Jacobs Carter Burgess Incorporates Modular into Military Design Warrior Group, Hensel Phelps to construct Ft. Sam Houston Military Barracks Warrior Group, the nation's largest minority woman-owned provider of permanent modular buildings, announced that the company has been awarded a $47 million contract to construct the modular portions of two U.S. Army residence buildings. The hybrid project will combine permanent modular and site-build construction. The buildings will meet Antiterrorist Force Protection requirements including progressive collapse capability. Warrior Group is providing permanent modular construction and Hensel Phelps is providing site build construction on the offices, conferences and briefing areas. Jacobs Carter Burgess provided the design. As part of the Federal Government's Base Realignment Closure program (BRAC) the Modular Exportable Training Complex dormitory complex at Fort Sam Houston represents a significant step forward for modular construction. Warrior Group is combining the advantages of factory built components with conventional steel and concrete construction. The result is a state of the art structure with a reasonable price tag and a short construction schedule. To accomplish the task, three types of construction methods were utilized in the design. The factory built dormitory modules are built with wood. This type of construction has a definite cost advantage. Steel frame construction will be used in the office areas on the first story using a "brace frame" type of steel column and beam construction. Finally, the third design type utilized is steel construction that uses ridged welded connections at the column to beam intersections to resist the lateral loads. The advantage is the ability to create large rooms without columns, such as conference rooms or briefing areas. Several other things make this structure unique. The 4-story permanent modular dormitory units rest on a concrete foundation in most areas. However, in certain areas on the second and third stories an integration of steel framed offices and modular dormitory units are set side by side over lower floor offices. The 1-bedroom efficiencies with a bathroom are designed be attractive, comfortable and private. Other features that contribute to the state of the art nature of this structure are: High sound rating throughout; air barrier system to enhance indoor air quality as well as reduce energy loads; blast resistant windows; electronic key card access to all dorm rooms; complete fire sprinkler system throughout; high pitched roof rafters to enhance the appearance as well as increase the life of the standing seam steel roof; elevator for access to upper stories and water source heat pump system for heating and cooling. "The Fort Sam Houston project is an example of the kind of innovation Warrior Group is capable of. Our customers tell us what they need and we will bend over backwards with our partners to give it to them," says CEO and president of Warrior Group, Gail Warrior-Lawrence. Warrior Group and prime contractor Hensel Phelps Construction Co. teamed to bring each company's unique expertise to the project. To learn more about commercial modular construction and its applications, visit Modular Building Institute: The Voice of Commercial Modular ConstructionTM. (c) 2008. Modular Building Institute. All rights reserved.