Late last month, the startup oncology company Umoja Biopharma and CRB Group, a sustainable AEC and consulting firm, started construction on the fitout of a 146,000-sf building in Louisville, Colo.
CRB, whose practices include Biotech, food and beverage, pharma, and Science + Technology, is transforming the existing building into highly flexible and scalable manufacturing, lab, office, and warehouse space. The design focuses on integrating LEED criteria and zero-carbon emissions to meet Umoja’s sustainability goals. The project is in two phases, and should be completed by October.
What makes this project different is the application of CRB’s ONEsolution delivery approach, where the firm—whose services include architecture, engineering, construction, and consultation—will take the fitout from its initial planning to operational readiness. CRB, with 18 offices in North America and two in Europe, espouses the principles of Integrated Project Delivery, and uses lean construction tools to align stakeholders on all aspects of the project.
ONEsolution is “key” to “creating a collaborative environment” with clients like Umoja, says Colton Konkak, CRB Group’s Colorado Market Team Leader, who spoke with BD+C last week about this project. He explains that the advantages of ONEsolution include early cost and scheduling certainty without any loss of design or construction integrity, “which is important for a startup.”
“Working closely with Umoja demonstrates their commitment to sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion, creativity, and fast project delivery,” says Konkak. “These commitments and goals unified our team members and allowed us to support rapidly changing technology.”
ITS CAST INCLUDES EXPERT EXTRAS
CRB’s M.O. is to hire industy experts as needed on projects. For example, on the Umoja fitout it brought in three local subs: Impact Mechanical for MEP engineering, Kenny Electric for electrical installation, and HTI Labs for laboratory case workstations. “We aren’t bashful, either, about handing over our documents to other AEC firms, to get a second opinion,” says Konkak.
On certain other projects, CRB is dipping its toe into modularization through its SlateXpace multimodal manufacturing system that provides even greater opportunities for speed to market, cost control, and adaptability. Currently it is working with Germfree, which specializes in providing modular biopharma cleanrooms.
Related Stories
Architects | May 9, 2017
Movers + Shapers: The social connector
Studio Gang gains fans with buildings that unite people and embrace the outside world.
Sponsored | Building Team | May 8, 2017
The builder is the building: Finding the right builder
The most important factor in making sure the where, when, what, and how go smoothly is making sure you pick the right who.
Architects | May 3, 2017
Avoiding trouble in paradise: Tips on building successfully in the Caribbean
The island setting itself is at the root of several of these disruptive assumptions.
Libraries | Apr 7, 2017
Eight recipients selected for the 2017 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards
Columbus Metropolitan Library, National Library of Latvia, and Varina Area Library were all honored by the AIA and ALA.
K-12 Schools | Apr 7, 2017
Is an alternative project delivery method right for your K-12 school district?
With California’s increasingly busy—and costly—construction market, it’s becoming more difficult to predict costs with a typical design-bid-build delivery method.
Market Data | Apr 6, 2017
Architecture marketing: 5 tools to measure success
We’ve identified five architecture marketing tools that will help your firm evaluate if it’s on the track to more leads, higher growth, and broader brand visibility.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 5, 2017
Informed design: A dynamic approach to athletic facilities design
With the completion of the athletic facility upgrade—dubbed the Arden Project—students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities.
Building Team | Apr 4, 2017
Dispelling five myths about post-occupancy evaluations
Many assume that post-occupancy (POE) is a clearly-defined term and concept, but the meaning of POE in practice remains wildly inconsistent.
Office Buildings | Apr 4, 2017
Amazon’s newest office building will be an ‘urban treehouse’
The building will provide 405,000 sf of office space in downtown Seattle.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 31, 2017
The cost of activating a new facility
Understanding the costs specifically related to activation is one of the keys to successfully occupying the new space you’ve worked so hard to create.