University Business - November 2009 - (Page 30)

35 SMART Building IDEAS operating expenses is often skipped when a new project is planned, says Edward Steinmetz, vice president of finance. Taking the long view means an affordable building now and in the future. 10. Build a single project in phases. Grinnell College (Iowa) is in the second and final phase of an athletic and fitness center project funded by capital reserves and bonds as well as ongoing fundraising that targets alumni and friends. The first phase, costing $21 million and completed in 2005, included a fitness center and gym. The $72 million phase two, now under construction, adds a pool building and field house. Bidding as a single project yet spreading the cost over several years and three buildings made the project more manageable from a cashflow standpoint, explains Mickey Munley, vice president of college and alumni relations. Stagger multiple projects. The University of Florida needed $4 million in repair and maintenance work on 12 parking structures. In order to dilute the cost and impact on parking availability, officials had Walker Restoration Consultants develop an eight-year plan that prioritized work and included builtin cost increases. 11. 12. Build green. Buildings designed for energy efficiency are simply more cost-effective. Allegheny College (Pa.) officials decided that aiming for LEED Silver with the North Village Phase II project was the right thing to do on several levels. Geo-exchange heating and cooling, energy efficient lighting, heat recovery, and insulation are expected to reduce energy use by about 40 percent compared to a similar building. And at Saginaw Valley State University (Mich.), money-saving green features of a $28 million health and human services building now under construction include an aquathermal heating and cooling system. Its underground pipeline will connect to a nearby retention pond, and officials estimate a 37 percent energy use reduction and savings of $71,000 a year, which means it will pay for itself in less than two years. Campus commerce. 13. Use an alternative delivery method. Instead of putting the new student union out to bid, leaders at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte hired Balfour Beatty Construction to be the construction manager, then negotiated a final price for the entire project. As the construction manager at risk, Balfour Beatty hired the subcontractors and assumed all risks associated with their project performance. Thanks to this project structure, 24 “wish-list” items were incorporated into the final plan without raising the price, including a 300-foot pedestrian bridge linking the new student union with an existing residential area. (See the July 2007 issue of University Business for a feature on alternative delivery methods.) Campus commerce doesn’t have to be complicated. Nelnet Business Solutions’ suite of services can solve your campus commerce challenges, making payment processing easier for every department, including the business office. 14. Consider permanent modular construction. Having a project finished on time can go a long way toward saving money. With permanent modular construction, the building is pieced together off-site under controlled conditions, with no 30 | November/December 2009 eBilling & ePayment Cashiering | Actively Managed Tuition Payment Plans | Commerce Manager | Refunds | Pending Aid

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - November 2009

University Business - November 2009
Contents
Editor’s Note
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Money Matters
Human Resources
35 Smart Building Ideas
Campus Fires: Prevent to Protect
Pushing ADA Beyond the Limits
Internet Technology
End Note

University Business - November 2009