Stone Installation Planning Leads to Saving Money
Aug 1, 2014
Jason Kamery | Stone World Magazine
There are eight Latter-Day Saints (LDS) temples in Canada, including three in Alberta, and each one entails years of design, planning and preparation; the Calgary Alberta Temple was no exception. KEPCO+, a custom cladding contractor based in Salt Lake City, UT, began its involvement in the design phase of the project and was hired to be a design partner with the design and construction team to assist in proper stone detailing and installation details in an effort to steer the design of the stone to be cost efficient and use the best constructability methods. In 2009, Abbarch Architecture Inc., a full-service architectural firm established in 1979, was approached to undertake the project, as both the design and project architect.
“Previously, church members had to travel to Edmonton, Alberta, or Cardston, Alberta, to visit a temple,” said Jeremy Woolf, principal in charge of the project for Abbarch Architecture Inc. “The church has a large membership in the Calgary area which was previously under served.”
According to KEPCO+, some of the project’s greatest accomplishments were achieved during the pre-construction phase. The stone installer analyzed each stone detail proposed on the project and presented multiple enhancement options to the design team. The team identified several details that could be altered to enhance aesthetics, while at the same time improving the schedule, performance and budget. The detail studies alone resulted in a net saving of nearly $250,000 in stone material and installation costs.