Engineering & Preconstruction
Engineering is the foundation of outstanding mechanical systems. The challenge is to transform innovative ideas into practical and reliable systems.
We focus beyond the initial installation to ensure that your system is designed to last and function reliably for many years under varying conditions and requirements. Our engineers utilize the experience of our commissioning and service professionals to design systems that will be serviceable and perform efficiently for the long term.
Whether your needs are large or small, simple or complex, our engineering staff will work with your design team and contractors to guarantee you are provided with the best design to meet your requirements and that it is complete, coordinated and code-compliant.
Below is a brief list of the services we provide:
• 3-D Modeling and Design Coordination
• Preconstruction Services and Planning
• Energy Conservation
• Systems Evaluation/Comparison and Economic Analysis
• Code Compliance or Variances
• LEED Certification
• Retrofits & Upgrades
• Applications Engineering
We look forward to each new assignment and the opportunity to share the experience and knowledge we have gained over our 100 years in the industry
BIM / VDC
Geo. H. Wilson utilizes Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and 3-D CAD visualization software for preconstruction trade coordination and product fabrication for HVAC, process piping and plumbing projects. Due to the space impact of these systems, Geo. H. Wilson leads the coordination process and works with the general contractor and subcontractors to facilitate and manage coordination utilizing Navisworks software. Geo. H. Wilson has the capability to facilitate 3-D coordination meetings including the creation and management of clash detection reports. Coordination meetings can be held in our offices, facilitated at a job site, or hosted electronically utilizing web conferencing. Additionally, we have the ability to design and detail in native Revit models. This enables us to seamlessly integrate into the architectural models to understand the spatial requirement for our duct and pipe.
Geo. H. Wilson has more than 20 years of experience utilizing Autodesk Fabrication to accelerate our plumbing, sheet metal and piping fabrication. Applying lean construction principles, our 3-D capability permits significant prefabrication for “just-in-time” delivery.
Our recent experience with challenging coordination projects includes HVAC, process piping and plumbing scopes within hospitals, laboratories, and GMP manufacturing facilities. Geo. H. Wilson brings knowledge and depth to any design and construction team providing a catalyst for successful implementation of VDC.
Delivery Methods
With the ever-expanding list of project delivery methods, Geo. H. Wilson dedicates significant effort and resources to remain at the forefront of the industry in providing a finished product that meets all of the client’s requirements.
Delivery methods include:
Plan-Spec
Geo. H. Wilson brings decades of experience to construction projects that mandate a fixed-price bid on a detailed set of construction documents. We examine the plans and specifications, determine the lowest possible cost, and then build exactly what was designed. By working closely with the architect and engineering teams, our project managers anticipate issues and work to avoid change orders and cost overruns.
Design-Assist
In the Design-Assist method of delivering work, Geo. H. Wilson engineers work closely with your design and construction team to clarify the operational benefits of the project. We will analyze alternates on a price/performance basis. Our engineer’s knowledge of installation, maintenance, and long-term operating costs will help deliver the maximum value for dollars spent. When appropriate, we will recommend using alternative designs, different materials and more efficient installation methods.
Design-Build
Design-Build brings together a partnership of the owner, architects, general contractors, engineers, and trades. As part of the design-build team, Geo. H. Wilson engineers analyze the owner’s requirements, reviewing concepts and systems on a price/performance benefit. Realistic project budgets can be established early in the process. Design-Build speeds up the entire construction process as we proceed seamlessly from design into construction with known project costs. Design-Build is the best way to avoid constant change orders, project escalation and cost overruns.
Integrated Project Delivery
Integrated Project Delivery is a concept that has been integrated into all areas of Geo H. Wilson’s capabilities. As a design-assist and design-build contractor, we regularly participate in the collaborative design and planning processes, allowing us to figure out the best way to accommodate the unique needs of each project. Geo. H. Wilson’s Project Managers are unique in that they manage the project’s mechanical scope of work from start to finish, playing an integral role in the design, cost control, construction, commissioning and handover.
Lean Production & Construction
Internally, Geo. H. Wilson manufactures much of its own materials and has implemented Lean methods in order to reduce costs and inventory in our shops. We rely on pull scheduling which reduces the amount of sheet metal and pipe we keep on hand and requires effective project planning and efficiency. Our shops also provide the opportunity to prefabricate and preassemble much of what is delivered to the field, increasing quality due to the clean, controlled shop environment and reducing labor and installation time in the field. With shops throughout the Western United States, we are able to make more frequent just-in-time deliveries consisting of the exact amount of materials needed for a specific portion of the job. This reduces the impact on other trades in the field by minimizing the amount of material staged on the floor and around the job site.
Target Value Design
Target Value Design (TVD) is a method closely aligned with Lean production, Lean construction and Integrated Project Delivery. It consists of designing a project to the customer’s predetermined budget requirements, rather than establishing cost after the design is completed. TVD builds cost into the design process and minimizes waste in the production and construction process. It is a fundamental change in thinking from “expected costs,” to “budgeted costs.” The guiding factor for TVD is that the target cost for a project should never be exceeded. Typically, cost follows design, but on projects where TVD is used, cost dictates what gets designed to ensure that the target cost is not exceeded. One mechanism for providing this rapid cost feedback is extracting quantities from the virtual model and model-based estimates. As a result, rapid cost feedback to the design team is paramount in this process.