Why Quality Construction Documents are Critical to Your Project’s Success

In order to create the best possible building for a client, it’s essential to start with the highest quality set of construction documents. When these crucial documents are complete, precise and free of errors, it translates into huge savings, expedited project schedules and a better facility that performs as expected. For FSB, maintaining this level of quality is the result of a multi-step process that requires a strong interdisciplinary team approach, utilizes state-of-the-art computer software and keeps the client informed at every stage of the process.

FSB has a reputation for producing superior construction documents, and our diligence in this area is a key reason why we have a high percentage of repeat clients. Clients generally worry about four things: schedules, cost overruns, change orders and conflicts between any of the interested parties, such as contractor/subcontractor or client/contractor. When you provide thorough, high-quality construction documents, these concerns are addressed right away and worries can be alleviated.

Exceptional documents require exceptional input, which FSB obtains by conducting multiple in-depth design charrettes at the beginning of each project between the firm’s design team, the client and all other important stakeholders. Once the needs and vision for the project are determined and the design process is underway, the client is kept in the loop.

FSB typically reviews design documents with each client at the 15%, 35%, 65% and 95% complete stages, allowing them to see how their input is being integrated into the overall design. Quality documents are obviously easier for the client to interpret, and they allow everyone involved to identify details that need to be changed for functional, budgetary or aesthetic reasons. There are fewer surprises, and clients are much happier on move-in day.

In contrast, if a firm produces construction documents that are incomplete, confusing, or the client does not see them until the 95% completion stage, that client won’t have the extra security of knowing they’re getting what they’ve paid for and may be unsatisfied with the result.

The architects and engineers at FSB utilize cutting-edge design software for their construction documents, including Revit, BIM (building information modeling) and 3-D AutoCAD. The software lets all parties view the designs in real time and identify any spatial or other conflicts. This can be anything from MEP systems that will not fit into a designated space to equipment models that aren’t the right size to operational efficiency issues. Resolving these conflicts during the design stage avoids many costly change orders on the construction site, meaning every dollar spent up front can potentially save multiple dollars in the field.

Quality documents with no omissions or ambiguity are also appreciated by contractors, since they directly correlate to their ability to stay on schedule, keep costs under control and work more smoothly with subcontractors. If there is any ambiguity in a set of documents, contractors typically will add money for any unknowns they see on a set of drawings, boosting the cost of the project. This is where FSB’s document quality makes a huge difference in keeping projects within budget parameters.

To achieve a consistent level of quality, FSB follows very strict quality control procedures for each project and its resulting documents. This includes extensive peer reviews of each facility design by an interdisciplinary team of architects and engineers who are not assigned to that project.

We offer a distinct advantage for clients in this area, since our size and wealth of diverse experience allows FSB to conduct thorough and meaningful QC and constructability reviews during the course of the design. There are many A/E firms out there that do not incorporate the level of detail that we do in our construction documents. It’s a key ingredient in FSB’s success.

To learn more about FSB’s construction document process, contact Laure Majors at busdev@fsb-ae.com or 405.840.2931.

 

 

 

 

 

The Price of Power — FSB Offers Creative Solutions for Reducing Energy Bills

No one wants to work or socialize in a building that’s uncomfortably hot. Yet the cost for keeping things cool can literally run into the thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars each month, depending upon the size of a building or campus.

Rate structure changes now trending with utility providers across the country are further escalating these costs. Fortunately, however, there are multiple ways to address the problem which provide a significant return on investment, said Brian Sauer, FSB Principal.

“How expensive your building is to operate depends a great deal on your peak electrical consumption, and clients need to understand how this figure is determined before they can begin to address it”, Sauer explained. Utility companies historically seek to reduce power usage during peak times, which are normally around 2 to 7 p.m. during the warmer months. Demand charges are typically calculated by using a facility or institution’s highest 15-minute electrical usage period of the billing cycle. That means that a single exceptionally warm day or afternoon in a month will drive a significant portion of the electric cost.

“Utility companies want to motivate customers, whether it’s through incentives or penalties,” Sauer said. “This is a trend across the United States, and they do this in order to avoid paying for expensive infrastructure and additional power plants. As a result, we have had several customers come to us and ask us to develop ideas to reduce their power demand and lower the associated demand charges.”

The biggest power cost for most commercial buildings and campuses is turning on the chillers that provide cold water for cooling. To determine the best cost-saving solution for one of FSB’s major clients, Oklahoma State University, the firm’s engineers studied the university’s trends in their chilled water usage for the last five years, along with its power bills and data obtained from the central plant. For example, the power required to turn on just one of OSU’s 4,000-ton chillers during peak hours cost $17,107 per month, plus the additional price of the electricity consumed.

 

“We can solve this issue by adding a large tank of the appropriate size which will store chilled water produced overnight during non-peak hours, when the campus cooling, lighting and plug loads are low. The next day the cooling system can operate off of the water stored in that tank and avoid turning on the chillers,” Sauer said. “By doing this we are looking at major cost savings due to reducing peak demand and operating at the non-peak consumption rate. In contrast, if you have to turn on the chillers when it’s hot outside, that can quickly turn into an Achilles heel as far as power costs.”

There are other modifications that also can be helpful. “Another client came to us in a similar situation when their bill spiked over $50,000 in one month,” FSB Associate Principal Aaron Campbell said. “Thermal storage was not practical due to their existing space limitations, but they had some different opportunities. First, they were able to make some modifications to their electrical infrastructure and change to a service level with lower demand charges. This led to instant savings on their electric bill.”

FSB’s engineers and architects routinely incorporate additional power-saving features into building designs and renovations. One such option is load shifting, in which some electrical loads are operated only during off-peak hours. This system automatically turns off non-essential electrical loads during peak demand periods. Another option being explored for an FSB client utilizes steam to generate electricity with a back-pressure turbine. Additionally, waste steam could be used to produce chilled water via a steam absorption chiller during peak hours. Ice storage is another option that can be very effective for individual buildings, but can be difficult to incorporate without installing new equipment. Installation of energy-efficient LED lights, building automation systems which control lighting, and even solar panels also are significant cost-savers.

No matter what type of energy-saving steps are initiated, they’re impacted by local geography, climate and weather concerns. FSB’s mechanical and electrical engineering team, with more than 500 years of combined experience, routinely advises clients on power usage for a wide variety of facilities and environments. “Our engineers work all over the world, and every day we are exposed to different types of technology and utility rate structures,” Sauer said. “The art lies in understanding the client’s unique needs and determining which system modifications are the best fit to achieve optimum power savings. As utility rates continue to evolve to a more demand-based structure, it’s important to understand what is driving your peak demand and what steps can be taken to reduce it.”

For more information about lowering commercial energy cost savings, contact Aaron Campbell, Mission Critical Market Principal, at missioncritical@fsb-ae.com or 405-840-2931.

 

FSB Spins Off Native-Owned Design Firm

OKLAHOMA CITY – Architect Jason Holuby started his career at Frankfurt-Short-Bruza and did several different types of projects.

When the firm was hired as the owner’s representative on the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Davis, his interest in Native American projects was sparked. The work led to him and FSB being the lead architect on the Chickasaw Visitor Center in Sulphur.

To date, the firm has designed more than 30 projects for the Chickasaw Nation. It has worked with other tribes as well, including designing the Choctaw Nation’s 500,000-square-foot headquarters building in Durant.

“That portion of our work has grown every single year,” he said. “It’s become a big part of what we do at FSB. As it’s grown over the years, it really made sense to start a Native-owned architecture and engineering firm.”

 

 

Holuby is the president and owner of New Fire Native Design Group. The firm shares space with FSB, but is a separate company.

FSB President and CEO Gary James said at his company, tribal work is one of seven other market sectors. If the firm wanted to show its commitment to Native American work, it needed to have a separate company.

With New Fire Native Design Group being Native American-owned, it could help connect to the tribes, said James Jump, a leader in student engagement at the Oklahoma State University Center for Sovereign Nations. He’s an Osage Nation citizen.

He said tribes will see working with New Native as a way to support other Native Americans and help them succeed.

“(Working with other native people) gives us a level of comfort and trust,” he said. “They better understand our cultural values and our history.”

Holuby said separating the business from FSB will show tribes that they are solely focused on their needs. He is still working with FSB on projects for existing clients, such as renovating the WinStar World Casino and Resort, designing three other casinos for the Chickasaw Nation, and creating four master plans for Muscogee (Creek) Nation properties in Okmulgee.

But Holuby said the goal with New Fire is to work with other tribes outside FSB’s existing clientele. The Chickasaw Nation has played an integral role in FSB getting more tribal work, he said.

“(The nation) developed a lot of trust with us,” he said. “They’re real vocal advocates. They’ve been instrumental when someone asks for a recommendation.”

FSB will continue to provide production support, James said. With New Fire in the same building, Holuby can work with FSB to create a team of architects, engineers, or project managers that can help each tribal client.

James said he’s seen a development in Native American tribes with wanting to share their culture and art.

“That requires a higher level of building design,” he said. “It’s natural for FSB to gravitate toward that. And they’re just fun projects.”

He said FSB’s success in the tribal sector goes back to Holuby’s passion for the work. If a firm is in the sector and doesn’t have someone with that same love of sharing the tribes’ culture through their buildings, then they don’t need to be in the work, he said.

New Fire Native wants to bring more Native American students into architecture. The company is sponsoring a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma’s College of Architecture.

FSB Names New Senior Associates, Associates

OKLAHOMA CITY – (October 5, 2017) —  FSB announces the appointment of five members of its professional team to Senior Associate and Associate positions within its Leadership Development Program. Both Senior Associates and Associates are responsible for developing and implementing firm-wide initiatives for the betterment of the organization, as well as mentoring junior staff.

Team members being promoted from Associate to Senior Associate are Project Manager Cathleen Guthery and Senior Structural Engineer Min Koo. Named as FSB Associates are: Jason Blubaugh, director of the firm’s electrical engineering department; Toni Brungard, interior designer; and Mike Owensby, project manager and senior project architect.

New Senior Associate Guthery, a registered architect, has been with FSB for six years and currently focuses on major projects in the Native American and education market sectors. She earned her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Oklahoma and is certified in LEED sustainable design. Guthery also is a key organizer of the firm’s Leadership FSB professional development program.

Koo, PE, has 16+ years of experience working with all types of structural building materials across all of FSB’s seven market sectors. Also LEED accredited, he is particularly noted for his abilities in the development of long-span hangar design, especially in high-seismic zones. His efforts have played a crucial role in many of FSB’s award-winning and high-profile projects. He received his bachelor’s degree in structural engineering from Oklahoma State University.

New Associate and Air Force veteran Blubaugh employs his talents across all of FSB’s markets, while supervising an extensive team as head of its electrical engineering department. With 15 years of experience working on commercial, municipal and military projects, he is also a winner of Malmstrom Air Force Base’s “Technical Professional of the Year” honors. Blubaugh holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from OSU, a master’s in electrical engineering from Columbia University, and is licensed in 14 states.

Brungard is one of FSB’s most seasoned interior designers, with more than 21 years of professional experience. She received her bachelor’s degree in interior design from OU, is LEED certified and plays a key role in mentoring junior staff. Brungard’s talents have been applied across a wide variety of FSB projects, most recently with its aviation, civic and Native American market sectors.

Owensby has been with FSB since 2011, and also designs projects across FSB’s seven market sectors. His particular expertise is in the creation and construction of healthcare facilities, and he is one of the company’s top experts in the use of advanced BIM (building information modeling) software. Owensby holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from OU and is certified in LEED sustainability design.

“FSB is committed to helping our employees reach their full potential, and we are very proud to recognize the achievements of this group of individuals by elevating them to the next level,” James said. “Through these new positions they, in turn, will have the opportunity to help guide our next generation of company leaders.”

The Shocking Truth about Arc Flash Studies

Building electrical systems are typically invisible and its occupants are more focused on their facility’s layout and appearance. However, if those electrical systems aren’t designed and operated correctly, it’s possible to experience a deadly event known as an arc flash.

So just what is an arc flash? Technically it’s exactly what it sounds like – an electric arc that’s formed in the gap between two electrodes. It can happen with any sort of electrical panel, often those that look perfectly ordinary. They can be initiated in several ways, the primary ones being accidental contact, corroded or deteriorated equipment, and the use of equipment which is underrated for the available short-circuit current, said J.T. Little, Director of FSB’s Electrical Engineering Department.

Without proper protections in place, arc flashes can and do cause significant injury, death and property damage, with approximately 30,000 incidents occurring in the United States each year, according to OSHA statistics.

“A lot of people don’t understand how much energy we’re talking about here, and they underestimate the damage an arc flash can do to a person,” Little said. “Basically you have a whole lot of energy coming out of a panel in a big fireball, where the temperatures can reach as high as 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s hotter than the surface of the sun.”

The good news is that the dangers of arc flashes are being addressed in a much more proactive fashion, through the medium of arc flash studies performed on new and old facilities. These studies reveal any potential hazards and then address those risks in several ways.

What an arc flash study does is specifically identify how much energy is available at each piece of electrical equipment. This includes panel boards, distribution equipment and whatever additional areas where workers will be performing maintenance. Key factors that are taken into account are the size, amp and rating of the equipment, the distance between control panels, wire size and how much energy is available from the utility company.

Once a study is complete, two steps can be taken. First, warning stickers are posted on potentially dangerous equipment to let individuals know how close they can approach before they need to take additional precautions. These precautions take the form of personal protective equipment (PPE), which typically includes a combination of safety goggles, face shields, rubber gloves with leather protectors, insulating sleeves, hard hats, rubber work boots or overshoes, hearing protection and flame-resistant clothing.

The second step is to take the arc flash study information and modify “upstream” electrical equipment to reduce the energy level at the site in question and achieve compliance with strict OSHA codes.

Arc flash studies are becoming more common, and at FSB they are a routine part of any new building design. “We have multiple electrical engineers on our team who are experienced in this area,” Little said. “We’re also doing more and more of them on existing facilities and renovations, since most older buildings did not have these studies performed at the time they were constructed. Now the owners are asking us to go in and perform the evaluations in order to protect their workers.

“Our clients and contractors are increasingly aware of the importance of arc flash studies to the safety of their electrical workers,” he added. “This is a good development and is reflective of a broader increased focus on safety. Studies like these are a very good investment, as they can literally be life-savers.”

To learn more about arc flash studies and how they can benefit you, contact J.T. Little, Director of FSB’s Electrical Engineering Department, at jlittle@fsb-ae.com or 405-840-2931.

Experience makes hangar door selection an open and shut process

As a critical piece of an industry where efficiency quickly translates into dollars, effective aircraft hangars are designed to support specific operations.

AIRBUS’ Manufacturing Hangar, Mobile, AL

Whether a commercial airline intends to rotate six aircraft per day through a hangar for line maintenance, a manufacturing company needs a secure environment for building aircraft, or a military operation requires a specialized ventilation system incorporated for stealth painting, hangar design decisions should be made with function in mind. The doors of a hangar, through which aircraft move in and out, are one such design choice. FSB Aviation Market Principal Mark Timbrook said understanding the owner’s operations plan is crucial to guiding clients toward the best door option.

“We have to understand how they’re going to be using the hangar,” Timbrook said. “These doors make up nearly an entire wall of the structure, and they can be time-consuming for the user to move around. Door type can have a major impact on aircraft maintenance operations and efficiency.”

In addition to a hangar’s operational goals, Timbrook said the firm also factors climate, available land, security and maintenance considerations into its recommendations to clients. FSB’s recommendations draw upon the firm’s more than 75 years of aviation sector experience designing more than 250 aircraft hangar bays.

“We lay out the advantages and disadvantages of each option and make a recommendation based on our experience,” Timbrook said.

“Hangar door type selection is ultimately the client’s decision, and our goal is to equip owners with the best information based on their specific needs.”

Rolling steel doors offer security, ease of maintenance
Door selection comes down to primarily two categories in modern hangar design: rolling steel doors and vertical lift fabric doors.

After working closely with the owner to understand both their specific operations requirements and their positive past experiences, rolling steel doors were selected for Airbus’ manufacturing hangar in Mobile, Alabama.

“The hangar has two bays, and the doors move between the openings, blocking one or the other,” Timbrook said. “The Airbus team is satisfied with this because aircraft stay in there for days at a time. They also tend to keep the doors closed most of the time because they temper the air inside the hangar, and make an effort to keep dust away from open cockpits and exposed wiring.”

Airbus’ rolling steel doors provided the security the company needed for their work to assemble and finish out the aircraft within the hangar.

Dr. Ben Wallace, FSB’s Senior Structural Engineer, said he is responsible for working with the selected door and ensuring the hangar is structurally sound. Rolling steel doors do not require much overhead steel reinforcement, because the weight of the door rests directly on the ground rails, he said.  In some hangar door pocket enclosures, sections on one or both sides of the aircraft opening are built to contain the stacked leaves in order to allow for a wider aircraft opening are sometimes included in rolling steel door hangar designs. These door pockets can be incorporated into the hangar’s structural steel design that provides greater rigidity to a hangar’s framing system, Wallace said.

Since most maintenance can be performed from the ground, rolling door repair and routine maintenance is often the more straightforward between the two door options. However, owners can sometimes find ground rails to be a nuisance.

“For one, they are bumpy for the aircraft and maintenance vehicles,” Timbrook said. “They also have to be cleaned out periodically because dirt, debris and ice accumulation can affect how the doors move along their rails. We include drains between rails to prevent any standing water from freezing, and in colder climates we heat the ground rail system to keep it melted and operational.”

Vertical lift fabric doors promote thermal, operational efficiency
The second hangar door option FSB suggests to its aviation clients is the vertical lift fabric door, which works much like a giant curtain that can be pulled upwards to allow aircraft in and out of the hangar.

“Think of it as a big venetian blind, with a fabric curtain on both the inside and the outside, attached to each slat,” Wallace said. “Just like a venetian blind, the slats stack and the fabric folds between the slats as they are pulled upward.”

navfac helicopter hangar interior from side fort dix njOwners appreciate the vertical lift fabric doors’ ability to seal a space — while vertical lift doors offer significantly less insulation capacity than typical rolling steel doors, they compensate by sealing their edges against air infiltration better than the typical rolling steel door.  In many cases the reduction of air infiltration more than compensates for the lower “R” value of the door panels.

A hangar FSB designed for FedEx in Anchorage, Alaska chose the vertical lift fabric for this reason — they would leave the doors down much of the time and had the option to lift only a smaller door section to allow shorter vehicles like trucks into the hangar while keeping most of the warm air inside the hangar.

In Oklahoma City, FSB designed a hangar for Field Aerospace — the hangar needed a door with a tail slot to allow the larger planes to get the tallest piece of the plane, its tail, to pass through the opening. The tail slot is a taller portion of door in the middle of a hangar, and because a vertical lift fabric door is partitioned, it’s the easiest door to accommodate the tail slot.

When open, vertical lift fabric doors use no floor space. Unlike rolling steel doors, when the hangar openings are uncovered, the door occupies no floor space because it’s suspended from framing above the door opening. This gives owners more operations flexibility.

“We designed a hangar for United Airlines in Houston,” Timbrook said. “In that climate they only get maybe two or three months in the winter where they need to close the door, and the rest of the year they leave the doors wide open for ventilation. For them, it was an advantage to have a vertical lift fabric door that completely pulled up out of the way, so they had the full width and height of that big opening to leave open eight months out of the year. If they had sliding doors, every day they would be moving those doors back and forth to get aircraft in and out.”

Between the two most common hangar door options, FSB advises clients that cost is comparable — though the vertical lift door itself is less expensive, the additional steel that structural engineers must include to account for the added weight balances out the expense.

FSB brings cross-discipline aviation expertise to every project
FSB’s hangar design process is consistent with the firm’s multi-discipline approach. Architects and structural engineers work closely with the owner to select the right doors for the project. The door decision also impacts mechanical and electrical engineering design. With these disciplines under one roof, FSB clients have come to expect a seamless, carefully considered and coordinated final product.

“Mechanical might review a design and can say, ‘If you pick the rolling steel doors for this particular hangar, I might need to make the heating and cooling units bigger, which will require more space. Are you willing to live with that?’” Wallace said.  “It’s easier to coordinate when we’re all in one office.”

For a decision that’s both literally big and makes a big impact on how hangars will be used, clients appreciate the combination of aviation expertise and cross discipline approach the FSB team brings to every project.

Interested in learning more from the aircraft maintenance facility experts, contact Mark Timbrook, Aviation Market Principal, at aviation@fsb-ae.com or 405.840.2931.

 

 

The Benefits of BIM

Efficiency and accuracy are essential hallmarks of any successful A/E firm, and at FSB those qualities are greatly enhanced through the use of cutting-edge technology known as “BIM.” Also known as Building Information Modeling, BIM is a very broad term for an intelligent computer model of a building that shows different levels of design and is integrated between all disciplines.

At FSB, the primary tool we use is Revit, which is an intelligent CAD model that allows  ‘intelligent attributes’ to be attached to those models. These attributes can include information such as model numbers, capacities and other specific information. Once the BIM information is in there, equipment schedules can automatically and accurately be generated. Those schedules, along with the entire building model, can then be shared with the contractors and subcontractors. This can save them significant time in preparation of cost estimates and also shop drawings.

What that means is that BIM modeling takes designs from traditional 3D to 4D and serves as a platform for project teams and other non-technical stakeholders, who then can more accurately visualize the assembling of a building over time. This ability creates significant benefits for the project, especially when it comes to moving the design and construction phases along swiftly, with better communication between the A/E, Owner and Contractor.

Why Is It Important?
As noted above, the most significant benefits of BIM are its ability to enhance project planning, reduce errors and speed up the construction process. Over the lifetime of the project, each piece of vital information can be attached to the model, where it’s immediately and easily accessible to everyone involved.

“Using BIM via Revit means everything can be viewed in real time, as opposed to waiting for weekly meetings or updates from the architect or engineer,” Principal Brian Sauer said. “We can also quickly and easily identify any spatial conflicts or other issues that might crop up, which is a huge time-saver. Any changes that are needed can be made swiftly and at an early stage of the project, so that the impact on the actual construction time is minimized.”

FSB routinely shares its BIM models with contractors and subcontractors, a practice which is highly effective in keeping projects on track, especially if they’re on an aggressive schedule, which is increasingly the case, he said.

“It can save as much as 20% or more of the design and construction timeline for a project, depending upon the complexity of the job,” Sauer added.

The more complex the job, the more time savings there is. For example, the new Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center had a very aggressive schedule. By using BIM, FSB saved about a third in total schedule over similar projects.

Utilizing the Revit software also allows FSB’s architects and engineers to interact with a manufacturer’s website, importing specific information for building components. This information can include exact dimensions, 3-D models and other equipment-specific information that comes directly from the manufacturer. Since FSB does not have to draw these items, time is saved, and accuracy is improved. This specific information is then attached to the BIM model, so contractors know exactly which equipment they need to order. This feature alone is huge as it eliminates many potential errors during the construction process, which translates into fewer construction delays and better cost estimating and cost containment.

BIM’s Benefits are Lasting
BIM’s usefulness doesn’t end once a building is completed. Clients can use it as a tool to track and plan for needed maintenance throughout the life of the building. It also serves as a huge time-saver for FSB and its many repeats, should they need an expansion or renovation to their facility down the road.

“The BIM platform also includes tools that assist us with our calculations,” Sauer said. “Most engineers do a lot of calculations manually, but a well-organized BIM model can greatly expedite certain calculations, such as HVAC loads, duct static pressure calculations and hydronic pressure calculations. A lot of manufacturers also have models of their equipment that will contain attributes necessary to creating equipment schedules, which potentially eliminates a lot of errors when compared to manually entering information.”

“Previously, you could not re-use many of the models made during the life of the project. Preliminary information would need to be manually converted into computer files which would be used as contract documents, and it took time. With BIM, we begin building the model early in the design process, and it continues to grow as more architecture and engineering systems are developed. Once the model is complete, it is an accurate representation of the finished building,” Sauer said. “If a client wants to renovate or add on to the building at a later date, we don’t have to go to the facility and do measurements and assessments and disturb the people working there. When you have a current model, it really minimizes downtime.”

To learn more about how FSB can help your company, contact Laure Majors at busdev@fsb-ae.com or 405-840-2931.

 

 

Choctaw headquarters construction on target

Workers walk toward the Choctaw Nation headquarters building under construction in Durant.
(Courtesy photo)

OKLAHOMA CITY – When Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton was put into office in 2014, his goal was to bring more economic diversity to the Durant-based tribe.

He kept the office in the 2015 election. He has overseen the tribe’s expansion of its business ventures with new travel plazas, a Chili’s franchise, additional amenities at its casino resort, and even opening a grocery store. And that’s only a few projects.

As of December, the tribe had 40 projects under construction. One of the largest developments is the 500,000- square-foot headquarters building. Construction started in January 2016.

“This is our stake in the ground,” Batton said. “We’re not going to move to Mexico. We’re proud and honored to be here.”

To learn more about the Choctaw Nation Headquarters Building or other FSB Native American projects, contact Market Principal Jason Holuby at native@fsb-ae.com.

 

Heartland architect honored for ‘Outstanding Project’

FSB Arcitectural Engineers History heartland middle school 2015If you haven’t been in Edmond Public Schools’ Heartland Middle School, you’re missing out on seeing a specially-designed school. Its architect, Frankfurt-Short-Bruza, has received an Outstanding Project award for excellence in educational facility design for spring 2017 from Learning By Design magazine.

The award took in the school’s overall plan, the architectural design and its attributes worthy of imitation.

A jury of architects from Learning By Design commended FSB for its success in designing Heartland Middle School. They used six criteria in their selection: innovation, community need, interior design, sustainability, functional design and 21st Century Learning.

A jury comment included, “Spaces are inviting to students with flexibility for different learners and activities.”

What makes Heartland unique?

Built with an abundance of natural elements and state-of-the art safety and technology, Heartland Middle School is designed to encourage collaboration, exploration and discovery. The facility shares the site with Frontier Elementary, forming a campus approach to learning.

Among Heartland’s many unique features are the numerous collaboration areas. The two-story “learning stairs” and the outdoor courtyard and amphitheater offer students an assembly and presentation space. Grade levels are divided into wings and the wings into six “neighborhoods” — with each wing having its own color scheme. Many classrooms have a pivoting wall that can be used for flexible learning space opportunities. In addition, special needs students have their own suite in the school, complete with a safe room that is separate from the majority of the students.

Family & Consumer Science Room

Heartland’s elective class offerings are located in a wing unto itself, and school personnel are especially excited about the arts programs.

eps heartland middle school interior classroom arts edmond ok“We have accomplished educators leading our vocal music, band, orchestra, drama and visual arts classes,” a spokesperson said. “Our elective wing also features our FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences), Around the World, Enrichment, Tech Lit, and the Gateway to Technology spaces. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are celebrated and encouraged here!

“Our Gateway to Technology program features aspects of architectural engineering, avionics, robotics, and various other technologies. The school also boasts a dynamic media center with an integrated computer and a STEM Studio.

For students’ physical education, the building will have a competition gymnasium for different indoor sports activities. A practice gymnasium is also available for student activities and will double as a safe room sized for the building occupancy in the event of a security or weather emergency.

Heartland also includes competition baseball and softball fields, and practice amenities for track, football and tennis. Heartland also features a full complement of extra-curricular athletic programs including football, cross country, softball, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball. tennis, golf, and track. Students can join athletic teams once they are in the seventh grade.

The spokesperson said, “Heartland Middle School is truly a model of what school design can be and a showpiece for Edmond Public Schools.”

Design-Build? Design-Bid-Build? Construction Manager At Risk?: Choosing the Right Approach to Your Next Project

Before cement mixers pour concrete, engineers configure HVAC systems or architects create renderings, building owners must first determine what type of contractual arrangements they will enter into with their architecture firm and construction company. These legal agreements, called project delivery methods, are every project’s roadmap for the roles, relationships and levels of involvement between owner, architect and contractor.

“Owners who are more experienced in the design and construction process already have an introduction to some of these methods, and they may have developed preferences,” said FSB Senior Principal Fred Schmidt. “Less familiar owners will often need some guidance.”

FSB Education Market Principal Fred Schmidt engages stakeholders in a design workshop.

Schmidt, who’s taught architecture students about project delivery methods as an adjunct professor at the University of Oklahoma, said he was proud of FSB’s ability and belief in walking clients through the different delivery method options and to help them understand how each would apply to their projects. The firm is always available to help make recommendations about which method would be the right fit, taking into account a project’s scope, schedule and budget. They also encourage clients to work with an attorney during this process.

“At FSB, we know how to play each one of those games,” Schmidt said. “One method might be more like soccer, and another more like basketball, and so on. That’s an exaggeration, but as an architect you really need to know how to ‘play’ in each delivery method, to understand the rules and your role, and to help make the most beneficial decision for the owner.”

Take for example Design-Bid-Build, a popular delivery method for owners looking to manage cost through a competitive contractor bidding process. The owner enters into the contract with the architect first. Once the design is finalized, construction companies bid for the work and the job is awarded to the lowest bidder.

Since the construction contractor doesn’t engage in the project until the architectural decisions are finalized, there is a huge importance placed on the architect’s production of highly detailed construction documents.

“For Design-Bid-Build, there is an understanding that as the architect we leave no stone unturned in our construction documents,” Schmidt said. “We have an obligation to the owner to be extremely accurate because the contractors base their bids on these documents. If we miss something, the contractor will say ‘It wasn’t in your drawings, so it wasn’t in my bid.’”
For owners with budget-driven priorities, Design-Bid-Build projects are an attractive option. Civic clients like municipalities and counties often favor this delivery method. The downside, Schmidt said, is that owners don’t evaluate the contractor because the lowest bidder automatically wins.

“If the owner says, ‘I absolutely want the most competitive price possible,’ you’re going to do Design-Bid-Build,” Schmidt said. “Contactors sharpen their pencils and it can be very competitive, particularly in a highly sought-after project.”

Contrast this with the Construction Manager At Risk delivery method, where the contractor joins the project much earlier — during the design phase.

“It can be handy to get a contractor on board earlier to guide construction-related decisions,” Schmidt said. “When the contractor is good, this makes for a smoother construction process because you can fine-tune the plan together before you start building.”

Contractors have expertise in cost-estimating, scheduling and constructability that can be valuable to incorporate into the design. They can suggest modifications that might use materials more economically, or shorten the construction schedule.

“This adds an extra layer of quality assurance from an entirely different perspective,” Schmidt said.

This delivery method also minimizes the need for excessive detail from architects in construction documents. During the design process, contractors can provide feedback about which parts might be difficult to build and help architects prioritize and focus their efforts. Those owners who prioritize a tightly orchestrated construction schedule and an efficient design process might prefer Construction Manager At Risk. Owners hand-pick both contractors and architects by interviewing and considering experience and qualifications, and they hold contracts with each.

For extremely complex projects requiring high-quality construction, owners might opt for a Design-Build delivery method. Here, the owner selects architect-contractor teams and holds only one contract, with the contractor. Architect and contractor are involved from the project’s inception. Ideally, they will work closely with each other and with their subcontractors from defining the project on through the building’s completion. For this reason, Design-Build also lends itself to accommodating challenging schedules.

Far from competing for the most competitive, lowest bid, in Design-Build contractors carefully select skilled subcontractors to deliver the quality of construction the client needs.

“There are smaller projects where this method would simply be overkill, and not cost-effective,” Schmidt said. “Owners choose Design-Build when they want to hand-pick their architect and engineering team, prioritize quality and carefully manage the timeline. And sometimes they prefer a single point of contact.”

Schmidt said the firm carefully researches and considers a potential contractor before teaming for a Design-Build project. To be competitive, both the contractor and architect must impress the owner. And, the architect relies heavily on its working relationship with the contractor throughout the project.

FSB places a strong emphasis on counseling its clients about how Design-Bid-Build, Construction Manager At Risk, Design-Build and other project delivery methods might fit their priorities. Because the firm has worked countless times under each arrangement, FSB clients have come to expect a high level of expertise and familiarity, no matter which delivery method best suits their project.