Successful Developer-Led Design-Build LEED® Gold Laboratory

Greg Herman, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Wade Giddens, Cowperwood Company

The $77 million Biological Sciences Facility (BSF) and Computational Sciences Facility (CSF) complex at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will enable discoveries in biological, computational, and subsurface science as well as developments in bio-energy, carbon sequestration, and homeland security. The new buildings, which opened in fall 2009 and are connected by a public lobby and conference center, were created through a unique public-private partnership that involved the U.S. government; a private, not-for-profit laboratory operator; and a real estate development firm. Combined, the two facilities will house about 300 staff who support PNNL's research for DOE, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institutes of Health, and others. They represent the first new buildings on PNNL's campus since 1997.

This presentation will describe the successful delivery of the facilities over a relatively short 15-month construction schedule, which followed a condensed design phase. Overall, the project included the use of a developer-led, design-build, fast track project delivery method. This method provided ultimate flexibility in the design and construction by relying on open book financing, design, and estimating. The design team and project delivery method also allowed for tenant-provided laboratory planning, design, and oversight throughout the design and construction process. One of the key successes of this project was the continual incorporation of wish list items, as negotiated subcontractor and material cost were consistently lower than anticipated. The team evaluated wish list items and incorporated as the project progressed.

The presentation will also discuss the facilities' delivery on time and on budget using a Guaranteed Maximum Price contract mechanism, which was developed in the conceptual design phase of the project. Naturally, there were challenges and lessons learned, which will be included in the presentation.

These complex research facilities are consuming 30 percent less water and over 30 percent less energy when compared to standard, code-compliant-designed laboratories. This occurs through incorporation of energy-saving mechanisms such as a geothermal heating and cooling system, and by using low-flow, motion-sensor-activated water fixtures. Additionally, the heat generated by the CSF is also used in the BSF. The sustainable operations resulted in a LEED Gold Certification, one of only 16 laboratories in the country to receive that designation by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Biographies:

Greg Herman is a civil engineer and a Certified Project Management Professional and was PNNL's representative project manager for the developer design-build BSF and CSF. He was also responsible for the development and approval of the business case justifying the use of alternative approaches to finance these facilities, along with the BSF/CSF startup and readiness manager.

Mr. Herman also managed a smaller project, which included a $5 million utility infrastructure project providing services to the site funded by the state of Washington and a $5 million life extension project at the site. He is now serving as the project director at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Palo Alto, California, for the $97 million Science Laboratories Infrastructure Research Support Building and Infrastructure Modernization Project.

Wade Giddens is a registered architect and an owner of the BSF and CSF. He served as project director for Cowperwood Company and developer and property manager of the design-build BSF and CSF projects. He held overall responsibility for development project delivery, including proposal preparation, budget, schedule, design and construction contracts, and owner-side oversight of the construction process. He served as primary interface between PNNL's project management team and the development and construction team.

During his 21-year tenure with Cowperwood, Mr. Giddens has developed over 2 million square feet of office, laboratory, and related space for government and government contractor tenants using the design-build delivery method. He is currently involved in pursuit of projects in New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and Virginia.