Fast Track Projects Demand Efficiency

by Dennis Fagent

Medtronic AVE: 3675 Unocal Place, Santa Rosa, CA

Architect: Glass Architects, Santa Rosa, CA

Contractor: Rudolf and Sletten, Santa Rosa, CA

An efficient use of steel-braced frames and column bay spacing provided a cost effective solution for the two most recent buildings completed by Medtronic AVE. Medtronic AVE is a fast-growth company that needed their building to grow as fast as they were. This project, like nearly all projects now, demanded a fast-track construction schedule to meet the client's exploding growth needs. In order to make the project move at this fast pace, the contractor, Rudolf and Sletten, was selected early in the design phase, and they provided valuable feedback to the client regarding the cost implications of design decisions. They also worked closely with the design team in developing the construction schedule and implementing important design phase milestones. Having the architect, engineers, and contractor on board from the beginning helped to ensure against costly delays that would keep them from meeting the tight deadlines.

The design challenges of this project were also more severe than for a typical low rise Class A office building. The Medtronic campus is located in very close proximity to the Rodgers Creek Fault in Santa Rosa, California. Due to this, the structural challenge was to maintain an efficient structural design and provide for seismic design forces over two times greater than typical code loads. Medtronic AVE expected a higher performance level to protect the building’s features and contents in the event of a severe earthquake. This was accomplished by the use of structural tube braces whose locations were inconspicuously coordinated by the project architect, Glass Architects, and the owner.

Another design challenge for the project was Medtronic's need for unusual floor spacing. Floor-to-floor heights for the high-tech manufacturing facility are greater than a typical office building; with a first to second floor height of 18 feet (to accommodate a basement with forklift access at the ground floor level) and with second and third floors more typical at 14 feet. Bay spacings of 32' x 32' and 24' x 32' were chosen to accommodate Medtronic's floor space needs by providing efficient girder and purlin spacing and minimizing interior columns.

The use of 50 ksi steel throughout the project, combined with the right design, resulted in a 25% more efficient steel frame than typically experienced by the general contractor, and at a significantly lower cost. Overall the total weight of steel for these buildings was an economical 6 lbs. per square foot. The end result is an efficient building meeting both the client’s schedule and cost goals.