The University System of Georgia (USG) describes itself as “part of the community” in each of Georgia’s 159 counties. And for good reason. As the largest university system in the Southeast, USG is responsible for 26 higher education institutions ranging from small colleges to research universities. What’s more, the agency oversees nearly 400 libraries and state archive services.

So it’s hardly surprising that USG is also a major part of Georgia’s construction community, charged with managing an annual capital building and renewal program funded via yearly state allotments that recently have averaged $250 million as well as managing major projects funded all or in part by the schools themselves. Project priorities and scheduling are set by USG’s 19-member Board of Regents, which includes two industry members—Tom Bradbury, founder of Smith Douglas Homes, and Richard Evans, founder and chairman of Evans General Contractors, Alpharetta, Ga.

Georgia Southern University’s $60-million Center for Engineering and Research features an open, modern aesthetic.
Image courtesy of the University System of Georgia

USG’s current portfolio of more than 50 active projects totals more than $1.3 billion and ranges from the $63.5-million I-STEM Building 2 at the University of Georgia’s Science Hill to a $5.8-million contract for student support services at Fort Valley State University.

Other recent milestone efforts include a $9.95-million project at Georgia State University to demolish the historic Kell Hall and surrounding plaza to make way for a new central campus greenway and the $88.4-million, 230,000-sq-ft adaptive reuse of Georgia Tech’s Price Gilbert Memorial Library and Crosland Tower.
鉴于USG计划的规模和范围，从一年到下一年的杰出项目并不总是那么容易。18luck官网

“Sometimes a small building for a small campus is more meaningful than something you’d find at a larger research university,” explains Sandra Neuse, USG’s vice chancellor for real estate and facilities. “What’s important is that the project supports each school’s educational mission.”

由Cooper Carry设计的2200万美元综合科学综合体是佐治亚大学和州立大学的最新成员。
Image courtesy of the University System of Georgia

In addition, USG is also a source of technical assistance for institutions on architectural design and construction-related processes, including identifying the most appropriate project delivery method for each project. Sharon Ferguson Pope, the systems assistant vice chancellor for design and construction, says that while the agency has gradually increased its use of design-build and construction manager at-risk, particularly for larger projects, the challenges of the current construction environment have heightened the importance of collaboration-oriented project delivery.

她说：“随着建筑成本的增加和供应链问题，我们很幸运能够让整个团队加入并提供他们的建议和专业知识，以帮助我们度过这一不确定性。”

教皇说，USG对沟通的基本承诺对于有效协调如此多的并发努力至关重要。这就需要将技术制定到适当的位置，以便能够迅速转移到虚拟会议上，例如当冠状病毒大流行时发生的人接触时发生。

教皇说：“我认为我们过去两年中最大的成就能够在大流行期间继续我们的工作，并补充说：“我们没有错过任何节奏。”

Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. executive vice president Keith Douglas observes that USG has “led positive change in our industry” for decades, both by pursuing collaborative project delivery models long before they became commonplace and by consistently fostering mutually beneficial relationships with the region’s contractors and designers.

“They care deeply about their industry partners and are often engaged in trade associations and educational workshops, which not only drives continuous improvement but also increases the likelihood for success on their own projects,” Douglas says. “They tend to keep a steady pipeline of projects going to drive activity, even in the depths of recessions.”

Gilbane Building Co. led construction of the recently completed $70-million College of Science and Math at Augusta University.
Image courtesy of the University System of Georgia

变化和挑战

与大多数其他高等教育所有者一样，USG面临着确保该州对设施投资的最大价值的挑战，面对成本上升和人口统计学的不断变化。18luck.cubNeuse表示，该机构的多年资本计划过程与整个系统中发生的其他趋势紧密相符。

“We continually improve our facilities inventory data and improve planning for facilities and academic needs so we can be there with the facilities that are needed at the right time,” she says.

该任务还包括越来越多的意识和应用可持续规划，设计和建筑实践，这可能是佐治亚理工学院的创新可持续设计建筑最能说明的，该大楼实现了生活建筑挑战的严格认证标准。

At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Brasfield & Gorrie led construction of the recently completed Price Gilbert/Crosland Tower Renewal project.
Image courtesy of the University System of Georgia

Neuse adds that institutions are also encouraged to voluntarily meet the Georgia Peach Green Building Rating System, which recognizes buildings that optimize energy performance and reduce demand on water supplies, increase the demand for Georgia-produced materials and furnishings and safeguard natural resources.

USG has also increasingly prioritized renovation of existing facilities over new construction.

“Being able to take an existing facility and give it new life, to me, is the ultimate in sustainability,” Neuse adds.

亚特兰大五月建筑的负责人雪莉·阿提拉（Shelly Attila）表示，该机构在创建适应性和灵活的空间方面的优先事项增强了USG的可持续发展努力。

“By looking at campuses and breaking down each building’s utilization, they have discovered space where others thought there was none,” says May, whose firm has worked on USG projects for more than a decade. “This trend towards flexibility has naturally enabled the integration of USG’s support for active learning within once rigid classrooms.”

此外，阿提拉（Attila）表示，USG的重点是确保其历史悠久的建筑物，即使是最具历史性的建筑物。她说：“他们看着个人如何接近建筑物以及内部的舒适感。”

Neuse现在正在探索与大流行有关的建筑形式和功能的变化，并指出过去几年产生了“各种有趣的曲折和旋转”，这些曲折和旋转都强调了设施在大学体验中的作用，尤其是IN的重要性- 个人学习。

她说：“当学生离开并在线学习时，他们错过了在物理校园提供的经验。”

At the same time, USG is looking more critically at circulation and space needs as well as ways to incorporate redundant HVAC systems and other building infrastructure to ensure reliability and easy maintenance.

“We’re thinking of how facilities have had to adapt during the pandemic and where we can design and construct more flexible spaces that could be used for multiple purposes,” Neuse says. “One example is finding opportunities for hoteling spaces and open office concepts as opposed to dedicated office where it makes sense and doesn’t affect students’ ability to visit faculty during office hours.”

为了帮助应对这些挑战和其他挑战，USG指望其设计和建筑团队的合作所带来的想法和创新。

“We want to make sure they’re engaging us at the right time, giving us options and recommendations on issues as they arise,” Pope says. “It’s something that we have been doing since we started using some of the alternative delivery methods, and we want to continue down that path.”

Neuse指出,过去几年中,“兴趣sting options” project teams have come up with to keep projects on schedules and navigate around supply issues. “They’ve really reinforced partnership and communication,” she says.

由于这些原因,ENR recogniz东南部新利luckes the University System of Georgia as its 2022 Southeast Owner of the Year.