Municipal

TG Gallagher Racks up Prefab Points in Kendall Square

Photo Jan 16, 8 16 18 PM(1)

The piping raised into place

Cambridge, MA—- TG Gallagher recently announced it is nearing completion on a 45,000sf lab fit-out project located at the epicenter of Kendall Square. Consigli Construction Co., Inc. selected TG Gallagher to install the HVAC, plumbing and fire protection systems for this world-class life science space. When the project is completed later this spring, it will meet the research and development requirements for a French-based drug company.

Aligned with the tenant’s goal that innovation is at the heart of everything it does, TG Gallagher presented an opportunity to pursue a collaborative, innovative prefabrication strategy that would facilitate the installation in a compressed time frame. Intrigued by the Lean benefits of prefabrication-higher quality, safer work conditions, increased productivity, and less waste, Consigli was on-board. Using building information modeling software, the project team coordinated the entire system layout first, then fabricated and assembled it in TG Gallagher’s 40,000sf  offsite prefabrication facility.

While the MEP components were being fabricated,  Gallagher’s team of plumbers, pipefitters, and sprinkler fitters were laying out sleeves, hangers and bang-its on-site, using one of Trimble Total Stations. Modular plumbing racks were delivered to the site, equipped with: potable and non-potable hot and cold water,  compressed air vacuum,  RO water,  insulation valves and CO2 and N. Once each rack was piped, it was tested, insulated, marked “complete” and was ready to be shipped to Kendall Square.

Eight shipments of six to eight racks were delivered, that equates to over 9,000 ft of corridor piping. When the racks arrived to the project site, they were hoisted to the floor, wheeled to their final location and raised into place. Using this method, up to 4000 ft of piping was installed in a single day. The team worked aggressively not only to prefabricate, but to employ the latest Lean processes for a flawless choreographed installation.

The extensive use of prefab has kept the site from being encumbered with workers, material, equipment, and waste.