< PreviousThe company now employs over 130 people, twenty-two of whom make up its MEP and fire protection group around New York State. In addition, six teams are each led by a seasoned design engineer. Teams collaborate and interact to find solu-tions, generate fresh ideas, and act as quality controllers on each other’s jobs.Another refreshing aspect of the company is the diverse range of ages. A fair number of its employees are younger people who really benefit from working in the field with experienced leaders. They are guided in areas that not many younger employees would have the opportunity to experi-ence in larger companies.This allows junior engineers to gain far more hands-on experi-ence than they may otherwise have done, while they, in turn, also add value to projects with their fresh academic knowledge. This method stimulates career improvement and spurs young engineers’ confidence in their fields of expertise. This is also why junior engineers are included in project meetings and is just another way in which young professionals are groomed to become project engineers and team leaders one day. “Our hierarchy is pretty flat. A lot of larger firms cannot offer this due to hierarchies that force people to rise through the ranks before they can participate on certain levels. We are very team-orientated here,” says Chonghui. This approach has led to growth with a substantial increase in projects serving the educational and healthcare markets. It has also recently won the company several awards for its work on the Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York. While there have been many flagship projects over the years, Alan admits to really enjoying older building renovations best. “A lot of these buildings are fifty years old or older. They have old technology that was based on old codes. In the last fifty years, technology has changed so much that, when we redesign a building, we implement new technology and new codes. The energy savings and improved control are phe-nomenal,” he says.“We get a lot of positive feedback on the enhanced health of the people inside these buildings.”JULY 201940New, intelligent ventilation systems are especially very popular. “We get a lot of positive feedback on the enhanced health of the people inside these buildings,” he says. One such a project of which the company is particularly proud is the renovation of Prentice Hall, the dining hall at the State University of New York in Cobleskill. The unit’s energy system was redesigned, new controls were installed, and now, even the outside air that enters the building is monitored and controlled to match the needs of its occupants perfectly.East High School in Rochester, New York is another older building that was updated. Here, the obstacle was to complete the design and construction in phases, as the school had to remain functional throughout the project. “Time and budget did not allow us to do a complete system replacement. So, we did an upgrade that brought it into accordance with modern codes and ventilation requirements. That was a real challenge as the original system was never designed to function in this way. We had to be really innovative here,” says Alan. The company contin-ues to provide the commissioning services for the MEP systems on this large modernization project, with around ten schools in the Rochester school district being upgraded in two phases.And the list goes on. The company was also responsible for the design of some of New York State’s eleven new welcome centers. One of these features a state-of-the-art geothermal heat pump system that draws heat from the earth to warm the building. It uses a refrigeration cycle to heat glycol, a carbon-containing compound related to alcohol. The liquid is forced through subterranean, tubular loops, running into eight vertical wells around 250 feet deep. Here, it is heated by the earth, rises back up to the surface, and is boosted through a heat pump that warms the building.Judging by its love of forward-thinking design, this is a company with an exciting future. Its next goal is to offer self-sustaining building energy systems. The company will soon outfit build-ings to generate enough power to prevent drawing energy from the main grid. “We’re continuously evolving our offering. So, moving forward, we will be led by new technology. There is a big push toward renewable energy, and even the future of plumbing design is being driven by technology. I definitely see low-carbon-foot-print design growing,” says Alan. The need for commissioning is also expected to increase due to more demand for energy efficiency. Popli Design Group is especially excited about expanding its projects with the rest of its services like commissioning. Written by Ryan CartnerAir-Tec is a full-service HVAC company providing design, custom manufacturing, installation, and maintenance services to customers in California and Nevada. For over fifty years the company has earned a reputation for its excellent customer service and the highest standard of quality in the region.AIR-TECIn the early 1960s, while company founder Clay Dunn was earning his living as a sheet metal worker in California, he noticed a trend among companies operating in the local HVAC indus-try. While there was no shortage of HVAC com-panies in the area, the quality of service they were providing seemed to leave many customers dissatisfied. In response, Dunn established Air-Tec in 1969, operating out of his garage, and focused his efforts on high-quality work-manship and honest service. A half century later Dunn is still at the helm, but Air-Tec has grown to be something much larger under his leadership. Employing over 200 people in the United States and another 15 overseas, and with a fleet of more than 50 trucks, Air-Tec is entirely debt-free and on course to see 70 million dollars in revenue this year. According to Dunn, the secret to Air-Tec’s success has been a commitment to honesty and integrity among the people he JULY 201942Written by Ryan Cartnertrusts to work for him. “When I founded the company I set the core principles and values and what is acceptable behavior on the part of my salesmen,” says Dunn. “I won’t tolerate people that don’t tell the truth. It’s my nature to always tell the truth and that communicates right down the line.” Dunn built his company from the ground up on the central idea that he will always stand by his work, and the entire Air-Tec crew have come to respect and abide by that same vision. Dunn has high expectations of his employees and as a result turnover can be high, but this is by design. For Air-Tec, quality and integrity matter above all else, and maintaining that standard demands strict adherence to the company’s core principles; Dunn calls it weeding out the chaff. “Mr. Dunn has an innate ability to pick people that will excel for him,” says Kurt Kredel, Project Manager. “He doesn’t care if you’re from another universe; if you’re willing to work he’s willing to give you an opportunity. He helps people exceed their expecta-tions, which is not the norm these days. We have project managers that started as truck driv-ers or sweeping the floor in the shop. If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work, Mr. Dunn will back you.” This commitment to integrity means being honest with cus-tomers, but it also means provid-ing a service and a final product that the company can stand behind. In order to provide the best possible quality to customers, Air-Tec is con-tinually investing in the latest technology. For every aspect of HVAC development and improvement, Air-Tec is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and the expertise to operate it. Air-Tec has always adapted to the front line of technological innovation and this has enabled it to become a leader among California HVAC companies.As a result of this commitment to building on its capabili-ties and its expertise, the company has developed a skill set that covers the full breadth of HVAC services. Starting at the earliest phase of a project’s development, Air-Tec can assist 43CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS “Air-Tec’s expert technicians can troubleshoot problems in a broad range of HVAC systems and reduce the likelihood of unexpected and expensive downtime.”customers in designing fully customized HVAC systems. One of the earliest companies in its region to adopt computer-aided design software into its workflow, Air-Tec’s engineers are experts in digital design, and a unique as-set to customers in developing cost- and time-efficient projects. Once a design drawing has been approved, Air-Tec’s fully-equipped automated fabrication plant will go to work building an HVAC solution suited directly to the customer’s unique needs. Having an in-house fabrication department enables close collaboration between the engineers who designed the system and the fabricators who are building it. This significantly improves the quality, the accuracy, and the speed with which projects can be completed. In the end, these added efficien-cies work together to reduce the overall cost of the project. Air-Tec leverages decades of experience and in-house exper-tise to engineer as much value into a project as possible. Whether it’s design, fabrication, installation or any other phase of a project, Air-Tec sepa-rates itself from the competition by this capacity to work with efficiency. “We provide every-thing; we just have one bang-up operation,” says Dunn. “I tell these guys that when we hit the job it should be like the U.S. Marine Corps just landed. The number one thing is quality, the number two thing is speed, and the number three thing is that when we screw up – and we’re human, so we do – we fix it and we don’t argue.” Certainly, Dunn understands the importance of customer retention. The company offers a standard one-year warranty to repair or replace any work it does, but will also absorb the cost on out-of-warranty repairs when it has identified that the problem is the company’s fault. This can be costly, sometimes into thousands of dollars, but in the end it’s worth more to Dunn and Air-Tec to keep the customer satisfied. Air-Tec has always promised integrity, and this is where it walks the walk. Fortunately, mistakes are few and far between. Air-Tec’s expert project management team brings 85 years of combined experience to every project. The field team is made up of the most highly trained and qualified union workers and con-tinual evaluation ensures that they are meeting Air-Tec’s high standards of quality and representing the company with the ut-most integrity. The service department is trusted by many major clients to keep their systems up and running through JULY 201944 periodic preventative maintenance and repair. Air-Tec’s expert tech-nicians can troubleshoot problems in a broad range of HVAC systems and reduce the likeli-hood of unexpected and expensive downtime. And the administrative staff are always availa-ble to keep clients abreast of project details throughout the process. The entire Air-Tec team has been carefully cultivat-ed by the company’s leadership to be a highly efficient, high-performance machine. Environmental sustainability is another important element for Air-Tec, and the company is a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), an organization committed to promoting sustainable building through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED.) In order to meet the standards set by LEED and the USGBC, Air-Tec provides ongoing training to its employees so that they can offer clients energy-efficient and environ-mentally sustainable options. As a result of this commitment to LEED standards and green building, Air-Tec was hired to design and build the HVAC system for California’s first LEED Platinum airplane hangar. By providing these sustainable solutions, Air-Tec is helping cus-tomers protect the environment by reducing their carbon foot-print and reduce their operat-ing costs by limiting energy con-sumption. Further, LEED certified buildings are often eligible for grants and other funding opportunities.Air-Tec is also an expert in designing and installing retrofit systems. Whether the project is residential or commercial, a major retrofit can cause significant interruption to a business or disruption to the lives of tenants. Air-Tec understands these challenges and has developed a specialized workflow for these projects to minimize disturbances. When an equipment update is necessary, Air-Tec will design a custom solution and install it within budget, on time, and with minimal interruption. The team has found a great deal of success in the HVAC industry by focusing on customer sat-isfaction and by caring about the quality of the product. “Our plans look better than anything the engineers out here do,” says Dunn. “When we do a drawing it means something. We’re pretty proud of our product and we don’t want there to be anything ordinary about it. Like I said, the biggest thing is that when there’s a problem it just gets handled. If there’s arguing, that’s a different story – and that’s not our story.”Currently the company operates primarily in California and to a lesser extent in Nevada. Go-ing forward, Air-Tec is preparing for further growth. A fleet of more than 50 branded trucks travel the company’s territory maintaining HVAC systems for clients, and Dunn anticipates more business and more growth on the horizon. “We’d like to grow,” says Dunn, “but we don’t want to be the biggest; we want to be the best.” 45CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Written by Pauline MüllerIn a construction industry the size of America’s, to have featured amongst the top 400 in the country says much about a company. Better still if it is a multi-talented construction manager with out-standing success in a range of diverse markets. In its own way, Callahan Inc. is as big a part of the fabric of the American North-East as legacy businesses like Dunkin’ Donuts. In fact, the con-struction management company built many Dunkin’ Donut outlets when the chain established its first franchises, about two years after Callahan opened its doors in 1954. While its multifamily constructions are especially in demand today, Callahan’s wide range of disciplines and capabilities can be seen at work across a broad swathe of markets. These include assisted living, the corporate sector, higher education, medical facilities, hospitality, life sciences, retail, industrial, and affordable, mixed-income housing.47CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Consistent growth Today, Callahan runs its range of specialty pre-construction and construction management services from a nearly 40,000-square foot headquarters in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. As one of the largest open-shop general contractors in the area, the company has delivered impressive growth over the past decade, and a closely matched track record of excellence. The Callahan, Inc. team serves clients throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Judging by Callahan’s ongoing growth, it’s fair to say that the standards it has maintained throughout the con-struction of over 7,000 units in the past five years have earned the trust of some of the best names in the New England and Mid-Atlantic property markets.Repeat business This extraordinary level of customer satisfaction really becomes evident in the way its first-time customers return for more of the same. Over 80 percent of the company’s work consists of repeat business, and, working on around 30 projects annually, that’s a pretty impressive achievement. Regular clients include private national developers, real-estate investment trusts (REITs), institutions, universities and colleges – not to overlook many smaller local developers. Project owners include names like Market Basket, Lowe’s Companies, Inc., Toll Brothers, Hines, LCB Senior Living, and Boston and Brandeis Universities. That seems to confirm Callahan’s answer to the question of what it’s best known for – “exceptional customer service, exceptional results.”When it comes to building lasting customer relationships and setting itself apart from competitors, Callahan’s policy is to go much further than the proverbial extra mile. In addition to its value-added pre-construction services, the company’s clients benefit from a full service civil and site work division. Pre-construction services include the pre-qualification of subcon-tractors, the solicitation and review of bids, rendering budgets and estimates, scheduling and timeline reviews, site feasibility studies, advice on costing, suggestions on alternative material options, and more. Timothy CallahanVice President of Callahan Inc.Patrick CallahanPresident of Callahan Inc.JULY 201948 Standards of transparency Callahan performs site functions like excavation, utility relo-cations, water and sewer-related work, and paving as well as parking expansions, with a dedicated in-house team. For absolute clarity in communication and to guarantee integrity, the company follows a strict transparency policy. It quotes on full projects, rather than on one or a few individual parts. It also employs the latest technology in cost tracking, making it easy to keep finances in check, and so keeping customers informed and happy.Standards don’t only have to be high but also consistent. Callahan’s multiple departments work in unison for seamless collaboration and communication across all its projects, regardless of type, size, or sector. For the ultimate success of each project, work assignment is done with close atten-tion to detail and each qualified construction professional is assigned to the particular job that requires that specific skill set and experience. The company was founded by Jack and Marie Callahan during the construction boom that followed WWII. Its quick-ly-acquired reputation for quality construction management soon brought more business and a need for more hands. Over the next few years, the couple’s five sons joined their parents, with all-in-all more than twenty other relatives reporting for duty as well. Today, the Callahan family still forms a large part of the company’s structure, with three Callahans present in its executive management team. “We believe that in order to work successfully in a community, we must first become a true partner.”The people secret It’s the people that make a company what it is. Callahan is no exception. Its 220 employees have become the driving force behind exemplary service delivery, earning the praise of their clients. Their general level of expertise enables the company to work equally well with union and non-union subcontractors to the extent where it is able to negotiate union involvement on projects from time to time. Callahan’s support strategy is to provide its teams with everything nec-essary, including resources such as an in-house civil engineer, architectural reviewer, and Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Structural (MEPS) manager.Ensuring the safety of all the staff is naturally the com-pany’s highest priority. Callahan maintains an in-depth safety program and four full-time safety officers. Training includes safety orientation courses plus compulsory 30-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training as well as the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Hot Works course. So it comes as no surprise that the company has received ten consecutive Gold Safety, Training, and Evaluation Process (S.T.E.P.) awards from Gould Construction Institute and Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. It also took home a National Safety Award in 2017.49CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Next >