Successful Terra-Petra Methane Mitigation Design for Pica + Sullivan: Chandler School South Campus
Most recent “Farmers Field” Rendering
What will soon be Los Angeles’ new NFL football stadium!
Methane Mitigation System Design completed for Child Development Center in Los Angeles
Terra-Petra recently completed Design Development plans of the 
Methane Mitigation System for the Temple Beth AM Early Childhood Development Center in Los Angeles. Terra-Petra has been working with the project architect, Pica+Sullivan Architects, to design the below grade methane and waterproofing systems.
The difficulties in working on this project revolve around the site being classified as a Methane Zone Property as well as having a shallow ground water table. The proposed structure will have a 1 Level Below Grade parking garage with a presumed ground water elevation a few feet above the finished floor slab. The Architect decided not to provide a permanent dewatering system for the building, but will instead provide a design that will allow the building to resist hydrostatic pressures.
With the existing Methane Code does not specifically address such designs, Terra-Petra has had a lot of experience in dealing with similar projects (i.e. Cedars Sinai Medical Center Advanced Health Science Pavilion) and coordinated with the entire design team (Architects, Structural Engineers, MEP/Shoring/Dewatering Contractors) to design and specify an all-in-one methane and waterproofing system to meet the code requirements and project needs.
Although the Terra-Petra system design does need some special handling with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety it’s a responsibility we were more than happy to take on for our client.
The membrane system that we specified includes both City of Los Angeles Research Reports for waterproofing and methane in one membrane. Our design has also been coordinated with the membrane manufacturer to make sure that it meets all the right waterproofing warranty requirements.
Azusa Landfill Material Recovery Facility
Terra-Petra has been contracted with ET Environmental, Inc. to design the methane gas mitigation systems for the
new Azusa Landfill Material Recovery Facility, Bale Storage and Scale House. ET Environmental is contracted directly with the owner, Waste Management.
Waste Management is proposing to improve its waste management and recycling capabilities at its existing operations at the Azusa Land and Reclamation Landfill. This proposed project plan is set to remove the existing recycling buildings and re-build a state of the art material recovery facility, waste transfer station and add a household hazardous waste facility.
Project Highlights include:
- 110,000 sq ft facility
- Fully enclosed to provide for odor, dust and liter control
- First LEED certified building in the City of Azusa
- Includes a community room available for educational tours and meetings
Our methane mitigation system plans will be completed for this project by mid April 2012. Installation of this system is expected later this summer of 2012.
Non Residential Construction on the rise
As reported in the Brownfield Renewal Magazine:
The growth trend for nonresidential construction so far in 2012 might bode well if the most recent Nonresidential Construction Index report—reflecting first-quarter 2012—is regarded as a positive harbinger for things to come.
The NRCI gained 7.8 points over last quarter to 58.1 this quarter, according to FMI, a provider of management consulting, investment banking and research to the engineering and construction industry.
The positive move upward to start the new year is not exactly the sign of a bull market for construction, according to FMI, but it reinforces confirmation that industry people believe that the construction activity is following the lead of the slowly improving economy. There are good signs in hiring plans for 2012, as well as construction-put-in-place predictions. However, panelists indicate that low project pricing and high competition are still driving the market place.
- Hiring: A five percentage points increase over this time last year, 42 percent of panelists indicated a zero to five percent increase in full-time direct employees. Additionally, fewer panelists indicated a reduction in salaried employees.
- Construction Put In Place: Expectations for CPIP are positive but cautious, as 41.3 percent of panelists expect growth of 0.5 to 2.5 percent for 2012.
- Overall Economy: The component for the overall economy showed the strongest improvement of all index components with a jump from 43.6 last quarter to 68.7 in the first quarter, a 25 point gain. This score reflects the improvement in many economic indicators including the unemployment rate.
- Nonresidential Building Construction Market Where Panelists Do Business: At just 54.9, the local markets for nonresidential construction are inching ahead. However, panelist responses reflect a perception that their own business is performing a bit better than the overall nonresidential construction market. This indicates that local markets are still very competitive.
- Cost of Materials: Despite a slow economy, material costs continue to rise, with no panelists indicating material costs were lower than last quarter. The cost of materials component moved down nearly 5 points to 26.2. This factor is continuing drag on the overall index and is likely to raise the cost of projects while lowering profit margins for contractors.
- Cost of Labor: The cost of labor improved just slightly to 41.5, indicating little change over the score of 40.0 last quarter. However, no panelists indicated they were experiencing lower labor costs.
- Productivity: Contractors are continuing to make moderate gains in productivity. However, at 52.9, this component is still too weak to offset rising costs for labor and materials
Terra-Petra team meets for annual New Year Kick Off
Terra-Petra team meets for annual New Year Kick Off. Each year we get together for lunch to do a little team building, business expansion news and ideas, provide direction on the status of the company (we are growing big-time!)… all good stuff…getting ready for a fantastic 2012!
Twin Cities Police Authority Headquarters Project COMPLETED
The Twin Cities Police Authority Headquarters project was issued a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy January 13, 2012. Terra-Petra is honored to be a part of the Kitchell (builder) team to help to meet this great Milestone for the Town of Corte Madera and the City of Larkspur in Marin County California.
The Grand Opening Ceremony set for this Saturday, January 21st.
For more information contact:
Raaj Patel, Project Manager – LEED AP
KITCHELL CEM
Larkspur, CA 94939
916-217-2878
www.kitchell.com
Follow Kitchell on: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | KitchellProgress.com
Ridiculous Rain in Houston!
Just wanted to share a few photos of our trip down to Houston earlier this week. We were visiting our client for Red Roof Inn and had a meeting with a client (in the Houston area) who has property that they are developing in the Playa Vista, California area. We thought that it might be fun (?) to share some photos the ridiculous rain that came down. It was coming down at 3 inches per hour and flooded the streets to the point where cars were floating away. Houston is under water (Alaska is buried with snow) and we are begging for snow or rain here in California… go figure!
Update on the Hope Street Family Center Project in Los Angeles
The Hope Street Family Center, a community outreach benefit program of California Hospital Medical Center, is moving its childhood education, literacy, and social services to a brand new building. The Center has undergone construction of a new 25,500 square foot building since Spring of 2011. It will soon be located across the street from its old home in downtown Los Angeles in 2012!
Located at 1600 Hope street on the southeast corner of Hope Street and Venice Blvd, the new building will include a community wellness and recreation center, child development center and outdoor play area, multipurpose sports court, including a community basketball court and soccer field, green space and walking path and children’s play space. The center has been designed by Abode Communities a non-profit design company dedicated to building affordable housing in Southern California.
Smoke testing the Liquid Boot-500 methane barrier
As a consultant of Abode Communities we prepared the sub slab methane gas mitigation plans and we are also carrying out the deputy methane barrier inspection of the methane gas mitigation system. Methane barrier inspection is required by the city of Los Angeles to verify the installation of the system. Our Deputy Methane Barrier Inspector Richard McClanahan was on site to continuously inspect the installation of the methane gas mitigation system.
Installed by Gergen Construction, the methane gas mitigation system consists of perforated vent pipe in a gravel filled trench and covered with two inches of sand. The sand acts as travel material that allows any methane to travel to the vent pipes that in turn collects the methane and vents it through vent pipe risers up to through the roof and above the building.
Over the sand layer is a 60 mil layer of Liquid Boot-500. The Liquid Boot-500 is the methane gas barrier and is used to prevent any methane gas from passing through the concrete slab and into the building.
Two inch sand layer ready for the Liquid Boot-500 layer
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Congratulations to Pica+Sullivan on receiving the Sustainable Innovation Award from the USGBC–LA Chapter at the 7th Annual Green Gala Awards
Terra-Petra was invited by Pica+Sullivan Architects, to attend the U.S. Green Building Council–LA Chapter’s 7th Annual Green Gala at the J.W. Marriott hotel at LA Live! in downtown Los Angeles this past weekend (11/4/11). Read press release.
The Sustainable Innovation Award
Pica Sullivan was honored with a Sustainable Innovation Award for the design of the Science Center building for the Westridge Girls School in Pasadena, CA. We were certainly very honored to have been invited to partake in the festivities.
Our Building Waterproofing Experts division was responsible for designing the waterproofing system for the building including the “green roof.”
Coincidentally the event was held in one of the buildings (W Marriott hotel at LA Live!) that we designed both the methane mitigation and waterproofing systems for.
Justin Conaway enjoying the Green Gala Awards at the J.W. Marriott at LA Live!
Terra-Petra GM, Justin Conaway with Brian Williams, Alan Strauss,Tony Zubick, Anne Wong
Joe Pica and Brian Williams with their award
