Category 7- Best Building Project- Specialty Contractor (Over $10 Million)

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1 2018 Associated General Contractors ACE Awards Category 7- Best Building Project- Specialty Contractor (Over $10 million) Specialty Contractor: Intermountain Electric, Inc. ( IME ) Project: Confluence Luxury Apartments Towering over the Denver skyline, The Confluence commands attention with its 35 stories of steel and glass encased luxury. Located at the convergence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte, this modern living space features unparalleled views of downtown Denver against the silhouette of Colorado s Rocky Mountains. Before transforming into the Confluence, the lot at 15th and Little Raven Street was one of Denver s choicest development sites. For nearly a decade, the site had a long history of unsuccessful proposals until a group of interested individuals and the Community Planning & Development department approached the Urban Land Institute (ULI) for input. It was then that the ULI assembled a team of architects, planners, and developers who recommended the land be rezoned from development no higher than 90 feet tall to a Planned Urban Development allowing up to 350 feet tall. After a year of insistent outreach, the Denver City Council approved the rezoning, allowing for the new high-rise construction. The start of construction was challenging as the building required several stories of sublevel excavation only feet away from the Cherry Creek. But while the general contractor was busy at work mitigating issues that arose from building on this unusual 2.1-acre site, IME hit the ground running creating and utilizing innovative tools to streamline on site construction processes across all trades. Construction Innovations/ State-of-the-Art Advancement From the very beginning, IME was trusted in the design process because of our experienced Building Information Modeling (BIM) Department. Starting in early 2015, IME was charged with creating the model for the HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical trades to base their own models on. AGC ACE Award for Construction Excellence

2 Due to this collaboration, a harmony was established between trades, effectively avoiding much of the typical clashes that occur on an active construction site. Solutions of Special Projects Intermountain s approach to this project was uniquely supported by the design of the overall building. Because of its residential nature, many of the apartments were identical. To assist the development team and general contractor plan the project, Intermountain hosted a complete mockup of a sample apartment at their fabrication facility. All trades participated in building this mockup. Intermountain utilized video and time studies to optimize installation materials and methods. This provided a clear understanding of what assemblies could be prefabricated and how we could sequence the installation. This trade to trade consistency lent to IME s heavy use of prefabrication to speed through the electrical installation and ultimately keep costs down. Assemblies were built off site in mass and packaged in groups according to the needs of each apartment. Once delivered, the packages were delivered to the site and teams of electricians would install in an assembly line fashion. Little was left to chance with this cookie cutter type installation that went in floor by floor and made for very thorough quality control oversight. Environmental/ Safety As with every project that IME undertakes, Confluence was executed holding safety in the highest regard. IME s site team conducted daily Job Hazard Analysis to identify potential risk areas, while field supervision, project management, and company management performed weekly Job Site Safety Assessments. To maintain project-wide safety and overall coordination, IME also provided the general contractor with weekly safety reports and conducted multi-trade safety walks each week. Because of this in-depth approach to site safety, IME discovered a hazardous situation that could have proved dangerous for workers on site. As progress on the site plugged away during the winter months, heaters were brought in to keep the area comfortable for crews. It was an IME AGC ACE Award for Construction Excellence

3 employee that discovered that the heaters were displacing a disproportionate of oxygen, in turn, resulting in unsafe air quality. Air monitors were brought in to test the areas in question, and ultimately, IME s Safety and Risk Manager made the call to evacuate the entire floor until it could be made safe. Throughout the remainder of the project, IME took responsibility of keeping the air quality at acceptable levels for all trades. Excellence in Client Service The confluence is unmistakable with its glassy exterior and commanding height. Its nighttime silhouette is illuminated with hundreds of LED lights to create a cascading exterior, breathtaking from every facet. The installation of the LED lighting, emboldened by the enthusiasm of the downtown Denver spirit, has programming that allows the lights to become blue or orange during Broncos games and other events. This feature is just one of the many luxurious installations that IME is proud to have contributed to this project that bring the high level of satisfaction to all parties involved. Throughout the duration of this project, IME continually displayed the highest level of service, quality, and value for all parties involved. IME was a facilitator of constant communication with the general contractor, developer, and multiple other trades. This open forum of communication fostered increased cooperation and accuracy, the benefits of which were widespread. This now iconic building, recognizable against the Denver skyline, is a source of pride for the Intermountain team. Visible from miles around, the Confluence is a testament to the perseverance and innovative thinking displayed by the individuals who built it. AGC ACE Award for Construction Excellence

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