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THE FRONTIER LINE
Hosts Wayne Aston and David Murray explore the critical global pillars of infrastructure development and energy production, from traditional methods to future-forward advancements. The Frontier Line covers the latest industry news, energy innovations, and sustainability trends that are shaping the future. Through expert interviews with industry leaders in renewable energy, utility-scale battery storage, and waste-to-energy technologies, the podcast provides insights into the evolving landscape of energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure. By focusing on the intersection of innovation and the politics of energy, The Frontier Line highlights transformative ideas and technologies poised to deliver cost-efficient, resilient, and sustainable solutions for global industries.
THE FRONTIER LINE
Company Spotlight- Big-D Construction
Discover the incredible journey of Big D Construction, a powerhouse in the industry that started modestly in Ogden, Utah. We'll take you through the fascinating history of this company, founded by "Big Dee" Livingood in 1967, and the core values of respect, integrity, and promise-keeping that propelled it to success. From achieving $1 million in sales by 1973 to securing their first million-dollar project with just a handshake, and the enduring relationships built under the humble and kind leadership of current president Corey Moore, you'll gain insights into how Big D has become a trusted name with nearly 90% of their projects coming from repeat clients.
Uncover the strategic foresight that positioned Big D Construction as leaders in high-tech construction and data centers. We'll explore their meticulous work with semiconductor fabs and data centers, including projects with major players like Micron, and how they've adapted to the digital economy's demands. You'll hear about their significant accomplishments, such as the monumental Utah Data Center and their expertise in complex healthcare projects like the FHP Hospital, showcasing their versatility and ability to handle everything from government to private sector ventures.
Celebrate Big D's commitment to sustainability and innovative design as we highlight architectural marvels like the Salt Lake City Library and the Natural History Museum of Utah. Learn about their sustainable construction efforts, rainwater harvesting, and LEED-certified projects, emphasizing their role in environmental stewardship. We also spotlight their in-house concrete team, which plays a crucial role in quality control and cost management on large-scale projects such as the Salt Lake International Airport redevelopment. Join us in recognizing Big D's remarkable achievements and their lasting positive impact on communities and industries, including their celebrated role in the 2002 Olympics and their ongoing mission to be the most sought-after construction company.
and we're rolling. Good afternoon Dave. Hello Wayne, welcome back. Friends, energy innovators and infrastructure enthusiasts I think maybe that's a new tagline you could. It's a mouthful. Does it feel like a mouthful to you? Well, you know, we have the pre-roll, which kind of does the work for me there. So I don't know how I feel about it, but I'm trying new things on for size today.
Speaker 2:Well, welcome everyone again to the Frontier Line. As you know, we're jumping into the stories about visionaries and cutting-edge infrastructure and the innovations shaping our world our homes.
Speaker 1:That's right. And today, very excited to continue with another phenomenal company spotlight on a construction firm that's not just building facilities, building legacies. I'm talking about Big D Construction, a company that started humbly in Ogden, utah, and has become a powerhouse in the industry. Big D Construction happens to be good friends of ours, absolutely Great friends With us from the beginning as our prime contractor here. As we've kind of contemplated the whole vision of what are the Valley Forge Impact Parks, I'm really excited to dive into.
Speaker 2:Big d with you. I, I am too. They're a uh, you know, they're a fantastic team, uh and uh. You know, if you, if you, if you're out in utah or if you're out west, you may have seen their name. They are a power house of a construction company, you know they, from massive distribution centers to cutting edge data centers, you know, uh, their projects aren't just impressive on scale, there, I mean, they're, it's, they're, they're steeped in complexity and innovation. So here we go, we're gonna jump, we're gonna, we're gonna go over.
Speaker 2:If you, if you don't know about big D, you should. You should hear about them, because not only are they, uh, not only are only good to learn about in the space that we inhabit today. They're a great success story. They're just a great business story and it's, it's good to hear the journey. It's a really, it's a really nice look at a company that was, was founded um in just the you know honest roots and working hard and delivering on what they said. They're going to deliver on um, you know, and as a result, and as a result now we've got iconic projects. They've faced big challenges and really, at the end of the day, the impact they've had on communities and industries. That's right.
Speaker 1:As we go through their story, we're going to uncover the lessons that we can all learn from a company that's been at the forefront of construction for over five decades. To understand Big D construction success we've got to go back to 1967, the beginnings. That's when D air quotes Big D, living good, decided to start a construction company in Ogden, utah. His vision build a business based on respect, integrity and delivering what you promise. I love that so much.
Speaker 2:I do too I think you know, uh, may I say that today it sometimes they feel like empty words. Back then that, and today, for big d for sure, they absolutely live that, they, they, they, that's who they are and it's it's very, very, very serious. You know, when they started in, the started in the 60s, it was competitive and it wasn't easy for a new company to break in.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Big D began with small industrial projects, working closely with local businesses, and even back then, as we say, you know, honesty and quality helped him stand out from the rest.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right from the rest. Yeah, that's right. In fact, one of Big D's early breakthroughs came in 1973, when they reached 1 million in annual sales. For a small company, that was no small feat. And just a year later Big D landed its first million-dollar project, which was a freezer edition for Cream of Weber and Ogden.
Speaker 2:Here's the kicker of that story the deal was sealed with a handshake. I love that. I do too. I so wish, yeah right, you know D believed in trust and relationships, and that handshake symbolized the foundation of Big D's success. Even today, as we said, nearly 90% of their projects come from repeat clients, a testament to their reliability. And you know, as, as people, we know them, we know the, the people involved, uh, behind the scenes of big D they are. They are phenomenal people, uh, smart and full of integrity, um, incredibly helpful, you know, visionaries and just just just wonderful to work with.
Speaker 1:You know. On that note, I want to bring Corey Moore up because Corey Corey is currently the president of Big D and he he is a he's a legacy legacy owner. I mean, this is a family. This is a family owned and operated business and, having the opportunity to meet with Corey on multiple occasions, he's always been so good to sit and visit with, accommodate us in their headquarters in Salt Lake. If we have big clients coming into town or we need, you know, to use conference space with them and discuss the projects. He's just a salt of the earth guy. He's kind, he's humble. Here's a guy running this multi-billion dollar company. He doesn't necessarily need to be humble and kind, but he really is. He's that guy. Yeah, he's a great guy to have as a friend and so it's been exciting personally like to develop relationships with Corey and and the rest of this team that he's got assigned to our projects.
Speaker 2:Don't you think I can? One of the the interesting parts about that is I knowing Corey and then knowing Corey and then meeting other vendors, the team, I it's. It's really interesting to me because it's like his, who he is is so absolutely, and whose dad, who reflected in all of the, all of the people that you interact with. I mean you can tell the culture, uh, he's, you know the culture that he's created and it and it's sustaining, and it's this culture of you know, uh, kindness and support and integrity and honesty, and it's just dripping, yeah, when you walk in the door.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's so phenomenal, it's such a breath of fresh air to see how he's so successfully embodied that legacy that D Living Good established doing business on a handshake. Because that's so much, corey Moore, if you know, corey.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, absolutely Regional presence. Yeah, we've know, corey. Absolutely, absolutely Regional presence. Yeah, we've talked about it a little bit. Yeah, definitely not, it's not at Utah only no when we say it's a West and really it's nationally. Now I mean they're competing for national builds multi-billion dollars. They're one of the largest construction companies in the country.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like 2.1 billion annual revenue business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean, they've grown into a regional powerhouse, for sure, and they have offices across the West, yeah, and I think you know some of them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, like I mentioned earlier, their headquarters are right here downtown Salt Lake City, but it's been fun to watch them just in the last three or four years actively acquiring other construction companies nationally, expanding the footprint. They've expanded into key locations here in Utah Ogden, linden, st George but it's also allowed them to serve a diverse range of clients outside of the state, from industrial hubs to growing residential areas, yeah, and you know, and outside the state they strong presence Idaho office in Idaho Falls.
Speaker 2:Additional locations in Arizona, california, minnesota, wyoming. You know that Big D's position to take on projects in a variety of industries from high-tech to, you know, construction of Silicon Valley to large-scale agricultural facilities in the Midwest, I mean, that's, that's just who they are right now and so they're. You know where do you want to go? What do you need to build? We can do it.
Speaker 1:And and being from Las Vegas, I'm aware of a company they acquired just a year ago, Martin Harris Construction in Las Vegas. So they have a massive, a massive commercial presence in Las Vegas, you know, and spreading through Nevada as well. Their regional strategy is all about being close to their clients, and by establishing offices in key locations they can maintain the high level of service and responsiveness that they're known for, no matter what the project is.
Speaker 2:And you know, I think we've we've kind of touched on this multiple times, but I mean really, you know, I think we've we've kind of touched on this multiple times, but I mean really, you know, they have set themselves apart by being, you know, built on these wonderful business principles of honesty and integrity and hard work and like all those basic things we we like to talk about, but they live it and and they're definitely built on that. Another thing I mean that really, but they're also there, you know, as they've grown and they've had these projects, it's given them experiences that have, you know, put them into whole new industries and, as a result, they've got a lot of specialized capabilities.
Speaker 1:By the 1980s Big D was ready to expand its reach. Their first multimmillion dollar project was a design build facility for Kremco in 1981. It marked a turning point for the company. It was proof that they could handle larger, more complex builds.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well. And then the thing that really you know came, and it came eight years later. The project that really put them on the map in 1989, you know, for anybody keeping track, the year I graduated from high school yeah, a one million square foot processing and distribution center for Smith's Food and Drug. This was Big D's largest project at that point and it was, to say the least, a logistical challenge by all indications.
Speaker 1:You know that's something very respectable. In today's metrics, A million square foot facility is still something that when you're discussing that with architects or engineers, still it's like holy smokes. There's not a lot of million square foot facilities, but they pulled it off way back then and that success opened doors for them in mission foods in Rancho Cucamonga, california. What's cool about that is that's not just a big project, but it was pretty technologically complex. Producing millions of tortillas daily requires precise temperature and humidity control. So you know, unlike a big concrete tilt up warehouse, this required a more advanced programming. They implemented advanced climate systems maintain the perfect environment for production. It's impressive.
Speaker 2:Well, and I think for us, in learning about some of these accomplishments, you know as we personally as Invictus Sovereign, as we look at very technical kinds of use cases where climate in a building is going to be important, or these very specifics, you know to know that their history in this space goes back to the 90s and they've been doing this ever since I. It's huge, you know. So, um, one of the other things they did in that, in that build, was they also integrated a state-of-the-art conveyor system and automate an automation process to streamline the manufacturing uh in the plant. So every detail of facility was designed to maximize efficiency and meet mission foods high standards that's awesome, I mean.
Speaker 1:What's amazing is how the project redefined what food manufacturing facilities could achieve. It wasn't just about meeting production goals, it was about innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible, and that continues to be on the forefront of what we're accomplishing with them. They're always game for a big challenge, that's right, a big challenge.
Speaker 2:Or how do we do this better? How do we and this is not small, I mean when you, when you read the history and you're like this changed food across the board? I mean to to have been at that ground level, working with engineers and architects and the owners of the company, to say this is what we're going to pull off and this is what we need to do? They weren't only solving a permission, you know. They laid the foundation for how things could be different, which is also one of the things for us. I think it's incredibly attractive. Yeah, Because you know, we think we're probably dipping our toes in some very innovative approaches. And one of the reasons, you know, I think you know they make a great partner for us and they a great partner for others is because they're willing. They've been there. Yeah, they've done that. They're willing to go there. They like working with innovators. They want to help us succeed as much as anything. Absolutely, yeah, um. So if we go on to kind of some of their technical stuff, you know again, if it's, if you're in Utah, you might have heard some of these names. If you're not sorry, but these are, these are, these are.
Speaker 2:This next one is going to be a big one technically and demanding project that they'd had, at least to date, and maybe, you know, we could ask him, probably even even today. It was the semiconductor facility for micron technology in Lehigh. Yeah, you know, the project wasn't just about building, it was about innovation, again, precision and delivering under under immense pressure. And anybody who doesn't know is micro. Micron was a huge player in the storage space and has still you, you know been in that space. But they, you know, they, they were, uh, they were out there. So this was, I remember this project and it was. It was a huge, huge, huge project.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean defining huge, at 836,000 square feet and 125 million in construction costs. Micron technology facility was the largest project Big D had undertaken at the time. The timeline was tight, dave. What is shocking to me is that they pulled this off in just eight months. Okay, that's unheard of today. That's unheard of today With the advancement of technology. Yeah, that much square footage in that timeframe, and the technical requirements were exacting. Semiconductor facilities, also known as fabs, demand clean environments and advanced systems for handling sensitive manufacturing processes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Well, and then this is something else that I've, I mean, I learned you are this. This involved pouring over 52,000 cubic yards of concrete and installing nearly six thousand tons of rebar was so much. Um. To meet the strict cleanliness standards required for semiconductor manufacturing, every material and technique had to align with meticulous specifications. Um and uh. I can only imagine without what that was even even involved, and then also doing it under the auspices of eight months. Yeah, one thing to say. I figured this out, but like, oh no, and you got to get it right, it's got to be these specifications and you have no choice.
Speaker 1:No, absolutely, I mean. What stands out about this project in particular is how it cemented Big D's reputation as a high-tech construction leader. The success led to a lasting partnership with Micron, and Big D has since been involved in multiple expansions, including Micron's billion-dollar projects in Boise, idaho, and Clay, new York.
Speaker 2:And that you know that goes to what we mentioned a bit ago is that they get repeat customers, even corporate customers. They come back, absolutely, you know, and corporations can be kind of big corporations can kind of sometimes be fickle and it's like come back, you know, and corporations can be kind of big corporations can kind of sometimes be fickle and it's like, well, can you do this? You can tell like, no, no, we're, you know, we stayed with them, we're going with them. They got us down that that road. We're going with them again and they're going to, they're going to solve this for us. And so, scaling up from $125 million facility up into billions of dollars in in in facility costs, you can see that again. Um, that that's that's what. That's what they do. Uh, uh, the uh. You know these recent expanded, you know this is also about this larger, what is happening on a national scale and the role they're playing in helping the country and the corporations stay competitive and stay ahead.
Speaker 1:Well, it's fun to go back and look at the timeline of this history because it makes a lot of sense how they just organically seem to grow into the opportunities that bring us to them and bring us to the projects that we're working on, because, as the world became increasingly connected, big deconstruction saw an opportunity in data centers, and these facilities were the backbone of the digital economy, and building them requires precision, engineering and advanced expertise, as we've been talking about on almost every episode of the show and I mean, here they are there.
Speaker 2:they were at the forefront, you know, doing data center. You know they were doing data centers before data centers were a thing. They were a call data center. Og, yeah, truly absolutely, and I mean they were doing the, not only just the first, some of the biggest and the biggest we could probably argue, one of the biggest data center at the time on planet earth yeah, yeah, that's how big of a deal this is, and so they were way ahead of the curve. And you know, again, we yeah, we talk about it every day. We talk about how many billions of dollars now are going into data centers and energy, and this is what we talk about. This is part of the reason we're talking about this Again.
Speaker 2:Well, everybody, this is one of the companies. That was it. These were the OGs there at the beginning. So you know, though, to know, the biggest, most high-profile data center project was the Utah Data Center for the NSA. So, again, if you live in Utah and you're out west, you're familiar with it. If you're not, we'll make you familiar with it. It is probably the crown jewel of the NSA's data center. It's it. It's 1.4 million square feet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and if you go Google it, google the bumble hive, because that's the nickname they gave them.
Speaker 1:Yes, okay, yeah no-transcript little bit more on what it takes to build a facility like this. Okay, okay, first of all, data centers require highly controlled environments, big d implemented systems to maintain exact temperature and humidity levels. Building on some of the experiences, thank you for your mission. Yeah, thank you for the mission days. Yeah, that's right, and that wasn't just a one-off project. You know, we talked about elon musk recently. We talked about this astounding feat of him daisy chaining a hundred thousand nvidia, you know. Super chips, yeah, and and how that broke all the records. This, this had to have broken the records at the time for tier three data centers in just housing thousands of servers in one facility.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'd love to go back and drill deeper into you know what the comparable data center market was doing at the time, because can guarantee, oh, it was nothing.
Speaker 2:The helm of nsa yeah, this broke, probably broke every, every record of the time, I don't even know that even tier four even existed at that point. Yeah, and they did. I don't know, maybe it was, maybe it was not. We probably have to go back and look. You know, it might have just been an idea. So I think at that time, I think I'm pretty sure at that time, tier three was probably considered the best, the biggest, the baddest, you know the time. And then you know, then you, you know, in building these things, then you've got which we know we're, you know the redundancy, especially for a mission critical operation. You know they need backup power systems, you need robust security measures, you need protection to ensure zero downtime, all of these things, you know big D had to consider, they had to deliver on these requirements and, as a result which is one of the reasons we're working, one of the many reasons we're working with them they are one of the most trusted names in data center construction today.
Speaker 1:You know, one of my favorite things to learn about the bumbleive, this data center for the NSA is there's a sign out front of the building that says if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear. Their expertise isn't limited to government projects. I mean Big D has also worked with private sector clients building data centers that support cloud computing, ai development, other critical technologies. It's just another example how they've adapted to the evolving needs of the modern economy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean just an incredible group in this space and I think you now know why we are working with them. Beyond knowing them personally and having the utmost respect for their ethic, their ability to deliver their experience in this space is next to none. So absolutely you know. But it's not only just data center, I mean, this is again, this is a multifaceted uh uh construction company, healthcare, cultural so big, these impacting sense, for you know, far beyond what we're talking about, they've played a vital role in building infrastructure that improves communities and you know we can take healthcare, for example, and I'll kick it to you and you can tell us all about healthcare.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean. One of the more notable projects is the FHP Hospital in Salt Lake Valley. This is a 200,000 square foot facility. It wasn't just a hospital. It is a complex network of connected buildings, complete with underground tunnel systems, and projects like these require careful planning and coordination. Big D delivered with precision.
Speaker 2:Yeah, anybody who's ever been around a hospital under construction or when they do these redos knows, and if you've ever known anybody that has worked in a hospital while they've been under, you realize how complex it is. It's one thing to work in a building that's under construction. It's an entirely other thing when you've got people's lives in your hands and so you have to have a partner in a contractor that understands, that is working with you to make sure that you are able to maintain your operations. You know they're just complex, period. You know they involve I mean you've got medical technologies, patient care facilities. Regulatory standards are huge. You know big D success in this sector to me speaks volumes about their versatility and attention to detail, and that when you have healthcare professionals trusting you with their builds time and time and time and time again, then you know I think you've got something special.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, we touched on this maybe a month ago. We touched on the complexities of conflict resolution and architecture and we were kind of comparing hospitals to critical facilities and data centers. And I was just making a comment in that episode about. You know, I've had some experience reviewing just the gas lines and the electrical systems that go into when you talk about a critical, life-saving facility. There's no room for error there. It's even a level in my mind. It's a level above data centers and critical facilities, like a hospital is like the pinnacle of needing precision and needing things to work right.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well, and then needing it to feel conducive to the patient, to where it works for a patient, it works for the medical professionals and it doesn't create weird things because of just design, which are, it's a real thing. In hospitals it's like, hey, you know what we need, the operating rooms here centered to this, so that when they come out of operating rooms they can go right into recovery. I mean, all of those things are considered and you know. So, all that going in and then having to solve the bigger you know, the bigger challenges.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's a really, really complex solve.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I totally agree. You know, Dave, there's this other cultural side of Big D's work. Yep, In 2003, Big D completed the Salt Lake City Library. Yes, and you've said already two or three times here on this episode, if you haven't seen this or if you don't live in Utah, you should Google this. This library, just to look at it. It's like a giant cylinder tilted on its side. It's an incredible building. It's incredible architecture, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:They won all kinds of awards for architecture. Yeah, and you know, just to build that thing, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's a 280,000 square foot masterpiece. It was one of the most complicated construction projects in Utah's history. It's stunning design and innovative use of materials made it an instant landmark. And it's true. I can remember it being built and living downtown. I drive by it all daily and I'm always in awe and just looking at how that thing, what it must have taken to to to level just the exterior walls, oh, for example.
Speaker 2:I mean it's just, it's really cool project to look at well, it's one of those things and I think you know we mentioned them on on a where we've we gave a spotlight as gensler, yeah, you know, uh, the you know one of the world while the world's largest architecture firm doing really cutting-edge projects in architecture. What excites me like Gensler's world is then you have, you have a, you know, you have like a Gensler and really amazing architects. Well, then you have a construction company who has experience in really doing cutting edge building and saying we get it. We've been there, we've built buildings that we had to come up with methodologies that didn't exist in order to pull these things off. And an architecture you know, an architect imagined it neat and now we've got to actually go and execute it in the real world. Do different things, yeah, but when you have a group like Big D has proven they can pull that off Again, on this library scale and, if you haven't seen it at Google, it is a really phenomenal building and it's phenomenal to be on the outside. It's phenomenal to be on the outside, it's phenomenal to be on the inside. It's, it's, it's just, it's just a wonderful building and you realize that you know their, their, their capabilities as a, as a company to pull that off. So you know.
Speaker 2:And another one, uh, again, google it. Uh is the natural history museum of Utah. Yeah, um, a stunning building that melts into the natural landscape of our mountains. You know, it's a LEED Gold certified building. It's breathtaking architecture, sustainable design. It's truly a testament to Big D's ability to create spaces that are, you know, not only the functional side but also just inspiring. I, you know, with my kids I would go up to that museum and we'd just sit there and just sit there and just look at the Valley and just I mean, you'd be. You know we got, we can only see the thing so many times, but just being in that building felt amazing, and it still does today.
Speaker 1:Well, it's interesting that you know that seems to signal one of the first, maybe one of the first LEED projects. But LEED certification for the listeners that aren't actively involved in construction or architecture, it's a big deal. You know, spending all the years that I spent in architecture, recognizing LEED is like the standard in sustainability. Leed is like the standard in sustainability. If you have a LEED certification, whether it's gold or platinum or there's others, I think platinum is the highest certification you can get in a building. It means that everything about that building is highly efficient carbon reduction, embodiment. Everything's been thought through to reach these certifications. There's over 100 points to boxes to check in order to be qualified at these certain levels of lead, and so it's a big deal, which is key to our goals with Valley Forge Impact Parks?
Speaker 2:um, goals with valley forge impact parks, you know, we, we envision those, that, that methodology, that viewpoint, that intention, and so having them as a partner and having that who has, you know, so much experience in this space is, you know, that's what we saw some, some, a group that can help us get there. Yeah, to make sure that we are doing, uh, we're doing things we want to do and we're accomplishing things we want to um, trying to solve this. So you know, two of their uh other standout examples of this, of this sustainability work you know the Swainer Eco Center um, it's up in uh, just outside of Park City, utah, uh, which, and it's beautiful it's beautiful in the summer and then the other one's the Wetland Discovery Point, both of which achieve LEED Platinum certification, again, these projects highlighting Big D's ability to integrate advanced sustainable technologies into their designs.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about this first one. You mentioned the Swainer Eco Center. Completed in 2008, this almost 16,000 square foot facility incorporates features like enhanced refrigerant management, green power sources and sustainable materials. It earns 61 LEED credits, making it a model for environmental stewardship.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and an amazing place to visit Again. It's one of those, again, one of those places I've gone with my kids and it's just, you know, in the summer, especially magical just to go there during the evening and watch all the wildlife. It's terrific, obviously, the Wetland Discovery Point, part of the Utah Botanical Center. This smaller but equally impressive project includes rainwater harvesting systems, passive solar design, solar heated water systems. It's just, you know, it's got a ton Shining example of how thoughtful design can reduce environmental impact. So you know it comes back to and I know it's a book you and I have read talking about, you know, upcycling and it's the point they made and hit home often was it's about design. If we have a problem or we have a challenge, maybe it's not about restriction so much as we maybe just have a bad design and we need to redesign it. They, you know, as a company, big D, has been at the forefront of saying let's redesign this, let's make these things work. That's right, it's fantastic.
Speaker 1:I mean, I think it goes without saying, but their sustainability efforts go beyond certifications. I mean they're pioneers in renewable energy integration, using solar panels, energy efficient HVAC systems and other technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of their projects. Concrete specialists in the Western States and I've been on some of Big D's project sites and observed them pouring the walls for concrete tilt-up. They're known here in the West as the authority in concrete tilt-up because they self-perform all this. So it'll be exciting as we get deeper into this process, with Gensler working with Big D and we start addressing concrete and carbon embodiment and leveraging the natural pozzolans that I've brought up in episodes prior to this to see how Big D can accommodate some of that really advanced concrete technology.
Speaker 2:Would you say self-performing? Can you explain that to our audience?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. A prime contractor or a general contractor is tasked by a project owner to build a project and so typically what happens is the general contractor puts a project plan on a bid platform and they put it out for bid and they have all of the subcontractors submit their bids in all of the different scopes, and there's, I want to say, 47 unique scopes in a construction project Steel, concrete framework, drywall, paint, tile, stone, all those things. And it's pretty rare to have a big general contractor like this that doesn't bid out the concrete work. They have their own they brought in-house. It's an in-house concrete team, one of the largest in the Western states. It's an in-house concrete team, one of the largest in the Western states, and they're big D salaried team and that way they can control quality control, price control, execution. It's one of the most critical parts of most of these big commercial projects is concrete.
Speaker 2:What is that, right? I mean, that's a big deal. It's very rare, yeah, yeah. And so, as a company, okay, let me ask you this. So how much control? What is it? What is the impact, wayne, of having control over that aspect of your business in timelines?
Speaker 1:Well, concrete I mean figuratively and literally concrete is the foundation of every construction project. Okay, because I mean there there's so much concrete and rebar that goes into every one of these commercial projects. When you consider subsurface foundations and footings and then all of the flat work, that's all the flooring in a lot of these commercial buildings you can have. You can have floors that are two feet thick and then concrete tilt-up walls that can be eight inches to 12 inches and thicker, have foam wafers in between the concrete panels, and so they're pouring these advanced tilt-up panels on site with foam in between for advanced insulation and lighter weight and buildability. But controlling concrete means controlling the timeline of the entire project, setting the foundation of the entire project and controlling costs, Because concrete can come in around 20% of a project, total cost depending on the type of building you're building. Some of these buildings even more than that. So it's a very significant scope in the grand scheme of 47 specialized scopes of construction.
Speaker 1:A big distinction for the listeners, if we haven't already made this connection, is that if we stand up, all of the general contractors in the field, they're all licensed to build buildings. Right, they can all build a building. But an opportunity for distinction here that big d really stands out in is their willingness and their commitment to be doing these lead certified projects, because it's much harder to execute when you've got to like. Just the procurement side of lead is significant, finding glazing that meets a standard. A certain standard means if you can't buy windows and doors at home depot, you're this very specialized glazing hvac, advanced systems, water reclamation, like so that there's the design. But the procurement of all the things that go into a lead certification are significant and part of being a general contractor isn't just building it but it's also sourcing material. So procurement is part of the scope that a general contractor can really excel in.
Speaker 1:And some general contractors that have so much purchasing power because the bigger the projects, the more projects, the more revenue. That they do means they have more purchasing power, which means they can go into a lumber shop and they can get pricing that the other builder can't get. So these are big distinguishing factors that end up playing into the end result of a property. For an owner. It plays into the ultimate pricing. This is why this is so competitive, why contractors are bidding against each other all the time. It's in that procurement's a big piece of it In the past two years. I mean they've filed 72 permits and are managing three active ProCore projects with an average project size of $155 million. I mean these numbers speak to the scale and complexity of the work that they're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that that which is which is, you know, fantastic and one of their standout projects, again, you know, uh, salt Lake International Airport redevelopment. And so, if you haven't been through here and you've, or if you're going to be coming through here, it's uh, you know it gets knocked a lot for the amount of walking you have to do. It's, you know it gets knocked a lot for the amount of walking you have to do, but it has been hailed and heralded as this beautiful, amazing. I mean I've seen quotes and comments saying it's the most beautiful airport anybody's been in. Oh, yeah, in the country. Absolutely, it is a stunning airport. I don't know if it rivals some of the Middle East airports that have probably Ferrari dealership, right, but you know, know, sans that, um, here here in the us, it is, it really has been. It's. It is a beautiful place to go fly in and out of now, um, minus some of the walking yeah, yeah, but they're fixing it.
Speaker 2:I've done plenty, a lot. I've done plenty myself there. Um, it's okay, as the mayor said, it's beautiful, it's gorgeous and and they, you know Big D has been instrumental in that project and completed as part of a joint venture and they delivered it on time. On budget and it's a high-stakes thing, I mean there was a lot of pressure, you know, at least locally and from a state level, like you got to, I mean, this is a it's like international, international airport, it's a big airport, you know Delta Hub and so to get it done and done on time and working with thousands of people that I had to work with, and they pulled it off and again, they pulled it off on time. Yeah, and on, you know, on budget, and how often do you hear that of a major?
Speaker 1:of a major you know project. That's also rare. I mean having being a developer with multiple commercial projects under my belt. Change orders are like the kryptonite and you know more than one project that I've had have had more than two dozen change orders and that means not coming in on budget and when the budget overruns you're typically not coming in on time either. So to to do a multi-billion dollar project and be able to say you came in on time and on budget, that's I mean that is remarkable and then also work nicely with others, right, because they weren't the only group out there building.
Speaker 2:I mean you had pretty much I think if I saw the names right, you had pretty much every you know a lot of the big, big boys, construction companies out there, and so you know they all, they all work together. You know, and they and you know and made that happen and it's a testament to that's also a testament to Big D's abilities development showcase big D's versatility, proving they're just as comfortable building high-end residential projects as they are constructing these big industrial facilities.
Speaker 1:And there are a number of other projects in the Park City Deer Valley area, like Victory Ranch. They're just phenomenal, phenomenal, luxury residential multi-family like my million dollar milk.
Speaker 2:Yeah. When I say rant with cabins, yeah, that's not kept.
Speaker 1:These are like man, air quote, those are air quote cabins.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, cabin mansions, yeah, yeah, that's right uh, maybe, maybe cabins in park city terms, but not cabins for, for for a lot of people. So, yeah, and, and they, this is, and it is a stunning development, so for sure, um, you know, I guess and we touched on this to start because we've said, hey, we know, we know Corey, we know these people, they're fantastic, but you know, it's really their success really is not it's, it's not just about what they're building, it's about their operations. It just, it, just is. You know, their culture is just so rooted in respect and honesty and courtesy. It really is truly amazing to work with such a fantastic group and to see that success story that you yes, you can operate a billion-dollar company and you can still work well with other people and you can still be full of integrity and you can find a way to make things work. It might not be the easiest way, but they do it and they show it can be done.
Speaker 1:They absolutely, and their focus on people has earned them recognition as a top workplace for four consecutive years. It's clear Big D values its employees. It's reflected in the quality of their work. It's reflective Every time we have an owner-architects construction meeting, meeting with big d. It's just a joy to be with these. They love working there. It's like family it is. I'm saying we always get christmas baskets at christmas. I just got an email from our one of our team leads saying hey, just confirming my, my home address to send me a christmas basket, and they've been doing this for years, so they're very like it's. It's so cool to observe that because it's so aligned with how we treat our own people as a family.
Speaker 2:That's right. I remember walking into their headquarters downtown Salt Lake City and I don't remember who it was. I remember the lady that greeted us it was the person at the front desk Was amazing. Like that person was amazing, like that person was excited. Yeah, you could tell like this was somebody just okay where you go. No, this is somebody who, uh, was so engaged with us and saying, okay, where we and and wanted to make sure that we were comfortable, we're okay and just did this. And you just realized it from the minute you walked in their doors that you were in a different place and that everybody who worked there gave a shit.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:You know pardon my French, but I mean they, they just care and and, and I love it. So you know, to underscore that. You know, uh, their mission, their mission statement to be the most sought after construction company in the business. You know, and it is bold. But you know, their track record shows that they're well on their way. Uh, you know we can work with them to get there. Fantastic, because if, if they're winning, we're winning. Uh, they've been ranked among the top builders in the nation for over 35 years. Uh, they've earned the best estate award in commercial construction nine times nine times.
Speaker 1:That's not a novel. And these accolades aren't just about bragging rights, I mean. They're a testament to big D's commitment to excellence in every aspect of their work.
Speaker 2:And you know, beyond all of this, beyond, you know the growth and all the and then the driving and and and the innovation um beyond the buildings, you know their work has had a profound impact on communities, um from hospitals to libraries, green spaces. You know their work has had a profound impact on communities, um from hospitals to libraries, green spaces. You know they've worked with the developers to create some amazing, amazing projects that have enhanced quality of life and truly contributed to long-term growth.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I mean, if you take this, you know, back to the Swainer Eco Center and the wetland discovery point, for example, uh, example.
Speaker 2:These lead platinum certified projects not only showcase advanced sustainable technologies, but they also provide spaces for education and environmental stewardship absolutely and you know, and, as I said, I've been there with my kids and that's not, that's not untrue, that is exactly right. You go there with your family. You're like, oh my gosh, this is just, it's a fantastic place to be and you can see the impact it has on kids and communities. Yeah, you know, absolutely true. And one thing that we probably should mention and we haven't mentioned and talked about. You know, they kind of had a little role in this little thing called the Olympics.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. This might be. A good final thought Could be on the Olympics involvement yeah, 2002.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 2002, you know they, you know it's just another example they, they constructed the, they did Rice Eccles Stadium, so where we had the opening and closing ceremonies, they did that. I mean that had that. It was it used to be, it was a football stand, but they expanded it to accommodate you know what, 50 to 53,000 people, I think. Now they did that. So you know, again, they were in, they were involved in the biggest construction projects here in Utah and projects that if you've seen on a global stage, yeah, um, you know, so that's you know and and that just all contributed to where and then we were. You know we're getting the Olympics again and I would imagine they're probably going to be, uh, playing a role in retrofitting and working on if we have to add, or whatever we're going to have to do in the future.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, Well, it's been awesome to cover Big D. I hope they're listening. I'm going to send them all the link. Look what we did, guys. No, I want them to know how much we appreciate them. I don't know if we tell them often enough. You know, I think we you and I and the Invictus team are very, very grateful to all these service providers and strategic you know contractors and partners that we have for these projects, and so just to express, you know, my gratitude to them is is so much at the core of why I wanted to highlight them in a company spotlight and just express how excited we are to work with big d.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we did. They are, they are one of those groups that they're fun to talk about, they're fun to say yeah, we, you know we're working with them. Uh, and maybe fun is not the right word, it's, it's just it, it's it, it's an honor to kind of be part of that ecosystem and what they're doing and saying well, look, we would like to work with you to do, do this and create something else, and perhaps perhaps this is something in the future we can all look back on and say, hey, we did the thing and we moved the needle.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, and that's why it's it truly is it's an honor to be affiliated with such a a, you know, a great company.
Speaker 1:Yeah for sure, yeah for sure. Well, appreciate you working with me on the research suit to highlight all of these critical kind of elements of the history and what Big D has done. It's been fun. Hopefully listeners have enjoyed this, and with that let's wrap it.
Speaker 2:Let's do it. Let's do it, I guess, you know, I guess until next time when we, when we this next round on the Frontier Line, right, that's right. Have a great day, everybody. Oh, and make sure to follow us, and, you know, if there's something we need to be covering and talking about, send us an email.
