• CONTRACT AMOUNT:
  • INDUSTRY:High Tech
  • CLIENT:Joint Astronomy Centre, Taisei Construction, California Institute of Technology
  • LOCATION:Mauna Kea, Hawaii
  • COMPLETION YEAR: Ongoing

Northwest Demolition is involved in an ongoing consulting services project for various clients regarding the decommissioning of several telescopes and observatory structures located at the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii.  The telescope owners are required to provide budgets for the work under the government mandate Decommissioning Plan for the Mauna Kea Observatories. The purpose of this plan is to identify the requirements and processes that an observatory must comply with in order to be released from the various sublease agreements on Mauna Kea, paying close attention to the environmental and cultural significance of the volcano.  The decommissioning effort includes:

 

  • The complete removal of all structures and foundations
  • The removal of imported base material, the compacted fill brought from offsite sources during construction
  • The restoration of native materials at excavation sites, consistent with the natural landscape and original site condition
  • The provision of subject matter experts such as geologists, archeologists, civil engineers, and ecological monitoring and maintenance personnel

 

Structures consulted with include:

  • United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT)
  • James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT)
  • Subaru Telescope
  • Caltech Submillimeter Telescope (CSO)
  • WM Keck Observatory