Innovating for Impact
Adaptive Teams Power Community-Driven Solutions
Three distinct projects, each constructed in unique locations, are benefiting from adaptive teams who are swiftly responding to project charters while unlocking new opportunities to enhance community assets.
NAVIGATING CHALLENGES, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
The Port Maritime Center—a public-private partnership between the Port of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools—was recognized as a complex undertaking from the outset. Key challenges included the site’s location, soil conditions, proximity to an active railroad, and conservation goals. While solutions were initially undefined, the progressive design-build team demonstrated agility, pivoting quickly to optimize project outcomes.
Midway through design, the client chose to reintroduce Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and pursue funding through the Washington State Department of Commerce Community Decarbonization Grant program. The team expedited the evaluation of grant criteria for a timely submission, assessed the technical applications for both buildings and developed an alternative energy configuration for the campus. As a result, the project secured the 11th largest award in the state for large-scale solar innovation, BESS paired with solar, and grid integration and innovation —a conditional grant of $2,479,344. Project TVD: $150 million.
The BESS system is designed to support future integration with utility demand response signals. While demand response programs are currently less common in Washington State compared to other regions, the ongoing electrification of the local grid is driving utilities to adapt and begin planning for their implementation.
Once in a Generation
The Cape Flattery School District is at the heart of the scenic Neah Bay community. As the sole K-12 district serving 500 students, consolidating four schools into a modern 105,000 sf campus presented a unique opportunity to enhance the school’s role as both a community asset and an emergency response hub. Located in a high-risk tsunami zone, the new $95.4 million campus site was strategically selected. With frequent power outages and limited access for infrastructure repairs, electrical resiliency is essential. The building systems are being designed to maintain school operations for up to 72 hours during outages—a duration considered likely based on local utility data. The project is also evaluating a load-shedding strategy, commissioning sequence, and fuel storage system to enable the facility’s core areas to function as an emergency operations campus.
Key facilities—including the kitchen, gym, locker rooms, and select administrative spaces—are integrated into the resilient system program, optimizing resources without costly system redundancies. This approach balances preparedness and efficiency, reinforcing the school’s role as a pillar of safety and support for the Neah Bay community.
courtesy of Google Maps
One Emergency Responder’s Approach
Emergency response/operations centers have become integral to public agencies and municipalities. In recent years, many have built new facilities or repurposed existing properties to function as enterprise campuses. Snohomish County’s Bridge Crew & Maintenance Department is doing just that, currently repositioning its Arlington campus.
This phased project aims to consolidate services while ensuring continuous operations as a backup emergency response site. As planning advanced and new legislative policies emerged, the master plan evolved to incorporate more sustainable and resilient technologies—aligning the County’s fleet electrification goals.
To keep pace with a fast-tracked design schedule and a concurrent county-wide fleet electrification initiative, the progressive design-build (PDB) team has remained agile—evaluating various EV products and system topologies to establish a robust basis of design that supports a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) while broader initiatives continue to take shape.
Emergency response is central to the Bridge Crew’s mission. With vehicle electrification underway, EV infrastructure has become a focal point of the resiliency strategy. The original plan for a 100 kVA generator was expanded to 563 kVA to support the full administration building and one Level 3 EV charging station.
A separate EV charging service was also added to decouple EV energy use from the Administration Building’s LEED Gold energy goals.
Additionally, the County highlighted the emerging Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS) for Class 8 electric trucks. The site master plan has since evolved to account for future phases, including engagement with the local utility to evaluate the feasibility of supplying an additional 3.75 MW to support a dedicated MCS charging station.
