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www.constructionreviews.com

Kyrene Utility Services Building

Kyrene Utility Services Building

High-quality Resinous Flooring with Aesthetic Appeal

Before they became owners

of their own business, Pete

and Tim Schlink worked as

laborers,apprenticesand jour-

neymen for many years. Their

pastexperienceshaveprovided

them with versatile industry

knowledge that they draw on

today.ArizonaConcreteRepair,

Inc. (ACRI) opened in 1975,

and both Pete and Tim have

worked at the company since

its inception. Pete and Tim

worked for ACRI on weekends

andthroughouttheirsummers,

but in 1983, they decided to

buy the company and made it

theirown.SincethenACRIhas

grown significantly, and now

boasts a 32-person team and

three profitable divisions. The

company specializes in seam-

less epoxy flooring and wall

coatings, commercial and cus-

tom residential terrazzo floor-

ing, industrial coatings and lin-

ings,andmoisturevapor-reme-

diationsystems.

ACRI is one of only a few

contractors that can offer

both terrazzo flooring as well

as commercial and industrial

epoxy flooring. Its team’s abili-

ties range from large-scale,

workhorse industrial projects

to highly artistic architectur-

al finishings. This unique skill

setplaces thecompanyat the

forefront of its industry and

allows it flexibility in any type

of project. After nearly 30

years,PeteandTimhavedealt

with countless installation sce-

nariosand the full lot of epoxy

product manufacturers, giving

them the ability to handle any

typeofprojectsituation.

Individualized Services, on Budget

Whether you’re looking for

flooring installation in a pro-

duction plant, a restaurant or

evenawatertreatmentcenter,

ACRIwillofferyouacost-effec-

tive solution that is tailored

around your individual needs

and requirements. Above all,

they focus on the customers

and assure them excellent

service, which is why so many

have returned throughout the

years. Building strong client

connections and relationships

with suppliers are the crucial

componentsthathelpthecom-

panyprogress.

Most notably, ACRI has

designed and installed terraz-

zo flooring — complete with

a company logo — for online

auction and shopping web-

site, eBay, at its Distribution

CenterinPhoenix.Otherfamed

projects include the Mercy

Gilbert Medical Center, where

the team members installed

terrazzo flooring through-

out the entrance, lobby and

cafeteria; and the City of

Peoria Development and

Community Services Building,

where they also installed ter-

razzoflooring.

FortheKyreneUtilityServices

Building in Tempe, ACRI was

eager toworkwithAdolfson&

Peterson, thegeneral contrac-

tor on the project, a company

it has sharedmany successes

with in the past. Before ACRI

wasworkingontheproject,an

attempt to stain the concrete

floor had resulted in less than

desirable results, prompting

Adolfson&Petersontoturnto

ACRIforasmartandfastsolu-

tion to thedebacle,whichwas

fixedexpertlyandontime.

Withtheexperiencetocreate

a lasting foundation,ACRI also

keepsanaestheticsensibilityin

mind at all times. By carefully

modifying the installation of a

typical epoxy floor, the team

provided Kyrene with a floor

that can be used for years to

come, while employing its own

artisticpizzazz.Bringingwith it

theknowledgeofterrazzofloor-

ing,theACRIteamwasableto

consider an endless array of

designsandcustomartwork.

For Kyrene, ACRI designed,

manufacturedandinstalledthe

logo and incorporated it into

the epoxy flooring, as it would

inaterrazzofloor.

With growing success,

Schlink’s future plans are

extensive, and reach all the

way toNevada,Colorado,Utah

andCalifornia.Until then,ACRI

has a growing clientele base

inArizona,andwill continue to

serve itscustomerswithsupe-

riorserviceandauniqueteam

toseetheirprojectsthroughto

success.

—CorporateProfile

ARIZONA CONCRETE REPAIR, INC.2031W.LoneCactusDr.•Phoenix,AZ85027

Tel:(623)780-4570•(800)266-EPOXYFax:(623)780-4544•www.acriepoxy.com

Kyrene Utility Services BuildingTempe, Arizona Facts & Figures

Owner: City of Tempe, Water Utilities Department Type of Project: A new administrative/warehouse facility Size: 19,500 square feet Cost: $6.7 million (total construction costs) Construction Time: June 2006 - December 2007 The Need: A new office/warehouse for the city’s water utilities department The Challenge: Fitting all the necessary components onto the small site without disrupting the existing water reclamation plant on site

Gold Medal Award-Winning Team Members

Deutsch Associates Architect

Bosak CPMConstruction Manager

Adolfson & Peterson Construction General Contractor

Arizona Concrete Repair, Inc.Epoxy Flooring Contractor/Designer

For workers at the Kyrene Utility

Services Building in Tempe, Ariz.,

being on the job has just gotten a

little brighter.

The new facility houses the water

department’s utility construction

crews, the utility/city warehouse,

the utility’s customer service/map-

ping section and the field site

mechanics, in addition to all the

associated vehicles. For the past 40

years, the department had called

the city’s water treatment plant

home, but a planned expansion of

the plant meant relocation. “The

expansion at our old facility was

programmed to take up the area

associated with our vehicle park-

ing, warehouse and some of our

existing office space,” said John

D. Mann, transmission and col-

lection administrator for the City

of Tempe. “Since these changes

were necessary for the treatment

and storage of our potable water,

it was decided the best choice was

to move the functions of the utility

services section.”

So, a new building was con-

structed on the site of an existing

water reclamation plant. The new

two-story facility includes offices,

a warehouse, crew rooms, locker

rooms, kitchens and a wellness

room. The site also accommodates

storage of vehicles and common

areas for spoils containment and

disposal.

According to David Calcaterra,

principal for Deutsch Architecture

Group, the project’s architect, the

form of the building follows the

function of each of its spaces. “The

first floor includes the warehouse

and staging areas as well as lock-

er rooms and conference space.

The second floor is operations and

meeting areas in which operations

begin and complete their days,”

he said. “The second floor also

Photo courtesy of City of Tempe, Water Utilities Department

up, and remaining parts can be

unloaded into the warehouse at

the end of the day. “This is a beau-

tiful and durable configuration that

maximizes employee efficiency,”

he said.

One of the big design goals

was incorporating sustainability

into the design and construction

of the facility. “The City of Tempe

is committed to building ‘green’ in

the community,” said Mann. “With

this in mind, the building was

designed to incorporate as many

‘green’ materials and processes as

possible.” The building recently

received the U.S. Green Building

Council’s Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design (LEED®) gold

certification.

The benefits for building “green”

are significant, and sustainable

includes office space (support and

management for all operations

below) for housing management,

mapping and CAD.”

The building is based on a lin-

ear organization with a circula-

tion spine connecting two verti-

cal circulation nodes, continued

Calcaterra. This circulation pattern

is used to divide the building into

two distinct lower level areas: a

warehouse/maintenance and util-

ity services field operations area,

and then a utility services stag-

ing area, which is located on the

exterior. A spine connecting the

two zones then becomes the link

between them, allowing for parts

and equipment to be ordered and

loaded onto vehicles. Through this

set up, employees can use the

field operations area for cleaning

Visit our website:www.constructionreviews.com

to view additional Gold Medal Award-winning

projects.

continued on page 6

arizona/neveda editiongold medal award winner �

The Owner’s PerspectiveQ: What is the most unique or important feature of the facility (or of the design/construction

process)?

JM: The City of Tempe is committed to building “green” in the community. With this in mind, the build-

ing was designed to incorporate as many “green” materials and processes as possible.

The building used high ceilings, lots of windows and skylights for natural illumination, open spaces for

the inhabitants, expanded locker rooms for comfortable before and after shift changing, laundry facilities

for hygiene as needed, a wellness room, and reclaimed water from the reclamation plant is used for the

toilets and also the landscaping.

Q: What is the most innovative aspect of the project (or of the design/construction process, financ-

ing, environmental)? What could others learn from?

JM: The philosophy of the City of Tempe is to try to take the employees’ work spaces into consideration

whenever possible, as well as work-related efficiencies. With this in mind, the entire project was designed

to provide work areas that would lead to comfortable spaces that in turn lead to better work environments

and therefore lead to better productivity and a healthy work lifestyle.

The building used plenty of muted outside natural lighting, open quiet workspaces, high ceilings [and]

calming earth tones in furnishings and walls. The architect also used exposed ceiling and structural and air

handling appurtenances to reflect the type of work we are involved in. Again, the use of reclaimed water

for toilets and landscaping was quite innovative in our area.

Q: How did the strengths and experience of the project team contribute to the success of

the project?

JM: I believe the real strength of the team was their experience. All except myself had been involved in

design and construction of many different types of facilities, including working with municipalities. This

enabled the team to sit and regroup as issues such as material availability, unforeseen grading issues,

designs that needed to be modified, or weather became apparent. No job this large goes as planned.

Rather, it is how the unknown is reacted to. Experience shows at times like these. Our team handled all

unforeseen issues in a timely manner and with professionalism. Alternate plans were always at someone’s

fingertips, which kept things running smoothly.

As issues were handled, and no one panicked, it also built trust into the relationships of all involved, which

made the project more enjoyable.

with John D. Mann, Transmission and Collection Administrator, City of Tempe

City of Tempe, Water Utilities Department

255 E. Marigold Ln.Tempe, AZ 85281

480-�50-26�1www.tempe.gov

Photo courtesy of City of Tempe, Water Utilities Department

The Architect’s Perspectivewith David Calcaterra, Principal, Deutsch Architecture Group

4600 E. Indian School Rd.Phoenix, AZ 85018

602-840-2929 www.2929.com

Q: Describe the project in relative detail, incorporating what you

think makes the project unique, innovative, important or sets it apart.

How does the design complement the overall mission of the facility/

owner?

DC: Program: The City of Tempe’s charge to [the] design/construction

team was to design a new space for this facility that combines the ware-

house services and water utility services in a new centralized location to

promote efficiencies of use. Following the U.S. Green Building Council’s

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) silver criteria, the

building will be a healthy and environmentally friendly space. Accordingly,

utility costs will be lower, and occupant comfort higher, than in convention-

ally designed buildings….*

Q: What were some of the drivers behind the design? What design

materials or concepts were used? Please note any design innovations

on this project, especially those that would be helpful for other owners

to learn from.

DC: Many components of the facility will appear conventional, but actually

serve to achieve points within the LEED® rating system. For example, myriad

components such as the roofing system, insulation and exterior walls will

be constructed from products [that] use recycled household products like

Styrofoam trays and aluminum cans. Effective natural lighting and window

placements will serve to decrease annual electricity use as well as provide

occupant comfort and flexibility in workspaces. Additional energy savings

will be recognized due to thorough HVAC design, lowering energy usage

over a standard building.

From a plumbing perspective, the most innovative aspect of the Kyrene

project is the wastewater reduction measures. The building uses an on-site

water reclamation facility that treats all wastewater from the building to an

acceptable standard for use as gray water. All flushable fixtures in the build-

ing are supplied with gray water and are on a water distribution system

separate from the potable water system. The wastewater reduction for this

building is calculated at 80 percent from that of standard EPA 1992 fixture

performance requirements.

Q: What were the greatest challenges encountered on this project,

either from your firm’s point of view or as a project team?

DC: Under-floor HVAC in the second-floor office areas without chillers;

this was overcome by utilizing standard direct expansion split systems.

Other challenges are related to assuring that the design and build team

are experienced in utilizing the new building materials associated with a

LEED® project.

Q: What were some of the lessons learned from this project?

DC: Communication is key.

*Editor’s note: After completion, the project was awarded LEED® gold certification.

Photo courtesy of Jessie McGaskill

arizona/nevada edition gold medal award winner6

resources helped foster a healthy

working environment at Kyrene

and also cut utility costs drastically

when compared to conventionally

designed buildings. “The essence

of our design intent for this facil-

ity lies in maximizing light and

views for all occupants, creat-

ing bright spaces conducive to a

productive working environment,”

said Calcaterra. Furthermore,

natural lighting will help decrease

annual electricity use while provid-

ing occupants with a more comfort-

able atmosphere.

While many components of the

structure may appear “convention-

al,” they are designed to achieve

LEED® certification, thereby making

them more structurally and tech-

nically complex. “Myriad compo-

nents such as the roofing system,

insulation and exterior walls will be

constructed from products [that]

use recycled household products

like Styrofoam trays and aluminum

cans,” he said.

Structurally, the project consisted

of three separate components: insu-

lated concrete forms (ICFs), struc-

tural steel and concrete masonry

units (CMUs). Bringing these three

components together efficiently

demanded the involvement of engi-

neers and subcontractors at the

outset. David A. Bosak, AIA, LEED

AP, president/principal architect for

BOSAK CPM, the project’s construc-

tion manager, said that “insulated

block was utilized as a sustainable

option to metal studs or concrete

block, thus providing an exterior

wall that provided the required

insulation value….”

John Tomasson, senior project

manager for Adolfson & Peterson

Construction, the project’s general

contractor, elaborated on the envi-

ronmental methodology that the

team stood by. “The design, materi-

als and construction of this building

have provided for a life cycle of 50

to 60 years rather than the current

designs and construction that have

an average anticipated life cycle of

20 years,” he said.

Arizona Concrete Repair, Inc.

(ACRI) served as the project’s epoxy

flooring contractor/designer. Pete

Schlink, president and designer for

ACRI, said the company has had

numerous successes with Adolfson

& Peterson, so it was glad to help.

In the end, ACRI designed “a floor

system that would not only have a

much greater aesthetic value, but

would far outperform the stained

concrete flooring [originally done

by another contractor] as well,”

said Schlink.

Although the end result of the

project was successful, there were

challenges along the way for the

team. According to Mann, one of

the challenges involved the small

site. He noted that being more effi-

cient with storage space for ware-

house and field goods and getting

rid of unnecessary items that had

accumulated during the past 40

years were essential to overcom-

ing this hurdle. “When we were

done, we feel we had only those

items left that we needed to per-

form our jobs. We are definitely a

leaner, more defined organization,”

he said.

On a related note, the new

facility and its operations had to

be located on the site in a way

that wouldn’t disrupt the opera-

tions of the existing water rec-

lamation plant. “We brought a

lot more activity to this site 24/7

than they were used to having to

operate with,” said Mann. “This

was [overcome] by meeting with

stakeholders and listening to

everyone’s needs and modifying

the designs as often as needed to

maximize the use of available

space [and] meet the needs of

both facilities as [they] related to

traffic patterns and safety needs.

It also required an architect that

researched us and our needs so

that he knew us and our operations

and needs, thereby guaranteeing a

workable facility could be construct-

ed that met all our needs.”

All stakeholders involved on the

project agreed that communication

was the key to a successful project.

Due to their efforts, the new Kyrene

Utility Services Building is up and

running for the benefit of Tempe

residents and the water utilities

department employees. n

— Megan Merritt

continued from page �

Photos courtesy of City of Tempe, Water Utilities Department

The Construction Manager’s Perspectivewith David A. Bosak Sr., AIA, LEED AP, President/Principal Architect, BOSAK CPM

Q: What is the most unique or important feature of the facility (or of the design/construction process)?

DB: The second-floor administrative offices are designed with a raised floor to provide heating and air conditioning,

controllable at each workstation to provide individual comfort.

Q: What were the greatest challenges encountered on this project and how, specifically, did you overcome

them?

DB: The project overall went relatively smooth. Unforeseen conditions and the usual opportunities to excel

occurred. Weekly owner’s meetings kept major challenges at bay through open communication and proactively

examining the critical issues at hand for that week, while not losing sight of the overall objective.

Q: How did you work with the architect and owner to save time and/or money on the project? How was

value engineering applied to your responsibility?

DB: Value engineering did not stop in design; the construction team actively pursued options throughout construc-

tion to ensure accountability of funds.

Q: What were some of the lessons learned from this project?

DB: Throughout the entire construction process, which can get rather chaotic at times, one cannot lose sight of

the fact that when the building is complete it will be inhabited by people who will be working and interacting in

the facility for many hours a day, and it is one of our many goals to make sure the environment is a pleasant facility

to work in.

7414 W. Louise Dr.Glendale, AZ 85�10

602-909-9507 www.bosak.biz

Photo courtesy of Bosak CPM

The General Contractor’s Perspectivewith John Tomasson, Senior Project Manager, Adolfson & Peterson Construction

Q: What is the most innovative aspect of the project (or of the design/construction process)? What

could other owners learn from for their future projects?

JT: The design and construction to provide two separate functions (office, warehouse) while maintaining

separation and continuity required proper planning and construction materials for life safety requirements. In

addition the design, materials and construction of this building have provided for a life cycle of 50 to 60 years

rather than the current designs and construction that have an average anticipated life cycle of 20 years.

Q: How did you work with the architect and owner to save time and/or money on the project? How

was value engineering applied to your responsibility?

JT: Working early in the design helped identify methods and materials to provide budgeting and value engi-

neering during design rather than after the construction drawings were completed. This allows the owner to

control their budget and design upfront in lieu of accepting a completed design and then finding out the cost

exceeds their budget. This also allows for value engineering to happen concurrent with the design and not

have to make any major changes or eliminations after the design is complete.

Q: What were some of the lessons learned from this project?

JT: The challenge of coordination of all the subcontractors that are affected by the energy-efficient design

of the mechanical, plumbing and electrical (MPE) systems; all three subcontractor disciplines were involved

and crossed over each other’s installation methods and the MPE designs complemented each other to ensure

maximum energy efficiency.

5002 S. Ash Ave.Tempe, AZ 85282

480-�45-8700 www.a-p.com

Photo courtesy of Jessie McGaskill

24445 Northwestern Hwy. Ste. 218 • Southfield, MI 48075 • 248-945-4700 • fax: 248-945-4701 • www.constructionreviews.com24445 Northwestern Hwy. Ste. 218 • Southfield, MI 48075 • 248-945-4700 • fax: 248-945-4701 • www.constructionreviews.com