Download the PDF of the Facilities Updates Newsletter for June 2017
The Laney Working Group has been working diligently on the execution of the various construction-related tasks ahead. The group was created to discuss, and most importantly, offer immediate remedies for the six areas of urgency and other miscellaneous items at the Laney Campus.
Pavement & Roof Leaks Remediation Project
As reported previously, the Leaks Remediation Project began with destructive testing on of March 25, 2017 through April 15, 2017. The project is now in the design phase –Alana, Buick & Bers, (ABB) is the civil engineering firm that has been charged with all phases of the project under a design, bid, and build arrangement.
ABB is putting together a team of subcontractors and consultants to do other facets of the work besides civil engineering design. Also, ABB has identified Verde Landscape Architect as the landscape consultant for the project.
A stakeholders meeting between the college community, district and landscape architect is being scheduled for July 13, 2017.
In terms of the extent of proposed reconstruction work, destructive testing in Buildings B and F reveal that the underlayment membrane below the concrete slab was compromised primarily along seam lines (areas where sheets of membrane were joined), also the weep holes were blocked. Additionally, it was observed that there is water log on the membrane either due to lack of desired angle (gradient) of drainage and/or blocked floor drains.
In light of the discovery of this construction flaw, design is in progress and final design changes will be made upon conclusion of engineer’s investigation. The goal is to begin construction this summer and complete the construction before the next rainy season in late November. The district is working feverishly with the design ABB to actualize this stated project completion date.
HVAC Systems Repair Project
The HVAC project will be approached in three different phases. The first phase has already begun; a contract was awarded to TRANE to replace VFD (Variable Frequency Drives) in AHUs (Air handling Units) for Building G and the Theater. Also, TRANE will replace the coils and dampers in the AHU in Building A. TRANE began installation work in early May –completed work include the installation of new VFDs (Variable Frequency Devices) in the Theater. The vendor will fix the Laney BISTRO Dinning negative air pressures doors and that of Chemistry and Biology Departments.
The second phase relates to the items tagged as “Low Hanging Fruit.” These items will consist of general maintenance items that facilities department cannot perform in-house and will be contracted out.
The third phase, includes issues such as the cooling towers, replacement of three chillers, and the HVAC in the library, which may be first addressed by hiring a mechanical engineer to investigate the problems and then define the scope and cost of work. A time frame for the engineering investigation is being identified.
Regarding Building A, the contractor has finished the fieldwork, which entailed cleaning of the fans, filters, and coils, and run air balancing tests to determine the sources of the negative air pressure problems in the classrooms and labs. The contractor is now in the process of generating the final report with the results of their findings and recommendations for repairs.
The cleaning of the AHUs parts was done in late May, and the actual testing of the spaces for negative air pressure has been ongoing within the last several weeks. The district is awaiting the final results of the negative air pressure tests. If the cleaning of parts solves the negative air pressure problems, then the need to replace dampers and coils will be negated.
ADA Accessibility & Doors Project
The Laney ADA accessibility & Door Repair/Replace Project kicked off with a winning bid from R&S Overhead Doors, Inc. for the procurement and installation of two new ambulance-rolling gates at the swimming pool. The doors are being fabricated and will be ready for installation in July.
About 100 doors will be fixed or replaced throughout the campus, especially steel doors that have rusted due to oxidation and obsolescence, also for American with Disability Accessibility (ADA) compliance, and to provide electronic card access. These other doors (to fulfill accessibility and compliance issues) were packaged as a public bid, and the winning bidder is being presented for approval at the June 27 board of trustees meeting.
Chemistry & Biology Labs
Staff solicited cost estimates from three different plumbing vendors, and the estimates exceeded allowable threshold for direct award (non-bid). In light of this development, the installation of new faucets in chemistry and biology laboratories will be done under a sealed bid process. The bid for this project will be first advertised on July 7 and sealed bids due within 21 days of initial advertisement.
Price quotes for the replacement of faucets in Biology will be obtain June 26 and the work will be completed during the summer break.
Laney Pool Heating & Chlorination Project
The bid for the Laney pool heating and chlorination update project was advertised on March 31, 2017. The pre-bid conference/job walk was held on April 10 and the bids due date was April 28. Although the pre-bid conference and bid walk was well attended; only a single bid was received and was annulled because it was deemed non-competitive.
Soon after, the District deemed that having one bid for the chlorination and heating was too costly, and has been working on putting out for bid each project separately.
The chlorination project will be going out for bid June 30. When a contractor is identified, work will begin and is expected to be completed between the end of the summer session and the first day of fall classes. Meanwhile, the pools will be chlorinated manually.
The installation of the new heaters will be going out for bid during the summer. The chosen contractor will complete the work during the winter break.
Note that the existing heaters are still in working order.
Tower Elevator Modernization Project
The Tower Elevator modernization contract was awarded to Thyssenkrupp Elevators Company in December 2016 and the contract was fully executed on March 7, 2017. Since then, ThyssenKrupp conducted a series of sight visits to conduct surveys of existing equipment, fixtures and shaft-ways with the view to getting accurate measurements required shop drawings.
Shops drawings have now been prepared for engineering and architectural review – the review and certification process will be completed by July 18, 2017. Fabrication of the cabs will begin after the shop drawings have been inspected and approved by the Division of State Architect (DSA).
As far as installation, the Tower elevators will be replaced one at a time to ensure there is one always in service. The first elevator will be installed before December 31, 2017, and the second, during the winter break.
A new elevator for Building E will be installed during the Spring 2018.
Miscellaneous –Library Sewer Effluent Issues, Library Carpet Floor
Facilities Maintenance + Operations (FM+O) continues to monitor the sewer effluent situation at the library. The sewer lines have received treatments on regularly scheduled dates. The next treatment is due on July 14, followed by September 15, and November 17 on the 2017 treatment calendar. Ongoing on-site observations based on periodic “nose” tests, suggest that nuisance smell levels have abated considerably if not completely eliminated since the commencement of regular application of liquid enzyme treatments.
Specifically, most recent “nose” test conducted by FM+O staffer on June 19, 2017, revealed no effluent smell whatsoever. This observation was corroborated by two library staffers – observations perhaps indicative of the effectiveness of regularly scheduled recent enzyme treatment and the recent sealant work completed on April 13, 2017 to make the cast iron effluent pipes airtight.
The sewer problems at the College are tied to the City’s own backed-up pipes. The District is working with the City to ease our own lines. There are currently no plans to replace the pipeline.
Library Flooring
Shaw Industries recently donated 1,200 square foot of carpet tiles to the District. The atrium area of the library was selected as an ideal location to install the carpet tiles. The installation work was completed on June 23, 2017. The selected colors (red, green & color blends) create an interesting mosaic –please visit the library atrium display area for a quick review of the new look.
Miscellaneous –Emergency “Blue” Phone
As you may be aware, the emergency blue phone project first went out to bid in October 2015, and re-bided in February 2017 because the Board of Trustees wanted to explore the possibility of expanding phone coverage and functionality including support for new mobile applications.
The February 2017 bid was cancelled because it was deemed non-competitive – only one sealed bid was received. The next bid for this project will be conducted will be advertised on June 30, 2017. Work is expected to commence upon contract approval.
Miscellaneous –Laney Kitchen Upgrades
The Laney kitchen upgrades project was awarded in fall 2016 to Mar Con Construction Company, and work started during the Christmas break and continued through the spring semester.
The project entails the installation of new double and triple compartment sinks on both floors, floor sinks, new air compressors, new walk-in refrigerator doors, miscellaneous equipment replacement, and modernization of the kitchen’s office, including ceiling and flooring replacement.
The project was finally completed in May following the receipt and installation of the last set of equipment/fixtures (3-compartment sink and grease trap) for the kitchen area on the 2nd floor.
The Health and Fire Departments have already inspected the upgrades and provided their approval.
A punch list inspection will be done the week of June 26 and the project will be closed-out in the month of June.
Miscellaneous –Laney Parking Lot A Stripping/Seal Coat
This project was completed and the parking lot in good conditions as work was completed during the first week of June 2017.
This project was initially awarded during the summer of 2016, but work could not be done because of class schedule conflicts.
The work was completed in early June, and as a result the parking lot area has fresh labeling and wears a new and inviting look in anticipation of increased enrollment in Fall 2017.
Miscellaneous – Laney Classroom Cleaning/Waxing
College custodial staffers have completed the cleaning, striping and waxing of classrooms that are not scheduled for use during the summer session. Work will be completed at the end of the summer for the classrooms currently in-use.
The 30-day projects to conduct deep cleaning will be completed before middle of August 2017.
The Working Group is comprised of faculty, college administrators, the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Facilities Project Managers, the Laney Public Information Officer, and the Chief Stationary Engineer.
For more information on the Working Group please visit, laney.edu/facilitiesplanningcommittee/facilities-status-updates/
For questions about these updates, contact Stephen Corlett, scorlett@peralta.edu.
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