During the foundations and infrastructure phase of the Bison Ridge Recreation Center project, Pinkard Construction encountered potential contradictions between the grading work being done and the recommendations in the geotechnical report. This led to concerns that the current foundation design might not provide a stable enough base for the pools and building foundations.
To resolve these questions, Pinkard held a "Dirt Summit" involving representatives from various stakeholders, including the excavator, pool subcontractor, structural and civil engineers, architect, and owner. The goal of the half-day session was to consider all the factors that could influence the long-term viability of the building and pool foundations, and the constructability of pool piping.
According to Leighton Neff, chief preconstruction manager at Pinkard, "With multiple engineering disciplines responsible for different pieces of the complex facility, it was important for all perspectives to be considered in developing a comprehensive long-term solution for the City while minimizing first costs."
The result of the summit was a modified structural design that was more effective and a structural infill from a source closer to the jobsite. In addition, redundant civil/structural specifications were eliminated. With these changes, Pinkard saved the City $950,000 and eliminated the need for numerous internal Requests for Information.
Neff emphasized the importance of collaboration and communication in achieving these savings. "The Dirt Summit allowed all parties to come together and find solutions that worked for everyone. By working collaboratively, we were able to deliver a project that met the City's needs while also saving them nearly a million dollars."
Troy Bohlender, Pinkard’s manager of field operations said that this is all a part of Pinkard's robust partnering efforts. "Sometimes you have to get everyone in a room and work it out," said Bohlender. "On every project, we are committed to collaboration and communication, and we are thrilled with the cost savings the team was able to achieve without sacrificing quality or safety."
Bohlender reiterated that the Bison Ridge Recreation Center project's success is a testament to the power of collaboration and communication in construction projects. By working together, stakeholders identified and addressed potential issues, resulting in significant cost savings for the City.
