file under:
Facilities, Design-Build, Federal Government, United States, North America
Aiming High
Supporting the Air Force through Sustainable Design and Construction
Paying tribute to a Medal of Honor recipient critically injured while rescuing a downed pilot, the new William A. Jones III Building goes above and beyond to maximize operations and increase sustainability. This National Capital Region facility is an architectural and environmental showpiece for Andrews Air Force Base (AFB) in Maryland, USA.
Built in support of the Base Realignment and Closure program, the five-floor, 380,000-square-foot administration facility will house 2,300 U.S. Department of Defense personnel moved to Andrews AFB from other facilities across the Washington, D.C. area. “This facility allows us to meet a number of important goals,” explains Micah Shuler, Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE) manager at Andrews AFB. “We consolidated a great deal of personnel from less secure and more costly locations into a building that is green, energy efficient and technologically advanced.”
In a tight timeframe, we were able to complete a modern, state-of-the-art facility that protects both the National Capital Region and the environment.
Speedy Takeoff, Smooth Landing
Under the CDM Smith/CAPE joint venture, CDM Smith teamed with AECOM for design and Coakley & Williams Construction on the fast-track design-build delivery of this $126 million facility atop a redeveloped 20-acre site. “We knew when we approached this project that it was going to have a really quick turn-around,” notes Michael Schwan, CDM Smith senior vice president. “With only 720 days between project award and completion, I think we may have qualified for some land speed records.”
For base realignment to take place, the Air Force needed enough lead time to move personnel out of leased facilities in the D.C. area. Within a week of being awarded the project in February 2009, the CDM Smith team was on base to ensure that no time was lost. Using precast concrete and preassembled materials manufactured offsite allowed the team to save time onsite while delivering phased floors of the building throughout construction. The floor-by-floor delivery allowed other teams to finalize internal communications and furnishings while construction continued elsewhere.
“Our preparation was an important aspect,” says Jeffrey Pitchford, CDM Smith associate and project manager. “We had a number of scheduling obstacles to overcome, including a 30-day collaborative design review, unexpected permitting changes with the Maryland Department of Environment, and some of the worst snowstorms the area has seen.” Careful planning and collaboration of up to 500 workers onsite each day allowed the facility to be delivered within budget to meet the March 2011 deadline.
Green Design for the Blue Yonder
Sustainable design features enabled the facility to achieve LEED® Gold certification. “This building is setting the standard for sustainability in Air Force design,” boasts Christian Totten, AFCEE project manager. “We are proud to have such a green facility in a vital place on base.” The facility features one of the Air Force’s first green roofs, helping to save energy, reduce heat absorption, process stormwater and provide a wildlife habitat. Other environmentally friendly approaches include treating more than 90 percent of stormwater runoff onsite, reducing water use, and installing energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
According to Brian Hagerich, CDM Smith associate and construction manager, “There was also a real focus on sustainability beyond just the design features in the finished building. We carefully monitored the materials we chose and the way our team operated.” Building construction used certified wood from managed forests, maximized recycled and locally manufactured materials, and diverted more than 90 percent of construction waste from landfills.
Securing Flexible Solutions
The building also accommodates anti-terrorism/force protection provisions. “Sensitive compartmented information facilities for processing classified data, as well as flexible office and conference room space, meet strict security standards for communications and data processing while supporting changing security and personnel needs,” adds Pitchford. Additional security measures were put in place to accommodate the courts housed within the building, including the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.
The result is a facility that upholds Colonel Jones’ legacy. “We are extremely pleased with the overall dedication and commitment that the CDM Smith team put into this project,” says Shuler. “In a tight timeframe, we were able to complete a modern, state-of-the-art facility that protects both the National Capital Region and the environment.”
