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Alakanuk School
Little Big Horn College LBHC Health
Montana
Project Type Commercial | Education/Schools
Year Completed 2011
Project Size 35000 sq ft
SIPS Used 6" & 8" EPS Walls & 10" EPS Roof
Sustainable Features Premier SIPS, LEED Platinum, sun shading devices to reduce reliance on artificial lights, mechanical heating/cooling, rainwater collection, LED lighting and lighting sensors, low-flow faucets for water conservation, cultural expression, natural materials, smart site design and solar orientation
Environmental Certifications LEED/USGBC
Architect BNIM Architects
Contractor Fisher Construction
Project Overview
The Health & Wellness Center at the Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency, MT is a LEED Platinum multi-purpose community facility that is much more than a building on 4.5 acres of land. This was a major addition to the Little Big Horn College campus and was designed to serve students and the surrounding community. The design includes an NCAA gymnasium seating approximately 1,300 people; spaces for aerobics/community gathering, weight lifting, and cardiovascular fitness; locker rooms; and support facilities. It mostly represents hope to a community battling multiple challenges amidst widespread poverty and sends a message that the Apsáalooke (Crow) Indians of Montana are capable and worthy of having world-class facilities to inspire new generations of their people to dream and play big for the future.
This project was groundbreaking in many ways. It was the first documented use of an AIA Contract for Integrated Project Delivery that brought the A/E team, the Contractor team, and the Owner team onto a level playing field that allowed a rapid schedule to be met and minimized change orders. The project also creatively used multiple funding sources, including the creative implementation of New Market Tax Credits. Architect Scott Moore y Medina led the project management team and acted as a valuable connection to the Crow culture and teachings while at his former employer, BNIM. This allowed the A/E team to understand the values of the people as it translated into built form and included the art and traditions of the Crow in an atmosphere of trust, learning, and accountability.
This project was groundbreaking in many ways. It was the first documented use of an AIA Contract for Integrated Project Delivery that brought the A/E team, the Contractor team, and the Owner team onto a level playing field that allowed a rapid schedule to be met and minimized change orders. The project also creatively used multiple funding sources, including the creative implementation of New Market Tax Credits. Architect Scott Moore y Medina led the project management team and acted as a valuable connection to the Crow culture and teachings while at his former employer, BNIM. This allowed the A/E team to understand the values of the people as it translated into built form and included the art and traditions of the Crow in an atmosphere of trust, learning, and accountability.
One of the key ways the project team addressed the schedule and green building needs was to use SIPs for the exterior walls and roof. “SIPs meet a number of needs with just one system,” said Doug Morley, Principal Architect with Springer Group Architects. “They install fast, insulate well, and are strong. Other than in the large gymnasium, this reduced the need for a secondary support structure in the building and saved a bunch of time and money.”
Echoing Morley’s comments, owner of Kammerman Construction, Glen Kamerman oversaw the crew installing Premier SIPS onsite and said, “The SIPs were really accurately constructed and went together well. Using Premier SIPs probably saved about 15 – 20 percent or better on the installation time. It also eliminated the need to heat the walls during winter construction, as would have been necessary with concrete masonry units.”
“SIPs really helped us meet the accelerated project schedule,” added Matt Anderson, owner of Compass Consulting Engineers. “SIP shop drawings were done concurrently with design, so by the time we released the foundation package, the SIPs were being fabricated in the shop. The erection was extremely fast and in no time at all we were dried in. Plus, SIPs are strong and provide great design flexibility. They work well in long spans and have high shear and diaphragm values. This was especially crucial to help create the wide-open space in the project’s gymnasium.”
In addition to rapid construction and high strength, the SIPs play a key role in the building’s high energy efficiency design. “Energy savings is a big part of getting to the LEED Platinum goal,” said Ben Mitchell, project manager with Fisher Construction, general contractor. “It’s hard to get a gym to meet any energy code, let alone LEED Platinum, but the SIPs provide a super energy-efficient envelope—much better than we could get from other products for the same labor and material costs.”
SIPs can help school and hospital building professionals greatly reduce their heating and cooling energy use, while providing a host of other building benefits. These include reduced job site construction waste and the ability to use the panels in simple-to-build wall assemblies with high sound transmission class (STC) ratings for quieter classrooms and patient rooms. And, while the panels have been much the same for decades, a new type of insulation makes them even more energy efficient.
The insulating foam core in SIPs traditionally has been expanded polystyrene (EPS). A higher R-value class of rigid insulation – graphite polystyrene (GPS) that further enhances the panel’s R-values.
Premier SIPS MAX – GPS SIPs are an EPS-based insulating material that integrates graphite throughout the EPS polymer matrix (insulation bead). The graphite enhances the insulation’s R-value by reflecting heat energy. SIPs with GPS insulating cores offer over 20% higher R-values than traditional SIPs – making a high-performance building envelope product even more energy efficient.
Tears of joy were shed by College staff, employees as well as visitors at the grand opening of this facility. To those who had witnessed its design and construction, this was more than just a green building full of daylight and high-efficiency mechanical/ electrical systems. It was more than an example of the best practices in stormwater management and sustainable materials selection. This building represents a beautiful home for community events, feeds, games, powwows, and celebrations allowing the community to feel empowered, excited, and full of a sense of pride. This project shows the transformative power of collaboration that respects and honors culture.The project team for the Little Big Horn College Health & Wellness Center faced a daunting schedule. Time was running out to use a government grant for the project, so the team needed to start construction (moving dirt and pouring the foundation slab) even before they finalized the building design. Adding to the timing challenges, they had to construct the building’s shell during one of the coldest Montana winters in 20 years.
On top of requiring rapid completion, the College (of the Apsàalooke Nation – Crow Tribe of Montana) wanted a very green, energy-efficient building targeted to LEED Platinum standards. This commitment to the environment reinforces the center’s role in supporting healthy living and respects the tribe’s historic, cultural and artistic way of life.
Since the owner, architect and general contractor used an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach, all parties had a strong stake in working together to address the schedule and green building needs. Rather than operating under separate contracts for design and construction, with the IPD the participants all signed one contract focused on successful completion of the project. “This allowed every team member to bring their best ideas to the table and collaborate on solutions,” noted Scott Moore, Project Manager with BNIM Architects.
One of those ideas was to use Premier Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for the exterior walls and roof. “SIPs meet a number of needs with just one system,” said Doug Morley, Principal Architect with Springer Group Architects. “They install fast, insulate well and are strong. Other than in the large gymnasium, this reduced the need for a secondary support structure in the building and saved a bunch of time and money.”
Echoing Morley’s comments, contractor Glen Kamerman, Partner with Kamerman Construction, said: “With the pre-built panels, you just have to piece the building together like a puzzle. The SIPs were really accurately constructed and went together well. Using Premier SIPs probably saved about 15 – 20% or better on the installation time. It also eliminated the need to heat the walls during winter construction, as would have been necessary with concrete masonry units.”
In addition to rapid construction and high strength, the SIPs play a key role in the building’s high energy efficiency design. The large-size panels have fewer gaps requiring sealing than other construction methods and provide continuous insulation throughout the walls and roof. “Energy savings is a big part of getting to the LEED Platinum goal,” said Ben Mitchell, Project Manager with Fisher Construction, general contractor. “It’s hard to get a gym to meet any energy code, let alone LEED Platinum, but the SIPs provide a super energy-efficient envelope – much better than we could get from other products for the same labor and material costs.”
The Health & Wellness Center is a major addition to the Little Big Horn College campus and is designed to serve students and the surrounding community. The design includes an NCAA gymnasium seating approximately 1,300 people; spaces for aerobics/community gathering, weight lifting and cardiovascular fitness; locker rooms; and support facilities. Beyond the high-performance building envelope, some of the center’s other green features include overhead prismatic skylights and sun-shading devices – to reduce reliance on artificial lighting and mechanical heating and cooling systems – and on-site rainwater detention.
Project Summary
- Project: Little Big Horn College Health and Wellness Center, Crow Agency, Montana
- Size: 35,000 sq. ft.
- SIPs installed: 70,000 square feet of wall and roof panels
- Scheduled Completion: Summer 2011
- Architect of Record: Springer Group Architects, Bozeman, Montana
- Design Architect & Green Building Consultant: BNIM Architects, Kansas City, Missouri
- Structural Engineer of Record: Compass Consulting Engineers, Bozeman, Montana
- Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineers: Three Rivers Engineering, Bozeman Montana
- General Contractor: Fisher Construction, Billings, Montana
- SIP Installation Contractor: Kamerman Construction, Manhattan, Montana
- SIP Manufacturer: Premier SIPs , Puyallup, Washington
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As the oldest SIP manufacturer, Premier SIPS offers a superior building envelope framing system for commercial and residential structures. Contact an expert in your region to discuss your next project or to explore the benefits and cost savings when designing and building with SIPs.
