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At Mortenson, 鈥淏uilding for the Greater Good鈥� is not just a slogan, it鈥檚 an evolutionary process through which we continue to learn and improve as a company.

One of the more recent manifestations of this philosophy is our embrace of the Contractor鈥檚 Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices. The commitment was created to provide a framework through which contractors can center health and wellness, not only in the buildings they construct, but for the people who build them. This fits Mortenson鈥檚 company culture perfectly, because we feel that how we build is just as important as what we build.

The commitment features five categories that are applied to both a company and its projects: carbon reduction, jobsite wellness, waste management, water management, and material selection. What makes this special is that these categories all combine to ensure that the team selected to carry out a project receives just as many benefits as the future occupants.

As part of this effort, Mortenson鈥檚 Portland office has embraced the commitment as part of its Clark College Advanced Manufacturing Center project. This is one of 16 Mortenson commercial projects that is considering commitment deliverables as part of day-to-day jobsite operations. Additionally, Mortenson has committed to using the commitment framework on at least 30 percent of its projects, by gross revenue, going forward.

The Clark College project is a great opportunity to apply the commitment. The team on site is collectively documenting deliverables and sharing successes with our sustainable operations team so we can model what this program looks like for future Mortenson projects to expand on lessons learned. This will help us continue to improve our work within the commitment framework.

Set for completion in late 2024, the Advanced Manufacturing Center will be a 49,000-square-foot structure on a 10-acre property in Ridgefield, Washington. Approximately 35,000 square feet of the building will be dedicated to manufacturing training, including a large manufacturing floor. The remaining 14,000 square feet will house five general education classrooms and faculty and student amenities.

So, how is this working on the ground? One key is a progressive design-build construction delivery method, which allowed our project team to use the commitment as a tool during preconstruction to collaborate with trade partners and come up with solutions for waste management, carbon reduction and jobsite wellness before ground was broken. A few of the resulting solutions are atypical of our standard operating procedure but are likely to become fixtures in the future. Examples include partnering with a local recycling program to divert plastic film and styrofoam, holding team-building events to reinforce inclusivity, and establishing bug hotels to provide shelter and nesting sites for pollinator insects.

Team collaboration also helped us proactively plan for electrical grid power in lieu of generators, thereby reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. It also led to better stormwater management and erosion control through planning; permanent erosion and sedimentation controls were installed during the summer months. This means less mud on boots, less equipment stuck in the mud, and an overall better sense of cleanliness and safety on site.

The area of jobsite wellness is where this collaborative approach is really paying off. For example, job trailers with acoustic elements provide quiet meeting or break spaces. In addition, the Advanced Manufacturing Center has plumbed restrooms and washing stations on-site for greater comfort and better hygiene.

The area of waste management also ties directly to wellness and a healthier jobsite. For instance, Mortenson and its trade partners collectively agreed to eschew single-use water bottles in favor of reusable water bottles and water stations. Along with reducing litter and waste, this benefits workers by providing cold and refreshing water on demand and avoids the potential health hazards of plastic bottles containing bisphenol A, which some research has linked to increased blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A dedicated space for meals is provided for Mortenson team members, where inclusive and healthy meal considerations are provided. This extends to reusable cutlery, plates, and bowls. Mortenson employees are also provided with free sunscreen as part of their standard personal protective equipment (PPE). All of this is focused on making sure the people on site can enjoy an equitable workspace that people want to be in day after day.

No program being used on this project will be successful without engagement from our trade partners. And to that end, project team members have collaborated with us to come up with their own innovations designed to meet our agreed-upon deliverables. Working together, the entire team has come up with the solutions that work best for everyone.

As a general contractor that places a premium on its most important resource 鈥� its people 鈥� Mortenson feels strongly that it is its duty to do more than just deliver a project that is safe, on time and on budget. We can鈥檛 鈥� and don鈥檛 want 鈥� to do it alone. We need the participation of our collective team.

In an industry that is struggling to recruit and retain skilled workers at all levels, we must push forward in everything we do to make jobs, job sites, and companies attractive, healthy, and productive for everyone involved. The Contractor鈥檚 Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices significantly benefits on-site workers by prioritizing their safety and fostering a respectful and inclusive working environment where workers feel valued and protected. It is a fantastic tool for helping push our industry forward in myriad ways. We urge you to join us in advancing project team collaboration and partnership, jobsite wellness, safety, and productivity.

Aubrey Mollett is an assistant project manager in Mortenson鈥檚 Portland office. Contact her at 971-202-4100.

Kyle Paulsen is director of operations in Mortenson鈥檚 Portland office. Contact him at 971-202-4100.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither author nor the 91视频 guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.