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BAE Systems Office and Prototyping Facility
Project Information
- Project Location:
- Sterling Heights, MI
- Status:
- Completed
- Structure Type:
- Manufacturing Plant
- LEED Certification (target):
-
Gold
References
- Owner:
- BAE Systems
- Architect:
- SmithGroup
Scope Of Work
Its sleek architecture is certainly eye-catching. But the allure of the BAE Systems Land & Armaments complex in Sterling Heights, Mich., doesn’t stop there.
Walbridge converted a former industrial property into a modern campus that accommodates the needs of engineers, program managers and support staff alike. With its new campus in southeast Michigan, BAE Systems was able to eliminate four prototype shops and consolidate facilities, thus shrinking its Land & Armaments footprint down to one campus. For the defense contractor, Walbridge built a 165,000-square-foot office building equipped with the latest technology and security features, and a 55,000-square-foot prototyping facility featuring a camera system to facilitate engineers’ real-time input and participation from multiple locations. The project scope also included renovating an existing 6,000-square-foot garage and a half-mile test track, and installing a new employee walking path.
Walbridge was awarded the AGC of Michigan’s 2013 Build Michigan Award for new construction for its work on the BAE Systems Land & Armaments Complex.
The new Sterling Heights facility is also LEED® Gold certified.
The client specified a fast-tracked timeline for this job. The task required Walbridge to efficiently conduct soil remediation on the brownfield site and construct BAE’s new four-story office building during winter months.
To continue with construction during the frigid Michigan winter, the team wrapped the structure of the new office building in reinforced plastic, essentially creating a massive cocoon, which allowed workers to place concrete and complete interior finishes before the exterior skin of the building was fully installed.
The facility uses 15 percent less energy and 40 percent less water than a conventionally designed building.
Through Walbridge value analysis and value engineering (VA/VE), BAE Systems was able to take advantage of $3.4 million in savings. The 213,000-square-foot project wrapped up in March 2012.
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