International Polymer Engineering
Tempe, Ariz.
Award of Merit
Owner: International Polymer Engineering
Lead Design Firm: DFDG Architecture
General Contractor: McCarthy Building Cos.
MEP Engineer: Bridgers & Paxton
A 9,500-sq-ft, single-story masonry warehouse was renovated to the level of a clean room to meet a fast-tack schedule for a designer and manufacturer of medical tubing. The project also included office renovations, system upgrades and parking lot improvements.
The schedule allowed for less than five months from the decision to proceed until a March 2020 move-in. Providing uninterrupted power to the building also proved to be a challenge. Although the existing 3,000-amp service entrance met capacity needs, it did not satisfy code. After close collaboration, the team saved the owner more than 30% on the established budget for electrical systems.
Safety concerns included installing glulam beams in the roof, working around a power shutdown and switchover and the implementation of a new stored energy system. Logistics were complicated by the presence of working businesses on three sides of the site and heavy industrial traffic on an adjacent street. As a result, deliveries and hoisting were carefully coordinated to maintain the schedule and ensure safety.
