The Animas/Life Scan Chesterbrook Building 965 Renovations was a multi-faceted project with the overall goal of upgrading multiple components of the existing building workspace and employee areas. From the project outset, Cyma Builders worked closely with the design team to develop a project scope that worked within an available budget. Approximately 25,000 SF of the 3 story, 125,000 SF building was renovated, without any impact to the active office facility. Numerous portions of the building were upgraded for a variety of workplace improvement, including the Cafeteria, Server, Training Centers, Fitness Center, Touchdown Space, Conference Rooms, Kitchenettes, Stairwells, Lobby and Mobility Center. The project was constructed under multiple phases, all of which were turned over on time and within budget.
Cyma Builders & Construction Managers was selected by DPT Laboratories for a multi-component project to build a new Wash Prep Suite along with a Critical Utility Plant in support of ongoing operations and future expansion plans.
The Equipment Wash Prep Suite ($5,250,000.00/5,000 SF) involved the construction of a new wash room to support current and future filling operations as well as the construction of new utilities to support the future expansion needs of the facility. The wash room was constructed using the AES modular clean room system, and includes Grade C and D spaces. A new 13,500 CFM AHU was installed on roof level dunnage, along with all associated supply/seturn distribution and terminal HEPA filtration. Process utility distribution include new clean steam and WFI piping to points of use and washroom equipment connections. The challenges in constructing the suite involved installing a large amount of ductwork, re-circulation fans, and other HVAC & Process utilities in a mechanical space above the suite while maintaining a clearly designated walking path on the ceiling for maintenance and testing access. This effort required extensive coordination between the subcontractor, Cyma, architect and engineer to ensure an acceptable end product. Cyma also tied the new wash suite into an existing production suite during a compressed shutdown schedule to accommodate the client’s need to maintain production.
The new wash suite required the installation of several new pieces of equipment to allow for the proper operation of the room. Two Steris parts washers and Belimed Autoclaves were installed in the suite and integrated into the AES wall system and integrated with stainless steel closure panels.
The Critical Utility Infrastructure ($3,600,000/4,000 SF) upgrades to the production facility were extensive during the Equipment Prep & Wash project. Cyma performed a complete upgrade of two of the existing electrical services during this project, which served almost all of the major production and storage areas at the plant. This shutdown required an extensive, coordinated shutdown that was performed over a weekend. Cyma and the client worked together to ensure that all critical areas were supported with emergency power, and to make sure that the transfer of the loads from the old switchboards to the new substations were performed without issue.
Other infrastructure upgrades include major modifications to the plant’s water for injection (WFI) capabilities. A new 8,000 gallon Feldmeier holding tank was installed, along with a custom distribution skid to support the new WFI loop that was installed as part of this project as well as the existing loop that was currently in service. Cyma installed a new MECO Vapor Compression Still and Pretreatment system to perform the WFI generation on this new system. In addition to this infrastructure, Cyma also purchased and installed a new Digital Analysis Waste Neutralization system to treat any waste before releasing it to the township drainage system. All work was performed strategically to avoid impact to any active manufacturing operations. Architectural room construction followed equipment installation to define the boundaries of the newly complete Critical Utility Plant.
Cyma Builders was selected as the construction manager for a programmatic effort to relocate an existing R&D facility located in Radnor, PA to Malvern, PA and Spring House, PA. The Malvern renovations consisted of a complete renovation to 35,000 SF of an existing Warehouse and Office Building to construct new Analytical Labs, Formulations Labs, API Bioreactor Suites, Wash Room Facility, API Freezer Farm, Hazardous Storage Space, Mechanical Room, and Office Space, as well as the addition of 16,500 SF of new asphalt parking lot space. Existing cryofreezer farms in the existing building footprint were maintained and operation throughout the duration of the project. A separate facility was renovated on the Malvern Campus to relocate the disrupted warehouse functions. The overall project was put under an aggressive schedule in order to allow for vacancy of the Radnor facility without any lease extensions.
In order to mitigate some of the schedule constraint, Cyma worked with the Design Team (Johnsrud Architects & Genesis Engineers) to develop and issue long lead pre-purchase specifications and critical early construction packages. Construction commenced with the demolition of the existing footprint and the installation of new double wall underground process waste systems, column footings and an underground process waste water recycling system/lift station. Structural steel platforms required for new rooftop air handling units, exhaust fans, and energy recovery systems posted up from the building slab were also installed with early design packages in order to maximize schedule efficiency.
For the required HVAC system upgrades, Cyma Builders pre-purchased and installed two laboratory rooftop chilled water cooled, hot water heated air handling units with an energy recovery coil, a gas fired packaged DX rooftop office air handler, 30,000CFM laboratory exhaust fan, two 180 ton air cooled chiller and pump systems, two 1800MBH gas fired heating hot water boiler and pump systems and a new 70BHP gas fired steam boiler and de-aerator skid. Laboratory HVAC systems were fit-out with high acting Venturi air valves for supply, exhaust, and return airflow, fan powered terminal HEPA filters, chilled beam technology for coiling, and hot water reheat for heating. Office spaces operated on a VAV system utilizing hot water reheat coils.
Major infrastructure upgrades for the process and plumbing systems of the project consisted of the pre-purchase and installation of a new duplex 200ACFM vacuum pump skid and liquid separator, packaged DI water mixing bed skid, softened water skid, vial washer, and glass washer assembly. New incoming domestic water, sanitary, and gas services were brought into the building from the existing utility company feeds outside of the building footprint. Compressed air, carbon dioxide, oxygen, helium, and argon gases were distributed throughout the labs via cylinders and automatic change over manifolds. A new liquid nitrogen system was installed along with a vaporizer to serve as the building’s gaseous nitrogen system.
While the site currently had adequate capacity from the existing PECO service and existing generator set, the existing distribution infrastructure was undersized and needed to be replaced. Cyma installed a new 3000A main switchboard, 800A motor control center, 400A ATS, 200A ATS, 225KVA UPS, 600A motor control center, and four 800A distribution panels. A temporary generator was utilized during all major shutdowns in order to keep the existing cryofreezer farms and their associated MEP infrastructure operational at all times.
The Spring House renovations included 10,000 SF of laboratory renovation to accommodate the relocated program. Additionally, all proposed renovation areas were occupied, requiring enabling moves to other spaces throughout B42. All work was heavily coordinated with end user groups to minimize down time and facilitate the moves. Existing building utility systems were leverage for all plumbing and HVAC upgrades; however, all utility shutdowns were closely coordinated to minimize impact to daily business function. To support emergency power requirements, a new 750 kW emergency generator was install exterior to the building with fuel oil connection hard piped to the onsite storage building. New feeders were brought in to support the new emergency loads, as well as back feed existing building emergency services.
All critical work in both Malvern and Spring House was completed at the conclusion of 2013.
This Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical company’s Spring House campus condenser water loop is supported by six (6) cooling towers, four (4) of which were original construction to the CUP Plant. Due to dropping efficiency and overall age of wearable components, cooling tower overhaul was necessary. The refurbishment option was chosen in lieu of full replacement due logistical difficulties. Replacement of all existing cooling tower wearable parts including PVC fill, sheaves, bushings, shafts, bearings, belts, nozzles, and motors to provide 95% efficiency. Cells 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 were isolated and performed separately to maintain adequate capacity in the system. All work was completed with no disruption to active facility operations.
Following replacement of the four (4) original cooling towers, this Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical company proceeded with assessment of the remaining cells. These units were also determined to be operating well below original design capacity. Replacement was deemed the best option as the towers were located in a more accessible location. Two (2) new 3,000 GOM Baltimore Air Coil Units were received and rigged into place. The scope include re-installation of all supply/return header piping and heat tracing, along with installation of new fan VFD’s.
This Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical company’s high volume, pharmaceutical production facility had ongoing issues with their 20 year old 800 ton cooling towers breaking down, which not only impacted the comfort of building occupants but also the supply of process chilled water to manufacturing equipment. Working in conjunction with both the cooling tower manufacture’s rep and Genesis Engineers, Cyma was contracted to provide an expedited refurbishment under an EPCM platform.
Due to the 24/7 operations of the facility, a shutdown of chilled water supply was intolerable. A set of 500 ton temporary cooling towers were installed atop onsite fabricated temporary steel support platforms. With the execution of a 12” hot tap to the condenser water suction header during a time sensitive partial shutdown to the system, the temporary cooling towers were tied in and brought online.
Replacement of all existing cooling tower wearable parts including fill, sheaves, bushings, shafts, bearings, belts, nozzles, and motors to provide 95% efficiency. Installation of three new PUROFLUX sand filters, sweeper piping, and basin jets to remove dirt/ scale from the chilled/condenser water system. Installation of three new 60-100 HP variable torque drives with integral bypass and NEMA 3R enclosure to efficiently control the new 60 HP cooling tower fan motors. Installation of a new backwash discharge system included 800 GAL polyethylene holding tank, level sensors with high level alarm, 45 GPM sump pump, and SCH 80 PVC piping to discharge tower effluent to interior sanitary.
Upon project completion and equipment functional testing of the overhauled cooling towers, on a summer design day the facility is now able to satisfy chilled water demand with two cooling towers under a 60% load. The new controls system and VFDs coupled with the installed extensions to the tower water return header, now allow the facility to isolate any one of the cooling towers for maintenance with zero impact to the building’s operations.
In 2008, this Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical company completed construction on a new R&D facility (B42 – Research Center 1) at their Spring House campus. This building was designed with standalone utility and waste systems that operated independent of the existing site CUP. In 2012, the site started experiencing issues with high levels of copper in effluent being let from the site. It was determined that improperly designed HVAC system were the culprit; however, the issue prompted the site to consolidate their Process Waste Neutralization to the existing Plant located onsite, rather than let RC-1 remain as a standalone system.
The solution for this was originally though to require a 2,000 LF double-wall pipe run directly to the existing Waste Neutralization Plant. Cyma investigated and proposed an alternate tie-in location, which required only 600 LF of piping. This solution was implemented and constructed back from the proposed tie-in point back to the building line. Interior to the building, an above ground process waste collection tank was installed, and the process waste effluent diverted directly into the new tank. Collected waste would then be transferred via force main through the building to the exterior system peak, where it would gravity flow to the tie-in and eventually the Waste Neutralization Plant. All work was safely executed, specifically the excavation which occurred mostly in high traffic loading dock and drive areas.
The final solution has consolidated the Waste Neutralization for the site to a single location, and cut their sampling requirement in half. Dilution of the RC-1 waste with the rest of the site waste in itself has solved the high copper levels, while more permanent HVAC solutions are implemented.
This Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical company’s B42 in Spring House, PA was supported by three (3) boilers equipped with burners that had become obsolete. Additionally, one of the burners failed due to consistently operating at extremely low turn-down, below what the equipment was designed to support. These boilers supported several central utilities critical to building operation, including humidification, hot water reheat, lab hot water and domestic hot water. Cyma Builders furnished and installed new Johnson Burners on the boilers during controlled shutdown to limit operation risk to the R&D operations ongoing in the building. Additionally, new a new lead lag control system was added to ensure proper boiler run-time and sequenced operation.
The DPT Laboratories Washroom Prep Suite was a multi-faceted project with the overall goal of constructing a new wash room to support current and future filling operations as well as the construction of new utilities to support the future expansion needs of the facility. For more details and project photographs, check out the project page at the link below:
DPT Laboratories – Washroom Prep Suite
The Animas/Life Scan Chesterbrook Building 965 Renovations was a multi-faceted project with the overall goal of upgrading multiple components of the existing building workspace and employee areas. For more details and project photographs, check out the project page at the link below:
Animas/Life Scan – Chesterbrook Building 965 Renovations
