It’s Called “Value Engineering” or ... “Being Just Plain Smart”

By Ken Snyder

We are utilizing a process we officially call “value engineering” to build Huntsman Hall. You might call it, however, “being just plain smart,” and if you did, I think you’d be right.

We get the architects, the contractors, and subcontractors together on a regular basis to examine each step of the process to see if there are ways to save money without sacrificing quality. Last week, for example, we reviewed nine mechanical issues in one meeting and discovered we could save more than $100,000 by making a few changes. (I’m here to tell you when you can save that kind of money by going to one meeting, it gives you a whole different attitude about your calendar than you might have had before.)

We do it by pooling the collective experience and smarts of everyone involved to discover the most efficient way possible to proceed. The architects are always part of the process so they can tell us why they designed things the way they did. The contractors and subcontractors are represented so they can make their case for course deviations that could save us money, if that makes sense given the master plan.

When this building is done, I’ll be proud not only of the fact it rose from the ground on my watch but I’ll also be proud of how it was done. I wanted to share this with you so that you could feel the same way. 

I’ll leave it to you to decide what to call it.

Suddenly Huntsman Hall Construction Goes Into High Gear

By Ken Snyder

Faithful Huntsman Hall webcam watchers are finally being rewarded for their diligence. We have had, up until now, only limited approval to proceed with our construction work on Huntsman Hall. However, we recently received approval by the State of Utah to begin serious construction work on our new building.

There are several levels of approvals to go through before work on a big project like this can get underway. There are building code requirements to meet. All drawings go through an engineering evaluation. It’s all to make sure the building is designed well and will be safe. We, of course, want everything in order before we begin, but it has been hard to wait for months for the latest drawings to be reviewed so we can take things to the next level. 

So, I invite you again to take a look at our webcams and watch things take shape. We can finally kick things in high gear and build a new facility that will change education at the Huntsman School of Business forever and now you can watch it happen live – without falling asleep.

It’s Time to Think About Where We Will be Sitting Down Two Years From Now

By Ken Snyder

It’s not time to move into Huntsman Hall yet but it is time to seriously consider what type of furniture will be part of our new building. The building doesn’t come with its own set of tables and chairs. 

Have you ever thought about the process for selecting the furniture for a new building? We will need chairs and tables for the café area, the student lounge areas, the outdoor terrace and courtyard areas, and, of course, a host of classrooms and study rooms.

We are now in the process of selecting furniture and here are the four criteria we are using to make our decision.

1.  Will it be functional? The furniture needs to fit the use. A chair that might work great in a study area will not work in the courtyard. 
2.  Will it meet the needs of our students? For example, a classroom chair should be comfortable and help students stay alert.
3. Will it last without showing lots of wear and tear? We need furniture that will work for years to come, not just the first few days after we open Huntsman Hall.
4. Where are we going to get the best value? Which products meet the need for the lowest cost? 

This step is going to take some work. If you’ve ever gone shopping for a new sofa, table or chairs, you can only imagine what it would be like to try to fill a 117,000-square-foot building. And that’s why it’s time to start thinking about what will be in Huntsman Hall, even though we’re just building the foundation now.