Beloit College Dirt Alert!
Welcome to the Beloit College "Dirt Alerts," our means of communicating with you as we prepare the campus of the future. We are currently preparing the infrastructure for the 100,000 square foot LEED certified, environmentally sustainable, Center for the Sciences to be constructed in the middle of what is presently Emerson Street. We are starting to build new roads and parking lots, removing retaining walls and light poles, and constructing six new tennis courts at the Strong Stadium complex.
Latest Dirt Alerts:
DIRT ALERT - February 22, 2008
On Valentine's Day, OSHA conducted an unannounced site inspection and did not find any safety violations. On a project of this size and complexity, this is a major accomplishment. Congratulations!
As you can see from the web camera, the brick work is now complete on the east end of the south tower. Work is underway on the west end of the south tower and will move to the west end of the north tower next. The masons are seeing if they can catch the pre-cast installation team, which is working its way eastward on the north tower.
As you have noticed if you have walked through Chamberlin, installation of windows on the south elevation is well underway. These are sophisticated double-pane, gas-filled, low-E window units designed to provide thermal insulation and control light levels. The subcontractor confirms that the windows in the offices at the east end of the building will be "operable" (an answer to one of the more common questions that I get!). The first set of stairs (SE corner) will arrive shortly, with glass installation for it and for the "bump out" features following. Initial work on the atrium glass will begin mid-March.
With most of the roof over the atrium now in place, the atrium is being heated and the plastic walls separating it from the towers have been removed, revealing spectacular views from any angle.
Drywall installation is moving up in the north tower, with taping and painting continuing in the south tower. Ceilings are being installed in the second and third levels of the south tower. Rooms are taking shape! With the first lab casework arriving next week, the goal is to have primer and one finish coat of paint on the walls, and the ceiling installed, before the casework goes in. A final finish coat of paint will be applied later.
Data and cable installation is progressing in the south tower. The building transformer will be hooked up over mid-term break, with plans underway to reduce considerably the number of buildings originally planned to be affected by the temporary outage. Bruce Hamilton will be coordinating the outage.
Plumbing work is progressing up in the north tower and in the basement mechanical room. Casework chase piping will begin shortly.
As of the end of January, the Madison Environmental Group reports that we have recycled 446 tons of material, 90.7% of the total taken off-site. The largest components of this total are asphalt (39%) and concrete (32%) removed during site preparation. When Chamberlin is taken down, the % recycled will rise significantly since almost everything left after we vacate the building will be reused or recycled.
DIRT ALERT - December 20, 2007
Drywall installation has progressed up to the third floor of the south wing. Precast panel installation will continue on the south wing for the next two weeks, while set-up for starting the brick work will take place in the next few days. Ducting across the atrium ceiling will start soon. The atrium stairs are all now in place and are being used for routine access between floors. Plumbing installation is progressing in the north tower, and electrical rough-in will move to the north tower shortly. Despite real challenges from the rain/ice/snow of recent weeks, the installation of the roof is about one quarter complete on the south tower and is progressing in order to keep the building dry.
Note: We will have a power outage in late January when the building transformer is tied in. It may affect the west side of campus for about 4 hours, if things go well. We will probably schedule it for a weekend and will give ample notice so that people can plan ahead.
The monthly recycling report from the Madison Environmental Group shows a 75% recycling rate for the month of November, bringing the project total to 95.4% for 405 tons thus far. Our goal is to maintain a recycling rate of better than 95% for the entire project, including the deconstruction of Chamberlin Hall, in order to obtain a "bonus point" for innovation for LEED certification. Drywall scrap recycling began in November, with the scrap going to Gypsum Recycling Inc. in Brooklyn, WI, where it is converted for use as animal bedding and as a soil amendment.
We have just received word from Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin's staff that the omnibus appropriations bill just passed and scheduled to be signed into law includes $195,000 for the building. Our original request was for audiovisual equipment and scientific instruments. The grant will be administered through the U.S. Department of Education.
DIRT ALERT - December 12, 2007
Installation of the precast panels is nearing completion on the south wall and will continue on around the exterior of the south tower.
Installation of the membrane roof will start December 10th, weather permitting.
The south tower is now completely enclosed, with temporary heating to keep it at 50 degrees. Much of the north tower is also enclosed, and work is progressing on enclosing the atrium. Plumbing and electrical rough-in are finishing in the south tower and beginning on the lower levels of the north tower, as is installation of the duct work. The electrical wire will start being pulled in early January.
The large tan box-like object that arrived early in the week and is now sitting near the trailer by the Field House is the emergency electrical generator. It will be installed on the roof in the coming week.
DIRT ALERT - November 29, 2007
In order to have Mayer Hall ready to operate as an independent building next fall, several changes are required: 1) an elevator, 2) handicapped-access bathrooms on the top floor, and 3) an enclosed passageway on the top floor through the current Ruth Peterson Room to the fire exit on the south side of the building.
In order to meet a very tight schedule, the plan is to start work on the third floor over the break between semesters, using the Ruth Peterson Room as swing space for offices that are displaced by the construction on the third floor, and eventually converting it into ISR work space. Construction of the elevator on the west side of the connector between Chamberlin and Mayer will begin in March. The connection between the buildings will be severed immediately after graduation, with completion of the project scheduled in time for the arrival of new students in August.
Throughout this process, we do not anticipate any significant interruption in the use of the Wood Room, Morgan Room, and Wilson Theatre, although construction will be going on near them at some times.
DIRT ALERT- November 27, 2007
The first load of precast panels has arrived and is being installed on the Center for the Sciences. Over the next several weeks, these will be installed around the basement and first level, followed by laying brick, which will continue through mid-February (thanks to scaffolding enclosed with plastic to provide heat for curing the mortar).
Roofing materials are also starting to arrive for the south tower, with the layout of the roof for telescopes and lighting underway.
Drywall installation is starting in the south tower now and will continue through February. Electrical layout is up to the third level of the south tower, while plumbing installation is now moving to the north tower.
DIRT ALERT- November 14, 2007
Plastic is being installed in all of the window openings of the Center for the Sciences in order to close up the building for work inside during the winter. The gas main will be hooked up next week so that gas heaters can provide temporary heat for the workers.
With the closing up of the building, the Klobucar/Findorff Indoor Air Quality management plan will come into effect to control moisture, odors, and dust. The plan includes proper scheduling for installation of various materials, housekeeping, source control, protection of HVAC equipment, and a program of education and documentation.
Vapor barriers are being installed around the window openings, and the application of a liquid vapor barrier to the exterior walls will start soon. Installation of the pre-cast panels on the lower levels will start next week, to be followed by the exterior brick walls.
The interior balconies are being poured, and the atrium roof will be poured next week. As you can see from outside the fence, the atrium stairs are being installed.
Steel stud framing is working its way up from the 3rd to the 4th level on the north tower, and plumbing is finishing in the south tower and starting on the north. Electrical installation is working its way up in the south tower. Duct installation is finishing in the south tower and moving to the north.
DIRT ALERT - November 6, 2007
Progress
Steel is being set for the atrium (Levels 3 and 4), and the atrium stairs, with steel for the west curtain wall to be set this coming week. Plumbing (Levels 1 and 2 South) , duct (Levels 3 and 4 South), and electrical work (Levels 1 and 2 South) continues. Concrete block walls in the basement and on the north roof are almost finished, with work on the precast panels and then bricks to follow. Wood blocking for the windows has begun, in anticipation of closing up the building for the colder weather.
Furniture
Beloit College representatives met with Phillip Deneau from Holabird & Root last Wednesday to go over options for room layouts and furniture selections. Copies of the all the materials are being distributing to each department, as well as a set of full-size plans that show the furniture arrangement for additional spaces.
LEED
Energy modeling for the building is nearing completion, with the best current estimate being a 33% reduction in energy use compared with a conventional building built to code (for 7 potential LEED points!). Design points should be submitted soon. (LEED now allows submission of design points for adjudication separately from construction points, which must follow completion of the project.)
Reuse/Recycling
A contract has been signed with Nodemart from Milwaukee to handle salvage of materials from Chamberlin Hall for sale on a contingency basis. They took the first load out of the Chamberlin basement on Thursday, filling the floor of large rental truck with equipment and pallets of boxes filled with small items. They will be back shortly for another load of easily moveable items, then will arrange the eventual removal of large items that will require a rigger and/or need to be coordinated with the deconstruction of Chamberlin.
DIRT ALERT - October 14, 2007
Faculty and Trustees who took advantage of the opportunity to walk through the 100 level of the building last Friday came away with a vivid impression of progress on what will be an impressive building. Just in time for the visit, the structural steel for the east entryway had been installed that day.
As you can see from outside the fence, the concrete block walls are being completed on the 300 level of the north wing, and work will start shortly on the 400 level. The first set of atrium stairs has been installed, as well as the metal channels for the 200 level balcony.
The concrete roof will be poured on Wednesday, October 17th. That leaves only some atrium walkways and its roof to be poured, which will happen once the rest of the stairs for the atrium have been installed. Installation of the ductwork, piping, and utility chase on the first two levels of the south wing is well underway, and the variable air volume (VAV) boxes will be installed on those levels starting next week.
The schedule shows us completing our job of packing up everything for the move (which some have already begun) following graduation next spring, with the actual moved scheduled to begin July 14th.
Kevin Coleman and Nicole Craig will be in Chamberlin all day on Monday, October 15th to assemble the detailed inventory of the contents that will need to be reused, donated, sold, or recycled as part of the move. An industrial salvage expert will be joining them for part of the time.
With the inventory in hand, they will then work with us to plan a schedule for the sale/donation of equipment and furnishings from Chamberlin.