Spring 2012 - Hooper Corporation

OnSite
H o o p e r
Spring 2012
C o r p o r a t i o n
Electric Power • Mechanical • HVAC
Capitol Heat and Power: A Natural Approach to
Heating the Capitol
burning plant
women being trained and oriented to
work on the project, and over 60,000
hours worked throughout project
completion.
The changes at Capitol Heat & Power
Plant are just the beginning in a new
direction of energy and power generation
for State Facilities. In 2010, the State
of Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and Department of
Administration
(DOA) reached an
agreement with
the Sierra Club
and the University
of Wisconsin to
research the use
of clean energy
generation in
the heating plant
system. Naturally,
the plants surrounding Madison took the lead,
as the rebuild of Charter Street Heating Plant
followed on the heels of the Capitol Heat &
Power Plant rebuild.
Continued on Page 2
d
i
s
tories
S
e
2. From the
President
3. Safety Sense
3. Custom Metals Fabrication
4. Tree Trimming
4. EPD Project Updates
5. General Heating and Air
Conditioning, Inc.
6. Fresh Faces
7. Plumbing Department
8. Hooper in the Community
In
While the building is still over 100
years old, the vital components of the
Capitol Heat & Power Plant (CHPP) have
been rebuilt to maximize efficiency and
minimize environmental impact. The
Capitol Heat & Power Plant serves a
network of underground utility tunnels that
provide steam, chilled water, and power to
the Capitol and surrounding government
buildings. The year-round operation of the
plant created a set of changing limitations
that left Hooper and the Engineering
Design Team re-sequencing the project
numerous times to avoid any interruption
on the Wisconsin State Capitol Square
Above: Remodeled building with new stacks
Right: CHPP amid construction while the old brick
while integrating the newly commissioned
chimney is still intact
systems.
design team was able to create a 3D
Headlining the remodel has been the
model of the chilled water system
installation of new efficient, low emission
boilers that burn natural gas, replacing the old that allowed for a comprehensive
layout of equipment and piping,
coal fired boilers. In fact, many local residents
ultimately minimizing cost and installation
have noticed a change in the skyline as the
time.
200 foot tall brick stack has been demolished
The expertise and communication of all
and replaced with four new stainless steel
foremen and superintendents onsite was
stacks. Two new high efficiency electric
critical to ensure a safe and uninterrupted
chillers have been installed in place of the
project. This resulted in over 300 men and
removed coal and ash handling systems,
accompanied
by a one
million gallon
Thermal
Energy
Storage
Tank that
will greatly
minimize
the costs of
chilled water
production.
While
building
an entire
structure
that often
required
cranes inside
the building,
Hooper’s
Various stages of construction throughout the renovation and re-build of the former coal
Hooper Corporation | www.hoopercorp.com | General Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. | www.generalheating.com
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Hooper Corporation | www.hoopercorp.com
From the President
Technology Becomes Catalyst for Lean, Green
Construction
Think back 20 years to
the time of heavy boxsized computers, being
introduced to the idea of
personal employee email,
and the necessity for calling cards because
cell phones just weren’t as accessible while
traveling for work. And maybe even more
important for some: the lack of Google and
Internet searches to locate job sites, potential
hazards, and in general a powerful project
management tool. For some that was a
simpler time, yet when you think about how
business is done today, it’s hard to imagine
working without these tools. Design/build
would be largely impossible without the
use of high-tech computers, the absence of
employee email would make long distance
business communication much slower and
the lack of cell phones creates less availability
for those who have to travel or be away from
the office.
The changes we’ve seen in technology
in the past 20 years are so extensive it
is difficult to imagine what science and
technology will do in the next 20 or 50 years.
Indeed, the construction industry will look and
operate quite different from today. Although
the process of learning new technology
comes with a price, i.e. a learning curve that
generally slows production at first, the idea
is that after the initial introduction, it can
ultimately increase productivity and work flow.
At this point in time, the future of
construction looks to be highly sustainable,
technology driven and backed by the idea
of “lean” practices. Although the term lean
in regards to management, construction,
and manufacturing is relatively new, many
of us are familiar with the basic idea:
maximize value while eliminating waste. In
fact, design/build is a great example of lean
construction. The use of advanced planning
and coordination between engineers and
onsite employees allows for a more efficient
job site and timely completion. The idea that
managers and engineers can design and
conceptually build before employees even
step foot on the jobsite is a revolutionary
advancement in building construction
technology.
Owners, managers, manufacturers, and
field employees all have incentive to get work
done
safer,
faster and
at a lower
cost. The
supply
chain is
able to
streamline
the
process
and reduce waste enabling field employees to
safely plan their work and increase efficiency.
Owners, in turn, see substantial results and
validate their investments. In fact, the ideal
outcome of a lean approach is to minimize
cost and maximize value, which generally
leads to creating a safe and environmentally
friendly approach to business.
Although lean business thinking is driven
by technology, people and a progressive
business culture are key to realizing its true
benefit, and it requires planning, patience,
and commitment.
As we look to the future of construction,
most likely “lean” will slowly lose its title and
simply become a way of acting and thinking,
and ultimately incorporated into the way
business is conducted.
Capitol Heat and Power, continued from Page 1
Nationwide, utilities have opted to scrap
more than 200 coal-burning units during the
last three years. The planned retirements
will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by
more than 152 million metric tons a year,
according to records compiled by the Sierra
Club. This estimation is equivalent to the
annual greenhouse gas emissions from
29,803,922 passenger vehicles in one year
or carbon emissions from the energy use of
11,938,708 homes for one year. Visit www.
epa.gov/cleanenergy for more information
and to rate other comparisons.
The new boiler sys
tem at CHPP
The WI DOA contributed to this article. To learn more, visit www.doa.state.wi.us.
www.hoopercorp.com | Hooper Corporation
Safety Sense
First Aid, CPR, and AED
Training Requirements
At Hooper Corporation, safety is our most important core
value. In an effort to expand our safety training into the Hooper
Corporate offices, Hooper now requires all employees – field,
managers and corporate to become certified in First Aid, CPR,
and AED.
Hooper employs five full-time certified trainers and offers
courses almost monthly for employees at the Madison training
center. By holding extra classes over the past six months
all employees are now certified and certification will be a
requirement for all new hires.
COMMITMENT
LEADER
SH
IP
CATION
UNI
MM
CO
HC
SAFETY STAR
CO
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Safety STAR Committee Members:
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As spring and summer approach and with many projects
well underway, we want to keep safety practices and
procedures at the forefront of every job.
As a part of Hooper’s continued safety initiative, the Safety
STAR was created by the Safety STAR Committee and will be
introduced to all employees throughout the next few months.
The STAR logo is a representation of what Hooper
Corporation expects out of all workers and the teamwork
it takes from all areas within the company: management,
corporate and field employees. Together we will use leadership,
commitment, communication, training and accountability as
the foundation to continued safe work practices.
From back left: Jeff Hanson, Jerry Diebling, Randy
Thompson, Paul Schwenzfeier, Steve Millmann
From front left: Alison Hohl, Fred Davie, Cindy Benisch,
Steve Lindley, and Keith Judenis
Not pictured: James Espinosa
AI
Safety STAR Logo
Custom Metals Fabrication
The Hooper Fabrication Shop: “The Land of Innovation”
The design ideas coming through the door at Hooper Corporation never seem
to lack creativity, especially when it comes to Custom Metals Fabrication. This
spring, the custom metals shop worked with Spec Machine in Ashton to help build a
granola ball machine prototype made of 316L stainless steel.
To start the process, the small circles on top of the machine were milled by
Spec Machine to create the size and shape needed for sphere shaped balls. Once
complete, Hooper’s fabrication shop welded the cylinders together which utilized
liquid cooling. Hooper also constructed the stainless frame and created the
custom stainless hopper on top of the machine.
The ingredients will be put into the mixer then dropped down the chute into the
spheres which will produce the small balls of granola. This machine was made to
utilize variable speed and is set to make 7,000 balls a minute. However, at full
speed it has the power to make 35,000 balls a minute.
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Hooper Corporation | www.hoopercorp.com
Tree Trimming Department
Tree Trimmers Brave the Cold
During two 20 degree, ice cold days
in mid January, two Hooper Corporation
Tree Trimming crews were onsite near the
intersection of Park Street and Fish Hatchery
Road preparing to remove a large cottonwood
tree to make room for the Madison Gas &
Electric voltage upgrade in the south side
neighborhood. Standing around 80 feet tall
and believed to be between 75-100 years old,
the tree’s proximity to neighboring homes and
active power lines presented a few challenges
for our tree experts.
The first day on the jobsite Hooper crews
trimmed as many of the smaller branches
and tree limbs away from the power lines as
possible. Due to the relative closeness to
fences, sheds, buildings, and homes, multiple
roping techniques were used to take down
many of the limbs and to avoid damage to
structures. The preparation and removal
of branches and limbs enabled crews to
concentrate on taking down the base of the
tree on day two.
Considering the size and weight of the tree,
a variety of equipment was used for this job,
including a 100-ton crane which was used to
transport the heavy pieces of cottonwood onto
the ground. To assist with this, Hooper crews
also used two, fully extended, 75 foot bucket
trucks, two forestry dump trucks and two
chippers to take down the base of the tree in
about 10 sections.
The voltage upgrade is part of the Park
Street and Fish Hatchery Road triangle which
is scheduled for redevelopment.
Left: Throughout day two the 75 foot bucket trucks were
extended as two men at a time worked together to remove
sections of the large cottonwood
Center: Removed pieces were cut down to load into the
dump truck
Top Right: The cottonwood after day one trimming and
branch removal
Electric Power Division
Notable Department Projects
Pawnee-Smoky Hill 345kV
Department: Overhead Line
General Contractor: Xcel Energy
Start Date: March 2012
Location: Fort Morgan, Colorado
Scope of Work: Construction
includes 70 total miles of 55
double circuit and 15 single circuit
1272 bundled conductor built on
steel foundations. A new line will
be constructed within an existing
corridor with multiple 230 kV lines.
Additional safety precautions will
be taken due to high induction
areas on this jobsite.
345 kV Buckner Tap
Transmission Line
Department: Overhead Line
Engineer: Power Constructors
Owner: Sunflower Electric Power
Corporation
Project Schedule: January 2012February 2012
Location: Cimarron, KS
Scope of Work: Installation of
345 kV bundled conductor and
stringing of new 1254 bundled
conductor. Removal and relocation
of existing 65 foot lattice steel
structures. Built and assembled
125 and 115 foot dead end
towers.
35 kV Underground
Collector System Post Rock
Department: Underground
Electrical Construction
General Contractor: RMT, Inc.
Completion Date: May 2012
Location: Lincoln & Ellsworth
Counties, Kansas
Scope of Work: Hooper Corporation
installed 70 miles of 35 kV
underground collector system
which included high and low
voltage connections for 134 GE 1.5
MW turbines. Upon completion the
wind farm will have a total output
of 201 MW.
www.hoopercorp.com | Hooper Corporation
General Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.
GHAC Maintains Excellent Safety Record at Wisconsin Institutes
for Medical Research
As the necessity for more room and
research space continued to grow, the
University of Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Institutes
for Medical Research (WIMR) put together
a three-phase construction plan that will
introduce a collaborative research approach
between UW-Madison and the UW Hospital
system. The plan is designed to build three
towers which will ultimately create an
interdisciplinary approach and embrace a
new way of doing research which focuses on
translational-research and development.
PHASE ONE
Phase One (east tower) consisted of an
eight story, 437,000 square foot addition which
is being used for cancer research and imaging
radiation. With Phase One complete in
2008, General Heating & Air Conditioning
continued working with Boldt Construction
on Phase Two, which began in June 2011
and will add an additional 251,000 square
feet.
biomedical research space on floors three
through nine which will be constructed on
part of the existing Phase One construction.
General Heating crews provided the major
HVAC equipment in addition to sheet metal
and steam fitting. In fact, for about six months
during the 2011-2012 winter, there were
approximately 22 steam fitters and sheet metal
workers on the jobsite.
Throughout construction GHAC installed
seven large air handling units on seven floors
with additional stairwell units. Six heat recovery
units were installed on the roof, four of them
having some of the largest heat recovery
wheels on the UW campus which consist of
two-12 foot diameter wheels on each of the
four units. Large and small pumps were put in
PHASE TWO
Phase Two will be built to cover
approximately 251,000 square feet of
to provide chilled water, hot water and a heat
exchange system.
BUILDING INFORMATION
MODELING (BIM)
Both phases utilized 3D modeling and BIM
tools for the coordination, and planning prior
to and during construction which included the
current building, site, and utility infrastructure.
SAFETY
Although safety is at the forefront of every
job, this jobsite required a few site-specific
orientations which helped lend a hand to keep
GHAC crews injury-free. Boldt and General
Heating worked together to assure all workers
completed compliance training, site-specific
orientations, and swing stage scaffold
training in addition to Monday safety
meetings and tool box talks. General’s
Safety Manager, Jeff Hanson, also
coordinated with Boldt’s Safety Director
performing site inspections on a regular
basis. Working together and maintaining
a safe environment has been successful
and created a “perfect” jobsite: an injury
free one.
GHAC has worked 575 days
without a lost time injury!
GHAC crews gathe
r to sign the beam
while nearing an
construction at WI
end of Phase Two
MR
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Hooper Corporation | www.hoopercorp.com
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Holly Andersen joined Hooper’s
Corporate Accounting Department in
December 2011 and brings over two years
of experience in public accounting.
Holly received a Masters of Accounting
from Iowa State University with an
undergraduate degree in Accounting
and Criminology & Criminal Justice, also
from Iowa State University. Prior to joining
Hooper, Holly worked as an auditor at
Ernst & Young, LLP for two years while also
earning her CPA.
Holly is new to Madison and enjoys the outdoors, playing sports
and running. Holly also has her pilot’s license and enjoys flying in
her free time.
Todd Silbaugh joined Hooper’s
Mechanical Division as a Fire Protection
Designer in January 2012. Todd attended
Madison Area Technical College where he
received his Associate Degree in Mechanical
Design and brings over seven years of fire
protection experience to Hooper.
Todd and his wife, Amy, have three
daughters, Kassidy, 15, Kennedy, 13, and
Chloe, 11. Together they enjoy spending
time at a family cabin, fishing and
swimming.
Watch for Hooper
Corporation at the Fall EEI
Transmission, Distribution &
Metering Conference in
Palm Springs, CA.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4, 2012
Kristin Vogel joined Hooper’s Mechanical
Division in February 2012 as the Plumbing
Administrative Assistant. Kristin has more
than seven years of experience working
in Finance and Accounting for non-profit
agencies as well as some independent
work.
Kristin lives in Madison with her two
boys, Tyler, age 16 and Travis, age 15. In
her free time she enjoys being active with
biking, running, hiking and kickboxing. She
also likes watching her two boys play sports
and participating in sports with them.
warm welcome to the
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Join
ployees:
following Hooper Em
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Promotion:
Brad Carter was promoted to the
Project Manager of Line Clearance within
Hooper’s Tree Trimming/Line Clearance
Department in December 2011. Brad first
joined Hooper as a full-time employee after
graduating from the University of Wisconsin
– Whitewater with a degree in Business
Administration. Brad has been with Hooper
for over a decade; in fact, he spent his first
five years as a tree trimmer working in the
field before becoming the Fleet Operations
Specialist in 2007. He was then promoted
to Project Manager in December 2011 and is currently working
towards becoming a Certified Arborist.
Brad and his wife, Shawna, currently live in Waunakee with their
two dogs and are expecting their first daughter this summer. In his
free time, Brad enjoys golf, hockey and his family cabin up north.
Brad also likes boating and racing sailboats when he has the time.
The 2012 Spring EEI Transmission, Distribution and Metering
Conference was held in Newport, Rhode Island in early April and
was a great success. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth
to learn more about Hooper Corporation. It was great to meet so
many people, cultivate new relationships, and re-connect with past
attendees.
www.hoopercorp.com | Hooper Corporation
Hooper Plumbing Department
Green Goats, Green Building
J.P. Cullen & Sons, the contractor working at SOHE, brought in
a herd of 32 goats to devour the overgrown vegetation on a hill
along Linden Drive.
sensors which will help reduce operation costs and work towards LEED
certification.
A green roof, or rooftop garden, is a vegetative layer grown on a
rooftop. Green roofs provide shade and remove heat from the air
through evapotranspiration, reducing temperatures of the roof
surface and the surrounding air.
The benefits of green roofs include:
• Reduced energy use
• Reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
• Improved human health and comfort
• Enhanced storm water management and water quality
The Hooper Fire Protection and Plumbing Departments were onsite
for the addition and renovation of the 100 year old School of Human
Ecology at the UW-Madison campus. The new school is scheduled to
open this spring and was built to LEED Gold Certification.
The overall project involved a complete interior demolition and
renovation of the 76,000 square foot, five story, existing building with
the plan to add a five level, 97,000 square foot addition. The new
addition was made to the west end of the existing building, with the
east tower being renovated.
The inside and outside renovations were made to appear as
much like the old building as possible and the blending of the two fit
flawlessly. The conversion of the existing building to a modern facility
did, however present a unique challenge to the crews because many
of the historic walls, windows, etc. had to be preserved. Recycled-wood
molding, windows, and walls were put into the west wing to maintain a
similar look and feel to the characteristics of the original building.
The Hooper Plumbing Department installed water conserving
fixtures to include low-flow urinals, dual flush toilets, as well as flow
restricted lavatory faucets. Once complete, the building will also be
home to green roofs, high efficiency lighting fixtures, and occupancy
For more information on the advantages of green
roofs visit: www.epa.gov
Recognition
Plumbing Department Recognized for Work at The
University of Wisconsin--Lacrosse
Hooper Corporation’s Mechanical Division was
selected as a member of the winning team for the
2011 Division of State Facilities (DSF) Best Project
Award. Paul Schwenzfeier, Don Burkhard and Jerry
Diebling accepted the award on behalf of Hooper,
presented by Governor Walker. The Hooper Plumbing
Department worked on the construction team for the
Centennial Hall Project at UW-Lacrosse.
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Hooper Corporation | www.hoopercorp.com
Community Outreach
Million Pound Challenge
It’s as Simple as 1, 2, 3…
1. You lose weight
2. For every one pound of weight you lose, The Princeton
Club and other corporate sponsors will purchase 10 pounds of
food for the Second Harvest Food bank of Southern Wisconsin
– up to one million pounds of food
3. You even get to choose which local food pantry will receive
your food
Hooper Corporation and General Heating & Air Conditioning
joined together to form a team of 13 to pledge to lose weight and
get healthy in the Princeton Club Million Pound Challenge.
The Challenge runs from January 1st to May 31st with the
goal of donating one million pounds of food to a local food bank.
Together Hooper and GHAC set a goal of 6,970 pounds and are
currently at 4,659 pounds. With only a little over a month to go,
hopefully this nice weather will motivate everyone to reach our
overall goal!
ssic
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C
s
g
e
l
Crazy
2012!
www.princetonclub.net
OnSite
H o o p e r
Spring 2012
C o r p o r a t i o n
Electric Power • Mechanical • HVAC
Contributors: Fred Davie, President; Brian Burch, Project Manager - Process Piping, Mike Sutcliffe - CMF, and Paul Mayfield, Project
Manager - GHAC | Editor: Alison Hohl, Corporate Communications Specialist
For all your emergency storm response
needs, look no further than the Hooper
Corporation Emergency Storm Response
Team. Reach our emergency line 24/7 at
877.630.7554
2030 Pennsylvania Avenue
P.O. Box 7455
Madison, WI 53707-7455
608.249.0451
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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