Case study: DRG/Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is a world-leading power systems provider that designs, manufactures, and supports a comprehensive range of products and services for air, sea, and land applications. With some 43,000 employees located in 48 countries, the company serves customers in the civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine, and energy applications markets.

The corporate headquarters for Rolls-Royce North America Inc. relocated to Chantilly, Va. in early 2ool. The modern 69,710-square-foot facility houses 119 associates that include executive, legal, accounting, sales, technical assistance, government/military relations, and administration support personnel.

"Moving into a new headquarters location gave us an opportunity to design offices reflecting the realities of today's workplace," said Ken Patterson, corporate financial controller. "While criteria such as ergonomics, style, and quality consistent with the Rolls-Royce image were a given, two other criteria made the [furniture] purchasing decision more interesting. In support of quality, we looked for a lifetime guarantee at a competitive price. We also wanted an office furnishing system to support voice, data, and ... local area network (LAN) cabling while allowing troublefree moves, adds, and changes (MACs) without disrupting operations in other areas.

Flexibility through modularity "With change the only constant in today's offices, we opted for a modular office system allowing us to add, move, or replace open and full-height wall configurations in accordance with evolving requirements," Patterson said. "Plans called for 23 full-height offices constructed of stackable panel segments, 12 offices and four conference rooms constructed with demountable (movable) floor-to-ceiling partitions, and 12 open-office workstations."

Modularity, in addition to providing flexibility, has some favorable cost implications. Floor-to-ceiling

systems are especially desirable for task-intensive knowledge work, where productivity can be impacted by distractions. Confidentiality can be compromised in an open office system. Similar requirements apply to conference rooms. Privacy need not mean isolation, though, when glass panel segments allow natural light to penetrate, and the solution provides a high sound-transmission coefficient rating.

Demountable floor-to-ceiling partitions can quickly be disassembled for reconfiguration or reconstruction in other locations without damaging floor or ceiling architectural components. Demountable partitions, as with stackable panels, require less storage space than monolithic fullheight systems. Moreover, because these systems aren't part of the building structure, companies may be able to take advantage of more liberal furniture depreciation schedules and lower real estate tax assessments. Open-office systems support shared tasks, teamwork, and other group endeavors. Their load-bearing, stackable panel segments can be constructed in a variety of heights, from 3o inches on up, to customtailor spaces that accommodate personnel and tasks being performed. The,solution After evaluating the products of several manufacturers, including Haworth and Knoll, Rolls-Royce North

America, with the help of A&D Solutions, selected the MACsys product of Design Resource Group International (DRG) of Pine Brook, N.J. DRG is the first systems manufacturer to provide cabling management systems in compliance with applicable standards by teaming up with The Siemon Co., Watertown, Conn., to produce a "plug and play" cable management system that provides easily accessible cable pathways, allowing technicians to add, remove, replace, or reroute cables without disrupting the entire office.

Consolidation points behind removable panel segments provide the interconnection between work area outlets and the telecommunications closet, and a lay-in cabling design allows quick access to cable pathways for unrestricted cable management. Separate pathways are provided for power cabling. According to Patterson, "[The system's] basic simplicity allowed our in-house personnel to master cabling MACs after a minimum of training."

After considering studies by RollsRoyce North America and outside technical personnel, the company opted for a category 5 voice- and datacabling installation by Quality Communications, Ashburn, Va., a firm recommended by The Siemon Co. Quality Communications provided service to install cabling within the furniture systems and also won the contract to provide cabling throughout the entire facility. Each workstation location has two data ports and provides access to the office LAN as well as interconnectivity with printers, faxes, and other IT equipment.

Visually, the office features cherry wood- grain surfaces throughout, including tops, end cap trim, and worksurfaces. The project was very successful aesthetically and technically. It was also successful structurally. Panel framing and worksurface supports are constructed of 14-gauge steel, and panel segments are 2o-gauge steel. Shelves and filing cabinet drawers are 16-gauge steel. Full-extension drawer slides glide on metal ball bearings, and worksurfaces are 1 1/4 inches thick. This solid attention to detail supports a warranty that the solution is free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as Rolls-Royce North America owns the product.