Photo courtesy of BNBuilders BNBuilders used building information modeling to encourage subcontractors to participate in pricing and cost estimation early in the project.

Efficiency and consistency were the keys to constructing this unique civic place within a fast-track schedule.

In order to accommodate the tight schedule, BNBuilders and King County used the design-build process to construct the 6,000-square-foot steel structure within six months.

BNBuilders and its design-build team held several meetings with the local community and maintained a flexible approach to challenges throughout the process.

Complementing the design-build approach was BNBuilders’ use of building information modeling. BIM allowed the team to visualize the project’s many details, coordinate mechanical and electrical systems, promote communication among the designers and contractors, and facilitate the early participation of subcontractors in pricing and cost estimation.

Among the sustainable LEED-compliant elements of the project were sheet-good flooring, PVC-free shades, enhanced stormwater design and recycled materials.

For safety, BNBuilders incorporated permanent fall-protection anchors in the roof and put into effect a “stretch and extend” program to warm up workers at the beginning of each day. As a result, the new library was built quickly with no recordable or loss-time injuries.