b'PROJECT PROFILE Stanford BlackwelderStanford, CAProject Teamcrew realized that there was not enough ceiling space Owner/Occupant: Stanford Universityin the bathrooms to add floor drains in the new shower Architect: Pyatoklocations. So, the team swapped all water closet and General Contractor: Cahill Contractorslavatory locations, which allowed them to alter the Mechanical Contractor: ACCO Engineered Systemspiping system and fulfill the owners request. Plumbing Contractor: ACCO Engineered Systems After uncovering the existing HVAC system on the Project Overviewfirst floor, the HVAC team realized that it was not up to Stanford Universitys Blackwelder building is a 12-story,code. Most of it needed to be removed and reinstalled 80,000-square-foot graduate student dormitory locatedproperly. Additionally, the existing HVAC equipment in the Escondido Village area of the campus. The buildingwas installed in mechanical rooms surrounded by was built in 1971 and the MEP systems were reachingconcrete walls, which made it difficult to maneuver the the end of their life cycles. Stanford wanted tonew equipment into the room.upgrade these systems without having to tear downBoth the HVAC and plumbing teams also faced issues the entire building. with loading and unloading while floors were still being The general contractor, Cahill Contractors, selectedbuilt. The buildings location in the middle of the campus ACCO to work on the mechanical and plumbing scopealso created challenges for the team because this meant of the project due to the size of our workforce and ourthere was very little space to stage or store materials.ability to meet the projects schedule. Stanford requiredHolobuilder, a construction progress tracker program, that the building only be out of service for a singleallowed the project team to easily keep track of their school yearfrom September 2022 to June 2023.piping progress. The team used photos of what was This meant the buildings plumbing and HVAC systemsdone before demolition began, during the installation and needed to be gutted entirely and replaced in less thanconfirmed that all items had been covered by drywall. 11 months.Stanfords commitment to preserving the buildingThe project ultimately came together despite the presented some issues for the project team. Thechallenges and Stanford and Cahill Contractors were piping crew was to core new holes into the structurevery satisfied with the final result. They brought ACCO and Stanford wanted to switch all the tubs out foron to work on Blackwelders sister building, which was showers, except for in the Americans with Disabilitiesbeing worked on simultaneously. That project is still Act (ADA) units. While swapping out the tubs, theunderway and on track to be completed in June 2024.20|Spring 2024'