Health Care with a View
Patients and guest will soon be able to take in panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from this new seven-story healthcare tower at the Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.  Currently in the preconstruction phase, the new tower will boast 138 spacious, private patient rooms, including 10 state-of-the-art intensive care suites and six high-tech operating rooms — offering the most advanced healthcare technology, programs and services to the growing South County region of San Diego.

Bergelectric is working alongside Hensel Phelps Construction and EXP Engineers for the design build delivery of the tower. Construction is slated to start in late 2016 and completed in the fall of 2019.

The post Ocean View Tower at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center appeared first on Bergelectric.

Healthcare at the University of Texas

The University of Texas and Seton Healthcare have come together for the beginning of a long-standing partnership at Dell Medical School located on the University of Texas campus in Austin. The affiliation between these two organizations is significant, as the hospital will be part of an area-wide organized system of care for low-income and uninsured Travis County residents. Though Seton will be Dell Medical School’s primary partner in providing clinical programs, the University will maintain the freedom to seek a range of partners on education and research programs. It is a significant marriage between two prominent organizations in the Austin area, combining academic medicine and the surrounding community to improve health outcomes.

Bergelectric was proud to get the nod for the electrical installation at Dell Medical Facility—not only because it was a great opportunity to work at the University of Texas, but because of the facility’s noble ambition of providing cost-efficient healthcare and education to the local community. “It really is a monumental healthcare facility for the Austin region,” said Bergelectric’s Austin Division Manager Louis Wyler. “The opportunity to work with the University of Texas on a facility that has captured the excitement of the entire community is special.”

The UT Dell Medical Research Facility has also been a great opportunity for Bergelectric to again work with Hensel Phelps in the state of Texas. Having a long relationship with Hensel Phelps on projects across the country, the Bergelectric-Hensel Phelps team is off to a great start in Texas with projects like the ABIA Terminal East Infill project and the City of Austin Central Library. “The UT Dell Medical Research Facility will continue the Bergelectric-Hensel Phelps team momentum in the Lone Star State,” said Wyler.

Because of the jobsite’s on-campus location (University of Texas in Austin campus), Bergelectric took advantage of some of their innovative practices to help eliminate congestion on-site. Just-in-time deliveries, for instance, have been utilized nicely. These include prefabricated materials and major electrical equipment, delivered to the job-site just before they are ready to be installed by Berg field crews. Additionally, material management carts (a.k.a shark cages) have been used throughout the site for efficient material handling and waste disposal, making for a lean installation process. Bergelectric has relied on modern technology for a more efficient installation process as well. Not only did Bergelectric utilize BIM coordination on the entire project, Trimble Total Station® was used to produce pin-point accurate installation points for field installations like floor boxes and sleeves for the main electrical rooms.

Construction is slated to be completed in 2017.

The post Dell Medical Research Facility appeared first on Bergelectric.

Construction is underway on The Porter, a 299-room boutique-style hotel in Downtown Portland. The site is a 20,400-s.f lot on Southwest Second Avenue between Jefferson and Columbia Streets. Bergelectric is working under Skanska USA to deliver the resort by the fall of 2017.

Dubbed the Porter Hotel, the building will have a “neighborhood-themed restaurant” and a market-style café on the ground floor.  There will be meeting facilities below 13-floors of guest rooms. The top level of the 16-story tower will feature a high-end restaurant and lounge with large, covered outdoor terraces with spectacular views of the city.

The post Porter Hotel, Portland, OR appeared first on Bergelectric.

Click Here to view the Spring issue.

The post The New Bergelectric PowerSource Is Here! appeared first on Bergelectric.

The post The New Bergelectric PowerSource Is Here! appeared first on Bergelectric.

Berg is Building the Largest-Ever Public Library in Austin, TX

Sharing the same street as the new Fairmont Austin Hotel in Downtown Austin, the new central library is a nine-story, 198,000-s.f. new building that will become Austin’s largest-ever public library—double the size of the current library. According to general contractor Hensel Phelps, “The iconic building is defined by a daylight-filled, six-story atrium wrapped by collections and event space.”

Bergelectric is installing underfloor modular wiring throughout the library –making the facility more adaptable to future changes, and improving overall life-cycle cost. Other sustainable features include a 150-kilowatt photovoltaic array to generate electrical power for the building. The City is seeking a LEED® Platinum certification once completed.

Bergelectric has made use of modern technology throughout the installation. iPads and Bluebeam Studio has enabled Bergelectric field forces to access and adapt to the ever-changing electrical design in real-time. BIM was used in the coordination of large mechanical and electrical system layouts throughout the building to minimize clashes during construction, and Trimble® Total Station technology was used for sleeve, fixture and floor box layout.

Other features include; a bridge connecting the library to 2nd St. over Shoal Creek, an underground parking garage, a restaurant and special event center that can hold more than 300 people, an outdoor café, and an art gallery.

Construction is slated to be completed in November of 2016.

The post City of Austin Central Library appeared first on Bergelectric.

Berg is in Full Motion for Stop Motion

Stop-motion animation is defined as “a filming technique in which successive positions of objects (as models) are photographed to produce the appearance of movement.” It’s a technique that is more than 120 years old—older than commercial electrical contracting.

LAIKA has not only revived the historic technique of stop-motion animation for use in American cinema, but continues to expand the boundaries. Committed to the art of storytelling, LAIKA is comprised of artists, inventors, technicians, and craftspeople from around the world. Their first feature film, 2009’s Coraline, was nominated for an Oscar®. Coraline was followed by the Oscar®-and BAFTA-nominated ParaNorman in 2012, and The Boxtrolls hit theaters in 2014, garnering the studio its third-straight Oscar® nomination. Their fourth film, Kubo and the Two Strings, will be released this summer.

LAIKA’s studios are located in Hillsboro, OR,—far away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, CA, where most American cinematic studios thrive. This is due (in part) to LAIKA’s owner, Phil Knight, and his ties to the state of Oregon. Nike’s chairman acquired the former Vinton Studios in 2003 and set about turning it from a commercial animation house into a feature filmmaker. He put his son, Animator Travis Knight, in charge in 2009.

The studio’s achievements have pushed LAIKA to accelerate their movie releases from a two-year release schedule to an annual schedule, which has created a need to expand their existing studio space. In October of 2014, LAIKA called on Portland-based contractor, Precision Construction, to build a 105,000-s.f. addition onto their production facility; the goal was to increase its size by 70 percent (the original facility was 158,000 square feet).

The expansion includes wiring for 3-D printing equipment. LAIKA uses 3-D printing to produce interchangeable facial features for each of its characters. This allows animators to swap out ears, eyes, noses, and mouths to produce specific expressions called “rapid prototyping” by LAIKA.  A metal shop, wood shop, puppet mold library, and office/work stations are also included in the expansion. All of these components will be needed to build the models and elaborate sets that create the world around them.

Bergelectric Project Manager Paul Moss and Foreman Mike Carlson had been working on various projects in the LAIKA studio for years before the “plan to expand”—providing the award-winning movie maker with power for stages, laser cutters, chillers, welders, etc. since 2011. When it came time to choose an electrical contractor for the expansion, Bergelectric was at the top of the list.

Eager to join the team, Bergelectric had to move quickly. LAIKA requested an expedited construction schedule. “Initial construction ran behind, but the finish date has to hold,” said Bergelectric Superintendent CJ Bonfield. “We made up time by installing overhead components including all lighting circuits, substantial branch wiring, lights, and bus duct—all before the walls or mezzanine were built.”

Bergelectric leaned on their BIM Department—Bergelectric’s “animators”—to coordinate the lighting and power distribution installation throughout the facility before installation. Other steps to help expedite the electrical installation included the use of Trimble® Total Station to layout the underground, mezzanine, and roof for conduits and lighting supports. The Trimble® Total Station technology uses GPS and CAD files to help assist Bergelectric with precise installation points, and reduces the amount of manpower needed to perform these installations. The technology helped Bergelectric to move a large portion of the overhead feeder conduit underground and combine feeders to eliminate redundancy.

General Foreman Larry Mangum is leading Bergelectric’s eight-man field crew whose installation achievements at the LAIKA expansion include a new 500KVA Mitsubishi power conditioner with a custom built 500KVA low impedance transformer. The crew has been successfully managing the challenge of working on the expansion construction schedule and the remodel schedule (existing building) simultaneously, as LAIKA’s studio is remaining in operation during the construction process. “Working in an occupied facility always presents its challenges—especially when the existing facility is a movie set,” said Mangum. “We have to be careful not to interfere with their productions.”

The post LAIKA Studio Expansion appeared first on Bergelectric.

Resurrecting Arizona’s Famed Property, Mountain Shadows Resort.

After closing down more than 10 years ago, the Mountain Shadows Resort will soon see new life. The once prestigious piece of property will be revamped with a new 175-room hotel that includes 31 hotel-condominium units, a restaurant, a market, a fitness facility, and the rehabilitated Mountain Shadow Golf Course.

With national contracting powerhouse Balfour Beatty at the helm, Bergelectric will be responsible for the high-end electrical installation that a resort like this requires. “It’s a great opportunity for us to build on our relationship with Balfour Beatty locally,” said Bergelectric Preconstruction Manager Charles Anderson. “Nationally, we have built some incredible facilities together. We’re looking forward to continuing that trend in the Phoenix market.”

The construction schedule is tight, as the owners—Dallas-based Woodbine Development Corp. and Scottsdale’s Westroc Hospitality Partnership—are pushing a February 2017 deadline. With less than a year left, Bergelectric has turned to their BIM Department to coordinate the majority of the installation before it hits the field. This will help to prevent delays further down the line.  “BIM has already been a big help,” said Bergelectric Project Manager David Monaco. “With BIM, we have been able to utilize our Prefabrication Department to build the electrical room cubes off-site, then delivered and set into place. This has saved us a great deal of time and has also helped Balfour Beatty expedite the underground process. Berg’s BIM Department will be a big help above ground, and space will be a commodity in the corridor ceilings throughout the resort,” he added.

Bergelectric is assisting Blum Consulting Engineers, Inc. on the electrical design of the resort.  Berg is tapping into their experiences on similar high-end resorts to help manage the design that has gone through many changes since initial conception. Their in-house Preconstruction Department and Designers have been managing these changes while keeping the design within budget—providing valuable options to the owner in the process.

The post Mountain Shadow Resort appeared first on Bergelectric.

Bergelectric has recently topped out at Rise Apartment Complex—a 22-story, 200-unit, Class-A apartment high-rise complex located at 8th and Nueces. The property is only a few blocks away from the most sought after restaurants, office buildings, and entertainment venues in the city.

The multi-family building is a first of its kind for local student housing developer Aspen Heights.  According to Aspen Heights’ Vice President Ryan Fetgatter, “The term ‘Rise,’ embraces a two-fold objective. First, there’s the idea of a high-rise building, and second, it’s what we aspire to do—elevate the quality of life.” Aspen Heights is the first in the city of Austin to utilize the Downtown Density Bonus Program. That program allows the owner to pay into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in exchange for more square footage than would typically be allowed to develop the site.

The building was designed by Rhode : Partners, the Austin architectural firm that has handled numerous local high-rise projects including the Seven Apartment high-rise that Bergelectric helped to complete in December of 2015.

The post Rise Apartment Complex Aspen Heights appeared first on Bergelectric.

Bergelectric is installing solar arrays at six locations throughout the City of Woodland, CA (Yolo County). The arrays will provide a total of 2.5-megawatts to six city facilities including the Water Pollution Control Facility, the Community and Senior Center, the police station, the Municipal Service Center, the Woodland Public Library, and City Hall. The six separate systems will include carports, rooftops, a solar shade canopy, and ground-mount solar.

The project is part of the city’s objective to reduce city energy use and city operations’ greenhouse gas emission. It is estimated to help reduce greenhouse gas emission by 600-900 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year, or about 30 to 40 percent of the goal for reductions from city government operations. An added benefit for the city will be cost savings—according to a city report, the city’s savings over the 28-year term of the power purchase agreement are estimated at $7.6 million, which equals an average annual savings of $140,000 per year.

Bergelectric is installing the array systems with Performance Contracting, Inc. (designer/general contractor) at all six city locations simultaneously. “Scheduling progress on six different sites that involve utility approvals and strict end-user deadlines can be challenging,” said Bergelectric Division Manager Caleb Stump. “We evolved from having one site designated as the “base camp,” to locating resources on each of the sites which limited wasted motion,” said Stump.  “Getting resources closer to the work has allowed crews the flexibility to arrive at any site and be instantly efficient.”

Adding to the installation challenges, Bergelectric has had to endure scheduling delays due to this year’s El Nińo.  For example, the ground arrays at the Water Pollution Control Facility were on compacted dirt—which turned to mud when the rain hit—taking a few days to dry out before a truck or a lift could be used on site. Despite these obstacles, Bergelectric has been able to keep the project momentum going, meeting all of the city’s goals and deadlines to this point.  

The redundant nature of the array installations has been a great match for Bergelectric’s prefabrication division. Many array assemblies are constructed off-site at Bergelectric’s Sacramento Regional Prefabrication Warehouse and then shipped to the jobsite for installation.  Bergelectric also made use of underground boring technology. This turned out to be a less-expensive/speedier alternative to traditional open trenching in existing parking and sidewalk areas.

The post City of Woodland Solar Project appeared first on Bergelectric.

After two rounds of judging and an intense competition, it is with great honor to announce that Bergelectric took home the Excellence in Construction Awards from the Associated Builders and Contractors, San Diego Chapter (ABC San Diego) on two seperate projects. Our first award was for the Otay-Tijuana Cross Border XPRESS (CBX) project, the second award was for the Scripps Clinic John R. Anderson V Medical Pavilion project.  The Bergelectric San Diego team attended the ABC San Diego dinner and award ceremony on November 18th at The Prado Restuarant, San Diego.

Otay – Tijuana Cross Border XPRESS (CBX)

The Otay-Tijuana Cross Border Xpress (CBX) facility includes an enclosed pedestrian skybridge that spans the U.S./Mexico border, connecting a new passenger building in San Diego directly to the Tijuana Airport (TIJ) terminal immediately south of the border.  The CBX is located in the Otay Mesa area of the City of San Diego, on a total of 55 acre site immediately north of the U.S./Mexico border.  The facility now provides direct, secure access for the more than two million TIJ passengers per year who currently cross the border at congested ports of entry in San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, and endure unpredictable border wait times and often lengthy delays.

As a privately-funded project, CBX is the first facility of its kind globally and received support from government agencies on both sides of the border. The effort involved agreements between the US and Mexican governments to create a 360-foot skybridge over an international border, and the first new US Customs and Border Patrol facility to be built since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. The facility transforms travel between US and Mexico by facilitating a substantially easier and faster border crossing for millions of passengers traveling for leisure and business, while significantly reducing the carbon intensity of travel. Cross Border Express is also expected to be a major catalyst for economic growth on both sides of the border.

Scripps Clinic John R. Anderson V Medical Pavilion 

Building on their 92-year legacy of providing the medical care of the future, Scripps is in the middle of a 25-year masterplan to redevelop their Memorial Hospital, La Jolla
campus. The first significant milestone in the redevelopment effort was the opening of Prebys Cardiovascular Institute—a 383,000-s.f. cardiovascular hospital completed (with the help of Bergelectric) in 2015. In April, another major milestone was achieved with the completion of the Scripps Clinic John R. Anderson V Medical Pavilion—a six-story ambulatory care facility that will house a variety of specialty services including cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, neurology, nephrology, and endocrinology.

The construction site existed on an occupied/functional medical campus, space was limited. Bergelectric utilized supplier warehousing and “just in time” deliveries for large equipment and bulk materials including light fixtures, switchgear, generators, and automatic transfer switches (ATS). Testing of the switchgear was performed off-site as well to help free up space and expedite the installation process. Furthermore, Bergelectric used material management carts (aka. Shark Cages)—mobile carts stocked with all the necessary equipment—for installation at specific sections of the facility by Bergelectric vendors.

The post Bergelectric Wins Two “Excellence in Construction” Awards! appeared first on Bergelectric.

For the month of November 2016, PCL Construction recognized Bergelectric Corporation as “Quality Subcontractor of the Month” on the Tower 12 project. Bergelectric displayed superior quality during the month of November in the following ways:

• Minimal punch-list items, averaging less than 1.0 item per unit on owner punch, and quick closeout of punch list items.
• Pre-cover rough-in QC correction items have been very limited even on complex amenity areas.
• Good quality of work and craftsmanship exhibited by all tradesmen.
• Instrumental in developing electrical box layout guidelines to meet owner’s specific expectations.

Congratulations to all Bergelectric employees involved with the Tower 12 project on a job well done!

Click here to learn more about the Tower 12 project.

The post Bergelectric Recognized As “Quality Sub Of The Month” appeared first on Bergelectric.

Bergelectric is continuing to make strides in Austin.  This time, Bergelectric crews are on the eastern side of the city working on the Tyndall at Robertson Hill project—a six-story, 182-unit condominium complex located at 8th Street & I-35.  Working with general contractor White Construction, Bergelectric is on the beginning phases of this 171,000-square-foot condo development funded by Momark Development, in partnership with Mathias Partners.

Geared towards young urban professionals, the Tyndall’s design facilitates a sense of community by offering multiple gathering places throughout the building.  Modern amenities include a rooftop pool and deck with panoramic city views, a grotto area with outdoor fire-pit, an outdoor yoga lawn, a 24-hour fitness center, and climate-controlled bike storage.

“Our goal is to create communities that improve people’s lives,” said Momark Development Principal Terry Mitchell. “We strive to create a sense of community among the residents.  When residents have places to gather and share life, they live better.”

The project will build upon Bergelectric’s growing resume of similar scale residential and mixed-use projects in the downtown Austin area. These projects include the recently completed Seven apartment tower on 7th and Rio, and the Rise apartment complex on 8th and Nueces.

“We have become efficient at these types of residential construction facilities,” said Bergelectric Operations Manager Louis Wyler. “Our ability to coordinate on-time deliveries, and implement our innovative resources—including our experienced BIM Department—has really helped to streamline the installation process and ensure a high level of quality throughout each phase of the project,” Wyler added.

Though the project is still in the initial stages, Bergelectric has had to overcome a number of obstacles to get to this point of the project.  For example, the footprint of the building is made up almost entirely of rock.  Utilizing a rock-saw for trenching, Bergelectric crews have been able to break up the foundation to install all underground systems without any major hiccups.

On-site congestion is another obstacle Bergelectric crews will be facing throughout the duration of this project.  With limited space on-site for storage, field management will have to utilize Bergelectric’s off-site Prefabrication Department and work with vendors to coordinate precise delivery dates.

Bergelectric expects to have approximately 20 experienced electricians, along with two foremen and one general foreman, during peak construction.  The Tyndall at Robertson Hill project is expected to be completed in August of 2018.

Want to learn more about the Multi Family/Mixes Use projects that Bergelectric is working on?
Click here —-> Multi Family/Mixed Use projects

The post Tyndall at Robertson Hill appeared first on Bergelectric.

San Diego, CA – November 17, 2017:  Bergelectric earned top honors in multiple project categories including Project of the Year at the 2017 Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) San Diego Excellence In Construction (EIC) Awards ceremony at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.  Three Bergelectric projects—Indian Wells Tennis Garden Stadium 1 Renovation, San Diego State University South Campus Plaza, and WeWork B Street—each won top awards for their respected categories, with Bergelectric’s work at WeWork B Street receiving the night’s most prestigious award as the 2017 ABC San Diego EIC Subcontractor “Project of the Year.”

WeWork B Street (Winning Category: Commercial Under $5 Million / WINNER: ABC San Diego IEC Project of the Year)

Pictured Above (L to R): Shandon Harbour – President/CEO ABC San Diego Chapter, Steve Stroder – Bergelectric Vice President San Diego, Nate O. – Bergelectric WeWork B Street Foreman, Travis M. – Bergelectric WeWork B Street Project Manager, Ron Wood – Bergelectric Executive Vice President.

WeWork B Street was an extremely demanding/fast paced tenant improvement project.  Bergelectric was given only 14-weeks to complete six floors—each floor was approximately 3,200-s.f. within a Downtown San Diego high-rise building.  All six of the original floors were completely cleared out and converted into office spaces, meeting rooms, and a restaurant/cafe.  Bergelectric installed a new Lutron® Vive Wireless lighting control system—a state-of-the-art product that was only released to the public a few weeks prior to Bergelectric’s installation at WeWork B Street. Bergelectric’s scope of work also included; over 500 new light fixtures, receptacles on glass mullion walls, new distribution panels, sub-panels, and transformers on all six-floors.  Bergelectric averaged approximately 35-electricians on site throughout the duration of the project with zero (0) safety incidents. Bergelectric’s work at WeWork B Street not only earned them the top ABC San Diego EIC Award for the category “Commercial Under $5 Million,” it also earned them the 2017 ABC EIC “Project of the Year.”

Indian Wells Tennis Garden Stadium 1 Renovation (Winning Category: Renovation Contracts up to $100 Million)

Pictured Above (L to R): Shandon Harbour – President/CEO ABC San Diego Chapter, Mike H. – Bergelectric Indian Wells Tennis Garden Stadium 1 Renovation General Foreman, Randy D. – Bergelectric Indian Wells Tennis Garden Stadium 1 Renovation Sr. Project Manager, Steve Stroder – Bergelectric Vice President San Diego, Rick D. – Bergelectric Major Projects Division Manager, Ron Wood – Bergelectric Executive Vice President.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, has become a landmark in the Coachella Valley.  It is home to the BNP Paribas Open—one of professional tennis’s largest and most respected annual tournaments which constitutes the fifth largest WTA and ATP World Tour tennis tournaments in the world—giving it the unofficial title of the “fifth major.”  When Indian Wells Tennis Garden management along with major shareholder Larry Ellison (Oracle) had a vision of enhancing the overall fan experience by renovating Stadium 1 within an extremely small (nine-month) time frame, they turned to Bergelectric to help get the job done.  Averaging approximately 120-electricians during a condensed construction schedule that included summer temperatures exceeding 120-degrees, Bergelectric was able to complete the renovation before the start of the 2017 BNP Paribas Open Tournament.  Stadium 1 renovations included the expansion of the Stadium Plaza, renovation of all the suites and hospitality spaces, and the addition of 21 new restaurants and concessions.  Bergelectric’s work at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden Stadium 1 Renovation took home the top ABC San Diego EIC Award for the category “Renovation Contracts up to $100 Million.”

San Diego State University South Campus Plaza (Winning Category: Merit Award – Institutional $10 – $25 Million)

Pictured Above: The San Diego State University South Campus Plaza. Bergelectric helped bring two new mixed-use student housing/retail facilities and a parking structure to San Diego State University’s campus.

Bergelectric worked in a design-build role with Sundt Construction and Michael Wall Engineering to provide San Diego State University (SDSU) a much needed student housing/retail upgrade to the southern part of their campus.  The “South Campus Plaza” is made up of two ground-up, six-story student housing/retail facilities, totaling over 370,000-s.f.  The residence halls offer double-occupancy student rooms, and apartments for residential education staff and visiting scholars.  The halls also feature student learning spaces, multipurpose rooms, faculty offices, study areas, lounges, and community kitchen.  Notable project features include: A fixed project deadline (2016 Spring Semester), design build construction, occupied college campus (job-site congestion), innovative prefabrication application, innovative value engineering, and zero job-site safety incidents.  Bergelectric’s work at SDSU South Campus Plaza took home a ABC San Diego EIC Merit Award for the category “Institutional $10 –  $25 Million).

Superintendent of the Year Finalists

Above (L to R): Ken R. – Bergelectric General Foreman, Mike H. – Bergelectric General Foreman, Nate O. – Bergelectric Foreman

Adding to an already successful night, three Bergelectric field leaders were chosen as finalist for the ABC San Diego IEC First Annual Superintendent of the Year Award due to their extraordinary work out in the field.  They were nominated based on their functional knowledge and skills; their ability to problem solve, take initiative, deliver results, communicate effectively, and most importantly, their leadership skills.  Congratulations to Bergelectric’s Ken R., Mike H., and Nate O.

The post Bergelectric Earns Top Honors at the 2017 ABC San Diego Excellence In Construction Awards appeared first on Bergelectric.

SAN DIEGO, CA, March 23, 2018 Bergelectric today announced that its work on the WeWork B Street project in San Diego, CA has earned the company a first‐place national Excellence in Construction® Eagle Award from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in the Electrical-Commercial category. Representatives from Bergelectric received the award on March 21 during ABC’s 28th annual Excellence in Construction awards celebration in Long Beach, Calif.

“Associated Builders and Contractors is proud to honor Bergelectric with a best‐in‐class Excellence in Construction Eagle Award for their tremendous work in completing the WeWork B Street safely, on time and budget,” said 2018 ABC National Chair George R Nash Jr., director of preconstruction at Branch & Associates in Herndon, Va. “The dedication to innovation, productivity and world‐class craftsmanship demonstrated by Bergelectric and its employees produced truly impressive results that any project owner would be proud of.”

WeWork B Street was an extremely demanding/fast paced tenant improvement project.  Bergelectric was given only 14-weeks to complete six floors—each floor was approximately 32,000-s.f. within a Downtown San Diego high-rise building.  All six of the original floors were completely cleared out and converted into office spaces, meeting rooms, and a restaurant/cafe.  Bergelectric installed a new Lutron® Vive Wireless lighting control system—a state-of-the-art product that was only released to the public a few weeks prior to Bergelectric’s installation at WeWork B Street.  Bergelectric’s scope of work also included; over 500 new light fixtures, receptacles on glass mullion walls, new distribution panels, sub-panels, and transformers on all six-floors.  Bergelectric averaged approximately 35-electricians on site throughout the duration of the project with zero (0) safety incidents.

The Excellence in Construction awards program is the industry’s leading competition, developed to honor innovative and high‐quality merit shop construction projects, with an Eagle Award presented to the top project in each category. The award honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect and engineer. The winning projects, selected from entries submitted from across the nation, were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost.

A panel of industry experts served as the competition’s judges. This year’s panel included representatives from the Building Owners and Managers Association International, the Smithsonian Facilities Construction Division, the Construction Management Association of America, Engineering News‐Record, Design‐Build Institute of America and various construction‐related firms nationwide.

The post Bergelectric Earns National Excellence in Construction Eagle Award From Associated Builders and Contractors appeared first on Bergelectric.

In January 2018, Bergelectric took home the Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Diego Excellence in Construction Technology Award. This is the second time in three years Bergelectric has taken home this prestigious award that celebrates excellence, distinction, and innovation.

Bergelectric was awarded for taking their existing Building Information Modeling (BIM) platform to the next level by integrating a cloud-based solution that allows them to coordinate resources in real time— from anywhere in the country. By using this technology, Bergelectric is now able to share real-time BIM constructability models with designers, manufacturers, and field employees to ultimately reduce errors, increase safety, expedite the installation process, and reduce waste.

Embracing these emerging technologies has allowed Bergelectric to work side by side with their consulting electrical engineers in the digital arena. As the electrical engineers focus on the system required in the model, Bergelectric has been able to simultaneously adjust it for practicality, safety, and realistic installations based on cost and time constraints. Similarly, the customized cloud-based solution has brought real-time information directly to the job sites. Bergelectric’s foremen, for instance, are given iPads with software that can access the cloud-based models for real-time coordination on the job site.

“The new cloud-based technology has allowed us to see more reliably into the future of our construction and installation requirements,” said Bergelectric’s BIM Technology Manager Derek Renn. “By sharing a single-source model, we are able to see what construction will look like months before it actually happens—eliminating conflicts before they actually arrive on site and creating a safer work environment.”

The award was taken to Bergelectric’s Pacific Northwest Division office in Portland, OR to be shared with the team members (pictured above) that participated heavily in the collaboration effort between multiple consultants and disciplines.  “All of our regional offices are participating in this new method of collaboration however, the Pacific Northwest Division has accelerated with the technology and deserves to hang this plaque on their wall,” stated Renn.

The post Bergelectric Wins the AGC Excellence In Construction Technology Award appeared first on Bergelectric.

The American Institute of Architects defines Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) as “a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and minimize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.”

This modern approach requires all trades to fully vest in agreements, processes and collaborative problem-solving—working together like one big company instead of a group of individual trades looking out for themselves.   And it works!  IPD is quickly gaining momentum as it has proven to produce results, not only for the owner’s bottom-line, but for participating contractors as well.  A recent poll from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), reported that more than 80% of contractors who used the IPD method resulted in improvements in time, profitability, cost, innovation and project quality.   Additionally, a whopping 93% reported an improvement in time planning and control.

Universal Health Services (UHS)—which Bergelectric has worked for on several IPD Healthcare projects across the country—stated that with IPD’s  lean concepts and shared profitability, building hospitals can be constructed with zero disputes, built faster and cost less. (Yes, all three are possible!)  A shining example of the value of an IPD approach was apparent at UHS Temecula Valley Hospital where the IPD team, including Bergelectric, reduced the total cost per bed from the California average of $1.8 million per bed to an unprecedented $1.1 million per bed, while at the same time reducing the owner’s milestone of “heads-in-beds” by 25%.

Bergelectric is continuing to add successful IPD projects to their resume.  Most recently, they worked in an IPD role on the UHS Henderson Hospital project—a 142-bed hospital in Henderson, NV.  Other IPD projects on Berg’s resume include: Palomar Medical Center, Corona Medical Center, Sierra Vista Psychiatric Hospital, and Holly Hill Children’s Psychiatric Hospital just to name a few. Bergelectric’s preconstruction resources, technology-savvy BIM Department, prefabrication capabilities, and their big-picture approach to each project make them the perfect contractor for IPD.

The post Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) appeared first on Bergelectric.

Originally built in 1982, Beverly Center is an eight-story mall located at the edge of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, California. The original mall featured department stores like Bullock’s and The Broadway (before it was renamed Macy’s), and debuted a multiplex movie theater that boasted 14 screens—which, at the time, was the largest number of movie screens in any US multiplex. America’s first Hard Rock Café found its home at Beverly Center as well—the third installment of the restaurant chain, following those in London and Toronto. The famous Beverly Center complex has been featured in several movies such as “Scenes from a Mall” and “Volcano” and continues to host world famous fashion shows attracting A-List celebrities.

The iconic multi-story mall has been renovated several times over the course of its famed existence, but in 2016, Beverly Center owners La Cienega Partners Limited called on the Jacobsen-Swinerton Joint Venture along with Bergelectric to take on a massive $500 million renovation of the entire facility. The new renovations include: a continuous ribbon of new skylights, a shimmering new exterior, a fresh streetscape, a new row of street-level restaurants, a state-of-the-art smart parking system, an eight-level multi-concept group food hall, The Street Social House (Michael Mina), lighting upgrades across the entire facility, and upgraded technology. The center will continue to be anchored by Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, and will house more than 100 of the world’s most coveted retail brands.

One of the biggest challenges for this massive renovation project has been keeping the Beverly Center in operation during ongoing renovations. “You’ve got 350 men inside, trying to do a renovation and trying to keep the shoppers happy and the mall happy, and that’s been a major undertaking,” said Steve Nelson, Project Executive and Vice President of Jacobsen Construction. The collaborative effort between mall management and the construction crews has been extremely beneficial to the process. “We can’t believe just how much pre-planning it has taken to pull this off,” Nelson continued.

A condensed (30-month) schedule was put in place by the Jacobsen-Swinerton Joint Venture that began in March 2016. Detailed coordination between all trades was heightened for the renovation due to the Beverly Center’s commitment to remain in full operation. “We are 20 months into the 30-month schedule and have made it through two holiday seasons without interruption to any of the retailers,” said Hans Erickson, Bergelectric Operations Manager. “Schedule coordination has been key for us to get in and out of spaces while not disrupting the daily shopping experience. Our crews have done whatever it takes to maintain a seamless transition, including working multiple shifts outside of the mall’s daily operational hours. Another big challenge has been making our work areas appear as if we were never there by the time the mall opens at 10:00 a.m. This includes carefully coordinating the power outages so the mall can maintain their normal operations,” said Erickson.

Adding to an already complex work environment, space has been a commodity. Equipment “lay down” areas, for instance, are virtually nonexistent. Bergelectric has relied on their lean construction practices including “just-in-time” deliveries and their off-site Prefabrication Department to eliminate the need for space on site. Bergelectric’s “just-in- time” deliveries require careful coordination with electrical equipment manufacturers (i.e. switchgear) to ensure equipment arrives on site when the schedule allows for installation. Similarly, Bergelectric’s off-site Prefabrication Department builds complex components in a controlled environment and delivers the assemblies to the site once the installation process is ready to take place. For example, most of the light fixtures for Beverly Center have gone through Bergelectric’s Prefabrication Department before being sent to the jobsite. Bergelectric’s Prefabrication Department will un-box, test, program, assemble, and prepare the fixtures for crews to install as soon as they arrive at the job site. This procedure helps maintain a higher level of quality, eliminates job-site waste, reduces storage space needed on the already crowded site, and helps Bergelectric stay ahead of the fast-tracked schedule.

Bergelectric has had an average of 70 electricians on site including four general foremen. So far, Bergelectric’s work has included interior renovations of the mall, a 3,000-amp service to the new food court area, second-floor parking garage lighting and technology retrofits, a new data backbone and MDF, exterior six-story escalator entries, site lighting, holiday lighting power, and multiple interior lighting retrofits.

Safety is always a top priority for Bergelectric, but on a renovation project of this magnitude that is also open to the public, safety management has ascended to the next level. A dedicated, full-time, on-site safety manager has been put in place to ensure Bergelectric maintains the high level of safety that they are known for. The safety manager has been responsible for scheduling weekly safety meetings and is accessible to all Bergelectric employees and tradesmen on site. Bergelectric has incorporated safety into every aspect of planning and execution of over 200,000 man hours of work completed.

Hard Work Pays Off
Bergelectric’s Preconstruction Division had been budgeting the Beverly Center project for two years prior to the distribution of the bid documents. They also participated in the mock-up installation process to help finalize the design. “Our efforts at the very beginning stages of the project’s development—led by Chris Billig, Vice President of Preconstruction and Jacob Wood, Preconstruction Manager—were key to Bergelectric’s award of this amazing project,” said Erickson.

Having a hand in the project from start to finish shows in the quality and quantity of work completed thus far, and visitors can expect to enjoy the new and improved Beverly Center in its entirety in 2018.

The post Beverly Center Renovation appeared first on Bergelectric.

In Portland, Oregon’s Northwest District, also known as “Slabtown,” Bergelectric is working with the JBA-Andersen Joint Venture, developers Cairn Pacific-Prometheus Joint Venture, and MKE & Associates Engineers on developing a new neighborhood with a series of buildings on a 16-acre property currently referred to as the Slabtown Super Blocks. Once completed, the project will include 385 residential apartment units, nearly 20,000 sf of ground-level retail space, and a 600-space underground parking garage stretching below two city blocks. The massive 16-acre site has been parceled into phases, or “blocks,” that are being constructed simultaneously. Bergelectric is currently contracted to build Blocks 294E, 295E, and 295W.

The Carson
Located at the North end of the Slabtown Super Blocks, Block 294E will be a 14-story mixed-use multifamily building featuring approximately 224 luxury residential units, ground-floor retail shops, and a rooftop “sky garden” with adjacent community lounge. At 14 stories high, Block 294E will be one of the tallest buildings in the neighborhood with views of Northwest Portland, the Willamette River, and nearby Forest Park.

Carson South
Block 295E will include a smaller-scale three-story residential building lining the pedestrian street, and a larger six- story building that forms an L-shape along 21st Avenue. The six-story building will be a mixed-use facility featuring ground-floor commercial spaces with residential units on the floors above. The building is separated into two wings by an alley on the ground floor, an elevator lobby, and a sky bridge on the upper stories. Block 295E will be occupied by the end of the 2018 summer.

Leland James
Recently completed, Block 295W is a five-story (four floors above a basement level) mixed-use facility featuring ground-floor restaurant and retail shops with three stories of office space above.

Each of Bergelectric’s Slabtown Super Blocks projects (Blocks 294E, 295E, and 295W) will be pursuing a LEED® Gold Certification upon completion.

Using Advanced Technology
Bergelectric’s BIM Department is utilizing Revit software to create detailed unit drawings including material take-off, lighting counts, device counts, and panel schedules. The embedded data encompasses the entire lifecycle of the project—from the early stages of pre-construction to completion. “We were able to advance our Revit capabilities to include a new level of detail for this project,” said Bergelectric’s Pacific Northwest Regional BIM Manager Gordie Petterson. “This will set the bar even higher for our BIM Department.”

The design build approach to the Slabtown project allowed the team to share a single BIM model, and Revit software has allowed the team to use intelligent data from BIM to quickly identify features—such as circuits and cables— accurately and efficiently. The embedded data also includes fabrication information for materials like box assemblies for power, lighting fixtures, tel-data wall devices, and fire alarm ceiling devices (just to name a few). Even wire lengths for MC Cable—including home runs—were quantifiable with the advanced model. “Gathering fixture and assembly quantities for each unit during the design phase really pays off during the installation process,” said Paul Moss, Bergelectric Project Manager. “Revit has assured an even higher level of quality and will make for a more efficient installation process.”

Slabtown Super Blocks is considered a “paperless” project. Bergelectric has utilized Bluebeam software to maintain digital document control, which minimizes environmental impact by eliminating the use of hard copies. The field crews have been able to access PDF files of the BIM model on tablets around the job site for real-time installation solutions, quality control, and the creation of as-builts. “Our detailed Revit models can now be accessed by our field personnel through Bluebeam, which is a huge advantage for real-time solutions in the field,” continued Moss.

Bergelectric’s installation at Slabtown Blocks encompasses more than just electrical systems. Their National Technology Systems (NTS) Division has also been brought on board to install tel-data, access control, CCTV, fire alarm, DAS, and two-way emergency communication systems in the elevator lobbies.

In addition to Slabtown Super Blocks, Bergelectric‘s Pacific Northwest crews have recently completed two neighboring apartment projects: Block 296 with John Residential Construction Group and Q21 with Andersen Construction Company. Within an approximate 12-block radius in Northwest Portland, Bergelectric has three additional ongoing residential projects in design with Holland Partner Group and another project with Alliance Residential Company. By the end of 2018, Bergelectric will have completed almost 1,500 new high-end residential units in the Northwest District area of Portland.

Construction of Blocks 294E and 295E is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

The post Slabtown: The Carson, Carson South & Leland James appeared first on Bergelectric.

Bergelectric is in the final stages of building one of the largest skyscrapers to grace the Denver skyline—1144 Fifteenth. The new 40-story tower will stand on 15th Street, a block away from Larimer Square and the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Once completed, 1144 Fifteenth will be the tallest office skyscraper built in Denver in over 30 years. The 662,000-s.f. Class A office tower will include 27 stories of office space with floor-to-ceiling windows, 858 parking spaces, a 5,000-s.f. fitness center, outdoor terraces, and is expected to reach LEED® Gold certification once complete.

“Our electricians love being a part of this project,” said Bergelectric Superintendent Jesse Moots. “This will change Denver’s skyline and our field crews will be able to point up to it one day and say ‘I was a part of building that,’” he added.

Due to the project’s location in the heart of downtown, site space has been limited. Innovative practices like off-site storage facilities, “just-in-time” deliveries, and the use of Bergelectric’s Prefabrication Department have helped alleviate many site limitations that are common on projects of this nature. “We have used all of the technology we can,” said Jeff Webb. “This includes BIM coordination and the use of TopCon® Total Station to assist us with our layouts and installations throughout the construction process. It has been key for us to also prefabricate as much as we can off-site to help free up space,” Webb added.

Bergelectric is working under the direction of Hensel Phelps Construction to deliver this iconic tower for international real estate giant Hines. Though Bergelectric and Hensel Phelps have a successful history across the country, 1144 Fifteenth is the team’s first major project in the Denver area. “We are grateful for the opportunity to team with Hensel Phelps here in Denver,” said Bergelectric’s Denver Regional Manager Alan Stout. “I’ve got a good feeling that this tower will be the start of many more things to come.”

Other building amenities include: sweeping views of the Front Range, an auto detailing service in the parking garage, and ground-floor retail. The project is projected to be completed later this year.

The post Hines 1144 Fifteenth Street, Denver, CO appeared first on Bergelectric.