says it is distinguished by the
» SBI
level of technology and sophistication
it uses to complete its projects.
Residential | SBI BUILDERS INC. – FULLER STREET APARTMENTS
Building Sophistication
SBI Builders Inc. –
Fuller Street Apartments
www.sbibuilders.com
• Project cost: $30 million
• Location: Redwood City, Calif.
• Employees onite at peak: 145
• Scope of work: Muifamily housing
“Our overall goal is to be a
client-oriented company.”
-Paul Nuyen, CEO
SBI IS USING ADVANCED BIM TECHNOLOGY AND GREEN BUILDING
TECHNIQUES ON THE FULLER STREET APARTMENTS PROJECT IN
REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. BY JIM HARRIS
S
BI Builders Inc. CFO James
Amlicke considers the company
to be a small, boutique builder
capable of working on large-ticket projects. “We’re a company doing three
to five projects a year with a total value
of $50 million to $100 million annually,”
he says. “Our senior management knows
every person in the company.”
Although many of SBI’s counterparts
in the California multifamily construction market have a much larger capacity
and higher project load, the company is
more than competitive when it comes
to quality and knowledge. “The level of
sophistication and technology that we
utilize for a company of our size is what
truly differentiates us from competitors,”
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Residential | SBI BUILDERS INC. – FULLER STREET APARTMENTS
Because of strong relationships,
SBI works with many of the same
subs and architects on its projects.
Amlicke adds. “We’re leveraging technology that only the largest
construction companies are using.”
One of those technologies – VICO Office Suite – 3-D BIM system
is being used on one of the company’s current projects, the $30
million Fuller Street Apartments project in Redwood City, Calif.
The software enables the project manager, architect and designer
«
to see pre-construction details to solve problems during design
as well as improve team communication and estimate the project
scope, the company says.
“Clash detection is our first reason to use this technology, but
beyond that, it allows us to better stack our trades and build better
and more efficient schedules,” Amlicke says. “This technology gives
us more insight into the building’s various assemblies and how
those impact the timeframe, cost and labor requirements.”
The 3-D models generated by the VICO system will also help the
company place HVAC and plumbing elements that are fabricated
off site, CEO Paul Nuytten says. The company will also use the
Smart Components shear wall system to frame the building; those
beams are also pre-fabricated. The metal studs used in the building
will also be predrilled offsite at three different places to accommodate wiring.
In addition to BIM, the company maintains paperless methods
of communicating with its subcontractors. The company uses
Procore for project management collaboration and Textura Construction Payment Management to digitally process invoices and
payments, Amlicke notes.
Project Amenities
The use of BIM technology and prefabricated building elements
will allow SBI to complete the Fuller Street Apartments project
on a narrow timeframe. Foundation work on the project began in
June 2014, and framing will begin in January. The project is anticipated to be finished in November 2015.
The 128,310-square-foot building will feature five levels above
grade and two underground parking levels. The building’s majority will feature detailed stucco as well as precast concrete.
The complex will include 133 total market-rate and affordable
apartment units. Building amenities include a fitness center,
landscaped courtyard, dog park and rooftop deck with a spa, grill
and entertainment area. Each tenant will be able to access these
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amenities as well as their units using a
digital key.
The building will also include a digital
notification screen near its main elevators.
Tenants will receive package notifications
as well as other information on the screen,
Nuytten says.
The two-level basement garage will
have spaces for 160 cars and 32 bicycles,
and will also include 50 electric vehicle-charging stations, Amlicke says.
The electric charging stations are one
element of the building that will allow it
to meet California Green Building Standards (CALGreen) standards. The building
will also include a solar hot water system,
a photovoltaic system, low-flow plumbing
fixtures and Nest learning thermostats.
The thermostats, which are typically not
used in multifamily projects in the region,
learn heating and cooling behaviors and
adjust themselves automatically, he adds.
The company today focuses on
mid-market or luxury apartments, but
also builds affordable housing apartments as well as some for-sale units. SBI
works with many of the same subcontractors and architects on several of its projects. “The vast majority of the subcontractors we’ve working with on Fuller Street
Apartments are companies we’ve worked
with multiple times before,” Nuytten says.
“All of our relationships with the architect
team and the subcontractor team from
the top down have been outstanding.”
SBI also looks to build long-term relationships with its clients. “Our overall goal
is to be a client-oriented company and
maximize repeat business more than just
searching for work,” Nuytten adds. “We
want to work with the companies we know
will treat us well.”
‘We want to
work with the
companies
we know will
treat us well.’
Relationship Building
This is SBI’s first project with developers
Acclaim Co. “Our hats go off to them,”
Amlicke says. “They’re a phenomenal
group to work with, and an up-and-comer
in the Northern California marketplace; I
think they will be doing amazing things,
including this project.”
SBI started in 2005, at a time when
single-family residential communities in
California were thriving. Although the
company initially focused on single-family projects, several of its owners and
project managers had previous experience in the multifamily sector. This
allowed the company to transition to
affordable housing projects when the
single-family market collapsed during
the recession, he adds.
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