Bunger Henry Infrastructure Upgrade
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GeorgiaDescription of Services

EMC Keeps MOCVD Lab on Fast Track
When Dr. Russell Dupuis, an innovator in LED technology and recipient of the National Medal of Technology, agreed in 2002 to move his research effort to the Georgia Institute of Technology, it created quite a challenge for the facilities staff.

"We were charged with creating a new MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) lab for Dr. Dupuis," says Don Alexander, institute engineer for Georgia Tech's design and construction department. "Normally, this would have been about a two year process, but the administration wanted it in place in a year. That meant we had to do some creative project management to make it happen."


Busy Building Gets New Infrastructure
Dr. Dupuis' new chip fabrication lab was slated to go into Tech's Bunger-Henry Building, a 1960s era facility housing research, office, and classroom space for the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Alexander knew the building would require extensive infrastructure upgrades to meet the installation deadline, including changes to the existing HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems.

At the same time, Bunger-Henry had to remain open, accessible, and operational even as crews worked at an accelerated pace. To determine the best strategy for handling the modifications without inconveniencing staff, faculty, or students, Alexander hired EMC Engineers, Inc., to evaluate the facility's infrastructure and develop a master plan that would support the installation of the MOCVD lab.

"We had just 90 days to collect field data, interview staff, develop design concepts and construction cost estimates, and put everything into a master plan," says Steve Williams, project manager for EMC Engineers. "It was tight deadline not only because of the complexity of the project but because we had to anticipate how the infrastructure work would be coordinated among multiple contractors who would be on the project at the same time."

EMC's study identified needed infrastructure additions and upgrades (see sidebar for details). The firm's recommendations addressed the immediate requirements for the MOCVD lab but also addressed infrastructure changes that would be desirable to support future expansion within the facility.


Phased Approach Minimizes Disruption
EMC advised doing the infrastructure upgrade of the 170,000 square foot facility in phases. Phase 1 workwas concentrated in Bunger-Henry's northern half to minimize disruption and make the changes necessary to bring Dr. Dupuis' lab on-line. Work in the southern part of the facility was planned as part of an anticipated Phase 2 effort. Design of the Phase I modifications began in mid October 2002, and bid documents were submitted to Tech the first week of January 2003.

Phase 1 construction of the $6.5 million project began in February 2003 with three different contractors working concurrently to build out the lab and install the new infrastructure. "This was a publicly bid project," says Alexander. "But it turned out we had some really great people on board. All the contractors and design teams worked well together and accommodated each other to help us stay on schedule."

Because the MOCVC lab uses exotic gases and toxic chemicals, Alexander decided to involve the State of Georgia Fire Marshall and Georgia Tech's Environmental Protection Division staff early in the design process. By being proactive, he was able to address safety and environmental concerns before they became schedule-killing issues.


Extreme Project Management Delivers Success
Although EMC had been hired to develop the master plan, Williams and other staff remained involved with the project after construction got underway. "EMC supported us with design changes as the contractors encountered problems," says Alexander. "I can't say enough positive things about them and how they helped us gain time on the schedule."

Work on the project largely wrapped up in the October 2003. And although this date was slightly beyond the original target, everyone was pleased with how quickly the project milestones were met.

"I think Dr. Dupuis was surprised that the facility was actually up and running on time," says Alexander. "He's busy waking up his equipment, and we're in the process of tweaking systems. Everything should be in full operation by March 2004."

As for agreeing to take on such a fast-track project, Alexander says it required "extreme" project management. Luckily, he had a great team and master plan to work with. "EMC really thought about how the things would have to be done," notes Alexander. "You need that kind of team when you're trying to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time."

Phase I Design Elements

• 6,000 square foot mechanical penthouse
• 50,000 cubic feet per minute (CFM) make-up air system with heat recovery from general exhaust
• 50,000 CFM general exhaust system
• 25,000 CFM manifolded, fume-hood exhaust system
• 2,800 gallon per minute (GPM) chilled water system
• 1,600 GPM heating hot water system
• 140 GPM process cooling water system
• 20 GPM, 1 Ohm, de-ionized process water system

New distribution piping and ductwork throughout building