MCAA and our Supplier Partners know contractors aren’t just looking for solutions, you’re looking for Smart Solutions.
Commitment to energy-efficient products such as Daikin McQuay’s Magnitude® chillers and reliance on building information modeling (BIM) to manage a complex project helped ACCO Engineered Systems complete what has been called “the greenest urban office building in North America.” The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) headquarters in downtown San Francisco at 525 Golden Gate opened in July 2012. It produces a 50-percent-smaller carbon footprint and uses 32 percent less energy and 60 percent less water than similar 13-story office buildings.
For U.S. Engineering Company, finding creative ways to keep the University of Colorado Hospital’s (UCH’s) new expansion on track helped them increase productivity while delivering on schedule and on budget. To maximize productivity, U.S. Engineering decided on a multi-trade prefabrication process using Victaulic grooved systems whenever and wherever possible.
Faced with the challenge of replacing all of a biotechnology company’s existing piping with stainless steel in just 14 weeks, Hart Engineering found that Viega ProPress® systems provide clean, consistent connections quickly. Viega ProPress for stainless steel offered a complete solution, including pipe, valves, and fittings in two high-quality grades of stainless steel, 304 and NSF-approved 316.
When CFI Mechanical in Houston, TX, took on an $8.5-million mechanical job with an aggressive schedule requiring massive coordination before the structure was built, they knew they could count on building information modeling (BIM) software tools from Technical Sales International (TSI) to get the job done. Led by President Chuck Fell (who is also MCAA’s senior vice president and treasurer), CFI Mechanical has been using BIM tools for over a decade to improve efficiency and mitigate risk in fabrication and construction.
In early 2011, Smith & Oby Company began work on a new office building in Cleveland, OH, that included 250 active chilled beams, which required an extensive amount of small-diameter copper pipe and multiple trapeze racking systems. To manage installation of approximately 28,000 linear feet of pipe in a 95,000-square-foot building, Smith & Oby turned to ERICO for an innovative and time-saving installation solution.
There has been much confusion about who is required to have a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number. Many contractors feel it’s only needed for truckers hauling for hire, which is not the case.
All stadiums and arenas tend to get dirty, but an arena floor covered in dirt poses a unique problem. Keeping such an arena clean is the challenge that Scottsdale, AZ, faced when it decided to undertake a $42.8-million expansion of the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center at WestWorld—a challenge solved by an Enviro-Flo drain from Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. In addition, the Enviro-Flo was easier to install than standard floor drains, resulting in cost savings.
To address the challenge of vibration noise from pipes, GRINNELL Grooved Flexible Couplings reduce vibrations, minimizing the amount of noise distributed through a pipe system, while providing a tight seal to prevent leaks. In contrast, some elastomeric and braided metal flexible connectors designed to minimize vibration noise require you to install additional parts to pipe sections, perform extra welding, or add large, heavy flanges on pipe connections to accommodate the system’s lack of flexibility. These methods complicate the piping system and increase the risk of leaks.
To win the contract to renovate the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field, Tweet/Garot of Wisconsin put Bidtracer’s invitation management software to work to solicit bids and organize proposals from vendor and subcontractors. Once awarded all of the mechanical work (HVAC, plumbing, and radiant systems) for the Packers’ $165-million South End Zone Project, Tweet/Garot turned to Bidtracer again for construction project management software for the submittal, request for information (RFI), and change-order process.
In 2012, ACCO Engineered Systems of Glendale, CA, trained more than 200 service technicians to use its new MobileTech system, tailored for ACCO by WennSoft, and immediately realized more benefits from the system than expected. The new technology speeds up and even eliminates some paperwork and improves communication. By using the streamlined, electronic quoting features, ACCO has already realized a return on its investment in MobileTech.
To fix a decades-old leaky piping system in Seattle’s King County Jail, Auburn Mechanical used Aquatherm’s polypropylene-random (PP-R) pipe systems to combat the aggressive water degrading the existing pipes. Aquatherm’s products not only provided an ideal solution but also cut installation time and cost when compared with copper piping.
While most weld positioners will improve the productivity of a pipe welder, a positioner designed specifically for the pipe welding industry to reduce welder fatigue increases the quality of the welder’s work.
When the Miami International University of Arts and Design needed to upgrade its chiller, Pyke Mechanical was able to install a new, high-efficiency BITZER Screw compressor at only marginally higher cost than rebuilding the original compressor. The conversion went so well that Pyke plans to install BITZER screws whenever an upgrade opportunity presents itself.
The need for specialized equipment may arise so infrequently that a company cannot afford to purchase it. Moreover, storing, maintaining, and, in some cases, certifying equipment can create additional headaches. To meet their short-term needs, some contractors choose to rent equipment from sources such as Lifting Gear Hire Corporation (LGH).