Project Scope

Design & construction of a new maintenance shop building and renovation and upgrade of the existing shop building.

Project Description

The new Flagstaff County Maintenance Shop is a 32,000ft² precast concrete structure that provides a safe, durable and energy efficient space for the repair and maintenance of the County’s fleet of heavy equipment and vehicles. The building contains five 110 ft long heavy‐ duty repair bays, a welding bay and a wash bay. The north side of the building houses the administrative offices as well as a parts area, tool crib, locker/change room, washrooms and a training classroom. The project involved the assessment of the County’s current and future requirements and the establishment a functional program to meet those needs. The facility was constructed using the design‐build delivery method.

Project Scope

As part of the Didsbury Maintenance Shop Needs Assessment, we identified a lack of shop space for graders working routes on the east side of the County. Each day, graders or equipment working east of Highway QE2 would have to travel to and from the shop in Didsbury to reach their work areas, unlike other areas of the County where there were satellite shops for equipment storage. The project involved the construction of a new 3,850 ft² pre-engineered building and related site development, including a new water well, sanitary holding tanks and installation of electrical, gas and telephone services. The site was also prepared to accommodate a future salt/sand storage building.

Scope of Project

In 2014, cracks were found in the refrigerated ice surface slab at the Winfield Arena. Although not critical at first, these cracks eventually resulted in breaks occurring in the brine cooling lines in the slab which impacted the ability to maintain the ice surface in a number of areas and prompted the decision to construct a new ice surface in the arena. The scope of work included excavation and replacement of unsuitable materials under the slab, installation of a new weeping tile and sump pump system, installation of new heat floor under the slab that utilizes rejection heat from the ice plant operation and installation of a new dasher board system for the arena.

Responsibilities

RPM was engaged by Wetaskiwin County as the Prime Consultant. We completed the design drawings and specifications used for the tender, in addition to being responsible for the management of the scope, budget and schedule.  During the construction phase we were responsible for review of contractor shop drawings and the coordination & management of QA testing.

Innovation

Due to the distance of the project site from the office, we anticipated that contractor requested inspections may be difficult to schedule on short notice. Although the contractor would take photos of the work as the proceeded, we added two construction cameras mounted on the walls that were programmed to take a photo every 5 minutes to provide documentation and provide an alternate means of inspection for the site.

Scope of Project

Design and construction of a 12,000 sq. ft., nine-bay Fire Station and 10,000 sq. ft. headquarters building including fire department administration offices, meeting rooms and training areas. Project is  LEED Silver certified. Construction of the facility allowed for additional emergency response coverage as well as the consolidation of the Emergency Services Department administration in one building.

Responsibilities

RPM provided overall project management, including schedule, budget and scope management for the entire project and fit out of the building at occupancy.  We managed the consulting teams and contractors, including quality assurance and change management from design phase to final acceptance.  RPM also oversaw the LEED process and facility commissioning.

Project Highlights

Station 6 brings together an active fire station, training facilities, fire investigation services and administration into a single multipurpose LEED-Silver-certified sustainable facility. The project had a phased occupancy which provided a number of challenges to complete the construction while working around an active (and busy) fire station.

The architecture of the building pays homage to traditional brick fire halls with arched openings for the bi-fold bay doors. The building features three-story brass fire poles that provide rapid access from the dorms to the apparatus bays, as well an art piece specifically commissioned and included in the design of the site:  a 16-foot fibreglass Dalmatian named Sadie!

Scope of Project

The Lions Club of Ponoka discovered that the concrete slab in the bus garage had cracked and was settling. A hole had been drilled in the corner of the slab and a section of rebar was used to probe the space under the slab. It was found that there was a substantial void under the slab.  In addition, the exterior metal cladding on the building was buckling. The intent of the review was to determine the nature of the conditions and determine a means to correct the issues.

Responsibilities

RPM Consulting completed an inspection of the facility including the crawlspace under the building. Based upon the inspection a report was issued to the Town with the inspection results, proposed corrective actions and cost estimates to complete the work. RPM was further retained to procure the required specialty contractors and oversee the work.

Scope of Project

RPM Consulting was hired to review and report on the existing condition of the Ponoka Aquaplex.  This FCA included viewing and evaluation of building components, including structural, building envelope, roofing, mechanical, and electrical elements, architectural interior finishes, and life safety systems, as well as an inspection of the general condition of the area around the building including surface drainage, sidewalks, landscaping and parking areas. A comprehensive review of the roofing system was also conducted in order to provide recommendations on rehabilitation or replacement as it was identified as being beyond its expected life.

Responsibilities

Based upon the review, RPM developed an assessment of the conditions of the above noted components and provided a written report. An important part of the report was to provide recommendations in support of three operational scenarios: i) do nothing, ii) continue operation for 5-10 years, or iii) continue operation for more than 10 years. The completed Facility Condition Assessment report is being used in support of, and in conjunction with the Town of Ponoka’s Recreation Master Plan, to determine the time frame of when the Aquaplex may be replaced.

Project Notes

Facility Condition Assessments are generally used to determine the health of a facility and determine what work is required to keep the facility operating. In this case, the report was used to support the time frame that was most optimal for construction of a new facility.

Scope of Project

The Nisku Spine Road is located within the Nisku Industrial Business Park, the largest business park in Canada and the second largest in North America. Phase 1Ai of the project between 37th Avenue and 30th Avenue / Township Road 510 is intended as the first step in a critical link from the City of Edmonton

The scope of work included 3300m of 450mm water main, construction of 1.9 km of new 4 lane paved roadway, realignment and reconstruction of 600m of existing roadway along 30^th, a new signalized intersection, and a new stormwater outfall to Irvine Creek. Coordination with external Utility companies was also required to facilitate the relocation of power lines, natural gas service mains and telecommunication fibre optic lines.

Responsibilities

The Nisku Spine Road project represents the single largest value capital project undertaken by Leduc County in its history. In order to provide additional resources and expertise, the County contracted RPM Consulting Services to provide overall Project Management including:

• Coordination with external Utility providers for Utility relocations
• Provide input, review and support Road Right of Way acquisition by the County
• Perform ongoing risk analysis and development of risk management options and strategies
• Manage and coordinate Site Inspector and Design Engineers during construction to ensure Leduc County expectations and contract requirements were met

Innovative Practices

Due to the number of risks and issues related to the construction that were identified in the planning phase., RPM Consulting proposed the use of an alternative procurement model In an effort to mitigate these risks. The Best Value Business Model (BVBM) developed by Arizona State University (ASU) addressed many of the key issues that were identified and had the potential to increase the overall success of the project.

Click here for more information on the use of BVBM on this project.

Overall, the use of the Best Value Business Model resulted in a high level of satisfaction for the client, consultants and contractor. Through the process, the County reduced proposal evaluation time by 75%, implemented a pre-planning clarification and team-alignment phase, and created a project performance-measurement system. The County found that the main advantage of the process was its ability to simplify contractor selection through the alignment of project expertise. This also had a direct affect upon the elimination of contractor-driven change orders and potential project delays.

The project received the Alberta Transportation Ministers Award for Excellence in Construction Innovation

Scope of Project

The New Sarepta Multiplex was established in 1972 and has undergone a series of renovations since its initial construction. The facility expansion and renovations completed in June 2014 benefited the entire community, opening up new recreation opportunities for seniors groups, hockey clubs and community groups.

The project included the design and construction of new change rooms and Zamboni room for the existing hockey arena as well as the construction of an addition to house a new gymnasium, seniors’ centre, banquet facilities, offices for Leduc County Family and Community Services, New Sarepta & District Agricultural Society,  lease space for Servus Credit Union and a fitness facility

Responsibilities

RPM was responsible for managing the complete project including schedule, budget and scope.  This included overseeing the design / build team from schematic design to project completion including review during design to ensure project remained within budget. During construction we provide site inspections and provided contract administration to manage the change process and verification/validation of work completed onsite. The entire project required ongoing communication and coordination with Leduc County and the Agricultural Society to ensure the project met the various needs of the community and remained on time and on budget.

Project Highlights

Work on the arena was scheduled in order to minimize disruption to users of the arena. Due to the budget and schedule constraints a hybrid design/build construction management delivery method was developed and utilized with great success.

The New Sarepta arena is a frameless steel building that relies on the steel skin to provide the structural integrity. In order to attach the new change rooms to the side of the building, scaffolding that covered the entire ice surface had to be erected to support the building before an opening could be cut into it

Scope of Project

The Leduc County Community Operations Centre expansion was a multi-departmental initiative to expand the existing Agricultural Services facility within the constraints of the current site.  Funding approval from County Council required that the expanded facility be able to accommodate the needs of the multiple departments for the next 10 years. The project involved the addition of 3300 sq.ft of office space as well as 23,000 sq.ft of new shop space, serving Agricultural Services, Parks and Recreation, Enforcement Services, Fire Services, Public Works & Utilities.

Responsibilities

RPM worked with the County to complete a needs assessment which we then translated into a functional plan.  This plan was used to procure design-build services for the delivery of the project.  RPM provided oversight through the procurement phase, including completing the evaluations of the proponent proposals and recommending award of the contract.  We also worked closely with the County on issuing a borrowing bylaw and subsequent debenture to finance the project. RPM provided coordination, review and input during design phase and contract administration during construction.  Leduc County also utilized our knowledge and experience for the fit out and occupancy planning to ensure new furniture and key pieces of equipment were in place at move in.  In addition, RPM completed an assessment for a proposed solar PV system on the building as well as securing grant funding for the project through the TAME+ program for energy upgrades.

Project Challenges

The operation of the Agricultural Services and Enforcement departments had to be maintained during the construction period, including providing public access to these services.  Their operations utilized a section of the existing building, separated by fencing from construction.  Staff who interacted with the public were moved into a temporary office trailer in the parking lot. These provisions allowed the construction site to be isolated from the operational and public areas and ensured a safe site for everyone.

Scope of Project

Mountain View County undertook this study of the Didsbury Maintenance Shop to determine the needs of the Operational Services and Agricultural Services departments and develop a broad strategic direction for the facility that would meet the County’s functional needs in both the short and long term.

Input from the facility user groups was gathered during a workshop and correlated with the County Strategic Plan, individual stakeholder departments’ business plans, facility condition assessments, functional conditional assessment and environmental reports to develop recommendations for the future of the Didsbury Maintenance Shop facility.

Responsibilities

RPM Consulting developed a framework in which the review would be conducted, gathered the required reports & data and conducted staff interviews, stakeholder workshops and user surveys. We compiled and analyzed the data, then produced options for Council review that included phasing, scheduling and cost estimates.

RPM Success Story

Through the review process, RPM helped identify a gap in the existing operational coverage.  In addition to the original goal, we provided recommendations that would provide enhanced coverage, improved service levels and increased efficiency for County rate payers.  This led to the subsequent construction of the East Equipment Shop.