The new Central Utility Plant (CUP) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) reached a major construction milestone when construction workers placed the final structural steel beam atop the building’s frame on January 24, 2012. Currently on schedule for construction completion in summer 2014, the $438 million (development cost) design-build project is being built by Clark/McCarthy, A Joint Venture.
In just four weeks, construction workers from Schuff Steel used a Manitowoc 999 Lattice-boom crawler crane with a reach of 140 feet to erect 1,400 tons of structural steel, creating the frame for the new CUP. An audience of approximately 300 project stakeholders and construction workers celebrated the ‘topping out’ during a ceremony held near the construction site. As a part of the event, attendees signed the final I-beam adorned with an American flag and an evergreen tree. The beam was then lifted 75 feet high and attached to the top of the structure. he tree represents growth, life and good luck for the construction workers and the building’s future occupants. The flag is displayed as a patriotic symbol that signifies the united effort by the project team to achieve a common goal.
The 70,000-square-foot facility has a steel frame that weighs in excess of 1,400 tons, or 40 pounds per square foot—about 30% higher than an OSHPD hospital in California.
The new CUP is being built to replace the existing 50-year old facility with a modern; state-of-the-art, computer managed utility plant providing enhanced passenger comfort and reliability of utility service and safety within the newly renovated modernized terminals at LAX. The existing CUP will service the airport throughout construction. Upon project completion, the replacement will be brought on-line and the old CUP will be decommissioned and demolished.
Serving as general contractor for the project, Clark/McCarthy’s contract includes demolition of the existing 50-year-old CUP as well as construction of a new 64,000-square-foot, steel-framed replacement CUP with a 20,000-ton cooling capacity. The project also entails the installation of associated equipment, such as a stand-by boiler, primary and secondary chilled water pumps, cooling towers, electrical systems and switchgear.
A new maintenance shop and offices and an above-grade thermal energy storage tank with capacity for 1.6 million gallons of water and 15,500 ton-hours of cooling is also being built. Other work includes: replacement of approximately 18 miles of pipe and duct bank that service the entire Central Terminal Area (CTA) with utility distribution, electrical and communications systems as well as reclaimed water, fire water and potable water systems; installation of several miles of new distribution piping throughout the CTA and beneath existing main entrance roadways throughout the airport; and an upgrade of pump rooms and air handling equipment in 21 different locations within all terminals, administrative buildings and the LAX Theme Building.
Systems and their components for the new CUP were designed and constructed to achieve LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Clark/McCarthy, A Joint Venture is a joint venture between Clark Construction Group and McCarthy Building Companies. Additional project partners include: Gruen Associates, Los Angeles, architect; Arup, Los Angeles, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and commissioning engineer; Capital Engineering Consultants, Rancho Cordova, Calif., mechanical consultant; Greenform, Los Angeles, sustainability consultant; and PID Engineering, San Diego, cogeneration consultant. BD+C
Related Stories
| Jun 1, 2012
Robert Wilson joins SmithGroupJJR
Wilson makes the move to SmithGroupJJR from VOA Associates, Inc., where he served as a senior vice president and technical director in its Chicago office.
| Jun 1, 2012
Gilbane Building's Sue Klawans promoted
Industry veteran tasked with boosting project efficiency and driving customer satisfaction, to direct operational excellence efforts.
| Jun 1, 2012
Ground broken for Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus
Children’s Hospital Colorado expects to host nearly 80,000 patient visits at the South Campus during its first year.
| Jun 1, 2012
K-State Olathe Innovation Campus receives LEED Silver
Aspects of the design included a curtain wall and punched openings allowing natural light deep into the building, regional materials were used, which minimized the need for heavy hauling, and much of the final material included pre and post-consumer recycled content.
| Jun 1, 2012
New York City Department of Buildings approves 3D BIM site safety plans
3D BIM site safety plans enable building inspectors to take virtual tours of construction projects and review them in real-time on site.
| May 31, 2012
Product Solutions June 2012
Curing agents; commercial faucets; wall-cladding systems.
| May 31, 2012
8 steps to a successful BIM marketing program
It's not enough to have BIM capability--you have to know how to sell your BIM expertise to clients and prospects.
| May 31, 2012
3 Metal Roofing Case Studies Illustrate Benefits
Metal roofing systems offer values such as longevity, favorable life cycle costs, and heightened aesthetic appeal.
| May 31, 2012
AIA Course: High-Efficiency Plumbing Systems for Commercial and Institutional Buildings
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| May 31, 2012
2011 Reconstruction Award Profile: Seegers Student Union at Muhlenberg College
Seegers Student Union at Muhlenberg College has been reconstructed to serve as the core of social life on campus.