Over many years, Battaglia Industries Inc. has cultivated a close and effective working relationship with many general contractors. Recently it has begun working with Custom Facilities Inc. (CFI), a national general contractor specializing in automobile dealerships. Working with a nationally known and recognized general contractor has allowed Battaglia Industries to be measured against its peers not only locally, but also nationally. Battaglia is pleased and excited to report that it ranks nationally as one of CFI’s best subcontractors.

The Toyota on Edens project was a ground-up expansion of the dealership. A brand-new HVAC system was installed during the course of construction.

One of the major issues that we faced in this project was its delay. There were issues with the site that pushed back construction of the building. Meanwhile, the equipment had been ordered and released. Battaglia successfully coordinated with the GC so that storage for the equipment could be provided locally. This allowed us to quickly move the equipment to the jobsite and install it as soon as it was needed. The CFI was very pleased with Battaglia’s performance in this area, stating that “Battaglia was able to meet our schedule—I know it wasn’t the schedule that was convenient for them, but they worked with ours.”

The job was also difficult because of its complexity. The plan called for the installation of more than a dozen independently controlled rooftop units, but the thermostats had to be located in one central location. Battaglia was able to bring all control wiring to the appropriate location and install the thermostats beautifully.

Battaglia Industries was also the electrical contractor on this job. Because HVAC systems must integrate closely with the electrical system, having both trades housed under the same contractor’s umbrella permitted the HVAC and electrical teams to work and collaborate seamlessly. Both aspects of the project were handled by the same Battaglia project manager, C.J. Hamblen. In this way, we were able to make sure that HVAC and electrical systems integrated perfectly with one another. A good example of this integration is the interconnection of the overhead door controllers to the carbon monoxide detection system. The doors must open if the CO levels become unsafe. Battaglia’s HVAC and electrical teams successfully integrated the systems.

The project also is a showcase for Battaglia’s HVAC department’s skill at installing an HVAC system that is not only functional, but beautiful as well. Side-by-side comparison of ductwork installed by our team in exposed spaces—where it will be seen—to ductwork installed in enclosed spaces—where it will “disappear” behind finished surfaces—shows that Battaglia is committed to excellence whether or not anyone will see it’s work.

In closing, this project was exciting to work on. It truly involved all of our teammates working together and expanding on our current processes to make it a success. The project hit the agreed upon deadline and came in well under-budget in part due to the up-front design, value engineering, prefab, and our ABC member partners.