Building Construction/Improvements on Remote Island

Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, Alaska

The U.S. Air Force required several construction upgrades and building improvements in an extremely challenging environment: Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island, Alaska, the third-to-last island in the Aleutian Islands chain. Weston Solutions, Inc. (WESTON^®) was contracted to provide the construction management services needed to implement the building improvements, including site investigation, construction planning, and preparation of construction documents, schedules, and cost estimates.

WESTON Tackles Remote Location

Eareckson Air Station is located on the extremely remote and tiny Shemya Island—2 miles wide by 4 miles long. The brutally cold and storm-prone weather routinely causes cancelled supply flights and creates days when outdoor work is not feasible. The work location presented numerous logistical challenges that required meticulous planning, contingency planning, coordination, and strict adherence to schedule.

Because no commercial flights serve Shemya Island, all personnel and equipment had to be transported by Air Force-chartered flights, which are routinely cancelled due to harsh weather. With no stores or equipment depots on the island, WESTON needed to ensure that if a pre-fabricated mechanical assembly didn’t fit in the field, extra materials and cutting/welding equipment were on-site to make modifications and prevent significant construction delays. WESTON also procured a highly-specialized mechanical subcontractor with a proven reputation for performing similar work at other Alaska Air Force installations.

WESTON performed mechanical, civil, HVAC, electrical, energy conservation, fuel storage, site restoration, and hazardous materials work at Buildings 599, 600, 754, and 755. Specifically, WESTON:

• Replaced boilers

• Replaced burners and controls

• Installed replacement mechanical systems

• Installed new air handling units

• Installed used oil tanks

• Installed a new 10,000-gallon diesel fuel tank and foundation

• Installed a new boiler water circulating system and a new building glycol/water circulating system

• Serviced several existing boilers

• Installed a concrete flue extension on an existing concrete stack

• Constructed an extension to air intake ductwork to increase separation between exhaust and intake locations

• Removed and disposed of hazardous wastes encountered during the demolition of existing systems, including asbestos-containing material and mercury-containing switches

WESTON mastered the many logistical challenges and delays caused by harsh weather conditions and completed this high-risk project, with no change orders, on schedule and within the lump sum budget.

WESTON Leads with Construction Experience

As construction manager, WESTON initiated a number of leadership actions that ensured project success, in spite of the challenging conditions. Specifically, WESTON:

• Selected the ideal contractor through a competitive bidding process that focused on technical capabilities, adaptability, performance history in similar conditions, attitude, change order history, and safety record

• Selected an on-site construction management team with an ideal blend of experience, complementary skills, and a proven track record for resourcefulness and getting the job done safely, properly, and on time—no matter what obstacles were encountered

• Partnered with the contractor to perform extensive planning and scheduling, visualize problem scenarios, and create contingency plans to overcome the problems

• Utilized recent WESTON experience with coordinating deliveries via Air Force-chartered cargo flights to plan realistic schedules and facilitate deliveries

• Delivered all equipment, materials, and supplies (including extra materials and critical spares for contingency purposes) to the site before mobilizing personnel

• Built extra flexibility into the critical path schedule to allow adaptability despite weather delays and other unexpected conditions

• Adhered to established project schedule

• Coordinated closely with Eareckson Air Station personnel to ensure no interruption in mission objectives for each building/hangar

• Worked proactively with the Air Force and regulators to obtain proper air permits prior to installing new boilers