This weekend Ramtech completed the manufacturing and installation of the modular buildings for the fifth and final phase of the MILCON Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Housing (UEPH) Advanced Individual Training (AIT) Barracks that will be used by the U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio,Texas. The project is part of a multiple task order under an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that was previously awarded to the Southwest Division of Hensel Phelps Construction Co. in Austin, Texas. Ramtech was designated as a strategic subcontractor responsible for the manufacture and installation of 152 individual modular sections that are being assembled to create the four-story 272 room barracks that will total 116,480 square feet.
The shipping of the modular sections began in late November of last year, with the crane setting starting in mid-December. Now that the manufacturing and installation phases for the $9.7 million modular construction project are complete, Ramtech will begin making the inter-connections between the modular sections for the domestic water and drain lines, HVAC ductwork, hydronic water lines for the air conditioning units, and all the electrical runs. We will also be responsible for all the water and air pressure testing for each of these systems, as well as the complete fire-proofing at each of the module mate lines. Our scope of work also includes the grouting of all the ceramic tile in the restrooms, the setting of the lavatory fixtures and accessories, as well as the installation of 1,360 doors with all the hardware. Ramtech will then participate in the final inspections and commissioning of the facility prior to the current scheduled completion date of February 2014.
Because the AIT barracks facility will house U.S. combat troops, the structure is being built to meet the Army’s rigid Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (AT/FP) construction standards and progressive collapse requirements for buildings that are three stories or taller. Each of the floor sections were designed, built, and install as six-sided unitized boxes acting as rigid cubes when stacked together with the other sections. The building will also meet the requirements of LEED Silver Certification by including waterless urinals, energy star roofing material, the recycling of waste materials to achieve a 50% diversion of waste normally sent to land-fills, and a utilization of construction materials with a 20% recycled content. Heating and cooling will be provided through a chilled water assist hydronic heat pump system with each unit serving one dorm room. In addition to the sleeping areas, the building will also house a computer learning center, training area, and laundry facilities.
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Gary White is Vice President of Sales & Estimating at Ramtech Building Systems, Inc. He has been in the commercial modular industry for 33 years and is responsible for the management of all sales and estimating efforts across each of Ramtech’s key market segments: Education, Government, Medical, and Commercial.
