Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region

The DBIA Hawaii Chapter is ACTIVE and has scheduled luncheon programs, certification workshops and a golf tournament for 2013.  

STUDENT CHAPTER – Our Education Committee is busy planning the DBIA courses for the year.  We have also widely promoted the WPR Scholarship drive and contacted the University of Hawaii in hopes to set up a Student Chapter.

GOLF TOURNAMENT – As if you need another reason to come to Honolulu, we will have our annual Golf Tournament in August.  The exact date and location has not been set, but we are pressing to do this on an available Friday so that guests may enjoy the rest of the weekend before returning to work.

INDUSTRY NEWS – The days of Resort projects have indeed scaled back, but in the interim, there has been an influx of military and government work.  The amount of these projects going design-build appears to be at least a quarter of the overall bidding pool.  There is still possible Resort/Condo work on the horizon, but funding is still pending. 

FEATURED PROJECT - The new West Hawaii Civic Center was opened earlier this year on the Big Island of Hawaii. Ground breaking for the $50.5 million design-build project occurred on October 25, 2008 under general contractor and DBIA member Maryl Group, Inc.  The architect and consulting firms included Lead Designer, Richard Matsunaga & Associate Architects, Inc., SSFM International, MCE International, Nakamura Oyama & Associates, and Ki Concepts.  MCE International teamed with DBIA member firm Critchfield Pacific, Inc. to design and construct the air conditioning system.  Goodfellow Bros., Green Thumb, Commercial Plumbing, American Electric, and RF Stearn were also partnering subcontractors for their respective design disciplines within the design-assist team.  The 85,000 square foot complex located on a 7 acre parcel will consolidate 22 County agencies and one State agency, along with a Community Center and Pavilion. The LEED certified complex features a 320-kilowatt photovoltaic solar power system atop the center’s parking structure that’s intended to produce 30 percent of the electricity needed for the facility. Buildings are designed to control thermal comfort and lighting, with systems to reduce heat gain and energy consumption throughout the complex. This Civic Center is the first large-scale, design-build project undertaken by the County of Hawaii. 

All in all we are hoping to see 2013 bring more prosperity and more design-build projects to the construction industry here in Hawaii.

If you would like any more information, please feel free to email bcoday@cpimech.com

MAHALO!