Calif. Company named Region’s MilCon Contractor of the Year
By Jason Nino

The Army Corps of Engineers recognized W.E. O’Neil Construction Company as South Pacific Division’s Military Construction Contractor of the Year for its exceptional performance on the Joint Strike Fighter Facility, Phases I and II, at Edwards AFB, Calif.

“From the numerous stages and construction of the design and build package to the end of the assignment, W.E. O’Neil demonstrated the highest level of quality and responsiveness on this demanding high-profile project,” said Harold Hartman, who is in charge of the district’s Southern California Area Office in Palmdale, Calif.  “Responsive to all the needs of the Joint Strike Fighter Facility, they were in control of the demands put on them.”

According to Hartman, the company posted an excellent safety record on the project, with zero lost-time accidents.  Despite a limited amount of time to work on the project, the company completed the facility three months ahead of schedule, said Hartman.

In the award nomination, then District Commander Col. Alex C. Dornstauder said the company’s ability to communicate effectively with the Corps and the command was the key to its success on the project.

“They fully embraced the formal partnering concept, which is a factor of the design/build procedure,” he said.

There were many aspects which gave the project the ‘extensive nature’ it had, said John Smock, resident engineer at Edwards AFB.

“One of these was budget cuts,” said Smock. “Another was the high expectations of the command and visibility for the handling of the project.”

Dornstauder said the company clearly understood and worked through the constraints of the project and even performed beyond expectations.

“W.E. O’Neil continued to help, even though the project was complete,” said Dornstauder. “They continued to support the end users with advice and information.”

Thinking Green:  Corps incorporates conservation into new construction on Davis-Monthan AFB
By Sherrie Stewart

Brian Childers, Project Engineer at the Tucson Resident Office, goes over the pre-final inspection with Robert Bertling, Project Manager for Au Authum Ki, for the new 49,000 square-foot structure on Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Ariz. The building, at a cost of almost $8.2 million, will be the new home of the 48th Combat Search and Rescue Squadron.

“The contractor filled every third cell of the exterior walls with concrete and steel rebar,” said Brian Childers, Corps project engineer at the Tucson Resident Office.

“Formed insulation pellets were poured into any remaining cells. This process created a nearly solid wall construction with an estimated insulation value of R7.”

Atop the walls, the metal roof included a three-inch underlayment of an environmentally-upgraded insulation called “polyisocyanurate.” According to the Polyisocyanurate Manufacturers Association (PIMA), recent developments made this widely-used insulation material compliant to new EPA standards of implementing hydrocarbon-based blowing agents which have zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and virtually no Global Warming Potential (GWP). Being almost 100 percent recyclable, moisture and heat resistant made this material preferable to the designers.
 
“That brings the insulation factor for the roof to R20,” said William C. Thames Jr., Corps mechanical engineer from the Mobile District office.
 
The Squadron Operations building was constructed with an emphasis on security. Along this vein, only a minimum of windows were installed. The windows were constructed of two panes of tempered glass with a one-half inch air gap between the panes. These stationary windows with exterior bronze tinting to optimize light and heat reflection were designed to enhance the comfort of personnel while conserving energy in this desert environment.
 
A dual cooling system made up of a chiller and evaporative cooler units was installed to provide optimum cooling under contrasting conditions.  Designed to supply energy efficient cooling to enclosed areas, the chiller consists of a tower that cools a contained water flow piped throughout the building over which fans blow recirculated air to cool enclosed areas.  An evaporative cooler was installed to cool the equipment bay due to the necessity for open bay doors in this area of the building. Outside air drawn in over water soaked pads and blown into the open bay adapted well to the cooling needs in this area of the building.

“Systems are computer-controlled through the [energy-management and control system],” said Alton Pitre, HVAC Engineer from the Corps’ Phoenix Area Office. “Over the past few years, the efficiency has increased drastically. Units like the Trane chiller in this building are inherently more energy efficient and the added computer technology improves the capacity for energy savings.”
 
Another area where designers addressed energy savings was lighting.
 
“Electronic ballasts were used on all fluorescent lights,” said Henry Battaglia, Corps electrical design engineer from the Mobile District. “The older type electromagnetic ballasts use more energy and tend to decrease life on fluorescent tubes.”
 
In the equipment bay and other areas such as the aquatic equipment maintenance area, high pressure sodium lamps replaced the original hanging fluorescent fixtures. High pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, a member of the high intensity discharge lamp family, are the most efficient white light source commercially available today.  They were developed and introduced in 1968 for industrial and street light applications. Due to their high efficiency and long life, today’s HPS lamps are also suitable for many interior uses.
    
Extreme importance was placed on eliminating any carcinogens and other harmful substances from the construction.
 
“No PCBs were used in this building,” said Mary Matsumura, construction representative for the project from the Tucson office. “The remotely-controlled thermostats contain no mercury and no asbestos in either insulation or flooring. In this way, the Corps ensured a safer environment for personnel through incorporating recent, more safety-conscious technologies.”

The Corps incorporated new landscaping and plumbing designs in order to address water conservation. The use of gravel ground cover required no irrigation for landscaping which saves water. In recent years the trend toward rock or desert landscaping indicated a move toward more water-conscious designs.
 
Another area where new technology improved water savings is in the bathrooms for the facility. Heat-sensors were installed to trigger automatic flushing devices on the toilets.

“The automatic flushing toilets are utilized in the design, but use minimal power,” said Battaglia. “The water savings were more substantial than the electrical usage.”
 
These toilets use only 1.1 gallons per flush as compared to a standard three-gallon flush for older toilets. The heat sensors, also installed on the faucets, meter the use of water in the lavatories. Overall, these new plumbing technologies are estimated to conserve hundreds of gallons of water annually.

Through the Corps’ and contractor’s attention to so many environmentally sensitive and energy or water conservation areas, this new building met the silver standard for governmental construction. By implementing these technologies throughout the new facility, the 48th Squadron will soon enjoy a comfortable working environment.  In this way, the Corps exceeded the basic governmental construction standards, incorporated new, more efficient technologies, and ensured the building’s future functionality.

The Corps of Engineers contributes to the national defense mission by constructing projects on Army and Air Force installations worldwide that improve readiness and enhance the quality of life for military members and their families. Interested parties can learn more about the Los Angeles District at http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/

SAN DIEGO FIELD OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS SEPTEMBER 2007
By Greg Fuderer

District Commander Visits Oceanside Mayor, San Luis Rey River

At Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood’s office, District Commander Col. Thomas Magness IV discusses milestones for vegetation clearance in the San Luis Rey River. The colonel and Planning Chief Ruth Villalobos (right) describe the effects that meeting environmental regulations have on the river’s protection level and the Corps’ effort to expedite the permitting process to remove vegetation in order to meet maintenance and operations requirements.

At the Foussat Road bridge in Oceanside, Ruth Villalobos (hidden) describes the impacts that thick vegetation has on the San Luis Rey River’s ability to meet flood control design criteria. Listening are (left to right) Acting Regional Director for the California Department of Fish and Game Kevin Hunting, Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood, Corps project manager David Van Dorpe, Oceanside Director of Public Works Joe Arranaga and District Commander Col. Thomas Magness IV.

ResReg’s Tracy Talks Emergency Preparedness

Brian Tracy, Acting Chief of the District’s Reservoir Regulations Section, gives a presentation during Anaheim’s Disaster Preparedness Month Program. Tracy described the events that led to Prado’s construction and addressed emergency action procedures in place at Prado Dam and along the Santa Ana River. Tracy discussed planning safeguards that have been established that enhance coordination among federal, state and local agencies in response to emergency situations.

Ordnance Site Investigation Nears Completion

A work crew climbs a steep hill adjacent to State Road 52 in San Diego to begin a sweep for ordnance and debris at Mission Trails Regional Park. The crew is investigating the park as part of the Military Munitions Response Program that inspects for and removes ordnance that remains at former military installations and training areas. The Marine Corps used the area then known as Camp Elliott, which occupied nearly 30,500 acres, as a training center from 1917 until 1961, when they moved to Camp Pendleton. The military retained about half the area for what is now known as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The government sold the remainder of the property to real estate developers, private individuals and municipalities.