Van Pelt Construction Services is a family-run business that has always thought of clients and colleagues as members of our extended clan. During this time of year especially, we offer our warmest wishes to every branch of the VPCS family. May your hearth be warm throughout the holiday season and your new year be full of promise.
Stop. Reflect. Give thanks. These are always important practices, but are especially relevant this time of year.
Here are a few reasons I feel thankful these days:
During the recession, my brother Mike and I suffered through more than a few sleepless nights as we sought ways to somehow keep the company profitable during one of the country’s rockiest of economic downturns. There were times when we looked at each other and said, “Now what?” But little by little, things lined up, clients helped out, our employees dug in, and we made it through to the other side. But we came dangerously close to the edge more than once.
That period was actually somewhat of a blessing. We learned how to downsize. We came to understand the true importance of every single moving part of this firm. And most importantly, we learned what we didn’t need. Today, VPCS is a far better firm having weathered that storm.
Over the past five years, not only has the economy recovered, but VPCS has risen to new heights. We have added 19 new staff members over the past 24 months – an outstanding roster of seasoned construction experts.
We’ve also won new work totaling close to $1.5 billion in construction value. Most recently, we were chosen to provide Construction Management and Inspection services for an important and visionary project at California State University East Bay (CSUEB) in Hayward. This new 100,000 square foot, three-story, $75 million structure will be known as the Collaborative Opportunities in Research and Engagement building – referred to as the CORE. It will become the new architectural icon of the CSUEB campus.
With economic forecasts predicting another five years of similar growth, we feel confident about the firm’s footing. VPCS is truly hitting on all cylinders.
Mike and I couldn’t have done any of this without help from every single employee (including family members), in addition to our clients and colleagues. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and are looking forward to a terrific holiday season and a strong, happy and safe 2019.
Happy holidays to you all.
By Mark Van Pelt
Sustainable design and construction practices are becoming more widespread. Architects, engineers and builders are adapting to and embracing green approaches across all market segments. Building standards and codes are also changing to accommodate sustainability.
We asked a few of our VPCS team members to weigh in on the topic of sustainability and how it’s changing what we do. Here are some highlights of those insights …
Mark Van Pelt: I think back on when I first heard of energy efficient and sustainable construction. This would have been in 1987 when we were working on a medical facility at McClellen Air Force Base. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers served as the owner’s reps on the project and introduced self-regulated quality control along with some guidelines on demolition and materials to be used on the structure. They required that all materials used on the building be manufactured within the United States under the “Buy America Act.” Additionally, they specified performance standards for the HVAC systems that limited energy consumption. Soon after that, we were all introduced to LEED and then the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). Introduced by PG&E, the CHPS program is essentially an adaptation of LEED for California public schools. It has less impact to the bottom line on a project but also requires designers and builders to remain vigilant about saving energy. CHPS is a self-scoring program that doesn’t require additional consultants as does LEED. It is a way that school districts can assure taxpayers that their dollars are being spent on energy efficient projects that put sustainability up front. As time has progressed, it has become easier to build projects that check the energy and sustainability boxes. This is because the new baseline for design and construction starts with energy efficient and sustainable means and methods.
Mike Van Pelt: When I started in the industry, there was no thought of sustainability. As it started to come into play, it was a struggle to adapt to these new concepts. Then, as time has gone on, designers have developed sustainable methods and embraced environmentally friendly materials as standard elements of design. Now, sustainable approaches are a normal part of a project for designers and contractors. I find it interesting how sub-industries such as the trash removal firms have changed to meet new requirements. Before, all debris from a construction site went into one dumpster and was dumped into a landfill. Now, as required, they separate the debris and recycle as much as possible, which ends up reducing the final amount sent to the landfill. The main challenge posed by green practices are financial. The process of monitoring and documenting sustainable requirements on a construction site has added hours and material to a project – an expense that is then passed onto the bottom line cost of the project.
Kelli Van Pelt Jurgenson: I began my career at the start of the sustainability trend in construction. As someone who strives for sustainability in my daily life, I’ve enjoyed seeing these practices take hold. As with any new discovery or methodology, what starts as a novelty eventually becomes commonplace. Now many of the practices that were the backbone of certification programs such as LEED and CHPS are written into code, enforced by governing agencies and simply common practice at jobsites around the state. With all that said, complacency can be a dangerous trap. We must continue to look for the next generation of products and methods that help preserve our environment, make our projects more efficient and help them last longer. Recently I’ve been working with a K-12 school district to expand electric vehicle charging stations. By granting district employees and community members access to these charging stations, the district has an opportunity to offset costs and partner with the community. When paired with solar panels (now commonplace at K-12 campuses in California), the benefits compound. I’m looking forward to what the future holds and I’m thankful to live in a state leading the way in sustainability!
Ryan Leahy: Sustainability in the design and construction industry is an interesting concept. In my opinion, most people only think of it from the perspective of environmental impacts. I prefer to consider the Triple Bottom Line: environmental impact, social impact and economic impact. When we consider each of these measurements, project decision-making can be quite different than simply considering the “green aspect.” Still, it can be difficult to convince people who only see things through the green lens. Some green aspects of projects can have higher up-front costs. Sometimes, these premiums add value to the project. For example, high-efficiency MEP units can have higher up-front costs, but those will be offset by lower operational costs over the long term. Some consumers perceive this as an attractive feature and are willing to pay more for it. There can be pitfalls as well, though. For example, it’s important to identify building components that are “greenwashed.” As project managers, we need to be mindful of greenwashing and avoid paying premiums for items that don’t add value in the long run.
Mony Thach: The idea of sustainability has changed significantly over the last ten years. There was a big push before the Great Recession. Then, when we went into the downturn, many owners were faced with projects that weren’t going to be funded or costs they had to absorb in order to attain LEED certification at a much higher cost – a premium of $100K or more on many projects. California’s Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards and other code changes mandated that buildings be more efficient, so there has been less of a drive to make sustainable projects as noticeable through certification plaques.
Ben Kerr: I think that sustainability in design and construction is increasingly important in our climate. While it isn’t always cost efficient to go for the most sustainable options, green approaches will become more popular as innovation and advancements occur. Schools have a great opportunity to build sustainably, showing and educating the next generation on how the choices we make affect the environment. I find all methods of sustainable construction interesting! Green walls, NanaWalls, self-powering buildings, lean construction, plastic roads, and more! I am very interested in watching the growth and innovation of green design and construction throughout the course of my career. I hope to see sustainability become a goal of all owners, architects and contractors.
Minh Dao: We are starting to understand the impact humans have on the environment. With natural resources being in finite supply, every little bit helps – from using recycled material to incorporating nature as an energy source. Solar power is gaining traction and for good reason; it makes perfect sense to incorporate the power of the sun into design and construction. Solar technology is getting better each year, with the ability to store greater amount of energy for less sunny days. The costs associated with being environmentally friendly are still challenging. Using sustainable material, for example, can sometimes mean a cost upgrade, especially on larger projects. The mentality of sustainability has changed over the course of my career. The idea of being truly green is gaining more traction and is seen as less of a gimmick.
Damel Turner: Construction has both direct and indirect impacts on the environment, the economy and society. Sustainable design seeks to balance the needs of these areas by creating the best design solutions for all three. The objectives of sustainable design are to reduce the use of critical resources such as energy, water, land and raw materials; prevent environmental degradation caused by facilities and infrastructure throughout their life cycle; and create built environments that are livable, comfortable, safe and productive. The LEED Certification Program, along with other green building standards around the world, are now becoming widespread enough to effect real change with regard to energy efficiency and environmental regulations and codes. Cost is the biggest challenge for any sustainable project. It can be tough to be cost effective and sustainable at the same time, but it can and should be done wherever possible. The decisions we make today do have consequences for the next generation.
September 18, 2018
We’ve reached the end of summer – that warm, relaxing season when students and teachers take some well-deserved time off. But for those of us in K-12 school construction, summertime is anything but slow-paced.
As soon as that final bell rings on the last day of school, we swoop in to begin what we call the “summer jam jobs” – the renovation and improvement assignments that we squeeze into the precious days and weeks when the hallways are empty and our work doesn’t disrupt the important business of education.
Now that classes are back in session in most of the districts where VPCS in engaged, I can take a minute to reflect on the changing realities of summertime school construction work.
When I first got started in this industry, summer breaks lasted as long as three months. Campuses emptied out in early June and kids didn’t typically return until after Labor Day. We sometimes had the luxury of 12 weeks to get things done. Now, we’re lucky if we get eight or nine.
This is a trend that’s happening all around the country. Districts are building more breaks into the academic year (including the now-common mid-winter week off in February), pulling from the summer schedule to make up the difference. Some experts also argue that shortened summer vacations help protect against the “brain drain” that kids experience while away from the school routine for months at a time.
But back to VPCS and the summer jam …
However long the summer break, it’s our job to get in, do the work (and do it well), and get out before kids return in the fall. In advance, we do our pre-construction planning – gathering district requirements, creating detailed budgets, developing schedules, assigning the contractors and subs, and fielding requests from teachers and other end users.
Then comes the start of summer, when the first order of business is helping teachers clear out their rooms. Our orchestrated move plan simplifies the process while keeping room contents organized – yes, even for teachers who have been in their classrooms for years. (We also respect the fact that teachers, too, are eager to begin their vacations, so this phase is quick!)
And with that, we’re off and running. Materials and laborers are at the ready; everyone and everything is where it needs to be; it’s time to get to work. Then, in the final few days of the season, you’ll find us cleaning up, training janitorial staff on new systems, moving furniture back in, performing punch list touch-ups, and doing anything else that supports the teachers and district personnel in their efforts to prep for their students’ return.
Even after all my years in this industry, I still find it amazing to watch all that can happen in a relatively short amount of time.
There’s also a very important component of our job that isn’t built into any of these frenzied schedules, and it might be one of the most valuable things we bring to any job: teacher TLC. We consider it part of our responsibility to reassure teachers that their rooms and tools will, in fact, come back together by the time we’re done. We respect the sanctity of their workspaces, whether they’ve spent a year or a career in their classrooms. Still, the tightened summer schedules means we’re often working right up to the point when their students return. To help alleviate some of the chaos for teachers, we frequently give gift cards they can redeem for extra supplies to help outfit their newly improved rooms.
And just as the back-to-school activity is beginning to build, we are packing up to go. Autumn, relatively speaking, is a quieter season for our K-12 work. It’s when we can look back at our summer jam jobs, both to take pride in our accomplishments and to assess what we might be able to do even better next year.
Whatever the assignments, wherever the schools, districts can count on one thing as VPCS marches toward first-day-of-school deadlines: we will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
By Mike Van Pelt
The headline news around here is that VPCS was recently awarded both the program and the construction management assignments for the entire Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) $269 million Measure H bond. We’ll be supporting the efforts of a talented team of in-house professionals from various NVUSD departments, as well as numerous consultants who have been hard at work moving this program forward for nearly two years.
Passed in 2016, Measure H will fund modernization and new construction efforts throughout the district’s geographic area encompassing the City and County of Napa, American Canyon and Yountville. Improvements will include technology upgrades and an overhaul of the district-wide kitchen infrastructure, as well as traditional campus and playground work.
As I say, those are the headlines. But if one were to read between those lines, it would reveal just how proud and honored we all are to have earned this work. It is a very big deal to us that NVUSD has entrusted us with this important contract. Let me share a few reasons why.
First of all, this contract brings the combined total of active projects that VPCS has under design and construction to more than $1 billion. We have reached this exciting milestone by maintaining a steady and strategic pattern of growth over the span of our 22-year history.
Secondly, this proves not only that we can be in the same room with established industry leaders but that we can effectively compete against them for significant contracts. We were one of numerous PM/CM firms that originally submitted proposals for the Measure H work; then we were named to the short list; then we were awarded the assignment. Rising to the top of this prestigious list of local and national companies reflects our time-tested abilities to deliver quality and integrity on both the program and construction management sides of the business. We’re pleased that NVUSD recognized what we’re capable of.
Also, this gives us a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in our own backyard. While VPCS has job trailers sprinkled throughout California, we’ll carry out our Napa assignment just minutes from our company headquarters in Fairfield. We’ll get to work with area architects and subcontractors with whom we’ve established strong professional relationships over the years. Being local didn’t get us this assignment, but it certainly helps solidify the connections that will be forged over the next few years among members of the project team, the district and the community.
Kelli Van Pelt Jurgenson will serve as our program manager, overseeing funding and schedules while interacting closely with NVUSD staff. VPCS Senior Project Manager Ray Green will manage active construction, including all site-specific project managers distributed throughout the district. Both will be supported by VPCS staff. As for me, I’ll have the great pleasure of keeping my eye on the entire effort and lending a hand whenever and wherever it’s needed.
I often get nostalgic thinking back on when my brother, Mike, and I got VPCS off the ground in 1996. We were young and ambitious and eager to make a name for ourselves. We sometimes joke about how that was our “garage band” phase. Now here we are, 22 years later, and our little band has more than a billion dollars under contract.
We’re not just making a living; we’re making a difference. We love what we do, we have a fantastic roster of clients who mean the world to us, and we’ve always remained true to our core principles of quality and integrity.
I’ll raise a glass of Napa Valley wine to that!
By Mark Van Pelt
It’s been three years since Brian Cameron joined us as an assistant construction manager. When he first donned his Van Pelt Construction Services hard hat, he was fresh out of college with the limited amount of work experience that’s typical of a 24-year-old. But we saw in Brian something special: the sort of enthusiasm and integrity that we knew would complement our team well. What we didn’t see were the characteristics that have become an unfortunate stereotype for members of Brian’s millennial generation. This kid was no slacker.
We’re thrilled to report that he has proven to be all we expected and more. Brian becomes an increasingly reliable and important member of the VPCS family every day. We asked him a few questions about his work, his goals and his thoughts on certain assumptions sometimes made about people his age.
What’s your academic background?
BC: I graduated with a civil engineering degree from Chico State. The focus of my study was water resources and environmental engineering. I came to VPCS immediately after graduating in May 2015.
Did you always see yourself in the construction industry?
BC: While I was studying engineering in college, I pictured myself doing something in engineering or construction. Growing up, I always helped my dad with his landscaping business, and that was actually great practice for construction work.
What’s the best way to describe your job at VPCS?
BC: I’m currently helping with the East Side Union School District work in San Jose. I coordinate with the contractors on a day-to-day basis and make sure they’re on schedule and on budget. I also interact quite a lot with the school district and the high school staff to make sure they’re getting what they want and need from the project. That’s actually one of my favorite parts of my job: now that I’ve been here a while, I’ve built a lot of good relationships with staff members at the school sites, the district office, and the maintenance and operations people.
What’s it like being the “new kid” at VPCS?
BC: It’s been fine – just a big learning curve. In college, I worked mostly on design. But here, I do a lot of contracts and paperwork. So I’ve had to get up to speed on those types of skills. But all of the managers I’ve had since coming to Van Pelt have been really helpful. And I’ve put a lot of time into learning what I need to know and doing whatever research I need to do to make sure I’m doing things right. I guess that’s paid off, because I’ve been given more responsibility. I really don’t mind being the young guy; it doesn’t intimidate me. I just know I still have a lot to learn.
What was it like to transition so quickly from college life to working life?
BC: I’ve always been pretty independent, so making this transition was fine. I do have to admit that moving away from home and family and friends was probably the hardest part. I come from an immigrant family and I’ve always seen how hard my parents have had to work to do well. So that’s what I do too. It can be stressful sometimes, but I just work through those tough days to get my job done.
Do you think the millennial generation is labeled unfairly?
BC: I think every generation has people in it who are lazy and others who aren’t. Sure, there are kids my age who may not put in as much effort. But most of the people I know understand that they have to put in the work to be successful. That’s especially true of kids who come from working class families like mine. I do think millennials get a bad rap for being lazy.
Has VPCS been a good place for you to start your career?
BC: Absolutely. I like that it’s not a big corporate structure. I can go to Mike [Van Pelt] or Kelli [Jurgenson] if I have any questions or issues and I know they’re there to help me. They nurture all the employees really well and I learn something every day. Eventually, I’d like to start managing bigger projects, but right now I’m just doing my job and hoping my work will speak for itself.
Any advice for other young people getting started in the work force?
BC: Put in the hard work and do the research. Look things up. Ask questions. Start conversations. Just do whatever you can do to put yourself in a position to be successful.
June 18, 2018