- Skanska
Transcription
- Skanska
The Employee Magazine for Skanska USA 2011/Issue 03 coasttocoast Expanding the Footprint Geographic Expansion is Alive and Well, page 8 Safe and Secure Rules of Proper Cargo Securement, page 2 Placing Mileposts toward Deep Green The Road to Zero Environmental Impacts, page 14 Collaboration Lived Pursuing Virginia’s Downtown Tunnel Project, page 16 1 coast to coast Standing Tall in Economic Storm Contents 2011 Issue 03 Page 02 Page 06 Page 13 Page 08 Skanska continues to stand tall and perform well despite the persistent economic storm clouds casting long shadows on the U.S. economy. In fact, all four U.S. business units are on outperform tracks this year. ID Americas may soon close the huge Midtown Tunnel project in Virginia, which USA Civil will participate in building. USA Civil also recently won a big light-rail project in California and key transit jobs in New York. USA Building is close to signing a $400 million contract with a university in New York and was recently selected to build a $700 million hospital in Louisiana. USA Commercial Development now has three projects underway, is about to start a fourth – a new project for an athletic shoe company – and its 10th and G Street job in D.C. is nearly leased out. While Skanska is standing tall despite the storm, it’s clear the choppy economic recovery could worsen, with the chance of a recessionary dip in the near future becoming more real every day. The current focus on reducing the U.S. debt may drive budgets even lower and increase unemployment, resulting in local governments having less money for infrastructure and a further downward drive in private construction spending. What does this mean for Skanska? It means we must make sure we’re prepared for a potential prolonged downturn. We must remain diligent in delighting our clients, being aggressive about landing new work that’s currently available, collaborating more across business units and staying focused on the fundamentals like safety, operational execution and keeping costs down. I’m hopeful a positive ray of light could appear through the clouds with the 2012 elections. The elections are expected to rightly place jobs and real recovery – both economical and infrastructural – at the top of the political agenda, making “putting America back to work” the priority. Once this gathers traction, we can expect construction spending to significantly increase. But it may be tough going for the next 18-24 months. So let’s continue to stand tall and keep Skanska on the outperform course. Mike McNally, Pr President, res e id dent, Skan Skanska USA Page 16 Page 14 Safety 02 Safe and Secure How incidents involving cargo securement can be avoided. 03 Dos and Don'ts Our People 04 Making a Difference Rebecca Clark details her trip to Africa to support HEAL Africa’s community development work and hospital construction. 04 Skanska Survey 05 A Day in the Life... Mark Irvin 05 Panel Question: What does your team have planned for Safety Week 2011? 06 Diversity Network 07 Community Timeline Our Projects 08 Expanding the Footprint A look at the geographic expansion efforts taking place across the country - and up north. 12 On the Road Again 13 When Three Heads are Better than One Focus 14 Placing Mileposts toward Deep Green Skanska USA sets sight on achieving zero environmental impacts. 16 Collaboration Lived [ FSC STAMP TO BE PROVIDED BY PRINTER] coasttocoast Publisher Mike McNally Editor Shana Bitterman Editors/Writers Shana Bitterman, Beth Miller, Mary Humphreys, Shelby Adams, Jessica Murray, Marshall Jones, Jay Weisberger, Nicole Didda, Kelly Stowe Photographer Adam Friedberg, Brooke Henriksen Printer FLM Graphics coasttocoast is the quarterly employee magazine from Skanska USA. Subscribe free of charge by sending an email to: [email protected]. coasttocoast is printed on FSC certified environmentally friendly paper. Feel free to copy from the magazine or quote us, but please name the source. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited material, though you are welcome to send your ideas and suggestions to the editor at: [email protected]. Material Lift Dos & Don'ts Do! Use the manufacturer’s approved supports to extend the forks on a material lift in order to properly and securely raise a load. Be sure to Safety hero » Teamster Anthony Pennisi with the Savior, his cargo securement mechanism. Safe and Secure Last fall, Veli-Heikki Korhonen, a subcontractor employee in Finland, was fatally struck by part of a timber load that fell from his truck as he loosened the straps to start unloading. The Global Over the years Teamster Anthony Pennisi has seen and heard about many cargo securement near misses. He even experienced a close call when a load of pile cut-offs rolled off his truck after he released the straps. Since that incident, Anthony considered creating a mechanism that secures the load after the straps have been released to keep material from falling from the truck. “This has been on my mind for the last 20 years,” Anthony explains. Safety Stand Down that followed set out to remind employees that accidents all too often result from poor load distribution and improper load securement. However, when the proper regulations are followed, cargo securement incidents are significantly reduced. Rules to follow » A rendering of the Savior in action. 2 Before loading any trailer with materials, it’s vital to complete a thorough pre-trip inspection. This includes ensuring all trailer components, parts and accessories are safe, secure and in good working order and checking for loose debris, nails, splinters or other materials that could damage the cargo. The cargo must be inspected during the loading process. Any damaged or questionable freight should be discussed before being placed onto the trailer. Once in place, the cargo has to be evenly distributed throughout the trailer, with lighter cargo stacked on top of heavier freight. In addition, all cargo needs to be adequately secured through the use of proper blocking, bracing and dunnage. The load is only secure when it doesn’t move. Lastly, it’s important to make sure the cargo and the devices used to secure the cargo aren’t only inspected before setting off on a trip, but during the course of the trip, too. coast to coast Recognizing a best practice, the National Safety Leadership Team turned USA Civil Northeast's safety newsletter - The Leading Edge - into a national, quarterly publication that highlights outstanding examples of the great environmental, health and safety work on Skanska jobsites across the country. The newsletter can be found in the Safety section under the Tools & Services tab on One.Skanska. coast to coast However, when his ideas about the mechanism first came to mind, the safety culture in the construction industry wasn’t what it is today; the focus was still on productivity over safety and sharing ideas for improvement wasn’t encouraged. It wasn’t until last year’s Global Safety Stand Down #9, when Anthony learned of the death of fellow truck driver Veli-Heikki, that he was motivated to put pen to paper and make his restraint system a reality. His creation, the Savior, is made up of two major units – an extendable vertical stake, known as the savior, and a moveable chuck and lock that operates like a stake socket to lock the savior in place. The chuck and lock unit is attached to dunnage underneath the load. When in use, the load is held on each side between vertical saviors adjacent to the load and adjusted to the load’s height. Straps are supported by the tops of the saviors and go over the load. At the final destination, prior to unloading, all straps are removed. The vertical saviors are still in place, preventing the load from shifting sideways. With assistance from Skanska’s equipment and innovation development group, Anthony has a patent pending on the Savior and is in the process of having two prototypes made for testing. ◆ adhere to the maximum load weight listed on the machinery’s decal. Don’t! Never use unistrut, angle iron or other metal materials as fork extensions because they could fail when the machinery is raised, causing the load to topple and injure a worker. 3 Editorial Q A Making a Difference In March 2011, Skanska Koch supported my desire to volunteer my time for an excursion to Africa. The company hosted a blood drive during our annual safety management meeting and agreed to match funds for each collected unit of blood. The funds were then contributed to my trip. In addition, Skanska Koch matched each employee’s personal donation that was made toward my trip. With their assistance, I embarked on a humbling two-week mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support HEAL Africa’s community development work and hospital that’s located on the border of DRC and Rwanda. The trip was geared toward implementing and supporting HEAL Africa’s sustainable development programs, including empowering women by addressing several of the local women’s rights issues. During my time in the DRC, my main focus was providing project management and superintendent assistance for the construction of HEAL Africa’s new three-story hospital building. I worked alongside the director of HEAL Africa USA and the Congolese engineer/builder, helping with the layout of the owner’s proposed modification, performing a cost analysis of the project, developing CAD drawings, teaching AutoCAD, working on a schematic of the drainage system and generating a plan view of the hospital limits. I also provided assistance with material procurement and quality control implementation. Many aspects of the construction process were so familiar, while others were so rudimentary. The days and nights were long, but worth every moment. I maximized my energy and was determined to complete the task at hand. I was so grateful to have tangible tasks to exert this energy into. Upon completion, the new hospital facility will enable HEAL Africa to serve its patients even better than before, and train the next generation of doctors in an environment where it’s possible to practice excellent medicine. I am privileged that Skanska Koch supported me on this endeavor. The company is committed to contributing to a sustainable world and I appreciate Skanska Koch’s support and encouragement for my initiative in making a difference. ◆ —Rebecca Clark Project Manager, Carteret, N.J. 70.8% 29.2% 4 3:15 a.m. Alarm goes off. Hop in the shower. 3:30 a.m. Start the 60-mile drive to Trenton, N.J., to catch my first train of the day. 4:32 a.m. Jump on the train to Newark, N.J. Spend the ride updating the daily schedule and sending out emails. 5:38 a.m. Switch trains in Newark to get to Manhattan. 6:12 a.m. Arrive at the World Trade Center jobsite, a joint-venture project being carried out by 6:20 a.m. 7:00 a.m. 7:45 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:35 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 8:45 p.m. 9:30 p.m. 10:00 p.m. 12:30 a.m. Want to see your opinions represented here? Log in to the Hub Survey page: www.skanskasurvey.com coast to coast ID America’s office is planning on holding a number of activities, from safety training and site visits to health and wellness-focused presentations and exercises. We hope to get everyone involved in each activity and hope everyone is able to walk away with new information on how to keep themselves and those around them safe. —Annie Kraft Sustainability Coordinator, Alexandria, Va. General Superintendent, New York, N.Y. 10:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Has your team participated in any community outreach activities lately? No Mark Irvin 8:30 a.m. Skanska Survey Yes A Day in the Life… What does your team have planned for Safety Week 2011? SGS (USA Civil, Granite Construction and USA Building). Meet with the foremen to discuss the day’s safety briefings and pre-task plans. Daily mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) superintendents’ briefing to go through the day’s activities, rail and power shutdowns and water and pressure tests. Issue hot work permits to perform hot work in the field and confined space orders to enter vessels and subway tracks. Project engineer review to look over the project’s ever-changing details and requests for information (RFI). Meeting with the subcontractors’ superintendents and foremen to assess subcontractor coordination, security issues, crane schedules and site logistics. Time to do a field visit to monitor how the job is coming along. Hold the daily SGS lunch to talk about the day’s remaining work, finalize tomorrow’s delivery schedule and crane locations and set concrete pours. Architectural meeting to discuss logistics, deliveries, RFI changes and submittals. Take another field walk to ensure the day’s tasks are finishing up smoothly. MEP superintendents’ daily wrap-up meeting to reflect on the day’s activities, review tomorrow’s plan and unwind. Close the day with overtime subcontractors. Quick project executive meeting to talk about the owner’s daily requests and changes. Catch the train home and spend the ride prepping for the next day. Walk in the door at home to check in with the family and grab a quick bite. Back out the door to play an ice hockey game. Get out on the rink and relieve the day’s frustrations on the ice. Finally back home to crash and burn for the night. coast to coast The Regional Medical Center of San Jose project team has a number of activities lined up for the week. We’re providing two interactive defensive driving courses and First Aid-CPR-AED certification and hosting a barbeque luncheon for the approximately 150 workers on site. —Jim Lenhart EHS Coordinator, San Jose, Calif. As part of this year’s Safety Week, our team’s focus will be spreading the Injury-Free Environment® philosophy. There will be 21 executives from USA Civil Northeast traveling to various jobsites to explain the IFE program to our foremen and other craft personnel. IFE training will empower all of our employees to work together towards achieving our goal of zero accidents. —Paul Haining Vice President of EHS, Whitestone, N.Y. 5 With more than 7,000 employees in the U.S. and hundreds of active projects, maintaining a focus on diversity, compliance and inclusion can be a huge task. To meet this demand, several new team members have been added to the diversity team. While some are new to Skanska, others are longtime employees in new roles. Houston, Texas: Helping local students Employees in Houston and College Station, Texas, collected school supplies for Communities in Schools and delivered items to Pine Shadows Elementary School. The Skanska USA Diversity Network Shelby Adams Communications Manager, Skanska USA, U.S. Nyime Brown Oakland, Calif.: Giving away goods The office donated remaining office supplies from the Central Utility Plant jobsite, with an estimated worth of $4,012, to two local children’s organizations. Diversity and Outreach Coordinator, USA Civil, Virginia Maritza Burgos Diversity Manager, USA Building, Texas Mari Comer Diversity Coordinator, USA Building, Michigan Fred Fox DBE Coordinator, USA Civil, Northwest Andre Gueno relationships with local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) subcontractors and be able to really affect their George Hanible Regional DBE Compliance Officer, USA Civil, West Coast Rachel Hendrix Diversity Manager, Skanska USA, Georgia Waiel Hussein Compliance Officer, USA Civil, U.S. Mel Jones Alexandria, Va.: Getting physical ID Americas spearheaded a drive with the D.C.-area business units to collect exercise equipment for disabled and disadvantaged children enrolled in Kids Enjoy Exercise Now. Diversity Manager, USA Building, Oregon/Washington Renee Jones business for years to come is a very Diversity Manager, USA Building, Carolinas rewarding experience.” Michelle Mason DBE Coordinator, USA Civil, Arizona Sherry Nacci Diversity Coordinator, USA Building, Pennsylvania Rodney Renix joined USA Civil Southeast earlier this year as regional DBE compliance officer to help the office comply with all relevant federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations pertaining to small, women and minority-owned businesses. “It’s been great to be a part of a company that practices what they preach on the job, and in the community. Skanska is really committed to not just saying it, but doing it,” he says. “The growth of Skanska’s diversity network has been a catalyst for increased efforts in developing a significant presence in the community and among diverse contractors,” says James Threalkill, senior national director of diversity. “This demonstrates our commitment to embracing diversity as a key business strategy and priority in our cultural growth.” ◆ 6 JULY Boston, Mass.: Cradles to crayons Employees participated in the fifth annual Ready for School campaign, helping to fill more than 15,000 backpacks with crayons, pencils, notebooks and other supplies for disadvantaged school-aged children. DBE Compliance Manager, USA Civil, Colorado Rodney Renix Regional DBE Compliance Officer, USA Civil, Virginia Contract Manager, USA Civil, New York Van Thompson Diversity Manager, Skanska USA Building, New York/New Jersey James Threalkill Senior National Director, Diversity, Skanska USA, U.S. Audra Tiemann Senior DBE Compliance Manager, USA Civil, California Horrace Tobin Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance, Skanska USA, Virginia coast to coast coast to coast Raleigh, N.C.: Successful food drive Following the tornadoes that struck North Carolina, the Wake County Detention Center project team donated 990 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Seattle, Wash.: Playing it safe The office donated 125 pairs of safety glasses and 75 pairs of gloves to a Boy Scouts of America Cub Scout Day Camp so that the 250 attendees could participate safely in the event’s activities. Roi Smith Washington, D.C.: Carrying the torch More than 25 employees from the Rockville and Arlington offices teamed up to sponsor and participate in the 2011 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Real Estate Games. Orlando, Fla.: School supplies drive The George C. Young Federal Building and Courthouse team worked with the Nemours Children’s Hospital team to hold a school supplies drive for the children of the Orlando Union Rescue Mission, contributing $635 in Target, Wal-Mart and Old Navy gift cards, more than 70 backpacks and two trucks of supplies. Philadelphia, Pa.: Responding to the call Hosting its ninth blood drive, the office collected 20 donations, some of which were double red blood cell donations. George Cuckie DBE Coordinator, USA Civil, California "Developing ongoing Portland, Ore.: Tools for schools Team members helped pack backpacks for a Knowledge Universe Tools for Schools event at Schoolhouse Supplies and then dropped off the backpacks at a high-need school. JUNE Audra Tiemann was working as a project engineer in Texas when an opportunity became available to work with USA Civil West’s California District’s diversity and inclusion team. “The move to this role was a great decision,” she explains. “My team is supportive, the office embraces the Skanska culture and I love being part of making such instrumental changes.” Mari Comer was working as a project administrative assistant on the Gun Lake Casino project in Wayland, Mich., when a new diversity and outreach coordinator position for the Detroit and Kalamazoo offices opened up. “I loved working with the subcontractor community on the project level,” Mari says, “but to be able to develop ongoing relationships with local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) subcontractors and be able to really affect their business for years to come is a very rewarding experience.” Community Timeline AUGUST Diversity Network New York, N.Y.: Helping tornado victims USA Civil Northeast employees in New York and New Jersey donated more than 1,500 pounds of necessities to Christian Service Mission to help tornado victims in Alabama and Missouri. 7 » The Cincinnati office opened for business in April. » Mission Critical's work on two facilities in Canada is underway. Expanding the Footprint Profitable growth remains the objective of the 2011-2015 U.S. Business Plan, and one approach to achieving profitability is geographic expansion. Coast to Coast examines how Skanska USA is taking action to expand by way of organic growth and strategic acquisitions. 8 coast to coast North of the border Planting deeper roots in the heartland Primarily made up of employees from the Michigan and New York Metro offices, the project teams hard at work in Southern Ontario, Canada, are quietly building giants for the Mission Critical Center of Excellence. For starters, in Guelph, about an hour west of Toronto, the team is working on a 226,000-square-foot facility expansion currently averaging about 250 craft workers. “There have been some adjustments working up here, but many have been good,” says Senior Project Manager Bill Laurain. “The Canadian subcontractors want to be safe out-of-the-box, so our culture meshes perfectly. It’s a collaborative team that respects one another.” In Stratford, roughly in between Toronto and Detroit, another team is working on a new 400,000-square-foot facility. This project will peak at about 800 craft workers in coming months. “It’s a gigantic job,” says Senior Project Manager Frank Scandariato, “and there’s definitely been a blend of the fast-paced American culture with the more relaxed approach of the Canadians. The results, though, have been fantastic.” The jobs total $390 million and will wrap in early 2012. Both are joint ventures with Toronto-based Giffels, which has been a significant help with subcontractors. “Giffels has been a tremendous partner,” Bill says. “They know the subcontractor community and they know how system works here.” While working in Ohio isn’t new to Skanska, its first official office opened in Cincinnati in April – just in time to coincide with opening day for the Cincinnati Reds. Skanska began working in Ohio almost 10 years ago on a master agreement account for a large telecommunications company. Six years ago the company won a $140 million hospital project just outside of Cincinnati. The project was a success and led to two more large healthcare projects in the area. The team is also currently completing an office headquarters project in Cincinnati. “We see Cincinnati as a market with a lot of potential,” says Account Manager Craig Eckert. “Having a strong, ongoing relationship with clients, designers and subcontractors gives us a good foundation for growth and success in the market.” “When we looked at expanding into Cincinnati, we knew it would be important to have an address but knew we needed to start small and grow as work increased,” adds Co-Chief Operating Officer Joey Hatch. “We were able to find a small office space in the heart of downtown Cincinnati that’s the right size for our support staff and in close proximity to many design and engineering firms. Success in this market will play a key part in enabling us to reach our 2015 business plan goals for the Midwest region.” coast to coast 9 » The Aviation Center of Excellence established a home base in Chicago. Chicago office takes flight Skanska also has a new Chicago address. The Aviation Center of Excellence has established a home base here and is finding success not only at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, but across the country too. In the past four months, the team has won three key aviation projects: a baggage inspections system project at O’Hare, a terminal improvement project at Greenville-Spartanburg Airport in Greer, S.C., and a new regional jet terminal project at George Bush International Airport in Houston. The office will also look at opportunities in the healthcare, higher education and public markets collaborating with groups like the Healthcare Center of Excellence and other offices in the Midwest. “By 2015 our goal is to have 70 percent of USA Building’s work come from the COEs. And a large part of our ability to achieve that is through internal collaboration,” says General Manager Jim Clemens. “In the short time the Aviation COE and Chicago office have been in existence we’ve worked with 12 offices around the country, which has been a huge contributor to our success thus far.” Setting up shop in the Big D As one of the country’s fastest growing markets, Texas is a perfect place to expand the company’s footprint. And with a 10-year history of working in the state’s second largest city, it was an easy decision to plant Skanska’s flag in Dallas. “When we were ready to expand in the state this year to support the 2015 business plan, Dallas was the natural choice,” explains General Manager Brian Freeman. “It’s a global city with a lot of opportunity and a strong, diverse economy.” Skanska first made a name for itself in Texas eight years ago with the completion of Reliant Stadium. Since then, the Texas team has been gaining the trust of key clients such as Texas A&M University, HCA and Harris County Hospital District. But it takes more than local experience to create success; it also takes the right people. Two local construction veterans were identified as key hires for the new Dallas team. Lance Charriere, vice president of business development, has worked in the market for international construction firms for many years and brings with him strong contacts with owners and design firms. Shannon Arnold, Skanska’s newest account manager, will join the Dallas team November 1. Shannon has a wealth of Dallas construction leadership experience. Project Executive Eric Bunner also moved from San Antonio to Dallas to help support the new office’s efforts. » The project team ventured deep into the desert for the SR111 bypass project. » Skanska will make its mark in New Orleans on the University Medical Center project. The California desert USA Civil’s Rocky Mountain and California Districts are no strangers to working in far-flung areas. Few sites are as remote as two sites in the Southern California desert, though. The two districts are collaborating on a major project for a confidential client near Mountain Pass, Calif., a mere 15 miles from the Nevada border. It’s a contrast to a recently-completed highway job by the California District in Brawley, Calif., which is about 25 miles from the Mexican border. While Mountain Pass sits at nearly 4,800 feet of elevation, Brawley sits 112 feet below sea level. In Brawley, challenges abounded on the recently completed $70 million phase of the SR111 bypass, which helps ease traffic heading to and from the international border. "We understand the importance of creating diverse partnerships by hiring local and minority- and women-owned subcontractors who know the community…" “Our hottest day on-site was in 2009 when it hit 124 degrees,” says Project Manager Jerry Iniguez. Proper preparation helped ensure zero heat-related incidents. Much more was needed to avoid issues while building two bridges spanning a hazardous river. The New River flows out of Mexico and through Brawley. Often called the most polluted river in America, it’s been spoiled by agricultural and chemical runoff from both the United States and Mexico, as well as by sewage from the Mexican city of Mexicali. The result is a stew that includes volatile organic compounds, heavy metals and pathogens including tuberculosis, polio, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis. “A lot of planning went into how to build the bridges without coming into contact with the river,” Jerry says. “We had to take steps to make sure workers wouldn’t touch the water and we held daily safety meetings specific to the river. Before work started, a lot of workers had to be vaccinated for a number of diseases as another protective step.” Making moves in the Crescent City New Orleans is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina six years after the storm tore through the Gulf Coast, and Skanska has ventured into this new market to aid in the city’s recovery and support the community’s healthcare needs. A team made up of the Healthcare Center of Excellence, the Florida, Atlanta and Durham offices and joint-venture partner MAPP Construction, a Louisiana-based contractor, have joined forces to construct the University Medical Center – a state-of-the-art, 1 million-square-foot hospital campus. The team has begun Phase 1 of the project, which is valued at $522 million and includes a 424-bed hospital, an adjoining diagnostic and treatment center, utility/infrastructure installation, lighting, roadways and parking. The team will soon be enlisted for Phase 2 as well, which is valued at $150 million. The team isn’t carrying out the job alone either. Skanska MAPP held several networking events, attracting nearly 100 local subcontractors and minority- and women-owned businesses interested in the project. “Skanska MAPP understands the importance of creating diverse partnerships by hiring local and minority- and women-owned subcontractors who know the community and want to make it better through the construction of new facilities such as the University Medical Center,” says Senior Vice President Fred Hames. “It’s important that we reinvest in the community through our hiring practices.” ◆ » Lance Charriere and Eric Bunner at the Dallas office. 10 coast to coast coast to coast 11 On the Road Again California’s Big Bear Lake has a population of about 5,000. Since it offers year-round recreation though, weekends can see more than 100,000 southern Californians making the trip “up the hill” for fun in the outdoors. When record-breaking rainfall last December washed out huge sections of state route 330 – a primary road to Big Bear from San Bernardino and the Inland Empire – drivers faced a tough choice. “Drivers could take a long detour that could add hours to their trip or stay home,” says Senior Project Executive Dennis Cox. “As you can imagine, businesses that depend on tourists were especially interested in restoring highway 330 to service quickly.” When record-breaking rainfall last December washed out huge sections of state route 330 – a primary road to Big Bear from San Bernardino and the Inland Empire – drivers add hours to their trip, or stay home. faced a tough choice… USA Civil West’s California District was awarded two contracts totaling $16 million to rebuild SR330. Initially, Caltrans estimated that the project would take a year to complete. However, favorable weather, strong coordination by the project team with Caltrans and the United States Forest Service had work well ahead of schedule by Memorial Day. “It was the perfect mix of good conditions and a great team,” Dennis says. It was a proud moment on June 17 when the highway reopened for full use. Praise came in the form of positive press and a happy client. “Without the dedicated perseverance of the contractors, local elected officials and agencies, as well as Caltrans' staff, the success of the project would never have been possible,” Caltrans District 8 Director Dr. Raymond Wolfe told the Mountain News. ◆ 12 coast to coast When Three Heads are Better than One Located on Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, the Tri-Service Research Laboratory was constructed by Skanska to provide a space for three branches of the U.S. Armed Forces to work together as one joint force. The design-build facility will house Navy, Air Force and Army research programs designed to evaluate the health and safety effects of exposure to energy devices. The 181,000-square-foot building houses various laser and biological research labs and echo-free chambers, which allows each military branch to simultaneously conduct research on the biological effects of directed-energy devices. The scope of the project included the design and construction of the $70 million facility within a 24-month time frame. Skanska partnered with Jacobs Engineering to provide design services and utilized a pre-engineered metal building system for the structure to both accelerate the schedule and minimize cost. On-time completion of the project was critical, as the dates for relocation of personnel and equipment were already identified. coast to coast The project required Skanska’s team to become familiar with the standards, policies and procedures of the federal government. This resulted in extensive coordination with the numerous agencies representing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Sam Houston, each branch of the military, the end user groups and other civilian contractors. The project team ensured adherence to government standards such as the Buy American Act, which stipulates that all construction materials must be from domestic sources or approved trading partners, and the DCID 6/9, which provides guidelines on construction of secure spaces. The project, which is seeking LEED® Silver certification, was completed on time and Skanska plans to use lessons learned at the Tri-Services Research Laboratory on future federal government projects. ◆ 13 Placing Mileposts toward Deep Green Any journey takes a good map. Many of Skanska’s green leaders know that as much as “Journey to Deep Green” is discussed, the company won’t get anywhere without a plan. Fortunately, leaders from across the business are helping shape the strategy that will guide the final destination on its path towards zero environmental impacts in delivering high performance, future-proof projects. recycle more than 98 percent of all construction waste by 2015, with annual benchmarks In place is a plan to leading up to that goal. What does Deep Green look like? Deep Green is defined by attributes that relate to the four priority areas for reduction of the environmental impact of our projects – water, materials, energy and carbon. The attributes are: CZioZgdeg^bVgnZcZg\n CZVgoZgdXVgWdc^cXdchigjXi^dc OZgdlVhiZ OZgd]VoVgYdjhbViZg^Vah OZgdjchjhiV^cVWaZbViZg^Vah CZioZgdlViZg[dgWj^aY^c\h and zero potable water for construction in civil/infrastructure “We have to be able to drive market change,” says Senior Vice President Beth Heider, who will soon assume the role of chair of the United States Green Building Council. “We’re leading through the green solutions we recommend to clients, illustrating bottomline benefit. And we have to show we believe in the benefits by what we choose to develop and how we build in the field.” In doing so, Skanska will have to refocus the ways projects are approached and the ways the company’s green goals are perceived. Without measurements, a reputation as the leading green construction company will only mean so much. “We shouldn’t aim to be the best in our industry. We should aim to be the best company in terms of sustainability, period,” says Environmental Manager Courtney Lorenz. “What we want to do is be better at managing waste within our company, while delivering projects using fewer materials, water and energy.” To get there, each business unit will assign Green Strategic Indicators that will measure actual performance. These indicators will align with overall 2011-2015 U.S. Business Plan goals and will be monitored at a high level. Already in place is a plan to recycle more than 98 percent of all construction waste by 2015, with annual benchmarks leading up to that goal. By the end of 2012, the target is more than 92 percent. “If we’re going to get to Deep Green, it’s going to take setting baselines, examining areas where we do well and being honest about places where we need to step up,” Courtney says. “The right benchmarks will help us get better, instead of touting the same successes over and over again.” A major part of the effort is “investing” in new green methods. Skanska was a key member of a team, for example, that built the Bertschi School Science Classroom Addition in Seattle, which is tracking to be a Living Building SM. Pioneering work like that, done at cost, has opened the door for Skanska to take a leadership position on the proposed Oregon Sustainability Center, which could be the world’s first urban mid-rise Living Building. But achieving a true leadership position will take more than a visionary project here and there. Helping move the market to demand that a majority of projects surpass basic LEED levels will do more. Skanska, however, can once again lead by example. For instance, USA Commercial Development (CD) has set LEED Gold as a minimum requirement for its projects. “We see Gold as the start of the journey,” says Development Manager Catherine Dannenbring. “On each project, we’re trying to incorporate one new green element that hasn’t been tried in CD projects. Ideally, each project builds on lessons learned from the last. That allows us to set a structured way to continually move forward.” CD must work within the bounds of whatever future tenants will desire. By pushing the envelope and linking the results to tenant business goals, though, it’s possible to move the needle a bit closer to net-zero structures. “We need to focus on low life cycle costs rather than initial investment,” Catherine says. “It’s vital that we show how measuring energy consumption and reducing carbon footprints have tangible bottom line and social benefits.” “We’ve always been at the front of the pack with green ideas and execution,” Beth says. “This is a moment where we can combine the green-thinking culture of Skanska with tangible, business-focused measurement to drive us to a new way to conduct our business.” ◆ » The Bertschi School Science Classroom Addition in Seattle is on track to be a Living Building. 14 coast to coast coast to coast 15 The project does not run on rails “PPPs have a long-term development process in which external and internal factors can change and develop. The team is constantly engaged in an evaluative process to not just process information, but to determine its strategic impact,” says Frederick Burman, ID Americas project development director, commercial. For example, midway through development, the client wanted to specify a toll range for users - a tremendous challenge from a financing perspective. “In simple terms, the toll is an output of the costs of the project over the length of the contract,” explains Andy Southerland, ID Americas project development, finance. “A pre-determined rate requires inputting to the financial model, then working backwards through an iterative process of matching up the project’s commercial terms and optimal financing so that everything hangs together in equilibrium.” Fortunately the project team reached an acceptable path to delivering the client’s affordable toll rate. Collaboration is critical The Skanska team pursuing Virginia’s Downtown Tunnel Project is gaining valuable experience A PPP development team structure may include another equity partner, plus working groups for finance, commercial/legal and technical development. Specialists from partner companies, the construction joint venture and the client focus on design-build, traffic and revenue, cost modeling, government affairs and communications, and operations and maintenance, among others. “The complexity of this project necessitates an extensive volume of activities and work products across multiple disciplines,” says Peter Jonna, project development engineer for USA Civil’s Large Projects Group. “The activities impact each other, so we’ve aligned the team using all-hands conference calls, inperson meetings and even co-locating when needed.” for future competitive advantage on U.S. public-private partnerships (PPPs).Thirty states have Client relationships are paramount legislation enabling PPPs, and Virginia has one of the longest-standing programs. However, In Virginia, both the central office of the Virginia Department of Transportation and its district office are involved in development. “It’s important to respect their chain of command and ingrained knowledge, and to find ways to add value and accelerate development,” says Mary Humphreys, ID Americas communications manager. Currently, the majority of issues contained in the comprehensive agreement draft have been resolved, and the team continues work to bring the project to a commercial and financial close, scheduled for year end. In parallel, a transition team has begun work related to establishing and operating the special purpose company. ◆ » The Skanska-Kiewit-Weeks Marine team works closely with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Civil Rights: Wade Watson, VDOT’s Shay Ponquinette, Peter Jonna, Mark Apaliski and Rodney Renix. Collaboration Lived even with an established procurement process, project development for PPPs is neither linear, nor predictable. “You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new,” says Apple’s Chairman and Founder Steve Jobs, according to the Financial Times. That challenge exists when developing hand-held devices, as it does with developing projects larger than the eye can see - like the Downtown Tunnel/ Midtown Tunnel/MLK Extension Project. The approximately $1.8 billion project to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a new Midtown Tunnel, existing Downtown and Midtown Tunnels and a new roadway extension is a Skanska-led project that involves ID Americas and USA Civil Southeast. So how is this PPP project being effectively co-developed? “The U.S. is such a dynamic, emerging PPP market, where timelines, objectives, scopes, budgets - and certainly people - are stretched and 16 challenged in the course of developing a project,” explains ID Americas Project Director Chris Guthkelch. “This project has presented us with tremendous design/build opportunities - like the ability to design from scratch a solution that minimizes right-of-way and environmental impacts, while achieving the client’s goal of a regionally connective roadway network,” adds Wade Watson, vice president of operations for USA Civil Southeast and lead representative for Elizabeth River Crossing’s construction joint venture Skanska-Kiewit-Weeks Marine. “It’s been challenging given limited funding for the project, but the entire team has demonstrated the ability and willpower to make this project a reality.” Coast to Coast asked Skanska team members for some top lessons learned. coast to coast » Top: VDOT’s Tammy Mancinelli collaborates with Mary Humphreys on workforce development. Middle: Lincoln Smith and Stephen VanEssendelft with Chris Guthkelch. Above: Horrace Tobin with VDOT’s Shay Ponquinette. Did you know? Tolling facilities today implement all electronic tolling, with no cash option, stopping, slowing or toll booths. Drivers pay via an electronic device like E-ZPass®, or by an invoice mailed to them. Safety and efficiency are greatly improved. More information can be found at www.ERC-info.com and www.MidtownTunnel.org. coast to coast 17 coast tocoast The Employee Magazine for Skanska in the U.S. The Skanska Top 10 For the second year in a row, Skanska ID won Skanska’s Skanska USA hosted Business Unit of the Year in this year’s annual global the Development category. ID Americas’ team members work across borders on ID projects. Management Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Alongside Railworks, USA Civil Northeast was awarded a $386 million contract to furnish and Coast to Coast is now install finishes and systems at the available to read and download in digital format online at: No. 7 Line Extension project usa.skanska.com/coasttocoast. in New York. 733 10th Street in Washington, D.C., Skanska’s first commercial development in the country, is 90 percent leased prior to construction completion this fall. MetLife Stadium received Skanska’s Building Project of the Year for being completed on-budget and five months ahead of schedule. USA Civil Northeast Project Executive John Crecco received Skanska’s Golden Hard Hat award for production manager for demonstrating a commitment to safety, financial focus and leadership ability. USA Commercial Development acquired The Houston Club Building site, located at 811 Rusk Street, in downtown Houston, Texas. Skanska is gearing up to launch its new talent management system – Skanska Talent – with training sessions that began last month. In a joint venture with Traylor Bros., Inc., USA Civil Northeast signed a $210 million contract to build the Second Avenue Subway line’s 86th Street station in New York.