Interstate Electrical Services Corp. was recently awarded an Excellence in Construction Award for the company's role in the renovation/construction of Philips Exeter Academy's new Academy Center. The honor was bestowed by the New Hampshire/Vermont chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors at their bi-annual awards ceremony October 25th 2007. The judges wrote:" Interstate Electrical's careful project pre-planning was evident with precise installation and just-in-time delivery of materials on this project. The tight construction site location in the middle of a busy campus required constant coordination of all on-site activity and remote storage of materials. Interstate set the standard with their performance on this project."
The Academy Center project consisted of extensive renovation and expansion of the Thompson Science Building, located in the center of the historic campus. This LEED certified project involved replacing the entire electrical distribution and fire alarm system, as well as the installation of a complex lighting system. Because the project spanned the school year, safety was also an important theme; the Excellence in Construction Award in part recognizes Interstates leadership role in insuring the safety of both workers and students during construction.
Shawmut Design and Building of Boston was the general contractor for the project and RFS Engineering was the commissioning agent responsible for LEEDs compliance and certification.
DECCO Inc. of Brookline, N.H. was also a big winner, garnering a National Eagle award for the Wyeth BioPharma project in Andover, Mass. This $3.5 million job included all mechanical and process utility piping as well as on-site, dedicated project management, procurement services, and fabrication for multiple, complex custom skids. In seven months, DECCO installed process lines, WFI, CIP, process waste, compressed air, CO2 , plant steam and condensate, chilled water, chilled glycol, hot water, and vents and drains.
The project was a flat out race to the finish, complicated by the fact that Suite II is sandwiched between two existing, fully operational suites. Ongoing processes at the biopharm company could not be disrupted. It would take less time to talk about what wasn't difficult on this job. It was an organic project that tested DECCO's project management skills, procurement capabilities, coordination abilities, flexibility, and the much-appreciated talent of its trade, i.e. everything.
Perhaps the most challenging was the installation of 7,200 linear feet of ¼" stainless steel tubing for process and analytical calibration. All of this pipe needed to fit in the narrow utility chase adjacent to the multiple lab spaces in the manufacturing area. With a contract value of $742,000, this six month project presented unique challenges which were met with energy and enthusiasm. The Wyeth project also won an Eagle at ABC-Mass. chapter.

Reprinted from the May 2008 ABC-Mass. Newsletter.