Projects

Major Construction Project Brought on Track with Coordination, Advocacy by The Attain Group

Client: CBRE

Project Summary:

When Senior Project Manager, Julia McAllister, of CBRE was faced with potential delays and cost overruns on a major construction project, she turned to the technology experts at The Attain Group.

Problem/Needs:

While overseeing the construction of a new campus for a high-tech client, Senior Project Manager, Julia McAllister of CBRE, ran into unexpected hurdle. Her client – which had a sophisticated IT technology team in-house – did not have the capacity to coordinate their services with other construction disciplines.

An IT-Intensive Construction Project

In addition to requiring detailed construction drawings and specifications to integrate with the other construction disciplines and go to tender, McAllister explains that the project was technically complex as well. “This was a very IT-intensive project with complex electrical and cabling needs to support 19 high-end technology labs, nine floors of office space across three buildings, and a high-end customer business centre.”

Faced with potential delays and cost overruns, McAllister turned to The Attain Group for support.

Process:

Coordinating All Construction Disciplines

With construction designs already 75% complete, Attain jumped in to assess the project’s status and gather the client’s needs. To ensure that things like power, network access, and structural support for wall-mounted audio-visual (AV) equipment would be covered, Attain prioritized coordination with the other construction disciplines to get those requirements into the construction specifications. Attain then developed on the IT cabling drawings and tender.

Refitting the existing building on the campus for seven high-tech labs required an audit of the existing IT infrastructure to determine what could be reused. For the two new buildings, Attain ensured all functional programming and distribution requirements were captured and coordinated with the electrical, mechanical, and structural contractors.

Encountering similar hurdles with the audio-visual (AV) and security demands of the project, McAllister again tapped Attain’s expertise. Attain once again acted as the client’s advocate onsite, ensuring that all security related project work was fully coordinated and installed as per the specifications. This encompassed everything from security access to buildings, floors, and rooms, to guard stations, camera locations, and the main security room.

Work Performed:

Attain managed all aspects of the construction management process for the complete technology package (IT, AV, and security), including drawings, site instructions, change orders, site inspections, and full systems commissioning.

Results:

Technology Engineers and Client Advocates

“Attain’s greatest value their ability to coordinate all the construction disciplines and to advocate for my client’s technology needs,” McAllister says. “Attain was involved in our construction project management meetings and really followed through. They were on site throughout the process, answering questions and providing fast turn-around to the field so that construction was never delayed.”

She concludes: “Attain’s knowledge and talent, their professionalism and organization skills, all came together to get this project back on track. Attain was able to jump right in and solve urgent problems. They quickly brought my client’s needs and requirements from conversations to paper to construction. I will never again enter into a major construction project without Cabling, Security and AV consultants involved early in the design phase.”