Ascentra HQ Project Uses Design-Build, BIM to Maximize Efficiency
Local 25 working with other trade unions to complete the project
The I-74 Mississippi River Bridge isn’t the only new riverfront construction in the Quad Cities. Another notable project currently in development is the new 40,000-square-foot corporate headquarters of Ascentra Credit Union, located along Grant Street in Bettendorf.
Spearheaded by general contractor Russell Construction, the four-story building features a glass and aluminum exterior, with a modern open floor plan inside. Although construction slowed throughout the winter because of dangerous temperatures and wind chill, the new office is on track for its summer completion largely due to the design-build method of project delivery.
According to the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), design-build construction is the fastest growing method of delivering construction projects in the U.S., and a recent FMI study projects an 18% increase in this type of construction by 2021. The design-build method differs from traditional project delivery because it allows the designer and contractor to work as a single-source entity, simplifying the process for the owner. It also thrives on the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM), a process that uses software to create data-rich digital representations of projects.
“We integrated a 3D design to work through conflicts before construction began,” said Ted Demeulenaere, estimator and project manager with Ragan Mechanical. “It’s a powerful delivery method to see all the components, the mechanicals, and the structure before the project even breaks ground on the site.”
“We are starting to utilize robotic total station technology, which is fantastic for laying out points on-site, and works hand-in-hand with BIM coordination,” Demeulenaere continued. “It projects a laser on the physical jobsite, which correlates with a 3D drawing to bring it to life and create it. It’s an amazing tool that’s just becoming more mainstream, and can make a difference on our jobs.”
BIM and other virtual design programs save time by detecting errors that could cause changes and rework down the road. The data collection capabilities of these types of software also help standardize workflows, improve jobsite safety and better predict future outcomes, allowing companies to focus their energy on successful project delivery.
“We did a lot of pre-work, collaboration and pre-construction to make sure everything’s laid out properly, everything fit and there were no conflicts between the trades,” said Scott Stubblefield, estimator and project manager from Crawford Company.
Part of an IMPACT agreement with the Illowa Construction Labor and Management Council, the Ascentra project utilizes all local labor, including plumbers, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, electricians, sheet metal workers, painters and more. Both Ragan Mechanical and Crawford Company are contractors signatory to Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 25.
“Obviously, it’s great to have union recognition, especially here in the Quad Cities. It definitely makes for an all-around better project as far as aesthetics and mechanics,” Stubblefield said. “Everything from design to installation has been done by Crawford. I have Local 91 there on the sheet metal side doing the ductwork and I have fitters from Local 25 installing mechanical piping and boilers, so it’s really been a joint effort.”
The new Ascentra Credit Union headquarters is part of a larger plan to redevelop and revitalize downtown Bettendorf.