Coke Drum Replacement Project
Chevron and Nooter Construction was recognized for Zero Accidents Techniques and constructability for the replacement of the six drum Coker unit at the El Segundo, CA refinery. The project involved removal and replacement of the drums with the execution of two 500 ton lists and twelve 300 ton lifts, using one of the world’s largest cranes.
Safety was critical. The project was executed without a single lost time injury for the project encompassing 230,000 man-hours. These man-hours have helped Nooter achieve 21,800,000 overall without a lost time injury. Elements of the safety program driven by management commitment included pre-task safety planning, specialized foreman training, site audits, 100 percent tie-offs at all times, tethering of every tool and full time safety supervisors on site during all shifts.
University Business School Expansion
Tarlton and Washington University shared honors with their project team for the $90 million expansion of the Olin Business School in St. Louis, MO. Materials Management and Front End Planning were among the best practices employed.
The project team plotted the critical project time line and coordinated the storage of materials for a tight site surrounded by campus buildings and traffic. The intensive schedule included demolishing an older building, excavating a basement and constructing new buildings in only 20 months, all on an occupied college campus. The general contractor worked with subcontractors to pre-purchase mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural packages months ahead of the project. This included fabrication of the structural steel frame and pre-casting of concrete to be erected simultaneously by the two tower cranes. Employed the just-in-time delivery process, pre-fabricated materials were transported from off-site for use in construction. Stone from the demolished building was painstaking numbered and removed for re-use. With the fast track schedule, the project was completed within budget with early turnover of two full floors to facilitate early move-in by the owner.
School Facility Replacement
Change Management and Front End Planning were critical Best Practices employed on the $40 million project to replace the 50 year old classrooms of the Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School in St. Louis. Northstar Management served as the Owner’s Representative to manage the design and construction.
The Change Management plan included weekly project update meetings with representatives of the project team, starting with schematic design through to substantial completion. When a change was identified, the design team issued a change request with the description and sketches and the contractor responded with a detailed cost summary together with qualifications and time line impacts which were then presented to the Owner for approval. The detailed Contractor Change Order log tracked all changes which provided the Owner with regular updates for the Board of Directors.
Replacement Hospital
The replacement hospital for St. Mary’s Health Center in Jefferson City, MO was constructed through a collaborative effort of SSM HealthCare, Alberici, Northstar Management, and the Lawrence Group architects. Best Practices of Partnering and Materials Management were used on the $150 million project.
Based on the success of previous projects, the Owner decided to use Partnering prior to selection of both the design and construction teams and used the Lean Construction approach to formalize the partnership. Major specialty contractors were also selected early and involved in a transparent and trusting process for design and construction. This collaborative partnering relationship created a positive impact on the project cost, schedule and safety performance. Metrics were captured with a dash board in a completely open-book fashion for a project completed 2 months ahead of schedule.
There are fifteen best practices which have been validated by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) to provide savings in cost and schedule. Validation is based on results from projects throughout the country. The CII is recognized as a principal construction industry forum for improving the business effectiveness and sustainability of capital facilities.
The St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers (SLCCC) is the owner organization representing major buyers of construction. SLCCC serves as the owners&’ voice for design and construction to champion the promotion of project delivery best practices through education, information dissemination and collaboration.
