cam magazine february 2007

TOOLSExpert Guidelines on

Hand Tool Safety

TOOLSExpert Guidelines on

Hand Tool Safety

Plus: BUILDING ON HOLY GROUND – Oak Pointe Church Dedicates New Home in Novi

FEBRUARY 2007 VOL. 28 • NO. 2 • $4.00

“ V O I C E O F T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N I N D U S T R Y ”

IN THIS ISSUE:IN THIS ISSUE:

12,000 TONS OF MATERIAL USED ONMONROE EXHAUST STACK PROJECT

12,000 TONS OF MATERIAL USED ONMONROE EXHAUST STACK PROJECT

MAKING THINGS

CONCRETEMAKING THINGS

CONCRETE

4 CAM MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2007

FEATURES

15 Construction Quote PadFavorable Prognosis

20 On the Jobsite: Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. Updates SaginawWastewater Treatment Plant Facility

TOOLS

22 EXPERTS RATE HAND TOOL SAFETY RULESHand Tool Institute Guidelines for Basic Tool Safety

24 Avoid Slipups with ScrewdriversCommon Screwdriver Misuses

CONCRETE

26 Set in StoneColored Concrete Decorates Warren City Hall and Library Plaza

28 Tips for Proper Winter Concrete CareAvoid Excessive Deicer Use to Extend the Life of Your Concrete Driveways and Sidewalks

30 Concrete CorpsNew Exhaust Stack at Detroit Edison's Coal-Fired Monroe Power Plant

CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHT

36 Building on Holy GroundNew Oak Pointe Church Dedicates its New Home in Novi

DEPARTMENTS8 Industry News

10 Safety Tool Kit49 Product Showcase53 People in Construction55 Construction Calendar58 Advertisers Index

“ V O I C E O F T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N I N D U S T RY ”

ABOUT THE COVER: Efforts to construct a new 560-foot-tall exhaust stack at Detroit Edison's coal-fired Monroe Power Plant, along with the challenges associated with ‘round-the-clock delivery of 12,000 tons of concrete, are among the Concrete features in this month’s issue.

Photo courtesy of Detroit Edison

6 CAM MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2007 “Voice Of The Construction Industry”

PUBLISHER Kevin N. KoehlerEDITOR Amanda M. Tackett

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR E. Dewey Little

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Mary E. KremposkyDavid R. Miller

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Matthew J. AustermannDIRECTOR OF MARKETING Gregg A. Montowski

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Cathy A. Jones

DIRECTORSOFFICERSChairman Robert A. Singer,

Duross Painting Co.

Vice Chairman Todd A. Garris,Walltek/Lantec

Vice Chairman James A. Sinkel,Smith Brothers Electric, Inc.

Treasurer Randy L. Brooks,Temperature Engineering Corp.

President Kevin N. Koehler

DIRECTORS Brian J. Brunt,Brunt Associates

Rick J. Cianek,Fraco Products

Jeffrey W. Cohee,Frank Rewold & Son, Inc.

Thomas E. Doyle,Plante & Moran, PLLC

Nancy D. Marshall,Aluminum Supply Co.

Ted C. McGinley,Gutherie Lumber Co.

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

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

Michigan Society of Association Executives

2002, 2004 & 2005 Diamond Award

2003 Honorable Mention

Gallery of Fine Printing

2002 Bronze Award

MARCOM InternationalCreative Awards

2005 Gold Award

The CommunicatorInternational

Print Media Competition

Overall Association Magazine

Magazine Writing

CAM Magazine (ISSN08837880) is published monthly by the Construction Association of Michigan, 43636 WoodwardAve., P.O. Box 3204, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204 (248) 972-1000. $24.00 of annual membership dues is allocated to asubscription to CAM Magazine. Additional subscriptions $40.00 annually. Periodical postage paid at Bloomfield Hills, MIand additional mailing offices.

For editorial comment or more information: [email protected]. For reprints or to sell CAM Magazine: 248-972-1000.

Copyright © 2006 Construction Association of Michigan. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part withoutpermission is prohibited. CAM Magazine is a registered trademark of the Construction Association of Michigan.

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Blue Cross Goes Green onDowntown Detroit ParkingDeck

A green building is sprouting in anunlikely category: a parking deck.Neumann/Smith Architecture andTurner Construction Company have cre-ated this innovative parking deck with avegetated roof system and running trackat the downtown Detroit campus of BlueCross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM).The cutting-edge project is registeredwith the U.S. Green Building Council.“If we are granted LEED certification,we will be setting ourselves apart as thefirst-ever parking structure in the coun-try to be granted LEED certification,”said BCBSM President and ChiefExecutive Officer Daniel J. Loepp at theribbon-cutting ceremony for the 9-storydeck.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremonyfor the 600,000-square-foot deck tookplace in late November 2006. Loeppsummarized the benefits of the newdeck in his opening remarks: The new

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parking deck will join the battle toreduce stormwater runoff and flooding,and will remain open 24 hours a day,offering an enhanced lighting systemand bringing BCBSM employees closerto their office building. The 1,832-spacefacility replaces BCBSM’s obsolete 35-year-old Congress Parking Deck.

Pat Devlin, BCBSM board memberand CEO of the Michigan Building &Construction Trades Council, commend-ed the unionized construction workerswho poured nearly 129,000 man-hoursinto the deck’s construction. Steven R.Berlage, vice president and general man-ager of Turner’s Michigan office, alsothanked “all the trades that have goneinto making this project a reality.Congratulations to BCBSM on a brand-new facility.”

Joel Smith, AIA, principal ofNeumann/Smith Architecture, praisedBCBSM for their tremendous vision andforward thinking in opting for a greenparking deck. He also recognized theefforts of the Blue Cross Blue Shield ofMichigan Parking Structure andCampus Improvement design team,including landscape architect, GrissimMetz Andriese Associates, Inc.,Northville, for their work on the BCBSMcampus plaza adjacent to the parkingstructure; Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc.,civil engineer, Bloomfield Hills, for theirdesign of an underground cistern; park-ing consultant, Rich and Associates, Inc.,Southfield; structural engineer,Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers, Inc.,West Bloomfield; and mechanical/elec-trical engineer, DiClemente SiegelDesign, Inc., Southfield. Southfield-based Premis Solutions is the programmanager.

“These professionals have shownwhat a team can do when you have aconscientious construction manager,such as Turner Construction Company,”said Smith. “Turner has managed thebudget … and managed this wholeprocess without a hitch.”

Added BCBSM Chairman of the BoardGregory Sudderth, “The bottom line iswhen you retain a world-class designand engineering team, put a world-classconstruction manager on the job, andcombine it all with world-class trades-people, you end up with a world-classfacility.”

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F.H. Martin Adds DecorativeConcrete to its Recipe forSuccess

Food and fine wine go together perfect-ly. F.H. Martin Constructors has devel-oped a new complementary pair: special-ty food and decorative concrete. Thepairing may not sound as appetizing, butthe high-quality decorative concretework of the Warren-based firm is makingthe shopping experience sweeter for cus-tomers in the growing specialty foodmarket in southeastern Michigan.

F.H. Martin has been building and ren-ovating grocery stores for more than 17years. While maintaining an active clientlist with retailers such as The KrogerCompany, the firm has cooked up a newniche and now includes a number of spe-cialty food markets among its list of cus-tomers. The firm’s construction of a new49,900-square-foot Whole Foods Marketsin Ann Arbor included colored concrete,intricate millwork, and a premium light-

ing package. F.H. Martin is also renovat-ing the 6,000-square-foot Fresh FarmsMarket in Grosse Pointe. Unique featuresinclude an acid-stained concrete floorcomposed of three different colors –brown, terracotta orange and patinagreen.

Plum Market, a unique new specialtychain, has plans for stores in Bloomfield,Ann Arbor and Royal Oak. F.H. Martin iscurrently building the first location, a21,000-square-foot store in Bloomfieldthat will feature a polished concrete floor,30 skylights, and galvanized spiral duct-work. Many of these specialty markets,hungry for customers, are pouring theirresources into decorative finishes, includ-ing different types of decorative concrete.Information from F.H. Martin providesan overview of this arena: “Many timesthe desire is to add a color to brighten upthe typical gray color of concrete. Theconcrete can be produced with a coloradditive right in the mix (integrally col-ored), color can be added in the finishing


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sented. What does this information dofor us? If we take it as a guide to deter-mine the most likely ways for ouremployees to get hurt, we can then takea closer look at internal policies, proce-dures and overall attitude towards safe-ty. We know that falls continue to be aleading killer in construction, but thislist suggests that areas such as workingwith chemicals (hazard communication), respiratory protection and electricalissues are just as important and may beoverlooked in many cases. Citationssuggest that employees are beingexposed to significant hazards; this topten list can give us some direction onhow to better protect our most valuableasset – our people. If I can be of anyassistance, please feel free to contact meat (248) 972-1141 or by e-mail [email protected].

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process, or a penetrating (or acid etch)stain can be applied after the concrete isplaced. Polymer-modified overlays canbe applied over old or uneven surfaces,or they can be used to create a patternwithin the overlay, sometimes to emulatetile or natural stone.

“Special finishing techniques and/orpolishing the surface of a concrete floor,combined with special sealers or harden-ers, can produce results from the func-tional to the dramatic. Polishing involvesgrinding the surface of the floor with spe-cial diamond abrasives. A lighter polish-ing of the concrete surface can produce anice sheen, which increases lightreflectance and makes the surface moredirt resistant and easier to clean. Deepergrinding can expose the coarse aggregatestone within the concrete, which canresult in a look similar to terrazzo orgranite.”

F.H. Martin has also applied its concrete knowledge to other facilitytypes, including the construction of aLowe’s in Sterling Heights in 2003. The102,000-square-foot floor was finished toa glass-like surface with the addition of asealer/densifier to help maintain itsappearance.

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Stanford’s Dr. Paul Teicholz toReceive NBM 2006 Henry C.Turner Prize for Innovation inConstruction TechnologyTEICHOLZ TO BE HONORED FOR HISACHIEVEMENTS ON FEBRUARY 1, 2007AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY

The National Building Museum hasannounced Dr. Paul Teicholz as the fifth

recipient of the Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in ConstructionTechnology. The prize is being awardedto Teicholz for carrying the architecture,construction, and engineering fields intothe information age through his develop-ment and integration of information tech-nology into the building and designindustries. For more than 40 years,Teicholz has worked in the academic andengineering industries, bridging cutting-edge research and real-life needs to createindustry-wide improvements in projectmanagement, modeling, and businessprocesses.

“Since the 1960s, Paul has influencedan entire industry and economy with hisresearch and applications,” said ChaseRynd, president and executive director ofthe Museum. “Paul’s achievements provehim an innovator in construction technol-ogy and an ideal recipient for the TurnerPrize.”

Teicholz began his career developingcomputer applications for the construc-tion industry at Jacobs Associates. He

later developed applications for all busi-ness areas at Guy F. Atkinson Co., work-ing as the information technology man-ager for over 20 years and overseeing thedevelopment and implementation ofintegrated accounting, manufacturing,cost, and engineering systems. In 1988,Teicholz founded the Center forIntegrated Facility Engineering (CIFE) atStanford University, the premier researchcenter for architecture and AEC comput-er applications. He is currently professoremeritus of civil engineering at StanfordUniversity and a noted industry consult-ant.

“Paul’s unique understanding ofdesign and construction practices, cou-pled with his vision, intellectual ability,and commitment to advancing integra-tion needs, sets him apart,” said BobTatum, professor of civil and environ-mental engineering at StanfordUniversity and a member of the TurnerPrize jury. “His leadership of CIFE result-ed in a highly effective joint effort byindustry professionals and researchers to



develop and apply information technolo-gy.”

Teicholz was named the ConstructionManagement “Man of the Year” by theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers in1985 and an “Innovator for Technologyand Materials in the ConstructionIndustry” by Engineering News-Recordmagazine in 1999. He was also awardedthe Peurifoy Construction ResearchAward by the Construction ResearchCouncil of the American Society of CivilEngineers in 1999 and elected to the ChiUpsilon engineering honor society atCornell University.

On Feb. 1, 2007, the Museum will pres-ent its Henry C. Turner Prize to Dr.Teicholz at a public ceremony at StanfordUniversity. Bob Tatum will then leadTeicholz in a discussion of his researchand career, and the future of the engineer-ing industry.

“Innovation is critical to bringing ourindustry to the next level,” says ThomasC. Leppert, chairman and CEO of TheTurner Corporation. “For this reason, we

have funded the Henry C. Turner endow-ment at the National Building Museum tocelebrate and encourage the achieve-ments by visionaries such as Dr. PaulTeicholz, whose work has not onlyimpacted the architectural, engineering,and construction industries, but our dailylives, as well. Paul’s founding of the

CIFE has inspired technological advancesthat allow our industry to build in waysnever before possible. … Turner believesPaul is very deserving of this honor as thefifth recipient of the Turner Prize.”

The Henry C. Turner Prize is namedafter the founder of Turner ConstructionCompany, founded in 1902 in New York

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City. The prize recognizes an invention,an innovative methodology, and/orexceptional leadership by an individualor team of individuals in constructiontechnology. This includes constructiontechniques, innovations and practices,construction and project management,and engineering design. Since its incep-tion in 2002, the Turner Prize has beenawarded to structural engineer Leslie E.Robertson, architect I.M Pei, engineer andbuilder Charles A. DeBenedittis, and theU.S. Green Building Council. The Prizecarries a cash award of $25,000 from anendowment established by TurnerConstruction Company.

The jury for the Henry C. Turner Prizeis composed of five members: J. RobertHillier, FAIA, founding partner of TheHillier Group, an architecture firm head-quartered in Princeton, NJ; Clyde B.Tatum, professor and chair, departmentof civil and environmental engineering,and director of CIFE, Stanford University,Palo Alto, CA; Thomas R. Turner, vicepresident, national sales, TurnerConstruction Company, New York, NY;and Norbert W. Young, Jr., FAIA, presi-dent, McGraw-Hill Construction, NewYork, NY; and Scott Kratz, vice presidentfor education, National BuildingMuseum.

The National Building Museum isAmerica’s premier cultural institutiondedicated to exploring and celebratingarchitecture, design, engineering, con-struction, and planning. Chartered byCongress in 1980 and open to the publicsince 1985, the Museum has become avital forum for exchanging ideas andinformation about the built environmentthrough its exhibitions, education pro-grams, and publications. The Museum islocated at 401 F Street NW, Washington,D.C. Museum hours are Monday throughSaturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sundayfrom 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free.Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visitwww.nbm.org.


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reported slowing of housing and motorvehicle sales, Sowerby finds the rate ofpersonal income growth combined withand job growth is still progressing, ver-sus two years ago. “Comparing the samenumbers to the national figures,” hesaid, “the gap has narrowed, but we’restill trailing. I think Michigan just con-tinues to chug along, but at a slowerpace than the U.S.

“The macro forces are still not provid-ing the same tailwind to us that existed

in our much better days of the mid- tolate-90s. What matters to Michigan froma macro view would be things like ener-gy prices, which have declined but arestill high; interest rates, which are low...apositive for Michigan; and the exchangevalue of the dollar. The dollar hasdepreciated, export growth hasimproved, but for Michigan’s case, wehave not seen the dollar depreciate as


It’s pretty well knownthat Michigan’s economylacks the robust healththat we would desire, but continued recoveryseems to be within rea-son. Supporting thatview is David Sowerby,

portfolio manager and chief market analyst for Loomis Sayles & Co.,

Bloomfield Hills.Regarding his expectation for

Michigan, Sowerby said, “Sixty to 70percent of our rate of growth is deter-mined off of U.S. and global economicevents. From that perspective, the U.S.economy remains in solid shape. Theprobability of a recession in the nextyear is less than 25 percent, probablymore like 15 percent.” Despite the well-

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much against our important currency,such as Japan and China...you couldeven put Canada in there as well.”

Where does he see the brightest out-look? “Here’s what is at least somewhatbetter or somewhat improved forMichigan,” Sowerby said. “Non-motorvehicle corporate earnings have beengrowing between 10 and 12 percent, thelast couple quarters (at press time). If Ilook at Michigan’s publicly traded com-panies, and exclude auto producers andsuppliers, the news is respectable. Thathas a positive element to it. Beyond thatthere are fundamental challenges thathave, in my opinion, lowered the speedlimit for metro Detroit and the state. Inthe construction industry, I think that’svery apparent. You have seen projects,which have been accelerated by thestate, which can provide short-termstimulus. That’s good, but it’s still notlonger-term or structural in nature.”

Sowerby believes that when the moretraditional, labor-intensive manufactur-ing is lagging, there is a greater need or

reliance on the higher tech-orientedmanufacturing. “One has to look atWashtenaw County or Ann Arbor to seean economy that is fairing respectablywell...to see the good fortunes of healthsciences and high-end manufacturing,and a vibrant university fostering entre-preneurial growth,” he said. “We, as astate, need to think about how to bringthat elsewhere.”

CLIENT RELATIONSAmid all the clever strategies to stimu-

late construction, one simple factor seemsto dominate all others… we’re in the peo-ple business. “If you don’t have good

relationships, you’re notgoing to do a lot of work,”said David Hamilton,president of Pontiac-based George W. AuchCo. “It’s all the same as itwas 100 years ago - it’s allrelationships.”

Incidentally, his firm will be celebrat-ing its 100th year in business at the end

of this year. “You’ve got to stay positive,because it’s a tough market,” Hamiltonsaid. “There’s plenty of competition, soclients can pick who they want. If theydon’t like you or don’t trust you, theydon’t need to pick you.”

Maintaining relationships betweencustomers, past and new, often requiresa balancing act. “You’ve got to be able totake care of existing clients before youcan get a new client,” Hamilton said.“You can’t put all your resources with anew client, because your existing clientsare going to need some of thoseresources. You have to be available forthem, and if you’re not available, they’llget somebody else.”

Being staffed with a good mix of veter-ans and high tech newcomers providesan important edge in today’s market andhelps Hamilton meet customer needs.He explained, “The biggest thing rightnow is that the level of services beingoffered to owners, and the level of serv-ices that are being provided, dictate ahigher level of skilled person.”

Hamilton


INTERIOR GREENINGAs sustainable design continues to

grab headlines, it appears to be sparkinggrowing interest among building own-

ers, according to interiordesigner WilliamHartman, AIA, principalfor Gensler, Detroit.“There’s been a change inpeople’s attitudes towardsustainable design,”Hartman said.

“In the past it had a rather narrowgroup of advocates, while now many ofthe more practical aspects of sustainabil-ity have been embraced by clients as, ifnot actually furthering their goal, cer-tainly enhancing their goal. Today’s sus-tainable buildings address issues ofindoor air quality and of energy use,which translate to cost and lifecycledecisions. There also seems to be, if notanecdotal data, emerging hard data toshow that performances of people insustainable buildings is higher and bet-ter. These are very practical, mainstreambenefits that can be greeted with enthu-siasm by clients who, in the past, mighthave been suspicious that these werefrom a group of folks who had only theirown best interests in mind.”

Regarding the surge toward greenerinteriors, Hartman said, “It might beinteresting to note that the attention tosustainable design is broad across manydifferent building types. From an interi-or design perspective, almost all of theclients we deal with as tenants arerequesting us to use a sustainable meas-ure to the selection of products and con-struction types. If they’re not, we’re sug-gesting that they do consider sustain-ability.”

Regarding high tech’s impact on sus-tainable design, Hartman said, “A muchmore sophisticated, yet effective toimplement, set of controls enables build-ings to be wiser and more custom-pro-filed to their energy use and ventilation.So integrated building control systemsenable active features to perform at opti-mal ranges. We see that in mechanicalsystems, and even in controlling accessto daylight.”

As a stimulus to greener buildingdesign, Hartman gives credit to hightech procedures. “The technology thatwe use in the design process enables usto depict, demonstrate, and simulate the

building’s performance. This enables usto get upstream in the decision-makingprocess with owners. They still maketheir decisions on very practicalthings...lifecycle cost, support of basicfunction, and, increasingly now, flexibil-ity and change. We’re probably gettingto a world where buildings that are sus-

tainable carry a higher inherent value,and buildings that aren’t start to findtheir asset value depreciating. So own-ers, and investment owners in particular,are going to see that in order to preservethe value of their asset, their asset needsto be performing at a much higher levelin terms of sustainable design.”

Hartman


While there’s a growing interest insustainable design, Hartman feels thereshould be an increased pace of convert-ing buildings in Michigan to new high-performance structures. “If you thinkabout it,” he said, “the sophistication ofour business community, the breadth ofour R & D community, and the fact that

we sit among incredible natural assets,should be motivating us to be a leader inthat regard.”

BUILDING PLEASUREAside from the cost-conscious, quality

performance side of construction, thosewho build projects more often than not

seem to find enjoyment inwhat they do. Althoughthat aspect of the busi-ness varies among con-tractors, Andy Martin,president of Warren-based F.H. MartinContractors, believes

that’s a very positive aspect of building.“I sometimes almost jokingly say, but

it’s really very true,” Martin said, “thatwe make dreams come true. To turnsomeone’s vision into reality is very sat-isfying. When somebody is buildingsomething, it usually means growth,expansion...a lot of positive things thatgenerated the need for the construc-tion.”

Sometimes not openly recognizedamong builders is the aspect of constant-ly expanding knowledge that construc-tion affords. “One of the fun thingsabout the construction business,” Martinsaid, “is that we get to be involved withso many other businesses and organiza-tions. We learn what makes them tickand learn what the building environ-ment does for them. It may be the waythe flow of a church works in terms ofthe activities involved, or getting intothe retail setting, the effect of differenttypes of lighting. In building schools,we see some of the technology in educa-tion.

“I guess we could just get the plansand say this is what they told us to buildand we’ll build it, but we like to under-stand the reasons behind it. I think ithelps us better serve our clients andlearn what’s important to them. It’s veryinteresting, and it’s a benefit of being inthis industry.”

Martin

Speak Up!The Editors of CAM Magazine

invite comments from our readers.

Send your remarks to:

CAM Magazine43636 Woodward Ave.

P.O. Box 3204Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204

Or email us at:

[email protected]


Emerging technology can quickly push state-of-the-artachievements into obsolescence, but this effect is rarelymore pronounced than in the field of engineering.Engineers at Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., (HRC)

Bloomfield Hills, were recently given a unique opportunity toexperience the rapid march of progress firsthand as theyworked to update the Saginaw Wastewater Treatment PlantFacility’s (WWTF) preliminary pretreatment system. TheWWTF was originally designed by HRC during the 1950s.

“The plant has to have replacement parts fabricated for theexisting grit removal system because they are no longer avail-able,” said Thomas G. Maxwell, PE, associate, HRC. “There isalso a huge load on the plant under the city’s new CSO [com-

JobsiteOnThe

Returning to theSCENE OF THE GRIME

By David R. Miller, Associate Editor

Photos courtesy of Hubbell Roth & Clark, Inc.


bined sewer overflow] system. Much more grit enters the sys-tem when they dewater the new basins that were put in to pre-vent uncontrolled CSOs into the Saginaw River. This addition-al grit has really taken a toll on this original 1950s equipment.”

The WWTF Program consists of three phases. Phase A of theproject, currently under construction with completion slated forSpring of 2007, involves the installation of a new grit removalsystem, with Gerace Construction, Midland, serving as primecontractor, John E. Green Co., Saginaw, as mechanical contrac-tor, and Wm. F. Nelson Electric, Saginaw, as electrical contrac-tor. Work on Phase B began in September of 2006 and comple-tion is expected in the Summer of 2007. John E. Green is theprime contractor for this phase, which will add variable speeddrives on the motors of four existing raw sewage pumps, there-by allowing operators to manipulate the flow of sewage into theWWTF for treatment. Gerace Construction is serving as gener-al trades subcontractor with Nelson Electric again serving aselectrical contractor. Phase C, which will add two new primaryclarifiers to enhance the plant’s ability to handle flows, is cur-rently in design with completion of construction anticipated inFall of 2008.

The City’s combined sewer system and the new improve-ments to their existing WWTF presented many technical andconstruction related challenges. Saginaw’s combined sewersystem, approximately 10,000 acres, services a population ofapproximately 88,000 people. This system can deliver flows tothe WWTF ranging from nine million gallons per day (mgd)during low dry weather flow to 100 mgd during wet weatherperiods. The construction difficulty confronted by Gerace is tokeep the existing plant systems in operation while modifyingand replacing them with the new grit removal system manufac-tured by Eutek of Hillsboro, Oregon. The City selected thestate-of-the-art Eutek system because it was the only systemavailable that would fit in the existing site’s limited space avail-able for this type of system. It also provided the City with thebest performance when considering hydraulics and therefore

the least headloss impacts to this portion of the plant’s gravitysystem.

The new grit removal system, along with the other plannedimprovements, will allow the Saginaw WWTF to offer the mostreliable service possible with current technology, just as it didwhen it came online 50 years ago. With a long history of pro-viding sewage treatment solutions, HRC will undoubtedly becalled upon to return to the scene of the grime many times inthe future.

Various improvements to be completed under a four-yearphased program at the Saginaw WWTF's Preliminary TreatmentSystem are shown here.

In this photograph, the new Eutek Grit Removal System in thebackground is being connected to the existing WWTF GritChannel No. 1 in the foreground.

Workers are placing resteel for the walls of the grit removal system.A braced excavation was installed using sheet piles to protect exist-ing site facilities during construction.

Experts Rate HandTool Safety Rules


lic have been developed largely fromcommon-sense application and experi-ence. At certain times, for different jobs,some rules might apply more than others.But there are some rules that should befollowed no matter what the job.

In an HTI survey at the National SafetyCongress, experts from across the countrywere asked what rules they thoughtshould head every tool-wise person’s list.They came up with five basic guidelinesto follow in all jobs involving striking and

For over 30 years the Hand ToolsInstitute (HTI), a trade associationof American manufacturers of qual-

ity hand tools, has maintained a con-sumer safety education program aimed atreducing the number of accidents result-ing from the misuse of striking and strucktools.

The U.S. Consumer Product SafetyCommission estimates 30,000 people areinjured annually using hammers.

The guidelines HTI presents to the pub-

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Experts Rate HandTool Safety Rules


struck tools.Following are the experts’ most fre-

quently cited safety rules in the order inwhich they are ranked:• Wear safety goggles- This reflected thefact that eye injuries are the most trau-matic suffered in the 30,000 accidents esti-mated yearly.• Select and use the proper tool for thejob – With many different categories ofhammers and striking tools to choosefrom, be sure to select the one right for aspecific job.• Keep tools in good condition – Tools ingood shape do a better job and are safer touse.

• Never use a hammer with a chippedface or damaged handle – A loose ham-mer head flying off a damaged handle isextremely hazardous. Likewise, if the faceshows dents, cracks, chips, mushroomingor signs of excessive wear, discard it. Thatgoes for any striking or struck tool.• Educate all persons in the home on theproper use of hand tools – How a tool isused is just as important as what kind oftool you have chosen for a particular job.Tools should not be accessible to thosewho haven’t been briefed on their properuse and selection.

Striking and struck tools are relativelysimple implements. The manufacturers ofsuch tools believe most accidents can beavoided through thoughtful andinformed use of their products.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety

Commission estimates

30,000 people are injured annually

using hammers.


Next to the hammer, the screwdriver is probably themost abused item in the homeowner’s tool kit. It takesthe kind of abuse that frequently results in chewed up

screw heads, damaged screwdrivers, and gashed hands.The Hand Tools Institute (HTI), the association for

American manufacturers of quality hand tools, says thatscrewdrivers are intended for one simple use: driving andwithdrawing screws.

Unfortunately, says HTI, the screwdriver is all too frequent-ly used for prying, chiseling, scraping, punching and some-times even to stir paint! But perhaps the most common abuseis using a screwdriver that does not match or fit the screw.

The unsafe use of a screwdriver most often is due to the factthe homeowner simply does not have a proper assortment ofthese tools on hand. The two basic types of screwdrivers arethe so-called standard or conventional, which is used for

AVOID SLIPUPS WITH

Photography by Matthew Austermann

SCREWDRIVERS


to rust the screw threads.Some basic safety rules that apply to

the use of screwdrivers:• Make sure the tip fits the slot of the

screw; not too loose and not tootight.

• Do not use a screwdriver as a coldchisel or punch.

• Do not use a screwdriver near livewires.

• Do not expose a screwdriver toexcessive heat as it may reduce thehardness of the blade.

• Repair a worn tip with a file in orderto regain a good straight edge.

• Discard a screwdriver with a wornor broken handle.

HTI also recommends the use of safe-ty goggles or safety glasses in jobsinvolving hand tools. Chances are youwill be picking up a variety of tools onany given job. While some tools havemore potential for possible injury thanothers, it pays to protect your eyes forthe duration of a project.

ing power. As a rule, the bigger thescrewdriver, the larger the diameter ofthe handle; the larger the diameter of thehandle, the greater the torque, or turningpower. If absolutely necessary, a wrench– but never pliers – can be used on theshank to apply the extra torque required.

In the right and safe way of using ascrewdriver, the first move is to make apilot hole before driving a screw. This isespecially important when driving intohardwood or when the screw is near theedge of a board.

Pilot holes can be made in softwoods,and in some hardwoods, with an awl ifthe screws to be used are small. For larg-er screws, it is best to drill a pilot hole oruse a threaded screw hole starter.

If the screw is a flathead, the pilot holealso should be countersunk so the headof the screw will be flush with the workwhen it is driven home.

The job of driving the screw can beeased considerably if the threads aregiven an application of wax. This ispreferable to soap, which has a tendency

screws with slotted or straight lineheads, and the Phillips, which is used forscrews with recesses or star patterns inthe head.

Standard screwdrivers usually areclassified according to tip width andblade length. Generally, the longer thelength, the wider the tip, although somerather long screwdrivers may have anarrow tip. Cabinet style screwdriversfor example, have long, straight sidedshanks and narrow tips and are usefulfor driving screws into recessed andcounterbored openings in cabinets andfine furniture. There also are short, stub-by screwdrivers with wide tips for dri-ving screws in confined quarters.

Most screwdriver tips are tapered. Thetip thickness determines the size of thescrew that can be driven without dam-aging the screw slot. The taper permitsthe screwdriver to drive more than onesize of screw.

Heavy-duty screwdrivers are avail-able with square shanks so that a wrenchcan be used on the shank for extra turn-


Concrete work requires attention to detail because any mistakesare quickly set in stone, but the Warren City Hall and LibraryBuilding project required a level of attentiveness that is unusualeven for this demanding trade. Simone Contracting Corp.,

Sterling Heights, provided a total of 1,630 cubic yards of interior concrete,including 25,265 square feet of slab on deck and 46,000 square feet of slabon grade in support of the City Hall and Library, along with the newRecreation and Maintenance building on the same site. The firm also sup-plied 1,760 cubic yards of exterior concrete, including 63,000 square feet ofsidewalks and 4,400 lineal feet of planter walls, for an attractive outdoorplaza situated around an ornate fountain. Skanska USA Building Inc.,Southfield, was construction manager for the project, withNeumann/Smith & Associates, Southfield, serving as architect, and thelandscape architect was JJR, LLC, Ann Arbor. Baruzzini Construction Co.,Brighton, provided the concrete for the fountain deck.

Simone Contracting applied a LM Scoffield adobe tan integral color andcolor wax sealer to give the concrete in the plaza an eye-catching hue. Thecolor and wax sealer were applied in a single coat with an airless sprayerthe day after the concrete was placed. This timing ensured that the con-crete would be solid enough to walk on while helping to minimize the

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W R I T T E N A N D P H O T O G R A P H E D B YD AV I D R. M I L L E R ,A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R


accumulation of dust and debris on thesurface. Every aspect of the job, from theinitial placement to the color application,was geared towards achieving a finishedproduct with a consistently high quality.

“Depending on the weather and thetype of framing material that we used, theconditions were not the same all the time,but we still had to deliver the same finalproduct,” said Jeffery Finley, superinten-dent for Simone Contracting.

Initial saw cuts for the control joints ofthe concrete were made with an eight-inch early entry saw and then they wereretraced with a Soft Cutt X-150 equippedwith a 1/2” radius blade that was pur-chased specifically for the project. The X-150 produced a radius edge instead of astraight cut while delivering more consis-tent results than a hand jointer.Placement and quality of the controljoints was so important that a surveyorwas called in to provide an exact layoutbefore the cuts were performed.Eyeballing the placement of the saw cutsmight be close enough for many jobs, butthe project team was striving for a higherlevel of craftsmanship in Warren.

“It is pretty easy to find poor qualityconcrete finishes,” said Finley.“Sometimes people will perform a sloppyjob with their hand tools or leave ridgeswith an edger, float, or jointer. On theother hand, Simone has a reputation forhigh quality work. Many people would-n’t even notice the difference, but anarchitect or client who expects this kind ofwork will know the difference.”

Simone Contracting applied an LM Scoffieldadobe tan integral color and color wax sealerto give the concrete in the plaza an eye-catch-ing hue. The color and wax sealer were appliedin a single coat with an airless sprayer the dayafter the concrete was placed.


2. Use sand for increased traction on ice,since it has no adverse effect on concrete. Ifyou are going to use a chemical deicer, use itaccording to the manufacturer's instructionand never over apply. Melting every bit of iceand snow on walkways and driveways withdeicers is just not practical. Use the deiceronly to break the bond between ice andpavement.3. Once the bond between ice and pave-ment is broken by the deicer, the slush andresidual deicer should be removed by shov-eling or plowing to prevent refreezing.4. When having new concrete poured,always have a protective sealer added aftercuring to minimize moisture and deicing saltpenetration into the surface of the concrete.5. Avoid using any deicing chemical the firstwinter after concrete has been poured if atall possible. The only safe material to makenew concrete surfaces skid resistant is plainsand.6. Never use deicers containing ammoniumsulphate or ammonium nitrate. These chem-icals are often packaged and sold as deicersbut they aggressively attack and deteriorateconcrete surfaces.

during freeze/thaw cycling, the ranking ofdeicers in order of increasing scaling ordamage to the concrete surface was: calci-um chloride (least), sodium chloride, magne-sium chloride, potassium chloride and urea(most). Of all the chemical deicers, calciumchloride has the greatest ability to attractand retain moisture from frozen water andconvert it to brine at lower temperatures.Since the calcium chloride brine stays in liq-uid form at lower temperatures, the concreteis exposed to fewer freeze/thaw cycles andtherefore less surface damage. However, aneffective alternative to these chemicaldeicers is common sand, which providesincreased traction on ice with no adverseeffect on the concrete.

Here are some practical tips for properwinter concrete care from the MichiganConcrete Association, whose members pro-vide concrete for the majority of Michigan'ssidewalks, driveways and parking lots.

1. Always remove snow and ice from con-crete surfaces as soon as possible to mini-mize the effects of freeze/thaw cycles.

Although concrete is one of the mostdurable construction materials knownto man, it is also one of the most fre-

quently abused materials. Most of the seri-ous concrete abuse occurs in the wintermonths, when conscientious homeownersand business owners use too much deicer(most commonly rock salt or calcium chlo-ride) in an effort to melt all the snow and iceon their concrete sidewalks, driveways andparking lots. While none of the commondeicers chemically attack concrete, they docontribute to scaling (loss of surface finish)by depressing the freezing point of waterand thereby increasing the number offreeze/thaw cycles that the concrete under-goes. It is the resulting expansion pressureof water undergoing repeated freeze/thawcycles that causes the surface of the con-crete to deteriorate.

To understand the effects of deicers onconcrete, various freeze/thaw studies havebeen conducted. The deicers most oftentested were calcium chloride, magnesiumchloride, potassium chloride, sodium chlo-ride, and urea. Based upon surface resistance

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Avoid Excessive Deicer Use to Extend the Life of Your Concrete Driveways and SidewalksArticle Provided by the Michigan Concrete Association

TIPS FOR PROPERWINTER CONCRETE CARETIPS FOR PROPERWINTER CONCRETE CARE

Common deicers do not attack concrete chemically, but they do contribute to scalingby depressing the freezing point of water andthereby increasing the number of freeze/thawcycles that the concrete undergoes.


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C O N C R E T E



Long before fire hydrants were found on every street corner, citizens depended onbucket brigades to keep fires in check. A line of people quickly passing buckets ofwater could effectively contain many blazes, but it was an exhausting effort that

required a finely honed sense of teamwork. Although there were no actual flamesinvolved, Messina Concrete, Inc., Monroe, was recently called upon to perform a verysimilar task in support of a new exhaust stack at Detroit Edison’s coal-fired MonroePower Plant. Hamon Custodis, Inc., Somerville, New Jersey, needed 12,000 tons of con-crete to complete the 560-foot high stack, so Messina’s trucks formed a concrete corps todeliver the material. For about five weeks, trucks arrived around the clock, sometimesonly 25 minutes apart, to keep the project on schedule.

UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDDetroit Edison is in the midst of an $800 million project to reduce SO2 (sulfur dioxide),

NOx (nitrogen oxides), mercury and particulate emissions, and the bulk of this work istaking place at the Monroe Power Plant. The effort includes the installation of flue gasdesulfurization (FGD) units or “scrubbers” on two of the plant’s four boiler systems toreduce SO2 emissions. The FGD process produces exhaust that is saturated with watervapor, and the current stacks are not designed for that type of exhaust.

“The original stacks, which are 800 feet tall, were built for a dry, higher temperatureexhaust,” explained John Austerberry, senior media relations representative for DTEEnergy. “The scrubbers basically spray a slurry of limestone and water into an absorbervessel. The flue gases are routed through that shower of limestone and water, whichremoves the sulfur emissions but also creates a wet exhaust from the plant.”

By changing the nature of the exhaust, the scrubbers make it incompatible with the

BY DAV ID R. MILLER , ASSOC IATE ED I TOR

CONCRETE

CORPS


known as Good Engineering Practices.Among other variables, these procedurestake topography of the land, proximity ofadjacent buildings, buoyancy of the fluegas and wind speed into consideration todetermine the minimum height at whichexhaust will likely rise up into the atmos-phere as opposed to being blown down.Good Engineering Practices allowed for ashorter design with the new stack, andalthough the walls of the recently com-pleted stack taper down from 22 ?” thickat the bottom to 13 1/8” at the top, thestructure itself doesn’t feature the tapereddesign of the older stacks. The exhaustwill also take on a different appearancewhen the stack is put in operation.

“The exhaust will be much more visiblebecause of the increased moisture,” saidAusterberry. “There will be a cloud ofwater vapor coming from the stack year-round. Now you can see water vapor inthe winter, but you barely see anything inthe summer.”

The much cleaner exhaust will resem-ble puffy white clouds that a personmight gaze up into on a warm day, butconstant activity left the project team withlittle time for cloud watching, or anythingelse, during construction.

existing stacks.“The wet flue gas comes out at a lower

temperature, so it creates a more corro-sive environment because it is closer tothe acid dew point,” said Kelly Scott,manager of engineering for HamonCustodis. “We needed a material thatcould withstand that corrosion. Thechoices are FRP (fiberglass reinforcedplastic), a very expensive alloy steel, oracid resistant brick.”

The project team constructed a concreteshell and will install two FRP liners insideto provide the needed corrosion resis-tance. The existing stacks at the MonroePower Plant are a familiar sight on thecity skyline, and the facility’s proximityto Lake Erie has made the tall stacks auseful navigational aid for boaters.Although the internal differences thatseparate the new stack from the old oneswill not be visible from the outside, othervariations will be noticeable. With a fin-ished height of 580 feet, including theFRP flues that will project 20 feet abovethe concrete shell, the new stack will bemuch shorter than its 800-foot-high coun-terparts.

Stack height is currently determined bya set of EPA-developed procedures

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Concrete finishers work inside the stack on this circular platform suspended from the underside ofthe slip form.

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road, I can use that same mix for anotherroad next year. This job was so special-ized that I had to start from scratch. Itwas trial and error in this instance, butusually it is not.”

Years of practice helped to makeMessina’s first trial a success, as the firstcylinders sent to a lab for testing met thespecifications. One of the more unusualaspects of the concrete was the stone sizethat was specified. Instead of the com-monly used 6-AA stone, the job called formuch smaller 17-A stone. Six or sevengravel trains loaded with 17-A stone wereneeded every day because up to 40 per-cent of the concrete leaving MessinaConcrete’s Monroe plant was destined forthe Monroe Power Plant. Space con-straints at the concrete plant only allowedfor a single 30’x30’ bin that would holdabout a half-day supply of the 17-A stone,so diligent efforts were needed to makesure that a large number of stone ship-ments arrived on time and ended up in

DELIVERING THE GOODS The first challenge for Messina

Concrete was to develop a concrete mixthat met the specifications for the projectwhile allowing for efficient productionand delivery.

“Generally we get a spec book on everyjob,” said Vince Messina, vice president ofMessina Concrete. “The spec book tellsus the parameters of the mix – what sizestone is allowed, the minimum cementcontent, what the slump needs to be, andthe air content that is allowed. We designa mix that we think will work aroundthose parameters.”

Most of the time, an experienced con-crete contractor can whip up an accept-able concrete mix faster than MarthaStewart can crack an egg, but the Monroeproject was an exception.

“We had never done something likethis before,” said Messina. “Generally weacquire historical data in our industry. IfI have really good results with a mix for a

BUILDING THE STACK The two most common methods used

for building concrete stacks are jumpform and the slip form that was used inMonroe.

“Slip form work is done almost 24-hours a day throughout the week so thereare no joints in the concrete,” said Scott.“The entire deck that you work from issupported by jacks that ride rods imbed-ded in the concrete below.”

The rig that is supported by the jacks isessentially a moving wall form that israised higher as work progresses on thestack. In Monroe, a total of 12, 22-tonjacks were needed to move the massiveslip form rig. Now that the rig reachedthe finished height of the stack, it will beused to position the FRP liners inside thestructure. Since large stacks are onlyneeded for sizeable facilities where somesort of combustion takes place, stack con-struction is highly specialized field. Asan acknowledged stack constructionleader, Hamon Custodis is accustomed toworking with local partners who havestellar reputations for quality, but little orno actual experience with stack construc-tion. John Huchko, operations managerfor Hamon Custodis, had high praise forlabor provided by the Detroit and Toledoarea unions.

“We got quality people who were easyfor us to train,” he said. “The unions tookcare of the basic training, and then let ustrain them on how to work concrete andrebar into a slip form. It was on-the-jobtraining for them and they picked it uppretty readily. They came to us with avery good understanding of safety andfall protection, and the quality of theirwork was also good.”

Suppliers also played a critical role inthe success of the project, particularlywith the concrete.

“The rebar and manpower are on site,so you live or die by the concrete,” saidHuchko. “They [Messina Concrete] werevery attentive at the beginning of the jobwhen we were planning things out. Wecould tell that they were very service-ori-ented and they turned out to be one of thebest companies that we’ve seen for deliv-ery.”

Although Messina Concrete has a hard-earned reputation for on-time delivery,the Monroe Power Plant job posed a num-ber of unique challenges for the firm.

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the proper bins.In addition to keeping tabs on the stone

that was being delivered to their facility,Messina Concrete also needed to send outa steady flow of concrete to the MonroePower Plant and other clients. The firm’sFlat Rock production facility handledoverflow work that was diverted due tothe heavy demands being placed on theMonroe plant. The Monroe plant set upafternoon and night shifts to meet therequirement for round-the-clock delivery.Constant communication was needed toensure that the right mix of concretearrived at the proper time.

“Nothing was ever consistent,” saidMessina. “If things were going reallywell and they were working on smoothstack without any cutouts for conduit,light holes, or any other kind of box outs,we probably sent out a truck every half-hour. When they slowed down, we

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dropped down to a truck an hour or evenslower. Sometimes they asked for hotwater because they needed to add anaccelerator so the concrete would set upquickly. A few hours later, they wouldtake the accelerator out and add retarderto slow it down.”

Messina Concrete was in a unique posi-tion to meet the demands of the job witha production facility located only twomiles away. Even so, a slight traffic tie-upalong the delivery route could mean thedifference between just in time and toolate. Drivers avoided a direct route infavor of a slightly longer expressway tripthat bypassed a busy railroad crossing.They were also told that they could callplant security for an escort if power planttraffic presented a problem during a shiftchange, but the drivers never used thisoption due to the extensive planning thatwent into the project. The finished stacksays volumes about Messina Concrete’sprofessionalism and dedication to theproject.

“We knew that this stack would stick560 feet in the air and that everyonewould know who did it,” said Messina.“We couldn’t afford to screw up.”This slip form is essentially a moving wall form that is

raised higher as work progresses. Jacks that ride rodsimbedded in the concrete below support the entire deck.

For about five weeks,Messina's trucks arrived around the clock, sometimesonly 25 minutes apart, to deliver 12,000 tons of concrete.

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Twenty-seven acres of rolling terrainin Novi is Oak Pointe Church's“land of milk and honey,” the holy

ground that is home to its first officialbuilding. The 10-year-old church pouredits spirit and the project team poured itsenergy into the creation of this contempo-rary church on a hill. Neumann/SmithArchitecture, Southfield, and GrangerConstruction, Lansing, converted thechurch elders' vision into this stellar100,000-square-foot house of faith.

The two-story building is barely visiblefrom 10 Mile Road that travels along ahigh ridge between Wixom and NapierRoads. Only after turning into OakPointe's long entry drive is the buildingrevealed in a glory of glass and brick rising

on a hill at the back of the site. “When youare down on the entry road and the build-ing is sitting up on the hill, there is defi-nitely an awe factor,” said AgnesArbuckle, project manager for GrangerConstruction.

Beyond a physical structure, Oak Pointewants to build a living community andshepherd the hearts of its growing congre-gation on a journey of faith. Fittingly, theheart of the building is a communal gather-ing space serving as a Main Street leadingto all other building areas. The massivegathering space is housed in a glass curtainwall tilting forward 7 degrees and travelingthe length of the entire building. Otherbuilding wings lock into the curtain wall,each with its own form and material skin.

Neumann/Smith played with anglesand planes to give the interior of the gath-ering space a flow and energy far beyondthe form of a static rectangle. Narrow atthe western end, the gathering spacebroadens and blooms along its length, fol-lowing the splayed angle of the south walluntil it arrives in a voluminous, light-filledarea at the east entry. “The whole idea ofthat splayed angle was to give a moredynamic quality to the gathering area,”said Emil R. Sdao, RA, associate, designarchitect, Neumann/Smith.

An engaging tapestry of color and mate-rials brings this stunning gathering spaceto life. From the tip of a paintbrush thecontractor unrolled a palette of rich colorsdrenching the drywall in apricot, salmon

C O N S T R U C T I O N H I G H L I G H T

OAK POINTE CHURCH DEDICATES ITS NEW HOME IN NOVI by Mary E. KremposkyAssociate Editor

B U I L D I N G O N H O L Y G R O U N D

The church’s gathering space is a beautiful weaveof color and materials.

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and deep purple. The warmth of brickclads the north wall of the gathering space,creating the feel of an outdoor courtyard.An elevator rises directly above the full-immersion baptismal font lined withhunter green tile and filled with the pleas-ant clatter of falling water in this operablefountain.

Standing among the crowds atDedication Sunday in late November2006, Senior Pastor Bob Shirock has oneword for the work of the design and con-struction team: incredible.“Neumann/Smith took our vision andwent beyond it,” said Shirock. “They cre-ated what we were dreaming of, and evenmore.”

The selection of Granger Constructioncompleted the talented project team. “Wewanted an awesome architect and an awe-some builder,” said Shirock. “We knewthat Granger Construction could buildwhat Neumann/Smith designed, becausethey had partnered together before.”

The design plan for Oak Pointe Churchbegan to take shape eight years ago, witharchitects from Neumann/Smith eventraveling on a church bus to Chicago tovisit other contemporary churches.Granger joined the project team in 2002,adeptly handling the challenges of drap-ing this 100,000-square-foot buildingdown the eastern and northern slopes ofthe site's main hill, giving life to innumer-able and meticulously detailed customfeatures, and managing construction of asteel roofing system that twisted and tran-sitioned from a steep pitch to a broadcanopy as it moved down the length of thegathering space. A diverse building skin

and a variety of interior spaces, rangingfrom a club for adolescents to a multi-pur-pose room capable of serving as both wor-ship space and a basketball court, addedto the complexity of this intricate project.Together, Neumann/Smith and GrangerConstruction delivered a bold and uncon-ventional religious facility, in essence, pro-ducing the “wow factor” on a churchbudget.

INSPIRED SITE SELECTION The design plan began to take shape

over eight years ago, but Pastor BobShirock believes the divine plan for this 27acre-field began in 1956 when a young girlnamed Shirley Laing first saw this rollingpiece of farmland from the window of herfather's car. A beautiful valley and a lakeunfolded under a broad sky as the carrode over the crest of a hill on 10 MileRoad in Novi, leading her to proclaim,“Wouldn't it be wonderful if someday Icould have that property. It's so beauti-ful!”

Laing eyed the property for decadesuntil a For Sale sign appeared on the 200-acre site. Laing, by then a young marriedwoman, was able to purchase a 30-acreparcel with the aid of a downpaymentfrom her parents. On the day Shirley andher husband, Giza, bought the property,the devout couple knelt in prayer on theirbeloved field. “We knelt down and said,'We are going to dedicate this property tothe Lord, and call it the Gloria Deus, orFor the Glory of God Field,'” recalledLaing, who was a guest speaker at OakPointe's Dedication Sunday.

Oak Pointe Church and the Laings first

crossed paths in the mid-'90s. Oak Pointebegan as a small group of 60 adults and 30children, originally part of Highland ParkBaptist Church. The fledgling church metin the old Northville High School build-ing, inspiring the community with theirinnovative services. As the congregationmushroomed to about 700 people in justover three years, a core group begansearching for a site on which to build thechurch's first home.

After a fruitless search for land, a dis-couraged Shirock received a phone callregarding 27 acres of land in Novi. Thecall proved to be the answer to Shirock'sprayers, for the parcel offered was theLaing property. Unable to afford the costof new water and sewer services, theLaings were selling the property, butwanted the land to be used for an inspiredpurpose in the service of their deep faith. The following day, Shirockand eight church elders stood in a foot ofsnow at the highest point of the Laingproperty gazing in amazement at thsite.“It looked beautiful even in the dead ofwinter,” said Shirock. “It was like a field of dreams.”

Shirock and the elders then trampedthrough the snow to the Laing house tomeet the property owners. Only afterentering the house, eyeing the worn redBible on the coffee table, and conversingat length with the Laings, did Shirockactually learn the name of the field andthe intense faith of the property owners.“I feel like our journeys were supposed tomeet,” said Shirock. “It gave us the confi-dence that this is where God wanted OakPointe to be.”

PHOTO BY JUSTIN MACONOCHIE


DAVID AND GOLIATH & THE POWER OFDESIGN

The quality of the design was to play apivotal role in Chapter Two of OakPointe's compelling tale. In this contem-porary David-and-Goliath story, one of thelargest residential developers in the coun-try coveted the 27 acres, challenging thecity of Novi's permitting process in courtand persisting in its efforts. Although relo-cation or a land swap made good businesssense, the church's commitment to theGloria Deus Field could not be shaken,said Pastor Shirock to the congregation onDedication Sunday.

A personal meeting with the developer'srepresentative and the building's stellardesign may have delivered the land firmlyinto the hands of Oak Pointe Church.Shirock met the developer's representativeat the site, sitting on a concrete bench infront of a cross and relating the story of thefield and the depth of the church's commit-ment. “Two weeks later, the developerwas holding a design meeting on anotherproject,” recalled Shirock. “The architectwas designing both the project under dis-cussion and Oak Pointe church. Thedeveloper asked to see plans for thechurch in the middle of the meeting. Heremarked, 'That is no ordinary church.That is a really nice building.' One week

later, they called us up and said, 'Buildyour building, and welcome to the neigh-borhood.' … We are very good friends. …This is not a story about the developer andus. It is a story about us and God, and Godteaching us to walk in faith and trust Himalong the way.”

CONSTRUCTION ON THE MOUNTAfter years of searching for and holding

fast to Gloria Deus Field, Oak PointeChurch finally broke ground in July 2005.Hilly terrain and height restrictions pre-sented the first construction hurdle.Building a portion of the structure into theslope of the hill entailed extensive concretefoundation work. “We have 25-foot-highretaining walls that are actually part of thebuilding walls in the west end of the struc-ture,” said Arbuckle. “The massive retain-ing wall is almost 20-inches-thick and con-tains a great deal of resteel,” added StanleyE. Cole, RA, associate, who, as a proactiveproject manager for Neumann/Smith, wason site weekly.

This earth-integrated building took fulladvantage of the site's hilly topography tomeet height restrictions. A knob of landslopes down to the lake and also falls 16feet from the west to the east entry. Thetallest part of the structure - the multipur-pose space in the east - is placed at the bot-


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tom of the hill, the lowest part of the entiresite and the optimal location for reducingthe building's visual impact along 10 MileRoad and on the surrounding ring of resi-dences.

Beyond handling the site's hilly terrain,Granger had to add its own topography tothe site in the form of an extensive net-work of landscaped berms, rising to a min-

imum height of 4.5 feet. This screen ofvegetation rings the entire site perimeterand visually separates the Oak Pointedevelopment from the surrounding resi-dential development and from the remain-ing residence located in the center of OakPointe's 10 Mile Road frontage. “We con-ducted studies of various site angles andprojections of the level of tree growth after


The upper level of the gathering space offers a clear view of the roof’s twist. The steep pitch ofthe gathering space roof gradually flattens and actually twists or warps as it travels from westto east.

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10 years, plus developed a plan to have 80percent coverage of the perimeter bermeven in the winter,” said Sdao.

Granger formulated a work sequenceensuring the vegetation would be suffi-ciently established by opening day in Fall2006. “We built the berms as we weredoing the site work,” said Arbuckle. “Assoon as the berms were done in fall 2005,we planted the shrubs to establish the veg-etation as early as possible.” The drive toproduce an established screen of vegeta-tion entailed pushing for completion of aretention pond by spring 2005.“Construction of the retention areas in atimely manner was critical, because theretention areas irrigate and water the land-scaping,” said Arbuckle.

The site also required extensive under-ground work, including new electrical andgas services and the moving of high-volt-age power lines to make way for thewidening of 10 Mile Road. Altogether, theproject consumed a sizeable amount forsite costs alone, including excavation,landscaping and utilities.

A CHALLENGING TWISTBeyond site work and foundations, the

geometry of the gathering space - astraight line on the north and a splayedline on the south - literally added a chal-lenging twist to the construction of thesteel roof. The roof - a lean-to structuresloping downward from the glass curtainwall to the classroom and multipurposeblocks - changes in pitch and directionalong the length of the gathering space.Moving from west to east, the steep pitchof the roof gradually flattens, and the roofactually twists or warps as it travels fromthe narrow confines of the west end to thebroad expanse of the east.

The combination of straight andsplayed angles, plus the zoning ordi-nance's height restrictions, created analmost undulating roof plane. “The plan's geometry, in conjunction with theneed to maintain a constant eave heightfor the roof on the north and south edges,creates a dramatic twisted roof plane,”said Cole. “The zoning ordinance's heightrestrictions would not allow us to slopethe eave up as the gathering space

widened, which would have allowed theroof to remain at a constant slope andremain untwisted.”

The roof's twist meant standard joistpieces could not be employed. “Everyjoist and every joist seat in the gatheringspace is different, because of that twist inthe plane,” said Cole. The successful exe-cution of the roof is yet further evidencethat Oak Pointe's faith in GrangerConstruction was not misplaced.

BUILDING DIVERSITYGranger's next challenge was enclosing

the steel-framed structure in a diversecloak of exterior materials. A two-storyclassroom block and a multi-purposeroom lock into the back of the gatheringspace, filling the northern interior wall ofthe gathering space with warm brick. Thetwo building wings are clad in a variedarray of composite metal panels, glass,EIFS, and two brick skins, “one with alighter brick and a recessed dark stripe,and another section with darker brickwith a light stripe of brick projecting a halfan inch,” said Cole.


This tapestry of materials and forms,including an angled projection in back ofthe multi-purpose area currently housingthe stage's green room, break down themass of the 100,000-square-foot building.“The brick color also picks up the brickcolor of the surrounding residential com-munity,” said Sdao. “We were trying to tieto the community as much as possible,including adding windows with a particu-

lar mullion pattern.”Likewise, a brick-clad office, club and

classroom wing locks into the front of thecurtain wall, its angle paralleling the splayof the glass curtain wall and even eclips-ing the lower level curtain wall alongmuch of its length. The brick wing's par-tial “eclipse” of the curtain wall almostcreates a traditional church clerestory,drawing natural light into the gathering

space at a subtle angle. Expanses of EIFS scattered across the

building's face read like an illustratedguidebook of the church's expansionplans. Two EIFS sections of the classroomblock mark the site of a future L-shapedclassroom wing expected to add about 14to 16 rooms, said Dave Perpich, Grangersuperintendent. The EIFS expansecladding the entire east face of the gather-ing area will give way to the beginnings ofa proposed 3,000-seat auditorium.

Cast stone at the west and east entries isanother material clue to Oak Pointe'sevolving plan for this field of dreams.EIFS and cast stone near the west entrymark the future location of a circular 300-seat chapel. A single, custom caststonewall stands at the main eastentrance, adding to the entry's dynamicline and penetrating into the interior ofthe gathering space. “The cast stone is onewall of a future bookstore and library thatwill be housed in a structure shaped like arotated square,” said Sdao.

Altogether, Oak Pointe hopes to add150,000 square feet over the next five toseven years, said Cole. In many cases,exterior brick expanses will become interi-or courtyards, one for a proposed foodcourt and banquet facility and another forthe new L-shaped classroom wing. Glasswill dominate the design of the food court,and will offer a clear sightline through thebuilding when combined with the mainentry's existing two-story glass curtainwall, said Sdao.

Neumann/Smith designed all six phas-es of the building as required for site planapproval. Once complete, Oak Pointe willoffer a 250,000-square-foot facility, morethan doubling the size of its existing facil-ity. “We hope to start the next phase -another two-level educational wing - inabout two years,” said Val Herriman, OakPointe's director of communications andmarketing.

A GATHERING OF THE FAITHFULIn Oak Pointe's stunning gathering

space, every angled plane, every materialfinish, every section of carpeting and tile,and every light fixture was planned andexecuted in meticulous detail. The endresult of this creative and patient applica-tion of effort was the creation of spacesthat sparkle and inspire fellowship.

Beyond energizing the entire space, thegathering area's splayed angle and dra-matic expansion from west to east creates avast, funnel-shaped Main Street whosebroad eastern section handles the massive


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influx of people on Sundays, said Sdao.The two-story glass curtain wall is fullyexposed at the main entry, turning theeastern end into an expansive vessel oflight entered at ground level. “A personenters through a low angled metal canopy,and the building balloons into this two-story space,” said Sdao.

The baptismal font and fountain isanother point of fellowship near the mainentry. A baptism can be witnessed by athrong of people surrounding the font,watching from the second-level balcony orviewing the service from the elevator andbridge rising almost directly above thefont and affording a clear view directlydown into the waters. For safety, a clear,protective insert is placed in this full-immersion baptismal font when not in use.

A ring of water jets arc into the pool, andsmall fingers of water cascade over a lip ofstone subdivided into a series of indenta-tions or teeth. “The water breaks up as itgoes over the edge as opposed to main-taining a crisp line,” said Sdao. “The font- ringed by a cast stone cap and clad inmillwork - is also custom designed. There

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Oak Pointe’s main entry is a voluminous space created to host an influx of Sunday visitors anda complete roster of daily activities. Baptisms in the full-immersion font near the elevator canbe clearly witnessed by hundreds of people.

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Oak Pointe’s first home is blessed with natural light and unique touches, such as the toweringlight fixture marking the presence of the monumental stair.

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is nothing standard in this space.”The gathering space's custom material

palette includes a wide expanse of flooringclad in Italian porcelain tile laid in astacked running bond pattern andemploying colors, ranging from a paleslate blue to a delicate yellow. “We didn'twant a dull, monolithic floor, so we devel-oped this random pattern, carefully plan-ning a certain percentage of each color,”said Sdao.

Sections of carpeting break up the floor-ing throughout this massive interior. Tileand carpeting of varied color, as well asangled canopies and windows, mark thedifferent room entries along Oak Pointe'sMain Street. These elements “help identi-fy the rooms and break up the gatheringarea, so it is not just one big vast space ofsameness,” added Sdao.

Even the balcony contains angular pie-shaped sections disrupting any static,“boxy” line in the gathering space. “Wewere playing with the planes to break upthe space, so it is not just one big solid wallof drywall,” said Sdao. “The splayed glassprojections break up the drywall and alsoallow a glimpse into the rooms.”

Likewise, arcs of soft seating and lowcounters subtly subdivide the massivegathering space into coffee-and-donut sec-tions, orientation areas, and quiet places toconverse, mostly in the narrow and moreintimate spaces of the west end. Perchedon the hilltop, the west end is enteredthrough the upper level, offering a vista ofvibrantly painted surfaces, honey-coloredmillwork, and custom light fixtures.Linked to the bridge and elevator, a monu-mental stair with a massive, umbrella-likelight fixture draws the visitor toward theeast end.

The proper alignment or centering ofbridge and stair in this angled interior wasone challenging task, said Arbuckle.Another construction challenge in thishigh-end space with an exposed ceiling ofsteel was concealing the building's infra-structure and/or arranging it in a visuallyappealing manner. “Due to code, we hadto have access panels in certain areas, suchas the bridge that needed access panelsbecause of the presence of the elevator,”said Arbuckle. Added Perpich, “In manyinstances, we had to move different lines,pipes or ductwork and run them in areas


such as the toilet banks as opposed to thegathering space with its exposed ceiling.”

A MULTI-TASKING WORSHIP SPACEOnly a 40-foot cross at the west entry

and two large circular windows with mul-lions in a cruciform pattern currently markthe exterior as a religious structure. “Weare reaching out to many people, includingthose who have not gone to church or whohave given up on church, so we wantedthem to feel comfortable and not over-whelmed,” said Pastor Shirock.

On the interior, the circular windowswith the cruciform pattern often cast theshadow of a cross across the gatheringspace. The imposing 10-foot-high mill-work doors of the multi-purpose room,currently serving as Oak Pointe's sanctu-ary, also have the same circular windowand cross shape to subtly mark the interioras a religious facility, said Sdao.

The cavernous multi-purpose room is achameleon-like space able to house a bas-ketball game, a volleyball tournament or aSunday worship service. The room's spe-cialty carpeting is actually a playable sur-face marked by the pattern of a basketball

court. Peeling back small sections of car-pet grants access to floor outlets for instal-lation of volleyball nets.

The room can be divided in half to hosttwo different functions, such as a banquetand a basketball game, said Perpich. Plus,a partition can be drawn across the stage,allowing a rehearsal to take place duringthe other two events. “The ceiling is paint-ed a dark plum to quiet the space downand make it appropriate for services andactivities other than athletic events,” saidSdao.

As game day gives way to Sunday,acoustical drapes on curtain tracks coverthe brick walls, seating obscures the linesof a basketball court, and the room'ssophisticated sound and lighting systemconverts the room into a worship spacefilled with contemporary music and the-atrical lighting. “They wanted a level ofquality in the sound and lighting systemsequal to the caliber of a television produc-tion studio,” said Cole.

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Oak Pointe’s growing congregation floodsthe facility every Sunday. The gatheringspace serves as a communal Main Streetleading to the multi-purpose worship room,Adventureland for kids, and other key areas.

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cent spaces and boost the room's acousticalrating. An elaborate array of lightingequipment, splashing the stage platformwith color during Sunday services, beamsdown from the steel members of theexposed roof deck composed of a series of60-foot steel joists linked together to createthe room's 120-foot clear span.

A KID-FRIENDLY CHURCH Only recently opened in October 2006,

the building is part of Oak Pointe's missionto reach out to people of all ages, includingthe XP-45 program for grades four andfive, The Rock program for its junior highministry, and the 707 program for grades 9through 12. Called The Rock/707, the stu-dent center is a miniature but equallydetailed version of the gathering space.The Rock/707 is a single cohesive spaceartfully subdivided by multiple floor ele-vations and partial barriers into three coreareas: a private area with an electric fire-place and soft seating, a game area andcafeteria/juice bar, and a stage area for livemusic and performances. Inside The Rock,the power of the paintbrush blankets theroom in the warm apricot tones and boldroyal purple; a playful combination oflight fixtures on spiral metal stems illumi-nates the cafeteria/juice bar. Altogether,the interior generates a bright energydesigned to inspire high-school studentsto adopt the space as their own.

Different elevations and varied wall andcarpet colors break up the space and high-light the functions of each area.“Integrating all the elevation changes wasthe most demanding aspect of this roomfrom a construction standpoint, plus wehad to switch from a wood built-up stageto concrete due to code restrictions,” saidArbuckle. “We also had to integratediverse materials from carpeting and sheetvinyl to millwork and metal.”

As part of its ministry to children frombirth to fifth grade, Oak Pointe has trans-formed Sunday School intoAdventureland, a two-story classroomwing where over 600 children flock everySunday for puppet shows, music anddrama housed in flexible, multipurposespaces designed to accommodate bothlarge group programs and small breakoutsessions. The upper level houses ArkPark, a 10-room block for nursery throughpreschool-age children. The corridor isawash in color with each room entry andcomplementary entry carpet color-codedfor easy identification or wayfinding.Every detail was meticulously plannedfrom exhaust fans over the diaper change

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area to the mid-level wall molding embedded with retractablecoat hooks. Angled, almost floor-to-ceiling windows project intothe corridor and feature specialty glass, allowing parents to seeinto the room but children cannot see into the corridor.

Discovery Planet, Cosmic Blast and Game Galaxy are housed inAdventureland's three large multipurpose rooms on the lowerlevel. The broad, wide corridor is designed to serve as addition-al flexible space via colorful rolls of cloth-covered partitions thatunroll like a scroll and were custom designed byNeumann/Smith. Adventureland is filled with activitiesdesigned to build friendships and nurture the spirit of children inkindergarten through the fifth grade. “We try to make our pro-grams engaging, kid-oriented and fun, so children enjoy comingand learning,” said Herriman, who doubles as director of chil-dren's ministry. “Besides the 600 kids on Sunday, we probablyhave 800 kids who regularly attend at least twice a month.”

Oak Pointe Church, once wandering pilgrims holding servicesin rented school auditoriums, is now blessed with a stunning“starter” home. The talents of Neumann/Smith and GrangerConstruction have delivered the church's vision, translating adream into concrete, steel and a beautiful palette of tile, millwork,and custom paint. Pastor Shirock can continue the church's jour-ney of faith in this new space. The church facility also fulfills alifelong dream of Shirley Laing, who returned to her old home-stead on Oak Pointe's Dedication Sunday. She remarked, “It is sowonderful seeing people praise the Lord on the property. It iswonderful and overwhelming.” The gathering space’s angular geometry energizes the interior,

transforming what could have been a dull rectangle into adynamic form.

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PROJECT PARTICIPANT LISTTHE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF KEY PER-SONNEL, CONSULTANTS AND SUBCON-TRACTORS FOR OAK POINTE:

Neumann/Smith Architecture:Ken Neumann, FAIA - Design Principal;Gene Carroll, AIA - ManagementPrincipal; Stan Cole, RA - Project Manager;

Emil Sdao, RA - Project Designer; Jun-HoKim - Project Architect; Megan Gricar -Interior Designer; and Ron Lindow, CSI,CCS, CCCA, MAI - Specification Writer.

Consultants:• Mechanical/Electrical Engineer - M.E.

Engineering Consultants, Inc.,Plymouth, (James Busha, John Ebejer)

• Civil Engineer - Nowak & Fraus, PLLC,Royal Oak, (Timothy Germain, PE, VicePresident)

• Structural Engineer - L&A, Inc.,Farmington Hills, (Ted Shymanski)

• Landscape Architect - Russell Design,(Marc Russell, ASLA, Principal)

Subcontactors:• Testing Services - PSI, Plymouth• Sitework & Utilities - Anglin Civil

Constructors, Ltd., Novi• Paving - Cadillac Asphalt LLC, Wixom• Landscaping - WH Canon Company,

Romulus• Irrigation - American Sprinkler, Livonia• Site Concrete - McCarthy Construction

Company, Walled Lake• Building Concrete - Lansing Poured

Wall Co., Lansing• Masonry - J & J Construction Company,

Brighton• Ornamental Metals - Couturier Iron

Craft, Comstock Park• General Trades - Nelson Mill Company,

Southfield• Stainless Steel Cap - GI-Millworks,

Plymouth• Metal Roofing - Ann Arbor Roofing Co.,

Inc., Whitmore Lake• Roof Steel and Deck - H & G Steel

Fabrication Co., Grand Ledge• Metal Panels & Siding - Michigan Metal

Walls, Inc., Wyandotte• Aluminum & Glazing - Madison

Heights Glass Company, Ferndale• Ceiling & Partitions - ANM

Construction, New Hudson• Hard Tile - Michielutti Brothers Inc.,

Eastpointe• Carpet, VCT, Rubber Flooring -

Continental Interiors, Troy• Painting - Johnson Painting Company,

Farmington• Theater Equipment - North-West Draper

Service, Chicago, IL• HVAC - Bumler Mechanical, Inc.,

Sterling Heights• Plumbing - Michigan Mechanical

Contracting, Inc., Southfield• Fountain Equipment - PSI Pumps &

Systems, Inc., Dearborn Heights• Fire Protection - TriStar Fire Protection,

Plymouth• Electrical - McSweeney Electric, Wixom• Motorized Blinds - MSC Blinds &

Shades, Inc., Bronson.

Subcontractors listed in the ConstructionHighlight are identified by the constructionmanager, architect or owner.



Boral Bricks Introduces NewBrick-Finishing Product

ReCote™, recently unveiled by BoralBricks, is a revolutionary new brick-finish-ing system, designed to create a sandedmat-textured, monolithic look. It is spe-cially formulated for brick, stone, block, orany other true masonry product andcomes in a variety of 30 colors. Five timesthicker than a standard paint application,it is applied to the masonry surface in oneapplication and dries to a 20-22 mils thick-ness. ReCote comes premixed in a 60 lb.container and can be applied to coverapproximately 275 square feet of masonrysurface. It can either be sprayed onto thesurface with a hand-held hopper sprayeror a professional texture sprayer. ReCotecomes with a Boral Bricks 10-year limitedwarranty.

For additional information, please visitwww.boralbricks.com or call 800-5-BORAL-5.

Atlas Copco Submersible TrashPump Handles Large Debris

The Atlas Copco LTP 3 submersibletrash pump is well suited for a wide rangeof applications, including removingdebris-filled water from construction andexcavation sites and flooded basements.

The 3-inch pump handles stones andother debris up to 2-1/2 inches in diame-ter. A discharge capacity of 507 gallons perminute and lifting head up to 104 feetallows the LTP 3 to quickly and efficientlymove large volumes of water. The spark-proof pump is driven by a hydraulic motorand can run dry without sustaining dam-age to internal components.

Compact and lightweight, the unitweighs only 28 pounds and can be easilytransported around a jobsite. The pump’s33-foot discharge hose offers snap-lock,

quick-release couplings to quickly movethe pump to another area of a site.

A wide range of hydraulic power packsis available to efficiently power the LTP 3.These units feature a power-on-demandsystem that automatically decreases thepack’s engine speed when the pump is dis-engaged, reducing fuel consumption andextending the life of the power pack.Equipped with wheels and handles, apower pack can be easily moved around ajobsite to increase the pump’s flexibility.Power packs are small enough to transportby pickup truck and store on a shelf whennot in use.

An optional oil flow divider and exten-sion hoses are available for running thepump off hydraulic-powered carriers.

More information can be found at atlascopco.com.

New Chicago PneumaticBreakers Offer EnhancedOperator Comfort, Power

Featuring an advanced vibration reduc-tion system, the new CP 1210 handheldbreaker series from Chicago PneumaticConstruction Tools offers several innova-tive features to enhance operator comfortand tool control, as well as increasedpower to match the performance of heav-ier breakers. The 35-pound class breakersare well suited for light-to-medium demo-lition of floors, pavement, frozen groundand masonry walls, as well as variousother service jobs.

Thanks to an improved valve system,the new CP 1210 series provides 20-per-cent more hitting power than previousmodels. Each series model requires 59 cfmof air and delivers 1,400 blows per minute.The breakers are offered in three versions –basic, silenced and vibration-reduced –and a variety of shank sizes are available

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to accommodate all applications. For easi-er operation, breakers equipped with 1-1/4” and 1-1/8” shanks have had theiroperating weights significantly reduced.

In addition to a higher power-to-weightratio, the CP 1210 breakers have under-gone extensive ergonomic upgrades toallow for increased operator productivity.A new teasing throttle considerably easesoperator stress at the start of a breaking orcutting job, even in difficult conditions. Inaddition, an improved swivel couplingnow allows swiveling action even whenpressurized, providing maximum maneu-verability when needed most. The swivelaccepts standard claw couplings with 3/4"thread.

The vibration-reduced models offermore comfortable handles and a system toreduce the negative effects of vibrations onthe operator. Also, an upgraded silenceron the silenced and vibration-reducedmodels greatly reduces noise levels fromthe breakers.

A piston with lubrication grooves hasbeen added to the breakers to simplifymaintenance and increase the service lifeof the tool and its components.More information can be found atwww.cpconstructiontoolsusa.com.

Newly Expanded USG CeilingSystems Catalog Focuses onSustainability and AestheticPerformance

USG’s newly updated 2007/2008Ceiling Systems catalog emphasizes the


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key strengths of its ceiling products,including sustainability and design flexi-bility offered by the company’s specialtyceilings and drywall suspension system.

The 248-page spiral-bound catalogintroduces USG’s family of ceiling panelswith antimicrobial performance, acousticalceiling panel recycling program, formalde-hyde-free cast ceiling panels and newonline seismic ceiling resource center.

In addition, the catalog offers the latestin-depth product data, technical specifica-tions and color photos showcasing thecompany’s complete line of acoustical ceil-ing panels, suspension systems and spe-cialty ceiling systems. It is designed tohelp architects, specifiers and other build-ing professionals make ceiling productselections based on the critical perform-ance needs of each project.

Specific information on performanceselectors for light reflectance, colors, per-formance substrates, acoustical ratings,patterns, sustainability, installed cost andother criteria is also provided. An“Installed Cost” chart breaks out the rela-tive cost for all USG ceiling panels and sus-pension systems per-square-foot.

To obtain a copy of the 2007/2008Ceiling Systems catalog, contact USG, 125S. Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60606-4678, call888-874-2450, or e-mail [email protected].

Leonard Valve Announces New Color Brochure DetailingAquatrol® 4500 SeriesPressure-Actuated WaterMixing Valves for Shower and Bath Applications

A new four-page, full-color brochuredescribing the Aquatrol® 4500 SeriesPressure-Actuated Water Mixing Valve isnow available from Leonard ValveCompany, the quality leader in the manu-facture of thermostatic water mixingvalves.

Leonard's Aquatrol 4500 Series Valvesare designed specifically for shower andbath applications in hospitals, nursinghomes, institutions, hotels, dormitories,apartments, health clubs and similar com-mercial institutions. Product photos andgraphs are used in the new literature tohighlight many valve features including:

stainless steel pressure-balancing pistonsthat compensate for supply pressure fluc-tuations; automatic shut down on failureof hot or cold supply; adjustable high-temperature limit stops; color-coded dialswith OFF through HOT and directionalindicators; bronze,brass and stainlesssteel construction;and ASSE Standard1016 listing.

The brochure cov-ers standard featuresand options forConcealed Aquatrol4500 Models withtop and bottom out-lets. Componentsand options are also includedfor all Aquatrol Combinations, including4501, 4503, 4505, 4507, 4509 and 4511.

For a copy of Leonard Valve's Aquatrol®4500 Series brochure, contact LeonardValve Company, 1360 Elmwood Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910; phone: (800) 222-1208; fax: (401) 941-5310; e-mail: [email protected]; or visit: www.leonardvalve.com.

Your Building Will be Protected When You Put Your Roofing Project in the Hands of a SMRCA Contractor

No matter what kind of weather, you won’t have to worry about whether your roof will leak.

SMRCA Roofing Contractors are professional union contractors with the experience and expertise to install a quality, trouble-free roofing system. Insist on quality from a professional SMRCA Roofing Contractor! Call us today for a “Roofing Facts” brochure that will tell you what you need to know before purchasing a new roof.

SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN ROOFING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, INC.

3560 EAST NINE MILE ROAD • WARREN, MI 48091 • Ph.: 586.759.2140 • Fax: 586.759.0528 • www.smrca.org

T.F. Beck CompanyRochester Hills, MI 248.852.9255

Christen/DetroitDetroit, MI 313.837.1420

Detroit Cornice & Slate CompanyFerndale, MI 248.398.7690

Fisher Roofing Company, Inc.Dearborn Heights, MI313.292.8090

J. D. Candler Roofing Company, Inc.Detroit, MI313.899.2100

LaDuke Roofing & Sheet MetalOak Park, MI 248.414.6600

Lutz Roofing Company, Inc.Utica, MI 586.739.1148

M.W. Morss Roofing, Inc.Romulus, MI 734.942.0840

Newton Crane Roofing, Inc.Pontiac, MI 248.332.3021

North Roofing CompanyAuburn Hills, MI 248.373.1500

Dave Pomaville & Sons, Inc.Warren, MI 586.755.6030

Royal Roofing CompanyOrion, MI 248.276.ROOF (7663)

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

Schreiber CorporationDetroit, MI 313.864.4900


FKI Logistex Offers EnhancedStandard Transfer Car ProductLine

FKI Logistex® a global leader in inte-grated material handling solutions,announces that it has now standardizedits line of transfer cars with an array ofimportant features, further enhancing thecompany's industry-leading equipmentofferings for pallet-load handling. Linestandardization includes methods of con-trol, power, and positioning.

Transfer cars are motorized vehiclesthat travel from station to station on astraight, fixed track. In many applicationsthey provide a cost-effective alternative topallet conveyors and right angle transfers,particularly where they can replace longstretches of fixed pallet conveyor or serve

as the end-of-line conveyor for multipleproduction lines. They also serve facilitiesthat require fork or clamp trucks to moreeasily cross a pallet conveying path.

FKI Logistex transfer cars move atspeeds up to 400 feet per minute and canhave multiple induction and dischargepoints. The units are frequently used atpallet pick-up and drop-off conveyor forautomated-storage-and-retrieval systems(AS/RS), including the company's popu-lar high-bay hybrid crane solutions,where they operate round-the-clock,potentially reducing or replacing forkliftrequirements.

Standard features on the FKI Logistextransfer car line start with chain or chain-driven live roller (CDLR) as the type ofonboard conveyor. Both conveyor typesare offered with several standard optionsand with weight capacities of up to 3,500lbs. for a single-station unit or 7,000 lbs.for a dual-station unit.

Other standard features for the FKILogistex transfer car line include a choiceof one or two conveyor stations per trans-fer car unit; flanged wheels on flat-bartrack mounted on top or flush to the floor;power to the units via bus bar; state-of-


WITH -ONLINE’S NEW SOFTWARE!CAM-ONLINE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT NEWS -View, sort, track and print projects instantly, for less thanprinted versions.

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the-art laser-guided positioning; wirelessEthernet communications; onboard PLCcontrols; and pre-wiring and testing priorto shipment.

For general sales information, contactFKI Logistex by phone at 877-935-4564 inNorth America, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Controlled Power CompanyPublishes New UltraLITE“Model ELU” Brochure

Controlled Power Company has pub-lished a new UltraLITE "Model ELU" cen-tralized emergency lighting inverterbrochure.

Available in both PDF file and hardcopyformats, this 8-page, four-color brochurediscusses and illustrates the features andbenefits of the UltraLITE "Model ELU",and also provides product specifications,communications and diagnostics, designflexibilities, a product selection guide andoptions, as well as safety and standardscompliance data.

For more information, visit www.controlledpwr.com.


Dennis Benoit, PE, a widely recognizedexpert in water and wastewater treatmentand associated systems, has joinedHubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. as office man-ager in their new Grand Rapids location.

Soil and MaterialsEngineers, Inc. (SME),with offices throughoutMichigan and in Ohio, hasmade the followingannouncements: LarryJedele, PE, vice presi-dent/principal, has beenelected to the Geo-Institute

Board of Governors; Debra Osuch, REM,manager of development services, wasselected by Crain’s Detroit Business as awinner in the publication’s annual “40under 40” competition; and DanielWolven, PE, staff engineer, has become aregistered Professional Engineer (PE) inMichigan.

Madison Heights-basedDetroit Door & HardwareCo. has added SteveRozanski to their staff inthe Integrated Safety &Security division.

Granger ConstructionCompany, Lansing, has announced thattwelve of its employees recently becameLEED Accredited Professionals by com-pleting the required USGBC exam for theLEED Program.

SSOE, Inc. Architects-Engineers, Troy,announced the addition of David Zuza asnational account executive for their grow-ing Healthcare Design Group.

Troy-based Computer SupportTechnology, Division of Potter-Claiborn-Geelhood Inc., has hired Jim Chapie in theposition of account management executive.

Ken Nisch, chairman of JGA, a retail designand brand strategy firm based in

Southfield, was recognized as a 2006 RetailDesign Influencer by Design & DisplayIdeas (DDI) magazine, featured in thePortfolio awards issue.

G2 Consulting Group, afull-service engineeringfirm with Michigan officesin Troy and Brighton, hasannounced that MarkSmolinski, PE, a foundingprincipal, was electednational director on the

board of directors of the Michigan chapterof the Association of ConsultingEngineering Companies (ACEC).

Helen Davis ofPrein&Newhof, GrandRapids, has been named asa LEED AccreditedProfessional by the U.S.Green Building Council(USGBC).

Grand Rapids-based Flies &VandenBrink Engineering, Inc. hasannounced the following new hires:Chrissy Doyle, Paul Kamphuis, MeganMalik, Laura McIntosh, Todd Narlock,Teresa Nelson, Ryan Roberts, Russ Stults,Jennifer VanAntwerp, BrianVanEenennaam, Scot VanderMuelen,Elaine Venema, and Brian Worst. Also,Jim VanBendegom was recently namedpresident of the Michigan EmergencyManagement Association by its board ofdirectors; and Teresa Nelson has passedher LEED certification exam.

TMP Associates, Inc., a Bloomfield Hills-based architectural firm, has announcedthe following promotions: Eric Geiser, AIA,from principal to vice president; DawnLyman, CPSM, from senior associate todirector of marketing; and Michael Xenosfrom associate to senior associate.

C O R P O R A T E N E W S

Bloomfield Hills-based Hubbell, Roth &Clark, Inc. (HRC), consulting engineers,has opened a new Grand Rapids officelocated in the city’s Renaissance Zone.

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CAM Magazine offers customreprints of available articlesappearing in our monthlymagazine. These reprintsmake great promotionalpieces and can be cus-tomized to fit your needs.For more information contact CAM Magazineat (248) 972-1107.


Allen Brothers Roofing, Inc., based inRochester Hills, has launched a new web-site www.allenbrothersinc.com thatincludes many new features to help clientsand prospects make better decisions con-cerning their roofing project.

Environmental Maintenance Engineers,Inc., Inkster, has been hired by the BereshGroup of Livonia to provide environmen-tal services for the Port Huron FederalBuilding first floor lobby renovation project.

Lansing-based Granger ConstructionCompany was recently awarded the 2006Cornerstone Award for TrainingExcellence by the Associated GeneralContractors (AGC) of Michigan.

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• Membership and GeneralInformation about CAM

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Industry Events

Feb. 1 & 27 – ESD ConferencesESD will present a conference entitled,

“The Future of Alternative DisputeResolution: Construction PractitionersResolving Construction Disputes” on Feb.1. There will also be a RegionalDevelopment Conference on Feb. 27.

For more information, contact LeslieSmith at 248-353-0735, ext. 4152, [email protected].

Feb. 7-8 – Design & ConstructionExposition

CAM is pleased to announce that thisyear’s exposition will again be hosted atthe Rock Financial Showplace, convenient-ly located in Novi, at the crossroads of I-696, I-275, and I-96. This will be a wonder-ful location to reach the commercial con-struction and design industry profession-als of Michigan.

CAM Members are encouraged toattend this event, and CAM also partnerswith the Construction SpecificationsInstitute – Metropolitan Detroit to draw inmembers of the design community.

Visit www.cam-online.com for moreinformation, or call (248) 972-1000.

Feb. 7 & Feb 16 – Autodesk® Webcast andWorkshop Series

Avatech Solutions has announced awebcast and workshop series designed toallow AutoCAD® users to learn about thebenefits and uses of Autodesk BuildingSystems. A webcast is scheduled forFebruary 7, while a workshop will occur inDetroit on February 16.

To register for webcasts and workshops, visit their website atwww.avatech.com/news/events, call 1-800-520-8000, ext. 1543, or [email protected].

Feb. 13 – ESD Engineering & TechnologyJob Fair

This event will take place in the atriumof the 2000 Tower, Southfield Town Center.

For more information and to register,contact Ramona Spencer [email protected] or 248-353-0735, ext.4114.

Feb. 17 – FE/PE Review Courses andInformation Session

ESD is offering a PE review course inFebruary:

Feb. 17 – Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Part II

For more information and to register,visit www.esd.org, or contact FranMahoney at 248-353-0735, ext. 4116, [email protected].

Feb. 20 – Annual ESD Affiliate CouncilGold Award Banquet

ESD will celebrate honor the engineer-ing profession at this event, which will beheld at The Dearborn Inn Marriott.

For more information, contact RonSmith at 248-353-0735, ext. 4148, [email protected].

Feb 23 & Mar. 26 – Architectural LecturesThe University of Detroit Mercy School

of Architecture has announced its 2006-07lecture series. Upcoming lectures include:

Feb. 23 – “Bio-Climatic Urbanism inPhoenix” – Dan Hoffman,Gensler

Mar. 26 – “untitled” – David Adjaye,Hamilton AndersonAssociates

For more information, call the UDMSchool of Architecture at 313-993-1532 orvisit www.arch.udmercy.edu.

Feb. 26 – Mar. 20 – EIFS CredentialSeminars

The Association of the Wall and CeilingIndustry is offering EIFS education andcertificate programs for mechanics, indus-try professionals, and inspectors on thefollowing dates and locations:

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

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Troy, MI: 248.680.0400

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WE'REENGINEERS.WE HATESURPRISES.All of us at G2 share a single-minded obsession with unearthing every obstacleand opportunity on your site. We design precise solutions that make it allwork – before you’re in too deep.

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G2_CAM_v1_06 8/28/06 9:48 AM Page 1

Feb. 26-27 – Charleston, SC (Registerby Feb. 2)

Mar. 19-20 – Las Vegas, NV (Register byFeb. 23)

For more information, visitwww.awci.org/eifseducation.

Mar. 22-24 – ASA Building Forum &Convention 2007

The American SubcontractorsAssociation, Inc. (ASA) has scheduledthree days of education programsdesigned for construction specialty tradecontractors and their associates, plus amini-expo of the latest products and serv-ices for specialty trade contractors at theOmni Tucson Golf Resort & Spa in Tucson,AZ.

Interested parties can register online atwww.asaonline.com or call 703-684-3450,ext. 1320.

Mar. 28-29 – Sixth Annual InfrastructureSecurity Conference

This two-day conference at the CrystalCity Marriott in Arlington, VA will facili-tate discussion of key issues related to theresilience of our nation’s critical infrastruc-ture systems.

For more information, visit theInfrastructure Security Partnership (TISP)website at www.tispcongress.org.

Apr. 10 – National Building MuseumProgram

The National Building Museum inWashington, D.C. has scheduled the fol-lowing public program:

Apr. 10 – Charles H. AthertonMemorial Lecture

Visit www.nbm.org for more informa-tion.

Speak Up!The Editors of CAM Magazine

invite comments from our readers.

Send your remarks to:

CAM Magazine43636 Woodward Ave.

P.O. Box 3204Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204

Or email us at:

[email protected]


CAMTEC Class Schedule

CAMTEC, the training & education cen-ter of the Construction Association ofMichigan, has announced itswinter/spring class schedule. For regis-tration information, or to obtain a catalog,call (248) 972-1133.

Feb. 13 – Blueprint Reading 3/Advanced

Feb. 15 – Blueprint Reading 1/BasicFeb. 15 – Hazwoper 8 Hr. RefresherFeb. 20 – OSHA-30 Hr.Feb. 28 – Techniques for Controlling

Delayed ProjectsMar. 6 – Lien Law/Payment BondsMar, 7 – Construction Industry Tech

(C.I.T.)Mar. 7 – Project Management

Comm./Res.Mar. 27 –Beyond Lien LawMar. 29 –Scheduling & Planning

The Michigan Concrete Association(MCA) is offering the following classes

on the following dates:Level I Field Technician (Exams will be

held on the day immediately after theclass):

Feb. 27-28 – Grand RapidsMar. 13-14 – Traverse City – May 1-2 – MarquetteMar. 27-30 – Level II Field Technician –

Detroit (Class and exam) Feb. 5 – Level I Recertification –

Lansing (Exams will beheld on the day immedi-ately after the class)

Feb. 1 – Level II Recertification –Lansing (Exams will beheld on the day immedi-ately after the class)

MCA is also offering a PerviousConcrete Certification program in Lansingon Mar. 7-8 and Apr. 4-5

Information is available online atwww.miconcrete.org, or by calling 800-678-9622.

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A & L Systems..................................................................38Ace Cutting Equipment & Supply ...............................39Acme Maintenance Service, Inc. ...................................46Advance Concrete Products Co. ...................................31Alta Lift Truck Services, Inc...........................................13Amalio Corporation........................................................45American Casualty Insurance .........................................9Aoun & Company, P.C. ..................................................49Broadcast Design & Construction, Inc. ........................47CAM Administrative Services.........................................3CAM On-Line Planroom................................................52Clark Hill, PLC ................................................................18Clawson Concrete ...........................................................42Connelly Crane Rental Corp. ........................................54Cummins Bridgeway......................................................57Daiek Woodworks...........................................................10Danboise Mechanical .....................................................40Detroit Terrazzo Contractors Association ...................14Doeren Mayhew ..............................................................27Doetsch Industrial...........................................................54G2 Consulting Group .....................................................56Gutherie Lumber.............................................................12Hilti, Inc. ...........................................................................22Hubble, Roth & Clark, Inc. ............................................55Jeffers Crane Service, Inc.......................................15, IBCKart 2 Kart ..........................................................................6Kem-Tec ............................................................................50Laramie Crane .................................................................23Makita Tools.....................................................................25Mans Lumber & Millwork.............................................43Marshall Sales, Inc. .........................................................32MasonPro..........................................................................11McCoig Holdings, LLC ..................................................16Messina Concrete ............................................................33Michigan CAT ...............................................................IFCMichigan Concrete Association.....................................35Michigan Concrete Paving Association .........................8Midwest Vibro .................................................................40Navigant Consulting .....................................................14Nicholson Construction Company...............................19North American Dismantling Corp. ..............................9Oakland Companies .......................................................39Osborne Trucking & Osborne Concrete, John D. .......41PM Technologies .............................................................50Plante & Moran, PLLC ...................................................17Premier Electronics, Inc..................................................44Premium Electric Company, Inc. ..................................58Raymond J. Donnelly & Associates, Inc. .....................46Rocket Enterprise, Inc.....................................................49SMRCA .............................................................................51Safety Services ................................................................BCSafway Services, Inc..........................................................5Scaffolding, Inc. ...............................................................57Shelving, Inc.....................................................................56Spartan Specialties, LTD ................................................53State Building Products..................................................10Sunset Excavating ...........................................................27Superior Materials/US Concrete ..................................29Testing Engineers & Consultants..................................58UHY Advisors..................................................................23Valenti Trobec Chandler, Inc............................................7Virchow Krause ...............................................................29W.W. Williams..................................................................48Wayne Bolt & Nut Co. ....................................................55Zervos Group...................................................................44

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NEW CATALOGAVAILABLE

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY &FALL PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

• Visit www.safetyservicesinc.com/cam for CAM member pricing

• Request our new full line catalog today

• Instrumentation, SCBA, Fall Protection, Confined Space Entry

• Equipment rental, repair & service

• Fire Service – First Responder – First Receiver – CERT|SERT

• Personal Protective Equipment – all major brands available

• Women’s Business Enterprise – nationally certified

cam magazine february 2007

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