"Getting everyone into the room to collaborate avoids the down-the-line finger-pointing," she adds.

Using this approach on the 27-story 350 Mission office tower in San Francisco, Webcor worked with architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) on design iterations before selecting the most cost-effective and efficient approach for the elevated concrete decks, says Jitendra Pahilajani, preconstruction director for Webcor Concrete.

The team elected to use a thin post-tensioned concrete slab that allows 40-ft clear spans. SOM worked closely with Webcor to develop and test the approach to ensure constructibility, says Craig Hartman, SOM's partner in charge of design for the West Coast.

Having worked with Webcor for 20 years on multiple projects, Hartman says he appreciates the firm's "spirit of collaboration and willingness to be open and transparent in their constructibility and costing issues."

Hartman says Webcor also aided in efforts to reduce the use of materials and increase sustainability on the LEED-Platinum-targeted tower.

Webcor is ranked among the top five firms based on green-building revenue in California. By percentage of total revenue, the firm ranks at the top with nearly 92% of its 2013 revenue originating from sustainable projects. "We don't just want [buildings] to be green or efficient; they also need to be functional, smart and healthy places for people to work," Pederson says.

On 350 Mission and other structures, Webcor self-performs concrete and finish carpentry. "We think there is a huge value brought to the client by self-performing, because you can drive the schedule and quality, and you know the pricing because you are doing it on a daily basis," Rango says. "We like taking that risk because the reward exceeds the risk."

Community Involvement

Webcor participates in a number of philanthropic efforts, including Helmets to Hardhats and charities aimed at children and families. It also works to develop interest in engineering and technology among underserved Bay Area middle-school girls.

The firm also strives to affect communities in a much deeper way, says Doran. Executives and other employees engage with community groups and political leaders to help shape policies affecting Webcor's key markets, from land use to transportation funding. "We don't want to just take profits from building, we want to understand what the issues are for each one of these communities and help to shape those," she says.