The Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) has announced the 2014 Project of the Year and National Award of Excellence winners.
The Denver Union Station Transit Improvement Project has been bestowed with DBIA's highest honor, Project of the Year, with Agua Nueva, Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Henry M. Jackson Federal Building Modernization, and the San Diego International Airport Terminal 2 and Airside Expansion projects being specially recognized for excellence in the critical areas of design, process and teaming.
"This year's award competition was the most rigorous to date with a greater emphasis on best practices and teamwork, as well as the successful delivery of the project," says Lisa Washington, CAE, DBIA's Executive Director/CEO.
Recognized for exemplary collaboration and integration in design-build project delivery, the award-winning projects were evaluated by a distinguished panel of industry experts. This year, 25 projects in nine categories were awarded National Awards of Merit.
One project in each of the nine categories was then considered for best in category as a National Award of Excellence winner along with Excellence in Design, Process and Teaming awards and Project of the Year. The selected projects showcase design-build best practices, in addition to achieving budget and schedule goals and exceeding owner expectations. All photos courtesy of DBIA.
DBIA 2014 Project of the Year – Denver Union Station Transit Improvements Project
(pictured above)
The Denver Union Station Transit Improvements Project transformed 20 acres of blighted former rail yards into the vibrant centerpiece of a bustling downtown Denver, anchoring and facilitating connections between the region's transit system with all modes of public transit: an iconic, eight-track commuter rail train hall, new light-rail station and an airy, airport-like underground bus concourse with 22 bays for regional and commercial bus service. At $374.8 million and spanning 20 acres and seven city blocks, it is the largest multimodal project to seek LEED Silver certification from the USGBC. The project is a Public-Private Partnership (P3) successfully delivered under a design-build contract model.
The Project of the Year team includes: Owner: Denver Union Station Project Authority; Design-Builder, Construction Manager: Kiewit; Architect: Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill LLP; Engineer: AECOM; BIM Specialist/Construction: Legacy Mechanical Inc.; and Specialty Consultant: Hargreaves Associates.
"The remarkable Denver Union Station Project is a shining example of what can be accomplished through Design-Build Done Right," says Lisa Washington. "The project team truly took integrated project delivery to the next level by releasing design packages in alignment with construction activities, embedding lead architects and engineers in the contractors' offices and through weekly owner/architect/contractor meetings to ensure key decision-makers were frequently engaged. We could not be more proud to present this prestigious award to the Denver Union Station Project Authority and the entire project team as DBIA's 2014 Design-Build Project of the Year."
DBIA 2014 Excellence in Design – Golisano Institute for Sustainability and the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse
The Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, N.Y., wanted a signature building that would serve as a living laboratory for scientific discovery and experimental learning that could serve as the Western Gateway to RIT. The result is an 84,000-square-foot complex, comprised of a four-story research and three-story academic and office building connected by a four-story galleria. It houses laboratories, classrooms and office space, with high-performance design features that make it a living laboratory of sustainability. The Golisano Institute is among the first in the world to offer a Ph.D. program in sustainability.
The Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse was delivered through a unique Public-Private Partnership and is the first social infrastructure project in the United States procured under the principles of Performance-Based Infrastructure contracting. Constructed in downtown Long Beach, Calf., the design-build team successfully delivered the spectacular 545,000-square-foot courthouse and 399,000-square-foot parking facility 11 days ahead of schedule.
DBIA 2014 Excellence in Process – Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility
The Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department embarked on the largest capital program in its history, which includes the $172 million Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility in Tucson, Ariz. The 32-million-gallon-per-day facility produces A+ quality effluent and features state-of-the-art odor control technology. Key challenges were meeting stringent contractual/permit effluent requirements and compliance schedules, coordinating shutdown of the old facility with Agua Nueva startup, maintaining strong coordination with other projects and optimizing capital and life-cycle costs.
DBIA 2014 Excellence in Teaming – Henry M. Jackson Federal Building Modernization
The Henry M. Jackson Federal Building modernization in Seattle, Wash., served to reduce the building's energy consumption by 30 percent, increase the Energy Star score to 97 and achieve a LEED-EB Silver certification from the USGBC through multiple energy-related scopes. After shortlisting to three firms, cost and schedule were fixed to enable the teams to focus on innovative solutions to energy savings. To ensure accountability, the GSA used a performance guarantee that included one year of monitoring the Energy Use Intensity against goals established by the design-build teams, for which $1.8 million was held as retention.
DBIA 2014 National Award of Excellence by Category winners are:
• Aviation – The San Diego International Airport Terminal 2 and Airside Expansion, San Diego, Calif.
• Civic – FY11 228 PN UEPH Schofield Barracks, Fort Shafter, Oahu, Hawaii
• Commercial/Office – Wendell August, Grove City, Pa.
• Education – Golisano Institute for Sustainability Research Building, Rochester, N.Y.
• Healthcare – California Health Care Facility Stockton, Stockton, Calif.
• Industrial/Process/Research – Rolls-Royce Advanced Aerofoil Machining Facility, Prince George County, Va.
• Rehabilitation/Renovation/Restoration – Henry M. Jackson Federal Building Modernization, Seattle, Wash.
• Transportation – Denver Union Station Transit Improvements, Denver, Colo.
• Water/Wastewater - Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility, Tucson, Ariz.
Related Stories
Architects | Apr 10, 2023
Bill Hellmuth, FAIA, Chairman and CEO of HOK, dies at 69
William (Bill) Hellmuth, FAIA, the Chairman and CEO of HOK, passed away on April 6, 2023, after a long illness. Hellmuth designed dozens of award-winning buildings across the globe, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters and the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.
Contractors | Apr 10, 2023
What makes prefabrication work? Factors every construction project should consider
There are many factors requiring careful consideration when determining whether a project is a good fit for prefabrication. JE Dunn’s Brian Burkett breaks down the most important considerations.
Mixed-Use | Apr 7, 2023
New Nashville mixed-use high-rise features curved, stepped massing and wellness focus
Construction recently started on 5 City Blvd, a new 15-story office and mixed-use building in Nashville, Tenn. Located on a uniquely shaped site, the 730,000-sf structure features curved, stepped massing and amenities with a focus on wellness.
Smart Buildings | Apr 7, 2023
Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy
A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building. The light-switch-size devices, capable of measuring 12 types of data including motion and sound, were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building.
Affordable Housing | Apr 7, 2023
Florida’s affordable housing law expected to fuel multifamily residential projects
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed into law affordable housing legislation that includes $711 million for housing programs and tax breaks for developers. The new law will supersede local governments’ zoning, density, and height requirements.
Energy Efficiency | Apr 7, 2023
Department of Energy makes $1 billion available for states, local governments to upgrade building codes
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering funding to help state and local governments upgrade their building codes to boost energy efficiency. The funding will support improved building codes that reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, according to DOE.
Steel Buildings | Apr 6, 2023
2023 AISC Forge Prize winner envisions the gas station of the future
Forge Prize winner LVL (Level) Studio envisions a place where motorists can relax, work, play, shop, or perhaps even get healthcare while their vehicles charge.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
New tool from Perkins&Will will make public health data more accessible to designers and architects
Called PRECEDE, the dashboard is an open-source tool developed by Perkins&Will that draws on federal data to identify and assess community health priorities within the U.S. by location. The firm was recently awarded a $30,000 ASID Foundation Grant to enhance the tool.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design
The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.
Market Data | Apr 6, 2023
JLL’s 2023 Construction Outlook foresees growth tempered by cost increases
The easing of supply chain snags for some product categories, and the dispensing with global COVID measures, have returned the North American construction sector to a sense of normal. However, that return is proving to be complicated, with the construction industry remaining exceptionally busy at a time when labor and materials cost inflation continues to put pricing pressure on projects, leading to caution in anticipation of a possible downturn. That’s the prognosis of JLL’s just-released 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook.
