City of Bozeman, MT - Library Board Minutes 12/29/04

Bancroft distributed a handout of value engineering changes approved by the Building Committee at its meeting on December 28. He explained that the building budget number given to the Commissioners was $11,008,250, but deducting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) soft costs brought the budget down to $10,911,000. The Building Committee has suggested eliminating two expensive items: stack lighting at $204,902 and the photovoltaic system at $221,639, both of which would be bid as add alternates. However, $411,000 needs to be added to the budget in order to secure the LEED Silver certification as specified by the anonymous donor, which means additional value engineering was done by the Building Committee to bring the total amount down to account for an 8% projected inflationary factor. The value engineering cuts would minimally impact the building and would consist of: reducing the amount of sidewalk and concrete paving by 5,000 square feet ($20,000 savings); omitting the boulders in the plaza ($20,000 savings); omitting the Main Street sign and hoping it might be donated later ($12,000 savings); omitting site masonry in some support walls ($74,395 savings); doing the trellises as add alternates (possible $23,000 savings); omitting plywood at brick veneer exterior walls and wood veneer panels ($12,000 savings); simplifying glu lam details ($10,000 savings); simplifying the finish carpentry ($30,000 savings); omitting arch metal facia panels and using alternate panel versus composite panel ($25,000 savings); reducing the finish door hardware quality ($12,500 savings); doing the doors as flush ones (possible $13,350 savings) though it was suggested to do stile and rail doors as an add alternate; using higher quality acoustical tile versus metal panel ceilings ($18,000 savings); doing the painting of the trellises as an add alternate (possible $2,400 savings); and simplifying the sunshades on the west side ($8,000 savings). The only item not approved by the Building Committee was the elimination of the precast terrazzo stairs (possible $10,000 savings), since carpeting is not desirable on stairs and LEED points could be obtained by using terrazzo. These value engineering items amounted to a total of $270,000 when construction indirect costs of $14,694 were added to the $255,245 saved from the value engineering. Action Kesselheim moved to approve these value engineering changes as proposed by the Building Committee; King seconded, and the motion passed 4-0. Bancroft will provide a new budget summary based on these changes. There is a $750,000 total contingency in the project, which provides more than previously budgeted. However, there is still urgency to meet the bid deadline of February 9, and it normally is a 4 to 6 week process for the LEED certification recommendation level. The energy model analysis is the first item needed, and that should be completed by December 31. The Board has received one commissioning bid, and a second one should arrive shortly. The commissioning needs to be completed before the construction documents. Headley suggested running parallel tracks and trying to address the LEED component through the change order process in order not to slow down the timeline. He has talked with Tony Martel, who is in agreement with his suggestion. He also suggested doing an aluminum window system as an alternate to the wood one if there is a need for additional cuts in case the bids come in too high; this could be incorporated in the bid package. He distributed a new schedule, showing that NorthWestern Energy will notify him on February 1 about the new grant application recently submitted. On January 6 Headley, mechanical engineer Tim Coleman, LEED Accredited Professional Kath Williams, and a possible Library representative will meet to discuss the preliminary Silver LEED strategy. Headley feels the need to go in with 38 points (the range for Silver certification is 33-38 points) as there is a strong possibility of losing points such as with the waterless urinals, which have yet to be accepted in a previous project. The Library also needs to determine how much will be spent to gain the $500,000 donation as well as making sure that the total $500,000 will be received as the confirming letter said “Up to $500,000 additional funding, contingent upon LEED certification....” There are currently four options regarding LEED certification: 1) not pursue it: 2) at-risk scenario of pursuing Silver certification but not obtaining it; 3) pursuing LEED through the change order process; and 4) delay the process and put bids out 4-6 weeks later. Goehrung suggested incorporating wording into the bid package that the one big LEED change order would be forthcoming so there is a methodology for the change order. Kesselheim felt that a parallel track was desirable as delay was not good. However, he did not want to abandon LEED and the potential donation and felt the need to do a caveat at the beginning of the bid process to allow for the looming change order. The Trustees are beyond the idea of cutting any footage from the floor plan. Goehrung suggested the possibility of in-kind and in-cost donations from the vendors, which Williams planned to pursue. Thompson will also suggest that to the Foundation Board when it next meets on January 12. Action After further discussion, Kesselheim moved to accept the parallel strategy of moving ahead to meet the February 9 bid deadline and the April 4 ground breaking and research and quantify the LEED Silver certification process so it happens on a parallel track as expeditiously as possible. Bancroft seconded, and the motion passed 4-0. Headley will have a local landscape architect hired by next week to take the place of Design Workshop. Goehrung will work with the Foundation Board on contracting for the commissioning portion of the LEED certification. He also said that the plan is to have all the involved Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) representatives in town in order to receive the categorical exclusion needed to receive VA/HUD funds and to break ground. City Manager Kukulski will coordinate that meeting, as the Library project has become the top priority for the City Commission this coming year. Thompson asked about a bar chart schedule, which can be requested as part of the negotiations with StudioFORMA Architects. He also suggested that there be an active outreach program in order to get as many sub-contractors involved as possible; Bancroft will include that in his letter to Headley. Items such as transfer of funds to the City from the Foundation and sale of the triangles of land will be discussed at the January 7 meeting. Goehrung has gone through the bid process to remove the wooden buildings on the property, but only received one bid which would cost the Library money. He is open to talking with interested parties about taking those buildings down.