At its trendsetting Daybreak development in South Jordan, Utah, Kennecott Land (a division of Rio Tinto) was experiencing multiple — and expensive — change orders to the construction contract. Then ValleyCrest Landscape Development (VCLD) project manager Matt Mudek recommended Kennecott implement design-build — incorporating all administration and logistics with one point of contact for accountability — a process that Kennecott Land had been considering for several months. Kennecott Land agreed.
“Since we began the design-build process with ValleyCrest, we have had only one change order in an entire village of eight parks,” says Jeff Haws, Kennecott landscape manger. “An architect cannot possibly portray every idea and thought successfully on paper. There will always be things that need clarification no matter how thorough the document is, and with each clarification there is almost always a cost associated with it or a delay in construction.”
Through design-build efficiencies fostered by ValleyCrest, the parks were built on time and on budget.
“We are all benefiting from a built-in freedom for the design-build team to work these issues out before they ever get to the developer,” Hawks adds. “Less time is spent responding to RFIs, changes are made in the design stage before it is too late, and construction stays on schedule because of the relationship between architect and contractor.”
Kennecott’s experience with ValleyCrest at Daybreak is proof that creativity, construction, and sustainability can co-exist in design-build. While some owners still do not view landscaping as a critical component — and instead focus on infrastructure and vertical work — increasing numbers of companies, such as Kennecott Land, recognize the value of landscaping as a key element early in the planning process and reap the benefits.
“Design-build is a viable delivery method under the right conditions,” says Jeff Hinners, vice president and regional manager, ValleyCrest Colorado/Utah. “If early contractor involvement and owner trust are there, it can be successful. It’s also important to become involved as soon as possible to help the client identify major cost or schedule obstacles so they can bring their projects to market in a timely manner.”
With the green light from Kennecott Land, ValleyCrest sought a local landscape architecture firm with a thorough understanding of the local market, assembled a short list of landscape architects that fit their criteria and interviewed them with Kennecott’s participation.
“We selected G. Brown Design Inc., a Utah-based landscape architecture firm, because they had the talent and ability to combine a sustainable design aesthetic with practical construction,” says Steve Knight, VCLD operations manager. “They were not only exceptional conceptualizers, but [they] understood the engineering and sustainability concepts required to build the desired design at Daybreak.”
Teaming the well-respected local landscape architectural firm with ValleyCrest, the largest landscape contractor in the nation with nearly 60 years of experience, was a good fit.
“I would place my greatest reliance on the combined experience and knowledge of our Daybreak team,” Haws says. “The team comprehends our goals for innovative, market-unique landscapes, and cost-effective construction. It understands the vision for our community and team members continually provide us with ways we can achieve our vision while still proving our commitment to sustainability.” Haws also notes the constant quest for locally produced materials and products, which he says “offer exceptional quality at a more economical price.” This has reduced shipping costs, travel distances, and greenhouse gases emissions from similar work the previous year.
Working closely with ValleyCrest early on allowed Kennecott to understand cost and prevent roadblocks at Daybreak before they became major problems. “With a design-build contractor on board in the planning stage, clients can be advised on realistic cost and construction schedules, with creative solutions to still meet their deadlines,” Hinners adds.
In addition, Kennecott’s design-build experience with ValleyCrest has been a fertile ground for innovative design ideas and construction techniques, says Kennecott’s Haws, who adds that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) played an important role at Daybreak from the beginning.
“With each new project, we thought about ways to incorporate the LEED model in the design,” Haws says. “The biggest area of impact was in water use. Our commitment for Daybreak’s parks and open spaces has been to use as many water-wise practices as possible.” Minimizing water run-off is part of the effort. Kennecott has been effective in some of their parks. “We are able to water our park lawns without any irrigation run-off, saving this precious resource for our semi-arid climate,” he says.
Equally important is the fact that any quality issues could be managed effectively by establishing acceptable quality standards up-front, maintaining a consistent, dedicated project team, and by keeping lines of communication open throughout the design and construction continuum.
“Clients who engage in the design-build process find they can achieve both a superior end result and a more effective project development process,” says Tom Donnelly, ASLA, president of VCLD. “Benefits of our design-build approach include better design to budget, minimized probability of change orders and budget over-runs, clearer accountability, faster time-to-market, reduced administrative burden, and more value overall for each dollar spent.”
Daybreak’s design-build delivery method affords a number of production efficiencies to the design team, says Gerald Brown, ASLA, owner of G. Brown Design and DBIA member. “We are able to spend less time detailing drawings and specifications,” he says. “The drawings don’t have to be taken to a level sufficient for a competitive bid process thus affording more time for design an occurrence that adds value to a project.”
The collaborative process in which the designer and contractor work together allows both to determine a project’s construction. “High levels of quality and constructability are attained without additional cost to the owner,” Brown adds. He also says owner involvement is critical at the initiation of a project in order to pin down program and design direction.
“However, the owner may continue to provide additional design input due to a loose transition between design and construction phases.” he says. “With a design-build contractor on board in the planning stage, Kennecott was advised on realistic cost and construction schedules, with creative solutions to still meet their deadlines.”
Thanks to its work with Kennecott Land and other satisfied clients, ValleyCrest’s Donnelly says the company is being recognized for its unparalleled experience and unique ability to offer an integrated set of services, from concept through build, for large, complex landscape projects. “Our nationally-recognized independent landscape architecture studios combined with our preconstruction services and our ability to efficiently and safely construct very high quality work, is stimulating innovation and enhancing value across the board,” he says.
Case Study:
Kennecott Land’s Daybreak Development
South Jordan, Utah
Daybreak, Kennecott Land’s 4,200-acre master-planned community on the west bench of Utah’s Salt Lake Valley was designed by visionary urban developer, new urbanist pioneer, and architect laureate Peter Calthorpe as an evolving organism with room to grow and change. The West Bench Master Plan, of which Daybreak is the first community, provides for 41,000 developable acres, 34,000 acres of open space, and an estimated 200,000 housing units.
Initially a $1.8 million contract between Kennecott Land and ValleyCrest Landscape Development Colorado, the project has morphed into an $8 million design-build undertaking that is not only spurring innovation but also showcasing sustainability efforts by the two companies. The ValleyCrest-Kennecott Land partnership could serve as a blueprint for similar projects seeking to meet LEED or similar sustainable development goals. This is particularly relevant since many of Daybreak’s most cost-effective, site-related design solutions were implemented through a holistic merging of planning, civil engineering, architecture, and landscape architecture early, and throughout the planning and design process. ValleyCrest’s ability to consult with the owners and designers, when its staff spotted ambiguities or errors, enabling them to offer technical suggestions on construction issues, has paid large dividends.
How did Kennecott Land and ValleyCrest forge a design-build partnership that continues to expand and evolve? By shared, demonstrated core values, such as environmental responsibility, by forging a strong bond of mutual respect from the beginning, and by working together to bring innovative solutions to opportunities that presented themselves during the construction process.
Kennecott Land was attracted to ValleyCrest’s design-build vision, which integrates the values and inspiration of innovative planning and design with advanced strategies for the integrity of landscape construction. Kennecott Land also was attracted to the company’s seamless, team-driven process that provides unique opportunities for connecting a range of elements throughout the process as the big picture comes more clearly into focus.
One of the hallmarks of design-build is the tremendous track record for innovation that has come from the close working of architectural/engineering firms and contractors as common stakeholders, says Kelly F. Duke, DBIA, a vice-president of pre-construction services at ValleyCrest’s corporate office and a frequent lecturer on landscape design-build. “Innovation is how many design-builders seek to build their ‘best value’ response to the program priorities of owners and agencies,” he says. “The ability to detect a problem, conjure up a solution, test that solution from a design or engineering standpoint, put construction and lifecycle costs to that solution, even develop a mock-up or prototype, all quickly and efficiently, often within the span of the pre-construction phase, benefits all aspects of construction.”
Sustainability at Daybreak is extremely important, says Francisco Benavides, manager, sustainable development, environment, health, and safety at Kennecott Land, particularly since sustainability and life cycle cost and environmental impact issues become ever more important components of an owner’s design decisions. At the same time, consumers are also taking notice of sustainable developments and are being lured to more responsible master-planned communities.
“Kennecott has never believed that environmental responsibility and profit are mutually exclusive,” Benavides says. “At Kennecott, we believe that you can do both at the same time. Besides, it’s the right thing to do for the planet, for people, and for business. We’re finding that as a lifestyle, sustainability has really become important enough that many customers seek it out for the benefits it has. Our commitment to conserving natural resources and preserving open space is contributing to the economic vitality of Daybreak.”
Why has the Kennecott-ValleyCrest partnership been so successful?
One major reason: Credibility and trust were established early on. “It’s important to get involved as soon as possible to help the client identify major cost or schedule obstacles so they can bring their projects to market,” Duke says. “Our experience with Kennecott shows there is the value of early involvement in expediting schedules, improving quality, improving cost-to-budget, and minimizing change orders.
But he says even with design-build “speed, innovation, [and] accountability there is always room for improvement. And innovative companies like ValleyCrest are always striving improve to better serve our clients.”
INFO: ValleyCrest Landscape Companies (www.valleycrest.com)