Charleston Manufacturing Plant element of the project, which required a lot of co-ordina- tion. The substation has been energized and is ready for use.” Elijah Murphy, vice-president of Walker & Whiteside, says his company provided design and project manage- ment for the project’s electrical components. “The biggest challenge in constructing the substation was the coordi- nation of the various elements and diverse suppliers,” he says. “We used local supplies where we could but most of the equipment came from overseas. There were days that site access was limited due to high water or weather, so there was a lot to co-ordinate.” Walker & Whiteside used local labor, combined with a core team who had experience with the previous projects of this kind. Murphy says solid, proven methods, con- tributed to the project’s success. “Each project has its own challenges but we knew what to expect and had experi- ence we could draw on.” While McGarr says this type of facility does not typically seek LEED points, a reflective roof and concrete reflective pavement will be used and indoor air quality is a focus. “This type of plant would not normally be air conditioned but because of the processes involved and the heat and humidity in the Carolinas, air conditioning is being in- stalled.” McGarr says communication and co-operation is vital for the project’s success. “Nexans eliminated complica- tions that could have come from their geographic distance 6 – July/August 2013 — The South Carolina Construction News through a representative who was on-site full time. The building designer visited Charleston monthly to ensure the construction met the design requirements.” Terrell adds that the team always had good access to both the architect and engineer and that tight co-ordination was also critical. “We met regularly with the owner’s rep- resentative and all of the subtrades. We’d go through what was happening for the coming four weeks so people could plan for staff, ordering and deliveries,” he says. “No one was ever caught unprepared.” Terrell says YPS focuses on attention to detail and smooth communications. “When you’re in a business like this you want to ensure the owner feels you’re doing every- thing you can to get the job done right,” he said. “That’s a philosophy we live by and one reason we choose to part- ner with companies we know and know we work well with.” Swain says YPS is a professional partner and did a great job in coordinating the project’s massive effort. “We had contact with the owner rep at the start of the project but after that relied on the expertise of YPS to act as the go- between. Throughout the project we appreciated their can- dor and honesty in the way they communicated,” he says. He added that YPS representatives were always very clear in providing direction. They were up front with what was required, and reasonable in their expectations. As the industry changes and business owners and con- tractors come to understand there are other ways of doing