It was a True (Core) dilemma at The Associated Schools of Construction’s (ASC) Region 2 Design-Build Competition this week. Ultimately, the six-member team from Auburn University solved the thorny puzzle posed by sponsor A M King.
This was the first year that A M King provided the project for the Design-Build portion of the five-part, Integrated Project (IP) Delivery competition. Teams from four schools—Auburn University, University of Florida, Kennesaw State and Seminole State—took on the role of Design-Builder in constructing a new facility for TrueCore, an insulated metal panels manufacturer. The winner was selected by A M King based on detailed criteria sent to each group.
The battle began with each team receiving a congratulatory letter from A M King announcing their prequalification to bid on a greenfield manufacturing facility for this startup company. The project scope contained development of a 14-acre site in Laurens, S.C; 82,000 square feet of exterior space for product laydown and handling; and 100,000 square feet for the manufacturing portion of the facility. The student teams were thrown several curveballs, including instructions for designing the building to accommodate 1,000 lineal feet of continuous production line; incorporating pits and overhead crane support; and coordinating clear heights and interior column spaces with equipment layout, material handling and curing and storing of finished product. Participants were asked to integrate 10,000 square feet of Class A office space that would clearly represent TrueCore’s brand and culture and serve as company headquarters. The final twist was that the production line equipment was to arrive on site two months early and would need to be properly stored prior to assembly.
Each team took this information and then developed plans to comply with the specified requirements. They communicated their plans of action to the judges through written submissions and virtual presentations.
“A M King was honored to sponsor the 2021 ASC Region 2 Design-Build Competition,” says Dan Crist, A M King Vice President. “The student teams amazed us with the focus and creativity they demonstrated over the past week. We look forward to speaking to many of them about internships and employment opportunities.”
Auburn University, the first-place winner, included Tigers Fiona Bangoy, Meagan Edwards, Ashley Kingry, Aynsley Norris, Sarah Scott and Macy Walker. Their Coach was Alan Bugg, Assistant Professor, The McWhorter School of Building Science. Assistant Coach was Alyssa Kuhns, Visiting Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. Seminole State, runner-up, developed an impressive Design-Build submission and presentation. The winners were announced at the virtual awards ceremony Thursday, February 18 at 5 pm.
Seminole State College ASC Design-Build Competition Team / Runner-Up
A M King team members who participated in the competition were Dan Crist, Vice President; Carl Morse, Senior Project Manager; JD Boone, Senior Project Manager and Jane Boland, Director of Marketing. In addition to the ASC’s Design-Build contest, the IP Delivery competition for Region 2 also comprised the following: Commercial (Holder Construction); Heavy Civil (Kiewit); Open Concrete Problem (Baker Concrete) and Construction Risk & Finance (Brasfield and Gorrie). The ASC is made up of eight regions: seven regions from the United States and Canada and one European region. Region 2 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
“ASC Region 2 was thrilled that Dan Crist and the team from A M King agreed to partner with us and take on the Design-Build category of the student competitions,” said John Hildreth, Ph.D., Assistant Region 2 Director and professor at the Kimmel School of Construction Management at Western Carolina University. “We normally gather about 300 students, faculty, and industry partners for three days of intense competition, but this year we adapted and ran the competitions virtually/remotely. Dan was with us every step of the way – even when we weren’t exactly sure what the next step would be – and never said no to anything we asked. That’s the integrity and commitment to quality that I knew A M King would bring to the competition. There is no doubt in my mind that the students from Region 2 – from Virginia to Mississippi – have greatly benefitted from having A M King as a partner.”
A M King is committed to supporting and partnering with select universities in furthering design and construction education. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with the ASC sponsors, facility and students,” adds Dan Crist.
A M King is an integrated Design-Build firm based in Charlotte, NC with offices in Greenville, SC and Chicago, IL. An employee-owned company, A M King consistently and successfully delivers quality projects throughout the United States. With an experienced team committed to protecting clients’ assets, the firm provides property consulting, design and engineering, construction, and facility services in key market sectors including food processing, food distribution, industrial manufacturing, and commercial properties.
The Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) is the professional association of construction educators and industry practitioners working together for the development and advancement of construction education. It promotes the sharing of ideas and knowledge and inspires, guides and promotes excellence in curricula, teaching, research and service. There are 143 four-year Construction Management programs of member universities and nine two-year member schools. Graduates from these institutions fill entry-level positions as project engineers, estimators, safety managers, superintendents, BIM managers, preconstruction, document control and communication positions, schedulers, etc.
