Challenging, fast-paced, and uniquely designed, the Facebook MPK-22 project never has a dull day. From the internal canyon of meeting rooms and office spaces, to the Frank Gehry designed building-block esque shell and glass exterior, the new Facebook campus building is one of the most daring endeavors of our team.
Truebeck Construction announces the near completion of a $47 million Autonomous Vehicle Maintenance Facility and EV Charging Station in San Francisco. This transformative project, executed in collaboration with CBRE and Forge Architecture, marks a significant milestone in advancing sustainable, innovative transportation in the region. The project involves a comprehensive renovation of a warehouse to transition it into a state-of-the-art research and maintenance center. The facility is one of the largest electric vehicle charging stations in North America, dedicated to servicing a growing fleet of self-driving vehicles. Notable features of the project include the installation of 46,000sf of cutting-edge research and development systems tailored to support autonomous vehicle solutions. Additionally, the facility boasts new office and engineering spaces, conference rooms, and essential PG&E upgrades, facilitating the addition of 8MW of power crucial for implementing fast charging solutions across the electric vehicle fleet. The project also includes external upgrades, including landscaping, a widened sidewalk, a new water main and street lights. "This project underscores our ongoing dedication to advancing sustainable infrastructure and pioneering technological solutions," remarked Matt Sutton, Director of Construction, at Truebeck Construction. "With a deep portfolio of sustainable projects and a focus on integrating innovative technology, we're proud to have contributed to the realization of this visionary facility."
READ MORETruebeck Construction has achieved Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) status on the Alexandria Center for Life Science (ACLS) Millbrae project. Truebeck is one of nine General Contractors in California, with only three based in the Bay Area, that are part of this exclusive program. This achievement shows an unwavering commitment to safety and health while partnering with Cal/OSHA to provide the best feasible protection at the site. The California Voluntary Protection Program (Cal/VPP) recognizes industry leaders who consistently go above and beyond health and safety regulations. To achieve VPP project status, Truebeck Construction and its trade partners demonstrated a commitment to safety through up-to-date and compliant programs, implementation of these programs observed in the field, and adoption of best safety practices throughout the duration of the project. Cal/OSHA ensures management and employees’ active involvement in site health and safety programs by sending experts on multiple scheduled and random site visits. During these visits, the Cal/OSHA representatives interview project personnel, participate in safety site walks, and ensure that trade partners uphold Truebeck’s rigorous safety standards. In California, 15 jobsites are currently active as VPP-Construction participants, and two of these sites belong to Truebeck Construction. Truebeck’s 1450 Owens Street Lab and Office Building project in San Mateo, CA has also achieved this status. "At Truebeck, we foster a safety culture where every team member takes ownership and accountability for ensuring the well-being of themselves and others," said Jenn Wycisk, Director of Safety. "Creating a safe environment for employees, clients, trade partners, and the public, is the most important work we do." ACLS–Millbrae is a 660,745sf first-class, life science-ready campus. The project includes the construction of three core and warm shell buildings for future lab tenants, a seven-story 1,133-stall parking garage, and an amenity building complete with a fitness center. Sustainability elements and goals include LEED Gold, Fitwel certification, WELL certification, and an all-electric campus. All concrete (12,500 cubic yards) is self-performed by Truebeck.
READ MORETruebeck recently completed work on the Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus in San Rafael, CA. The $8.2 million project consisted of a 16,500sf fit-out designed by MBH Architects and Van Meter Williams Pollack. Vivalon is a non-profit organization that has been serving older adults and people with disabilities in Marin County for 70 years. Vivalon’s new Healthy Aging Center features facilities that enhance the vitality, health, and happiness of older adults, as well as a health clinic. The highly anticipated project, designed to meet the needs of Marin County seniors, promises to be a modern hub for socializing, intellectual engagement, and wellness. Truebeck joined Vivalon, Bradac Co., Eden Housing, members of the community, and elected officials to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting for this exciting new space on February 9, 2024. The Healthy Aging Campus amenities include the new Vivalon Café as well as space for classes and programs to help older adults live more vibrantly. Features include an art studio, auditorium, computer lab, library, exercise room, conference rooms, and offices. The first-floor medical clinic includes exam rooms, nursing stations, blood draw rooms and physician offices. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Vivalon on this meaningful project,” said Lindmay Ponzo, Truebeck Project Executive. “This project allowed us to make a real difference in the lives of seniors and their families.” The Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus promises to be a significant enhancement to the community, providing older adults with medical services, learning opportunities, nutrition services, accessible transportation and more—all with the goal of promoting healthy aging and social connections for county residents. For more information, visit: https://vivalon.org/healthy-aging-campus/
READ MOREEach year, the Silicon Valley Business Journal recognizes people, organizations, and companies that give back to their communities. This fall, the Business Journal honored Truebeck with their prestigious Community Impact Award. Receiving this award is a testament to the commitment Truebeck has for service and giving back. This year alone, Truebeck volunteered for 50+ non-profit events and donated over $250,000 toward worthy local causes. To learn more about Truebeck's philanthropic endeavors, visit this link to see the Silicon Valley Business Journal article, or read the article below. Truebeck Construction forms foundation to give back to community By Danny King – Silicon Valley Business Journal Contributor From a philanthropic standpoint, Truebeck Construction has always had the advantage of being able to contribute to the community through projects in its proverbial wheelhouse. "Our first project was a little community center in East Palo Alto that was a full-day volunteer project," said Truebeck Co-Founder Sean Truesdale. "It involved carpentry, landscaping, and painting to improve a school building." From that modest project sprang a philanthropy presence that’s expanded along with the growth of the company, which was founded in 2007. Truebeck employees volunteered at about 50 events in the past year, with participation ranging from about 10 to 40 employees. In addition to those hours, the company contributed about $250,000 in funds and raised about $200,000 more from its construction partners during the past year, with much of the focus on helping socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The company also formalized such efforts last year by starting a philanthropy nonprofit arm called the Truebeck Foundation, whose four full-time employees coordinate the efforts of the approximately 100 workers who regularly volunteer at events around the region. "When we were first formed, philanthropy was more about donating your time and giving back", Truesdale said. "Then it became about giving back time and money. More recently, it’s been about donating time, money, and fundraising to help raise money." One such example is Truebeck’s work with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, where employee volunteers packed and shipped Hope Kits filled with items such as fuzzy socks, inspirational bracelets, and journals for breast-cancer patients. Truebeck's Team for Tomorrow assembles Hope Kits in partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The company worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation on building a backyard basketball court, complete with a custom-painted Golden State Warriors logo, for a local teenager with cerebral palsy. Truebeck has also long worked with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. Since launching its philanthropy partnership with the food-bank operator in 2010, Truebeck employees have contributed more than 1,300 service hours, either through food sorting at warehouses or giving out groceries at Second Harvest’s distribution sites. Shobana Gubbi, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley chief philanthropy officer, said: "Truebeck is clearly a company that cares about the communities their employees live and work in." Truebeck volunteers at food packing and distribution events with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. Truesdale is quick to point out the benefits of having such a public-facing company in such a visible industry associated with giving back. "When people see the Truebeck name, we want people to think about a company that does good, said Truesdale. I grew up in the Bay Area, and I feel blessed to have the ability to give back." Headquarters: San Mateo Website: www.truebeck.com/stewardship Mission: The Truebeck Foundation supports six initiatives: youth, health, education, workforce training, military and the environment. Annual operating budget: Approximately $1 billion Volunteers: 100 Paid staff: 650 Number of people reached/served/impacted in 2022: More than 25 charities supported and over 50 events/fundraisers. Interesting tidbit: The Truebeck Foundation’s philanthropy partners range from the Surfrider Foundation to Autism Speaks to the Positive Coaching Alliance.
READ MOREThe Construction Employers’ Association has honored Truebeck with not one, but two awards: the President’s Safety Award and the Safety Excellence Award. The President's Safety Award honors CEA member firms with safety programs that go above and beyond industry standards. To qualify for this esteemed award, members must achieve a score of 4 out of 5. Thanks to Truebeck's stellar safety initiatives, we scored 5 out of 5 points. According to the CEA: Recipients of the award reported a total incident rate at least 50% below the industry average; a lost workday incident rate at least 50% below the industry average; and an experience modification rate of less than or equal to .70. They were also recognized as a Cal/OSHA Voluntary Protection Program participant (VPP), or otherwise demonstrated a comprehensive safety training program. The Safety Excellence Award similarly honors an outstanding commitment to safety. The CEA requires winners to have achieved both a total incident rate and a lost workday incident rate 25% below the industry average, an experience modification rate below 1.0, a flat or negative experience modification trend over the past four years, and demonstration of an active safety training program. These awards reflect Truebeck's unwavering dedication to safety.
READ MOREWe are pleased to announce the Truebeck Foundation’s non-profit recipients for 2023-2024. The Truebeck Foundation reflects the firm’s commitment to corporate responsibility, and specifically programs for youth. The purpose of the 501(c) non-profit is to lead and inspire actions that improve the education of disadvantaged youth affected by socio-economic disparities. The proceeds from Truebeck’s annual charity Golf Tournament are directed to this cause, specifically: Ever Forward Club: The Foundation will sponsor eight public high schools, two in each of Truebeck’s regions – San Mateo, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Portland – with a mental health workshop for underserved youth. [caption id="attachment_4527" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Ever Forward Club delivering its signature Taking Off The Mask workshop. Photo: Ever Forward.[/caption] Society of Women Engineers, Golden Gate Section: The Foundation will support five scholarships for women engineers attending college. [caption id="attachment_4528" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Society of Women Engineers, Golden Gate Section 2023 scholarship recipients.[/caption] California State University, Chico: The Foundation will fund five years of scholarship support for construction/engineering students. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: The Foundation will fund five years of support for students in the building design, construction, and real estate programs. Eastside College Preparatory School: The Foundation will support a four-year scholarship to this private high school in East Palo Alto, with a focus on readying first-generation students in low-income families to attend a four-year college. [caption id="attachment_4529" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Eastside College Preparatory School’s challenging and engaging curriculum opens new doors for students historically underrepresented in higher education.[/caption] Cassidy Thompson, President of the Society of Women Engineers Golden Gate Section made the following statement: “Since 2021, Truebeck has supported the Society of Women Engineers by donating to our annual, merit and need-based scholarship program that awards local, female Bay Area high school seniors who will pursue a degree in engineering at an accredited university. In the past three years alone, the Truebeck Foundation has helped us make an impact on over two dozen students who are working to achieve their dream of becoming an engineer.” Sean Truesdale, Truebeck Co-Founder, made the following statement: “We are a mission-driven company. The Truebeck Foundation reflects the foundational purpose of our business–to create a positive impact on our industry and communities. That responsibility guides the decisions we make for annual giving.”
READ MORETruebeck’s Thirty75 Tech office building was recognized by the Silicon Valley Structures Awards with the 2023 Award for Medium Office Project. On September 28th, Mike Anderson, Sr. Vice President, and Mike Paye, Project Executive, attended the awards event held at the San Jose Marriott. The full project feature is below. Thirty75 Tech is the Structures 2023 honoree for Office Project — Medium If you’re going to impress someone, the world’s largest retailer is a great place to start. In this case, developer MDY Properties Inc., builder of Santa Clara’s Thirty75 Tech office building, attracted Amazon Web Services (AWS) while building out the property, nabbing a commitment from the company for the 238,400-square-foot structure’s top two floors in 2020. Spying an angular design by Verse Design LA that included floor-to-ceiling glass walls, however, Amazon ultimately leased out the entire building and began moving in when Thirty75 Tech was completed last year. Looking to avoid the appearance of a prototypical glazed façade, Verse Design devised a shading system that included 28 panel variations of alloy airfoil-shaped louvers hung from a steel catwalk. In all, the louvers total almost nine miles of linear feet and required a mock up of the system to ensure that the final version wouldn’t rattle once it was installed. With an exterior that welcomes visitors by eschewing any barriers and a seven-story parking structure purposely obscured on three sides by a “green screen” of native, draught-tolerant plants strung along an elaborate cable system, Thirty75 Tech also features a street presence apropos for a project that replaced a 1970s-era single-story office building and is a key cog in the redevelopment of what was a light-industrial area. Featuring widened sidewalks around the building, Thirty75 Tech also adjoins a walkway network connecting pedestrians to the bike and walking paths along nearby San Tomas Aquino Creek. Key Facts Address: 3075 Olcott St., Santa Clara Size: 505,330 square feet, including 238,400 square feet of office space, a 266,930-square-foot parking structure and 17,980 square feet of plaza space and outdoor decks on a 2.7-acre site Cost: $132 million Status: Started July 2015, completed August 2022 Amenities: A west-facing entry plaza adjacent to Olcott Street allows for outdoor area with minimal noise and pollution from nearby San Tomas Expressway and Scott Boulevard. Tidbit: Workers on the upper floors can see snow on Mount Hamilton 30 miles away during certain times of the year. Key players Leasing agents: Cushman and Wakefield Developer: MDY Properties Inc. General contractor: Truebeck Construction Architect: Verse Design LA Landscape architect: SWA Group Civil engineer: MacLeod & Associates Structural engineer: Walter P. Moore MEP engineer: Glumac Curtain wall subcontractor: Architectural Glass and Aluminum
READ MOREENR California has announced the 2023 Best Projects Winners, and Truebeck’s San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Expansion is among them. The project won an Award of Merit in the Manufacturing category. The primary goal of this 47,000sf design-build expansion project was to increase warehouse efficiency to substantially increase food capacity to achieve the food bank’s mission to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin counties. The design-build team of Truebeck and EHDD expanded and updated the facility to create a better welcome for visitors, increase warehouse space, and renovate administrative areas. The project also created a new loading dock and a new delivery road for incoming and departing shipments. Sustainable features include two 20,000-gallon cisterns to collect water for landscaping irrigation, and the building is all-electric, lowering its carbon footprint. Click here to see all of the winners.
READ MOREIt’s National Volunteer Week this third week of April, a celebration that spotlights inspiring individuals and organizations whose work betters our community. One of Truebeck’s core values is: “Business and life are all about people.” This principle is the driving force behind all our philanthropic efforts, and we’re proud of our workplace culture of giving back. This week, we’re featuring some of the incredible organizations that we support through our Team for Tomorrow program. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley This non-profit does indispensable work to build a hunger-free community by distributing nutritious food to nearly every neighborhood in Silicon Valley. Truebeck is proud to have volunteered with this organization since 2012 through monthly food packing and distribution events. At our last event, Team for Tomorrow members sorted 11,500 pounds of food, and we’re looking forward to our next event on April 21. Learn more about how you can support Second Harvest here: https://www.shfb.org/ River City Food Bank 15% of Sacramento County residents experience food insecurity, meaning they lack reliable access to an adequate supply of affordable, nutritious food. The River City Food Bank is a non-profit that alleviates hunger by providing consistent access to healthy food for all. Their programs serve low-income families, children, seniors, individuals who are medically fragile, refugees/asylum-seekers, individuals experiencing homelessness, the working poor, and individuals with disabilities. Recently, Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow members handed out food to more than 400 families at the River City Food Bank in Sacramento. Read more about how you can participate here: https://rivercityfoodbank.org/. The National Breast Cancer Foundation The National Breast Cancer Foundation has been a beacon of light in our community for over 30 years, working to help and inspire hope in those affected by breast cancer. Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow is proud to support this organization through annual Hope Kit packing events, Breast Cancer Awareness Walks, and wearing pink during the month of October. Our San Mateo and Portland offices recently fundraised and held packing parties to write cards of encouragement and assemble 225 Hope Kits to be mailed directly to patients’ homes. These packages are filled with thoughtful items to help comfort women going through treatment, including fuzzy socks, tumblers, inspirational bracelets, and journals. See how you can get involved here: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/. The Make-A-Wish Foundation This incredible organization has created life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses for 40+ years. Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow and self-perform concrete team became wish-granters after fulfilling recipient Isaiah’s wish. As one of the Golden State Warriors biggest fans, Isaiah chose to have a half-basketball court built in his backyard. Truebeck partnered with Goodfellow Construction to install the backyard court, complete with a custom paint job and personal hoop for Isaiah. Once the court was complete, NBA2K painted the court with a custom design to complete the finished look. A ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of the court for this brave young man. This was the third year Truebeck has partnered with Make-a-Wish Foundation, and we look forward to keeping the momentum going. Learn about how you can become a wish-granter here: https://wish.org/ Friends of the Children This Portland-based organization pairs youth with a paid, professional mentor from kindergarten through high school. Their goal is to break the cycle of generational poverty, and they have a proven track record with: 95% of participants remaining free from the juvenile justice system, 83% of participants earning a high school diploma or GED, and 92% of participants going on to enroll in post-secondary education or enter the workforce. Truebeck is honored to support Friends of the Children with ongoing volunteerism and fundraising. Learn about how you can get involved here: https://friendspdx.org/.
READ MORETruebeck is pleased to announce winning a 2022 Procore Groundbreaker Award for Excellence in Innovation. One of Truebeck’s core values is “Courageously, make ideas reality,” which summarizes the firm's vision for innovation. Truebeck's culture of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit gives all team members the power to share ideas about how current processes can be improved. New ideas or innovations are shared internally, either through the “Raise the Bar" competition or directly with the Construction Technology and Innovation (CTI) team, to help develop ideas further and assemble pilot programs to put them to the test on real projects. Our forward-thinking mentality helped earn this award for new tools and technology. The development of the CTI team's real-time Data Warehouse is a prime example of how Truebeck pushes the boundaries of construction technology. See all the winners here.
READ MORETruebeck is pleased to announce that the Gilead Wellbeing Center has won an ENR Award of Merit in the 2022 Regional Best Projects competition. The Gilead Wellbeing Center is a 60,000sf building that consists of an expanded 19,500sf Fitness Center, dedicated 7,800sf for Health Services, a 19,500sf Community Center, a 2,600sf Grab & Go/Juice Bar, a 5,200sf Gilead Museum, and a lobby with support spaces. There are also adjacent outdoor amenities, consisting of basketball and volleyball courts and boot camp and yoga areas. The new facility creates an aspirational statement with aesthetic elements worthy of a forward-thinking company making best use of the premium center-of-campus location. The full list of winners is listed here: ENR California Announces 2022 Best Projects Winners.
READ MOREAs Truebeck continues to grow in the Sacramento region, it’s important to find local talent to join our team. To find the best and brightest in Sacramento, Truebeck’s team recently visited Sacramento State University and attended a career fair to recruit students studying in the civil engineering and construction management fields. Jessica Mills, Project Executive, is one of Truebeck’s Sacramento leaders and she personally joined the recruiting team to meet interested students. For students, Truebeck offers numerous entry-level positions as well as internships to help gain experience and exposure to a career in construction. "Not only was is fun to see the students, it was great see all the companies attend this event," said Haniteli Lousi, Recruiting Specialist. "It shows how the Sacramento area is growing and I'm excited to see some of those students help Truebeck in the future." Truebeck visits Sacramento State University annually to recruit local Sacramento talent. You can learn more about Sacramento career opportunities here.
READ MOREThe Construction Industry Educational Foundation (CIEF) is an organization dedicated to helping high school students and young adults learn about and experience the AEC industry. One of their annual events is a 38-year running Design Build Competition, an educational opportunity to learn about the ways construction professionals interact with designers and engineers to successfully complete a project. During the four-month program, following defined criteria provided by CIEF, each team completes the challenge of designing and preparing construction documents for a 96 square-foot structure — which are submitted for plan review by volunteer community plan-checkers and architectural professionals. The construction phase of the competition takes place over two days in Orange County and Sacramento each spring. With decades of progressive delivery expertise, Pete Caputo, Vice President of Operations, volunteered at the event as a judge. The event itself brought in 600 high school students to build structures to support the community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX1NpQocnLQ
READ MOREIn recent reports, economists are stating that Sacramento is the top growing region across the entire California market. With a population growth rate greater than markets like San Diego and San Francisco, and a business relocation and expansion increase of 19%, Sacramento is becoming a booming industry for commercial developers. In the recent event, “Greater Sacramento Deep Dive,” hosted by Bisnow, there were numerous panels that discussed key topics like major developments in the Greater Sacramento pipeline, new technologies and amenities for tenants and residents, and the rising need for housing. Pete Caputo, Vice President of Operations, at Truebeck has decades of experience working on projects in the Sacramento region. Based on his knowledge and history with the Sacramento area, Pete moderated the panel “Greater Sacramento’s Current Development Pipeline.” Joining Pete on the panel were representatives from major developers and architectural firms in Sacramento. Truebeck Construction recently opened an office in Sacramento at the start of 2022, and is bringing its innovative approach to construction to developments in the area. Truebeck was honored to be a part of this event and sit next to industry leaders in discussing developments that will have a positive impact on the Greater Sacramento Region.
READ MOREHow does a delivery method impact project team performance? For the Stevenson Hall project at CSU Sonoma, delivery method is the difference-maker that will provide the most value, make the building operate more efficiently, and give the best experience for building occupants. The 140,000sf project includes an addition and a full renovation of the 1967 building. A significant seismic retrofit dictated the schedule, but the building also needed a full systems replacement, significant IT infrastructure upgrades to accommodate current and future classroom needs, 200 new offices/classrooms/conference rooms, a 250-person lecture hall, and hazardous asbestos abatement and removal. CSU Sonoma also wanted to improve environmental quality with water and energy reduction to reach a goal of LEED Gold. As the nucleus for the campus and home to three different colleges, improvements to the dark concrete building to increase light for occupants and increasing the overall seat count for classes were critical to the success of the project. How is collaborative design-build different from traditional design-build delivery? While you may have heard of design-build, the CSU system has created and implemented a new hybrid collaborative design-build (CDB) delivery method. CDB is a combination of CM at risk (CMAR) and design-build (DB) and consists of two phases. The team’s overarching goal for the campus’ largest academic building is to maximize the project with the allocated budget. At completion, any project savings from the established guaranteed maximum price (GMP) are returned to the University. Phase 1 Agreement In the first phase, CSU Sonoma, Truebeck, and EHDD collaborated to develop a set of design-build documents and a GMP based on those documents. This collaboration on design and agreement on cost enabled honest conversations about design decisions and how it would ultimately affect constructability, project costs, and schedule––highlighting the significant advantage of the CDB delivery method. The CDB team led an exhaustive discovery phase, surveying faculty, staff, students, and building management—what was important to those stakeholders and how can we design and build the best building for them?––to eventually deciding on which strategies to implement for the project. Truebeck has offered varying cost analysis metrics and options to keep the budget and schedule on track. Truebeck and EHDD landed on a solution to accommodate more students and let in more light by enclosing what was an exterior courtyard into an interior light-filled atrium that will house both lecture and informal meeting spaces. Based on Truebeck’s cost analysis efforts, what was originally designed as an entirely open roof skylight, quickly pivoted to an atrium with large skylights that could also support mechanical equipment––still delivering on the criteria for added light, while also providing a cost savings alternative. The team also decided to peel away 60% of the concrete façade and replace it with extensive windows and a high-performance envelope to improve building performance. Building 200 offices for various departments on campus provided a new challenge. What office set-up would work for varying department staff—does one size fit all? Truebeck Project Executive, Grant Ricks, suggested a full-scale mock-up be built so faculty could touch and feel out the office space, and provided them with a survey after testing the space to gather feedback for any necessary modifications. Phase 2 Agreement The second phase signs the team up for the completion of design and construction. The collective buy-in on project collaboration adds significant value at this stage. The team cannot go over the budget—how the team decides on materials takes each firm bringing their best ideas to meet program requirements and ensuring value is added to the project. “Renovations are a great fit for collaborative design-build delivery,” says Ricks. “It forces early engagement by the contractor and allows us to influence the job immediately. Too many details are hard to change later, so it allows the project to save money and run more efficiently by making durable decisions early on.” A large part of decision-making is centered around the seismic retrofit of the building––once the budget was determined for the seismic retrofit, the rest was delegated to other portions of the project. CSU Sonoma wanted to preserve as much of the existing structure as possible to save money. Truebeck’s Construction Technology & Innovation (CTI) team performed BIM services and laser scanning to provide a visualization of hidden scope and how MEP systems would be integrated with seismic requirements in the design, which helped detect and remedy any clashes early and prevent expensive rework in the built environment. The ability to eliminate conflicts by integrating the design with the laser scan of existing building conditions also saved time off the schedule––a value-add for project success. With COVID-19’s adverse impact on procuring equipment and materials felt industry-wide, our CDB delivery enabled us to lock in prices earlier than if it had been a traditional delivery method. Truebeck priced out similar products and established what lead times would be during phase one and early phase two, which allowed us to start buy-out sooner than traditional delivery. And as a result of our CDB delivery, we have stayed ahead of any schedule impacts and avoided delays from the outset and have been able to fast-track various materials in the process. What type of projects are perfect for design-build or collaborative design-build? Public projects are primed for DB or CDB delivery method. Often public groups have established program criteria, but don’t have the knowledge or experience of how to execute. Our CDB team provided ideas to meet the criteria and having an early partnership between Truebeck, CSU Sonoma, and EHDD throughout design ensured pricing was tracked throughout design and value-added ideas met program criteria and will be constructable when it’s time to build. Among added benefits, CDB holds the entire project team accountable to meet the budget and improved both the structural planning and MEP design, since the right people were in the room thinking about how systems will run and how seismic retrofitting would be incorporated into the design. Truebeck’s successful delivery of Stevenson Hall, which is set to open its new and improved doors in November 2022, has a direct correlation to our collaborative design-build delivery approach, which fosters early and often informed decision-making by all project stakeholders.
READ MORECan a project be both high-functioning and environmentally friendly? With climate change an active threat, how can companies build the facilities they want, fit the needs of the end-users, and lessen the impacts on the world around us? You start by building the world’s first LEED Platinum-certified facility in their respective domains—winery, brewery, and food science. Align the Team with One Mission The UC Davis Winery, Brewery and Food Science Building started with a unified mission. It was critical to the undertaking to start with the right intentions and partner with a designer and builder who also share that common vision and goal. We wish we could say “the goal was simple,” but it wasn’t. UC Davis had ambitions to create a state-of-the-art research institution and pilot facility for wine-making, brewing, and food processing—which are not known for being easy on the environment—that also reflected the hallmark of sustainability. On average, brewing beer takes seven gallons of water to produce one gallon of beer, and wine making takes 872 gallons of water to produce one gallon of wine. Food science leaves a little more to the imagination, using a variety of production methods and consuming large amounts of energy. That’s why the lofty goal of a LEED Platinum winery, brewery, and food-processing pilot plant had never been done before, until now. Project Objectives & Opportunities Key objectives for the project were to monitor water and energy usage, reduce and reclaim waste output, engage with the landscape, and respond to the local climate. Meeting these goals with one user group in mind would be challenging enough, but Truebeck’s team was able to meet these goals for the three user groups the building would serve. UC Davis’ budget was ambitious with a long list of goals, which included providing flexible spaces to encourage experimentation and innovation, being able to demonstrate standard and evolving systems and technologies, offering variable control of environmental conditions within the building, devising closed systems to reduce cross-contamination risk, accommodating new and existing equipment into the facility, supporting two brewing sessions per day, and meeting FDA standards for food and beverage production. And finally, tying it altogether, was achieving the seemingly impossible given the circumstance—a LEED Platinum certified facility. How we met LEED Platinum LEED Platinum is not just the typical photovoltaic panels you can see from Interstate 80, nor the large rainwater collection tanks serving the building. To achieve this highest honor of certification, the project needed to be designed holistically with sustainability in mind—from its connection to community services and the recycled 1920s water aqueduct, to the wood in the winery collections room and the CO2 sensor in the brewery. While a project can achieve LEED on several levels, in order to meet the highest level of Platinum, it must meet almost all of the certification requirements in these categories: location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, innovation in design, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, regional priority, and integrative process. Kelly Wathen, now a Project Executive for Truebeck, reflects back to her days as Project Engineer on the project. She explains, “We had to identify which points on the LEED scorecard we were tracking early on, and design for it. The design-build team of Truebeck and Flad Architects knew we wanted to hit a certain point threshold and to have a cushion to make sure we achieved Platinum once the facility was operating.” How we earned points in several categories are briefly highlighted: Sustainable Site and Location & Transportation The first category focuses on the building site, with our site incorporating the location and transportation category into its function. A half-acre of land was restored into a natural grassland habitat, convenient pedestrian access to public transit or bike parking to encourage alternative transportation, EV vehicle charging stations, native plants, a high ratio of open space, and limited disruption and pollution of natural water hydrology. We minimized the “heat-island” effect with trees, shading and reflective pacing, and highly reflective roof materials. Light trespass from the site was also limited to increase night sky visibility and reduce impact on nocturnal environments. Water Efficiency Water for more than one acre of landscape and interior lavatories is provided by the Central Valley’s first large-scale rainwater harvesting system. A non-chemical water treatment system was created for process condenser water. Wathen says, “The rainwater capture tanks were made to look like grain silos—they blend seamlessly into the agricultural landscape of the area and most people don’t know they are actually for rainwater capture.” Innovation in Design The flexible building program combines classroom, winery, brewery, and food lab, as well as the utilization of modular components to adapt to future needs. The multi-billion-dollar food and beverage industry recognizes the need for evolution, to not only save money, but to lessen environmental impacts. Because of this, UC Davis allows corporations to come in and test production practices in their facility to encourage sustainable innovation in the realm. The flexibility of the building not only allows for the three user groups to utilize the space, but for many more to run products through the facility. Energy & Atmosphere The facility offers natural ventilation, waste heat recovery, and a high-performance envelope including walls, roof, and windows. It also consists of efficient lighting, high-performing coolers and freezers that avoid chlorofluorocarbon-based refrigerants in equipment, and a rooftop PV array, which combined to reduce energy demands and lessen the buildings damage on the atmosphere and environment. Davis heat averages top 90°F in the summer, yet the building has no air conditioning and still stays cool and keeps food from spoiling based on its smart design. Materials & Resources Truebeck collaborated with Flad to evaluate and install several recycled materials into the building. The facility used 10% recycled materials throughout the facility, including reclaimed wood from a 1920s aqueduct for the tasting room ceiling and recycled glass in the concrete floor of the Special Bottle Collections room. Lumber was harvested from sustainably-certified forest operation, recycled content of structural steel approached 95%, and other recycled elements included insulation, ceramic tile, and acoustical tile. Truebeck also utilized industry waste by-products of fly ash and slag in the concrete to replace 50% of the cement used. This amounted to a reduction of 100 tons of Co2 emissions into the atmosphere. “We had to be creative with using this concrete mixture because it takes longer to cure than a standard mix. We didn’t let this slow us down – we just worked in other areas as the concrete cured and were creative with scheduling to be able to utilize this less harmful mixture,” Wathen said. How to utilize LEED principles on every project? You often hear “The client wants a LEED building, if they can afford it.” from an architect or builder. So how do you make it LEED accessible for every budget? Truebeck performed extensive cost studies, comparing different strategies, products, and LEED credits, to establish what LEED points UC Davis wanted to achieve. Once the goalpost was set, we then influenced design decisions based on those parameters to meet the architect’s vision, end-user goals, and sustainable benchmarks. Because of Truebeck’s early goal alignment and collaboration with UC Davis and Flad, it enabled the team to make important decisions early that ultimately delivered a higher performing building, saved money, and achieved a best value, first-of-its-kind facility.
READ MOREMany women in construction will often reference that their interest in the industry started at a young age. They might share a story about how a particular family member worked in construction, or a STEM class inspired them, or their curiosity was piqued when playing with Legos. Opportunities to expose girls to engineering and construction are crucial to encourage the next generation of women to join the industry. To help create moments like this, Truebeck’s team partnered with Girls Build, a non-profit in Portland dedicated to empowering young girls to enter the world of building. Girls Build™ offers programming for girls teaching the basics of carpentry, electrical, plumbing, roofing, painting, auto and bike mechanics, sheet metal, and more via summer camps (8-15 year olds) and after-school workshops. Truebeck’s team held an event at one of our projects where around a dozen girls worked hand-in-hand with our team to construct a portion of the project. Not only did the girls get to use tools and build a part of the project, but they also got to meet Christine Zinkgraf who is a Project Executive at Truebeck. “This project team is passionate about involving the community and Girls Build was a perfect organization to partner with,” shared Zinkgraf. “It was incredibly fulfilling to provide local girls with hands-on construction experience while also introducing them to our strong female leadership team and a potential future career in construction.” Truebeck thanks Girls Build for all the work they do to teach and empower girls for a future in building.
READ MORETruebeck’s preconstruction services can help assist with building a diverse workforce on the jobsite. Truebeck achieved over 45 percent participation from diverse trade partners and vendors on The Annex, a 17,500sf affordable housing development that will service the needs of families in the Portland community. How Preconstruction Brings Diversity to a Jobsite When the Truebeck team began work on The Annex, the intended goal for the project was to bring on as many Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Businesses (MWESB) as possible. But the goal was also to find the best value. This meant the Truebeck team needed to weigh multiple factors when procuring trade partners for the project. Cost, availability, and an MWESB status needed to be holistically considered. “Traditionally affordable housing is built with state funds, and as a part of state funds there is a requirement for MWESB participation and that is roughly 30 percent,” shared Betsy Bice, Director of Preconstruction. “But this is a privately funded project, and Catholic Charities wanted to see what they could accomplish without being bound by state compliance.” Trade Partner Outreach When it comes to selecting trade partners, it’s vital to know the market and build relationships. Before Truebeck’s preconstruction team ever began work on The Annex, there was a concerted effort to connect with MWESB partners. Truebeck strategically partnered with the Oregon chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC). Members of NAMC-Oregon are individuals, partnerships, or corporations certified as minority-owned (MBE) or minority-owned disadvantaged (DBE) business enterprises involved in the business of construction contracting and subcontracting. By connecting with these organizations, Truebeck’s team was able to find MWESB partners that could bring value to The Annex. This prior groundwork accomplished by the preconstruction team paved the way for having a diverse workforce on the project. Trade Partner Procurement One of the critical functions of preconstruction is to procure the right trade partners. During this process, the preconstruction team will leverage a dashboard of thousands of prequalified subcontractors, then in a curated approach select those that bring the right skills, value, and inclusion the client desires. In the case of MWESB participation, the goal is to make the project as attractive as possible. This incentivizes responses and a desire to join. To help make the project attractive, Truebeck’s preconstruction efforts were spent addressing concerns such as scheduling and proper bidding practices. From personal conversations over the phone to in-person events, the Truebeck team was able to form a list of MWESB trade partners and help them submit completed bids to make them competitive with other firms. Trade Partner Tracking While a focus on diversity was a part of the project goals, another was also to find the best value possible. This is where tracking key data plays a critical role in selecting the right trade partners. Truebeck’s preconstruction team has an internal dashboard that details critical information about local trade partners. This includes their workforce availability, cost history, safety records, and more. With this information at the fingertips of our preconstruction team, Truebeck could identify which trade partners are best suited for the job and will deliver the best quality possible. This internal resource not only helped the Truebeck team procure MWESB partners, but it also helped find the ones that would deliver the best value. Diversity at Truebeck While the preconstruction team is responsible for supplier diversity, the Truebeck team itself reflects the diversity goals of the project. Truebeck’s project team brought diversity to The Annex jobsite with women and minority leadership and team members. Truebeck aspires to create a workplace that looks like the diverse communities around us, and where we see and appreciate a variety of experiences, identities, and backgrounds. Truebeck’s core value “Business and life are all about people” captures our fundamental belief and guiding principle that people are at the center of our company and world. Partnering with a MWESB was only the start. Truebeck’s team represented diversity in thought, experience and people. The Results for The Annex The result on The Annex was an over 45 percent participation rate from MWESB trade partners. This exceeded the state and industry standards by a substantial margin. While the diversity goals were also achieved, the project itself is being built with a high-level of quality and within budget. Truebeck’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Truebeck recognizes the importance of diverse suppliers and small businesses, and our role in creating equitable opportunities. By providing opportunities, we are contributing to the growth of our industry and our communities. Betsy Bice is Portland’s Director of Preconstruction and she shared why a focus on working with MWESB trade partners is important to the Truebeck team. “Being a woman in the industry is why I’m motivated to try and help other women and minority owned business,” she said. “I think it’s part of our duty to help them grow and expand. Portland is a community focused city, and we need to be a good community partner. Engaging with new trade partners is a way we can achieve that.” Truebeck’s mission identifies a core principle – “pioneer ideas that improve industry practices and elevate standards.” This reflects the foundational purpose of our business, to create a positive impact on society. Partner With Us If diversity on the job site is an essential goal on a project, Truebeck’s team has the resources and capacity to ensure that it’s met. Contact our team to learn more about our preconstruction services and how they can specifically aid with your project’s diversity plans. Truebeck is always looking to build connections with more partners. If you’re in the trades, reach out to us so we can begin the process of prequalification.
READ MOREWe hope you enjoy our collection of media around construction news, opinions, and policy.
As a leader in the construction industry, we want to challenge conventional wisdom and push the limits on what is possible.
If you want to stay connected on the latest trailblazing ideas in construction, subscribe to our newsletter so we can keep in touch.