following key points into consideration.

Discovered Conditions and Changes to the Plans

In order to accomplish the modern open floor plan design that is typical for today’s new structures, selective demolition and exploratory work are necessary to better understand the true existing structure of the building. It is extremely common to find undocumented adaptions to the “existing” drawings that impact layout, design, or have structural implications. In order to help flush these potential show-stopper issues out ahead of time, it is extremely important to have surveys and exploratory demolition done to confirm dimensions and assumptions before the general contractor is fully mobilized and beginning work on site. It’s not uncommon to come across conditions such as undocumented underground storage tanks, abandoned basements, structural wall footings that were narrower than the wall that was bearing on it, walls installed at all sorts of angles off of plumbing, and roofs built over other roofs! The more investigatory work you can do to give your general contractor a fuller picture the better.

Before of 210 N Green Street

Hazardous Material Abatement

When working in old buildings, hazardous construction materials such as asbestos, lead, mold and refrigerant are common to encounter. Dealing with, or at the very least surveying and identifying these materials before construction commences on site is extremely important, as discovering any of these during the selective demolition process could trigger work to stop until the materials are properly abated.

Water Intrusion

According to Architect Magazine’s article: When it Leaks it Pours, water intrusion makes up more than 70 percent of construction litigation. In order to avoid a lot of headaches down the road make sure to have a 3rd party expert review the architectural drawings and/or the site conditions to make sure the designs proposed apply to, and will work well with, the existing structure. The specialists we’ve had the most success with in the past have been Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Having a separate pair of eyes on the drawings to ensure the building envelope design is robust and detailed to be fully water tight is money well spent.

Before and After of 210 N Green Street

MEP’s

Depending on the age of the building, and of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing elements therein, you may choose to re-use, abandon in place, or fully remove and re-do these components. If the plan is to keep these elements in a workable condition, make sure the existing equipment meets the current code. If so, a plan must be made to protect them from water, dust and damage during the construction process. If the plan is to demolish and start fresh, make sure that all assumptions and dimensions are verified on-site. Are the existing shafts sufficiently sized for the new ductwork, plumbing risers and electrical homeruns?  Do the duct sizes and light placements work with the given floor to ceiling heights? Is there sufficient water pressure for any additions being made to the existing structure? The more of these types of questions you can answer before work starts on site the better off you’ll be.

In conclusion, the way to master adaptive re-use projects is to do your due diligence. Surveying and exploratory work are upfront costs that are well worth the expense and will help reduce headaches and costly change orders while the full gears of construction are in motion. Additionally, make sure to work with general contractors who have done this type of work before. When it comes to working in older buildings, experience plays a major role. Check out your GC’s previous projects, ask for references and walk the space with them to see how comfortable they feel with your vision. You can check out Summit Design + Build’s extensive adaptive reuse work here. Adaptive reuse is an incredible way to breathe new life into an old building while preserving the historic value and local resources and will be an undertaking worth pursuing if you follow these guidelines!

Dec 31
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The SDB Intern Experience

By Industry Insights

What it’s Like to be an Intern at Summit

Tanmay Malpani (Ms. Construction Engineering & Management – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) shares his experience as an Engineering Intern for Summit Design + Build during the summer of 2020.

My enriching internship journey with Summit Design + Build proved to be an extremely valuable experience. During my time at Summit, I worked on the 1400 W. Monroe project, a new seven-story boutique condominium building containing 42, two and three-bedroom units.

It was great to experience the work culture at Summit Design + Build. I was encouraged to speak up and ask questions; Senior Superintendent, Kevin, as well as the Project Manager’s Chris and Andrew, would patiently and thoughtfully explain concepts that I was unfamiliar with. Regular feedback and advice helped me to grow as an individual. I appreciate the team spirit and friendly atmosphere at SDB. Though I was only an intern, I was introduced and included in all team meetings and email exchanges. All the interns bonded well and interacted with the team during intern walk-throughs, Friday get-togethers, etc.

Working as a Project Engineer Intern gave me the opportunity to learn something new, improve my technical skills, communication skills, time management, pushed me out of my comfort zone and knowledge area, built up my confidence, and helped me develop long-lasting connections. The company’s COVID-19 conscious policy also made me feel at ease. My initial reluctance was greatly reduced due to the company’s strict adherence to precautionary measures in the office and on the project site.  I am grateful to have interned for a company that ingrains dedication to diversity and inclusion into the company culture.

Huge thanks to Adam Miller and Ken Swartz for selecting me, Santiago Martinez & Gopal Pareek for the easy onboarding process, and the entire SDB Team for the invaluable experience this summer. I would also like to thank my mentors Kevin Milenkoff, Andrew Mejia, Christopher Bridgman & Ari Killian for their exceptional guidance, patience, and support.

Are you interested in interning for Summit Design + Build? Visit our careers page to learn more!

Jul 15
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How to Successfully Cut a PT Slab Opening

By Industry Insights, Project Stories

Chicago General Contractor Discusses How to Successfully Cut a PT Slab Opening

A common misconception leads some to believe that the creation of an opening in an existing post-tension (PT) slab is either extremely complex or nearly impossible. In fact, the penetrations of PT slabs are possible when observing proper methods.

PT Slab Opening for Springhill Suites

SpringHill Suites, in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, is an explicitly unique project that required PT slab openings. The 4-story hotel is being constructed over a 2-story existing garage with the second story garage being a PT slab. Due to the uniqueness of the project, Summit had to construct one elevator shaft and two stairwell shafts without affecting the structural integrity.

The process involved quite a bit of research, value engineering, and expert feedback. With the help of our extremely skilled concrete subcontractors, the slab opening was a success. Below are the steps we took.

Steps Taken to Complete the PT Slab Openings

1. The surveyor marked the location of the stair and elevator shaft’s openings.

2. Concrete Scanning Company, with the help of ground-penetrating radiation (GPR), a geophysical method that uses electromagnetic radiations to image the subsurface, located/approximated the location of PT cables.

3. Catch decks were built at the location of the opening to ensure safety prior to the cutting of the slabs. We demolished a patch of the 2nd-floor concrete to check the existence of the PT cable and fortunately, the scannings were accurate.

4. The slabs were unbounded post-tension (PT) slab which means the post-tension systems are fixed to the structure at the end anchorage but are otherwise free to move independently of concrete being greased and encased in plastic sheathing.

5. We then proceeded towards making the cut, leaving some extra length of PT cable from the edge of the opening. This extra length will be helpful to grab onto later in the procedure and restress the cable. This releases the tension in the existing cable causing it to deflect less than 1 inch (imagine holding a string at both ends and cutting the center).

6. Next, we placed the encapsulated anchor and wedge through the PT cable, drilled holes into the outside edge of the slab, placed reinforcement in the perpendicular direction of the cables, and poured the concrete, leaving us with a cleaned finished edge.

7. Stressing equipment is introduced in the anchor and the PT cable is restressed to the desired tension.

8. The above steps are performed on both ends of the opening where the main PT cables run.

9. The inside of the opening is now completely free of any stress and can be cut like any other slab opening.

10. Normally the grease inside the sheaths slows the release of energy when strands are cut and the wedges do not disengage from the wedge. Nevertheless, the former cannot be guaranteed and necessary precautionary measure needs to be considered so as not to cause any snapping of the PT cables at its ends.

Thanks to Jose and Miguel of Tor Construction, both were the superheroes who executed this job with the highest precision, safety, and most cost-effectively.

Do you have an upcoming construction project that might involve cutting openings in PT Slabs? Let our team of construction experts help!

Mar 06
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What it’s like to be a Woman in Construction

By Industry Insights

An Interview with the Women of Summit Design + Build

Women in Construction Week is a great way to highlight women as a viable component of the industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in construction. In honor of this week, we sat down with some of the women of Summit Design + Build, Alekhya Pujari- Project Engineer I, Amber Autumn- Business Development, Carrie Wagner- Project Engineer II and Deanna Pegoraro– Vice President, to ask them firsthand about their experiences as women in construction.

Despite only compromising 10.3 percent of the construction work force, women continue to build their career paths within the industry. We asked the women of Summit, “Why is it important to create equal opportunities for women in construction?”

Deanna

Deanna: “I think it’s important to create equal opportunities for women in construction because it’s a relationship-based industry and women bring a wide variety of skills and strengths to the table. Today you see more and more young women pursuing degrees in engineering and construction management. As a leader in my company, I hope to foster a culture that is attractive for women and make sure that we identify and remove any roadblocks that they may face.”

Amber: “The AEC market is missing out when there isn’t inclusion. The best teams I have been on are the ones that have diversity. Diversity brings more creative problem solving and strengthens teamwork.”

Alekhya: “Good project management isn’t gender specific, if we can see beyond the gender of any opportunity/job seeker we can build stronger organizations.”

Carrie: “I think it is important to create equal opportunities in construction to create another example in a largely male dominated industry that women can be a part of it and really succeed at it.”

Carrie

Amber

Alekhya

Although only a small percentage of the construction industry is made up of women, the number is on the raise. As efforts continue to diversify the industry, we asked the women, “What opportunities do you see opening up for women in the AEC industry?”

Deanna: “The AEC industry as a whole has done a much better job of encouraging and embracing women who have identified construction as their passion and chosen to make a career of it but I feel like there is still a lot to be done to ensure that we are attracting, recruiting and retaining talented women in ALL roles and at ALL levels in our industry.”

Amber: “From the general contractor perspective, I see the project Superintendent position opening up more for women in the commercial space. As a 14-year veteran superintendent, it was a fun and dynamic profession. Building hotels around the country, industrial buildings, and then tenant interiors towards the end of my career, there were always problems to solve. As a superintendent, you are never bored or unchallenged. Plus, planning your outfits for the week is refreshingly easy! Just grab jeans, construction boots, a collared shirt, and you are all set. The superintendent’s wardrobe added simplicity to my life.”

There is no doubt that being a women in a male dominated industry comes along with its own set of obstacles. The women of Summit have each overcome their own set of obstacles and have taken different paths to get to their current positions. As we had them reflect back on their careers, we asked “What are you most proud of in your career?”

Deanna: “I have always tried to keep the big picture in mind. To listen to people, to learn as much as I can, to take advice and be informed so that I can make decisions confidently. Although I may have had to work a little harder to gain trust and respect that was given more freely to men in my industry, I am very proud that I never gave up. This industry is constantly changing and evolving. Every day I learn something new. The more you are open to learning and understanding about the business, the more career growth you will have.”

Carrie: “Thus far, I am the most proud of the work I did at the Golden State Foods project in the West Loop. I am proud that I led that job majorly on my own, with a very important client. It makes it worthwhile to see a project go from an empty space to a finished office.”

As we wrapped up our discussion, we asked the ladies to share any advice they would give women who want to pursue a career in the construction industry-

Deanna: “Being a woman in construction is not for the faint of heart. You really need to have ambition, resilience, determination and confidence to succeed. There were many times, especially earlier on in my career, when I was the only woman at the table or the only woman at a construction job site. It is important in those situations to be confident but I had to work hard to build up that confidence.”

Amber: “It’s easy to be overwhelmed when working on substantial projects. Managing stress better would have been more helpful. The knowledge I did appreciate when I started my career was good leadership and management skills. I led with the belief that you can manage your way through any tough task or situation by being an organized project manager. Create your plan and then work your plan tenaciously. It’s essential to embody your position fully; know and feel confident you can trust your skills and instincts.”

Alekhya: “Trust that you are well prepared with what is necessary and your skills will help you overcome any challenges along the way. Just because this is not a women dominated field doesn’t mean a women can’t excel here.”

Carrie: “I wish I knew how much communication skills I would need. I think I do communicate well but there are so many different types of people that you communicate with and also that communication has to be very well documented in this industry. It is another level of detail that I was not aware of.”

To be a women in construction is something to be proud of and the women of Summit Design + Build are of no exception. It is important to celebrate the contributions that women bring to the construction industry and Women in Construction Week is a great way to do just that. Happy Women in Construction Week to all of the women in construction from Summit Design + Build!

Sources: 

Big Rentz | ENR

Dec 30
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WeWork Tampa Common area

Benefits of Design-Build

By Industry Insights

The Benefits of Design-Build and How Summit Excels 

As the industry’s fastest growing project delivery method, design-build is gaining traction as a cost and time-efficient way to build sustainable, high-performance buildings.

With design-build construction spending anticipated to grow 18% annually, reaching more than $320 billion by 2021, design-build is on track to represent up to 44% of total U.S. construction spending within two years, reports FMI in its “Design-Build Utilization Combine Market Study.”

Unlike traditional approaches where the facility is first designed by the architect who then hands the plans over to the contractor, design-build brings the full project team together at the onset to simultaneously design and build the facility in an integrated fashion. This enables the architects to benefit from the contractor’s expertise and more efficiently deliver the final product.

“Contractors are able to provide insights into costs, permitting, materials and constructability from the get go which helps eliminate unforeseen costs and delays,” explains Adam Miller, President, Summit Design + Build.

For example, by engaging the subcontractors early on, long-lead materials can be identified and purchased directly from suppliers, thereby shortening the project schedule.

“I think more and more developers are realizing that they get single-source responsibility, minimized costs and streamlined schedules utilizing a design-build approach,” he adds.

In fact, 58% of owners surveyed in FMI’s study anticipate using design-build in the next five years and 67% predict that design-build will continue to increase.

Design-Build Advantages

A typical design-build project begins with the building owner, general contractor/construction manager, architect, engineers, subcontractors and suppliers collaborating together at one table. Working as a full integrated team, there are no adversarial conditions as the group shares responsibility for the project. In this manner, any complexities and challenges can be more efficiently addressed as the expertise of each party is optimally leveraged.

With overlapping design and construction tracks, projects are typically expedited and the collaborative process results in few, if any change orders, and much less litigation.

“When you employ a design-build approach, you get rapid delivery, out of the box solutions, more transparency, reduced project and opportunity costs, and total collaboration,” reiterates Miller.

More Statistics

Offering additional insights into design-build performance levels, the Construction Industry Institute and Charles Pankow Foundation funded researchers at the University of Boulder Colorado and the University of Florida to revisit a CII Comparison of U.S. Project Delivery System report from 1998. Utilizing a sample of 212 contemporary projects, the results confirmed that 20 years later, design-build that continues to deliver projects in a timely, cost-effective manner.

In the updated report, design-build was found to deliver projects 61% faster than construction manager at risk (CMR) and 102% faster than design-bid-build (DBB). In addition, design-build projects experience 2.4% less cost growth than CMR and 3.8% less than DBB.

Schedule Performance Comparison

The Selection

As design-build projects gain momentum in a variety of building types and regions, the selection of project delivery methods is ultimately determined by a number of variables. Offering some insight here, in FMI’s survey of building owners, 48% named the delivery schedule as having the greatest influence, 46% identify owner’s goals and objectives, 45% listed contractor experience and 41 percent believe that initial cost is the most influential factor.