The EPA Corvallis campus is part of the Western Ecology Division and is one of four ecological research divisions of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory. The laboratory’s mission is to provide national scientific leadership in developing scientific tools and methodologies for assessing and predicting the condition of natural resources and their responses to natural and manmade stresses.

Ahtna was awarded a $70 million, 10-year, 8(a) competitive IDIQ construction contract to perform campus-wide construction in accordance with the masterplan for the Western Division Environmental Research Laboratory at the EPA Office of Research & Development, in Corvallis, Oregon. The project requires expertise in vertical construction, HVAC, and energy systems, as well as phasing and swing space for an occupied technical campus. The program is divided into six phases valued at $10–15 million per phase.

The EPA Western Ecology Division Lab Modernization Project showcases Ahtna’s experience performing large-scale construction, demolition, and environmental remediation projects while maintaining services to occupied portions of the buildings. This project involved complex scheduling and extensive design assist efforts to accomplish the owner’s reprogramming and redesign. While Ahtna was not contracted as a design-build partner, our management and onsite staff worked closely with the design team throughout construction and redesign efforts to ensure the owner received the end product it expected at a high quality standard.

Ahtna completed Phase 1A in 2016, involving construction of a new one-story, 4,900-square-foot annex building with a loading dock, mechanical and electrical spaces, a laboratory, and office space.

Upgrades to the main building in Phase 1A included a full reroofing of the 44,000 square foot building and rebuild of the penthouses to accommodate new mechanical equipment including structural steel upgrades and new insulated metal panel cladding. In addition, a geothermal system containing a ground source heat pump system with over 300 wells was constructed to supplement the existing heating and cooling system.

The Phase 1A task order also provided site work consisting of a permeable interlocking concrete paver roadway and loading dock area, concrete curb and gutter, sidewalks, and minor landscaping.

In October 2018, Ahtna was awarded a contract to continue its work on Phase 2 of this follow on contract and subsequently received a contract for Phase 2A in 2019.

Phase 2 and 2A consists of services to re-roof and renovate the existing building, full demolition and rebuild of the existing 44,000 square feet of laboratory space, offices, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Exterior improvements include new windows, structural repairs to the existing concrete structure, new entryway and ramp, new sidewalks, paving and paver brick. These upgrades modernize the facility and bring it into compliance for federal ADA and energy standards.  Scope add-ons to the original contract include installation of IT, AV and ePacs systems and equipment.

The project overall continues to maintain a high quality standard as reflected by “Exceptional” CPARS ratings in quality, schedule, and management.

The client will not be receiving a LEED certification, but the addition and updates are required to be built to the LEED Silver standards to demonstrate that the construction is compliant with the EPA’s Green Building Initiatives.

Ahtna worked closely and continues to work closely with the design team to prioritize the design packages, keep pricing in check, and developed a planned flow of needed design information to ensure construction efforts maintain the agreed to schedule.