Turner Construction’s Northern California division believes in practicing sustainable construction methods.

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Becoming a leading construction firm in California’s healthcare market requires more than a high level of expertise and a proven ability to meet deadlines. It requires strong dedication to ensure each medical facility meets codes and standards unique to the earthquake-prone region.

Turner Construction ’s Northern California division has been busy upgrading many of the region’s hospitals to ensure they meet new structural standards that will ensure the facilities can operate continuously before, during and after earthquakes without disruption.

At the Forefront
According to Project Executive Bob Diaz, the new codes and standards affect more than the structural framework of the buildings. “The new requirements apply to just about every component of the building,” he says.

“It’s very demanding, because it impacts how we install mechanical/electrical elements to make sure everything is engineered correctly.”

A state law requires all 450 acute care hospitals in California to report on the safety of their facilities. Hospitals are under deadline to develop and implement programs to upgrade their facilities to meet new seismic performance standards.

Hospitals throughout the state will be required to not only remain standing during seismic activity, but remain operational, as well.

Turner Construction has been at the forefront of these healthcare projects, and has helped many hospitals reach these requirements.

The building materials needed to meet the new standards are no different from those used in traditional projects, but the way the company must approach such projects is unique, Diaz says.

To prepare for these jobs, Turner performs an extensive amount of work up front to ensure risks are identified prior to starting construction, Diaz explains.

“We try to really build the building on paper before we hit the ground running,” Diaz explains. “We spend a lot of time with our various departments, from estimating to purchasing, to make sure we have a complete project that we understand from the beginning to the end. Then, we develop a risk-management plan to understand how we can overcome any obstacles we might face during the project.”

Cost Savings for Partners
Completing a project on paper has allowed the company to achieve the on-time completion of its projects and, in some cases, the strategy has helped Turner return substantial cost-savings to project owners.

In its San Jose Civic Center project, designed by Richard Meier & Partners, the company returned unused contingency to the owner, even after completing the “technically demanding building,” Diaz explains.

Turner can only complete such projects successfully with help from its dedicated base of subcontractors. In fact, the company has developed master agreements with 90 percent of the subcontractors it enlists on a regular basis.

“This way, when we have a new project we need to get started on, we are not forced to sit down with the subs and hammer out the details of the contract,” Diaz explains.

“We can put people to work very quickly now, because everybody involved understands the rules and expectations up front.”

‘Push the Industry’
Turner is aggressive in its recruiting strategies.  The firm currently offers internship programs for college students, and hires many alumni of the program, Diaz says.

Many veteran employees of Turner are lecturers or teachers at local colleges and universities, he adds. The company is also focused on promoting sustainability and corporate responsibility, Diaz says.

In every project, regardless of whether the firm is applying for LEED certification, the company demands that at least 50 percent of the construction materials are recycled.

“We are doing our best to push the industry in this direction,” Diaz says. “We’re trying to lead by example, and we feel that sustainable construction methods are best practices, whether we are going for LEED certification or not.”
    
Green History
Since 1995, Turner Construction has completed or is in progress of constructing 119 projects which include “significant green features,”  the firm says. Of those projects, which total $9.3 billion, 14 have earned LEED certification.

“To demonstrate our commitment to a culture of sustainability within the company, we have a national Sustainable Construction Group with LEED-accredited professionals, dedicated to supporting and training all local business units in the construction of sustainable projects,” the firm maintains.

Some of Turner’s significant sustainable projects currently under construction or recently completed include:
• San Mateo County Sheriff’s Forensic Lab – Turner worked as the design/build contractor, and constructed a green building by incorporating solar power systems that cover 80 percent of the building’s energy needs, it says. The 29,000-square foot office building is ending Silver LEED certification.

• Joe Serna Jr. Cal EPA Headquarters Building – Located in Sacramento, the 950,000-square-foot building features a below-grade basement with telecommunications and mechanical/electrical systems with temperature control and security systems, Turner says. The building also features photovoltaic panels on a low-rise roof, a daycare center, public auditorium, cafeteria and bicycle storage areas.

• San Mateo County Youth Services Center – Turner constructed three housing units, a youth court facility, a dining hall, gymnasium, a group home complex and school. The firm also renovated a fire station, which is located on-site, it says.

• California State University Chico Student Services Center – The facility houses 26 administration departments, and is 122,000 square feet. “The building meets the university’s strict budget goals, while reflecting the architectural tradition of the campus through careful brick detailing and massing,” Turner says. “It was designed to receive LEED Gold certification.”

Healthcare Successes
Throughout the corporation, Turner is active in the healthcare segment, and was ranked the largest builder in the segment by Modern Healthcare and Engineering News-Record.

The Northern California division has a number of healthcare projects under construction in the area, including:
• John Muir Medical Center – The six-story expansion to the existing facility is a major project for the company, the firm says. Turner is the general contractor, and is constructing 385,000 square feet, and remodeling 50,000 square feet of occupied space.

• California Pacific Medical Center – The San Francisco-based project is a 1.3 million square foot hospital and 200,000 square foot medical office building. Turner will also construct a 240-car garage.

• Mills Peninsula Hospital – In Burlingame, Calif., Turner is acting as the general contractor and construction manager of the 225-bed hospital. The project requires the company to demolish the existing hospital and construct a new parking garage, it says.

• Laguna Honda Replacement Hospital – Turner is the construction manager-at-risk for this 850,000-square-foot hospital in San Francisco. “The project includes 1,200 skilled nursing facility beds and demolishing a structure to build 140 assisted living units,” the firm says. “Clinics and acute services will also be included in the scope of work.”

Landmark Projects
The firm is also widely known for its success in the higher education segment, Turner says. The Northern California division has been hard at work in the past several years, constructing landmark higher education projects, which include:
• Sierra College Computer Sciences and Math Classroom Building – Turner acted as construction manager-at-risk for this project, based in Rocklin, Calif. The facility features 60,889 square feet of space and three stories

• University of California, Santa Cruz, Digital Arts Facility – The facility features 25,600 square feet of office space, and includes a 1,200-square-foot addition to an existing building.

• Ohlone College Health Sciences and Technology Center – Turner is acting as construction manager-at-risk for the Newark, Calif.-based project. It features many green elements, including efficient energy-recovery ventilator and ground-coupled heat pumps, the firm says.

Community Awareness
Although Turner Construction is widely recognized for project success, it also has a reputation for operating as a good corporate citizen. The firm is involved with a number of charities nationwide, it says. “It has long been the tradition of Turner Construction Company to create a lasting community relationship,” the company explains. “Partnering with the people who live in the community makes good business sense, but it is Turner’s commitment to give back to a community that is a priority.

“In the late 1960s, community affairs became an integral part of Turner’s business strategy,” the firm continues.

“It has grown since its beginning to include educational partnerships, community service, special initiatives and promotion of small and minority/women owned businesses. Today, Turner is proud to say that it has had a positive impact on every community in which it does business.”