COAA-TX TAMU RELLIS Owners Forum Recap
The COAA-TX Chapter held and Owners Forum on January 30, where Construction Qwners from across Texas convened at the Texas A&M RELLIS Campus for a day of collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Kelly Templin, Director of the Texas A&M RELLIS Campus, commenced the event with an overview of the campus's rich history, which dates back to World War II as an Army Air Field base. Now serving as a research complex, the campus is utilized by various state and university agencies, focusing on innovative fields such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, smart power grids, and the Internet of Things (IoT). This expansive 2,300-acre campus is poised for further growth with additional research facilities and programs.
Matt Henley, Executive Director of Facilities, Planning, and Construction at Texas A&M University System, provided insights into the management of capital projects exceeding $10 million, encompassing not only the signature College Station campus but extending across 11 universities and 8 state agencies that serve over 150,000 students statewide. He highlighted best practices in project delivery methods to ensure consistency and effectiveness, detailing how master service agreements for various services—including AV integration, building envelopes, and master planning—enhance the FP&C team's operations across multiple projects.
Kurt Neubek, Principal/Senior Director and LEAN Advocate at architectural firm Page, summarized the LEAN construction process and its advantages in optimizing project timelines and budgets. He emphasized the importance of close collaboration and continuous communication among all stakeholders, including owners, architects, engineers, contractors, and manufacturers, to streamline workflows and reduce waste.
Allie Jones, Assistant Director of Facilities, Planning, and Development at Texas Children’s Hospital, shared his experience leading the North Austin campus project while implementing LEAN practices. Despite initial delays due to COVID-19, he noted that LEAN methodologies enabled the project to remain on budget and adapt to challenges such as price inflation and prolonged material lead times.
The day concluded with a roundtable discussion among attendees, addressing the integration of artificial intelligence in operations, procurement and contract challenges, and strategies for attracting and retaining quality employees. Participants exchanged insights on these pressing topics before embarking on an in-depth tour of the Center for Infrastructure Renewal research building and a bus tour of the expansive RELLIS campus.
The next Chapter Owners Forum will take place on August 25th at TSTC - Waco Campus. If you missed us at TAMU, we hope to see you at TSTC!