On November 16, 2007, the Patrick Administration broke ground on a $22 million, two-year project to expand and upgrade the Wall Experiment Station, the laboratory operated by MassDEP. The first lab was established in 1887, and this experiment station - viewed as the "birthplace of environmental analysis" - has a long history of leading the way in the protection of the public health and environment. The renovated building will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, and will include photo voltaic cells, rainwater recycling, stormwater management systems, "green roof" design, efficient new heating and ventilating systems, and "day-lighting" efforts.

From left: MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt, Barbara Wall, Margaret Wall, Mary Wall and Dr. Oscar Pancorbo

From left: Dr. Oscar Pancorbo, EPA Region 1 Administrator Bob Varney, Scott Jordan of the Treasurer's office, Rep. David M. Torrisi, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt, Rep. William Lantigua, , Rep. Barry R. Finegold, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, DCAM Commissioner David Perini

 
From left: Scott Jordan of the Treasurer's office Dr. Oscar Pancorbo, EPA Region 1 Administrator Bob Varney, Rep. David M. Torrisi, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt, Rep. William Lantigua, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan , Rep. Barry R. Finegold, DCAM Commissioner David Perini

Commissioner Laurie Burt addresses the gathering at the Wall Experiment Station Groundbreaking Event on November 16, 2007.

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Wall Experiment Station Northwest view artists' rendering

Wall Experiment Station Southeast view artists' rendering

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Much of the tree clearing and erosion control work was completed in November. Planting of native trees and vegetation will begin in the spring. The site is now equipped with a construction trailer and a full time resident engineer representing DCAM. LEED Note: Trees for the proposed parking area were chipped and used on site for erosion control and will eventually be incorporated into the overall site work. Heavy equipment was outfitted with diesel filter technology.

O'Connor is evaluating packages on steel, site, and foundation work and sub-contractors should be selected by late December. Foundation excavation and paving for temporary parking is planned to start after the first of the year.

Brush clearing has begun on new parking area. Photo taken from existing WES roof looking west.

LEED ensures a balanced construction site. Brush and invasive vegetation will be mulched and reused on-site during and after construction.

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DCAM has awarded the following contracts for the WES Construction Project:

1) Steel - Berlin Steel Construction, Kensington, CT

2) Concrete - Maya Corporation, Chelsea, MA

3) Site Work - James W. Flett Co., Belmont, MA

Construction activities will begin again during the week of February 11, 2008 with the continuation of site preparation for construction followed by the construction of the foundation for the new wing. The steel structure for the new wing should go up in March 2008.

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Progress is being made.

Excavation of the new parking lot began in late February and early March. New sub grade material was spread over most of the new parking surface, and the beginnings of the rain garden are now visible.

On March 31, 2008, Flett Construction started to excavate the footings, piers and walls of the new building. They have excavated the building footprint to approx. 60% completion. On April 2, 2008 Maya started to erect the forms for the footings.

Over the next two weeks Flett will be working on excavating the building foundation as well as installing under drain and perimeter drain around the foundation. They will also start to back fill some of the completed areas and they will complete the drainage and grading of the rain garden. Maya corporation will continue to install the form work required to support the footings and piers as well as pouring concrete in the wall formed areas, as well as setting anchor bolts for the steel erection work.

By May 15, 2008 the foundation will be complete and the steel erection company will be on site.

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Steel work on the new wing began in late May and early June. The entire steel skeleton of the addition is now in place.

On June 18, 2008 O'Connor Construction celebrated the "topping" of the WES addition by honoring the WES staff and construction personnel with a ceremony marking the placement of the highest structural element of steel.  
 
Over the next two weeks Berlin Steel will complete floor decking and concrete will be poured for all platforms on the new addition. 

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After a slow summer, the WES renovation is in full swing. The parking lot drainage to the rain gardens is visible, the concrete floors have been poured, the binder course of asphalt marks the new parking lot, and the duct work is being installed. Furthermore, exterior sheathing and interior framing is visible while electrical conduit and plumbing installation is on-going.

Over the next few weeks the new wing will be enveloped with scaffolding and tarps for winter construction.

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Solar panel posts on roof of new wing.


A view from inside the scaffolding. The building has been winterized with tarps for cold weather construction.


Duct work being completed in 2nd floor lab. Notice that the ends are sealed with plastic to keep any debris out of ducts.


LEED requires strict recycling standards for all construction debris. Other dumpsters for metal, brick and concrete, and mixed recyclables are all visible on site.

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New wing wrapped in tarps for winter  (the tarps should be coming down soon).


Installation of high efficiency mechanical equipment


White roofing material (LEED element).


Beginning of rain water collection and distribution plumbing for irrigation and non-potable applications. 

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Portions of Scope 2 work are beginning ahead of schedule. The basement operation has been relocated to trailers, and almost all of the existing building's ground floor has been turned over to O'Connor for renovation. The revised, perhaps optimistic, schedule shows a Scope 1 completion date of November 2009, and a Scope 2 completion date of July 2010.

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Finally, the curtain wall systems are going up. This is the first step in delivering a weather tight Scope 1 for December occupation.

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Tarps and scaffolding are down, curtain wall, brick, and metal panels are up. The new wing is finally visible. The underslab plumbing in the existing basement under Scope 2 is ahead of schedule.

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