Westminster University L.S. Skaggs Integrated Wellness Center

Those elements also help it fit seamlessly into its surrounding neighborhood, which features tree-lined streets and aesthetic design-related guidelines. “As mass timber becomes more common, we’ve taken a lot of our clients to the building to showcase the material, and they love it,” Giles adds.

Photo courtesy Jacobsen Construction and Cody Brown

The photovoltaic system had to be fully operational for the building’s grand opening, and the project team worked 28 consecutive hours to bring it online, enabling full activation 30 minutes before ribbon cutting. “It all came together, and that was our way of following through with our commitment,” says Giles.

A commitment to safety was also key to the project’s success. When a team member suffered a heart attack, an electrical apprentice recalled from his safety orientation the location of an AED device on site. While that worker ran to retrieve the defibrillator, a supervisor—who happened to be a fire department volunteer—began to perform CPR. Together, their quick thinking saved the man’s life. Giles says the experience reinforced “that we’re a team and we look out for each other.”

“It was a unique project,” he adds. “There were so many things that made it fun to build, from the teamwork and timber to the solar panels and the client.”