School Construction 101:
Managing School Construction While Minimizing Disruptions to Students
From renovations to additions, investing in school infrastructure can be a crucial strategic initiative for academic institutions as they enhance and expand their learning environments to meet the needs of their students. But these projects are often complex and require deep planning and expertise to achieve successfully.
Before diving into a school construction project, consider these key factors for minimizing disruptions, mitigating challenges, and supporting students along the way.
Understand the challenges
School construction projects, whether in a K–12 building or on a higher education campus, have several built-in challenges due simply to the nature of their locations. The first, most expected circumstance is the presence of students, faculty and other staff. Construction is inherently noisy, messy and busy, conditions that can impact learning environments and require accommodations to overcome.
School buildings are already extremely active, high-traffic areas, especially during the academic year. In the case of college campuses where students sometimes live, work and study year round, there’s really no extended period of breaks or down time. Working amidst the everyday hustle and bustle of a learning environment becomes a necessity.
Finally, jobsite configuration and laydown is a crucial consideration. School campuses are specifically designed to support the daily flow of traffic as it pertains to students, faculty and visitors. Adding a full construction crew and equipment to the mix takes thoughtful planning and preparation.
It’s important to approach these projects with eyes wide open to inherent challenges so as to better prepare for and solve them.
Recognize everyone’s needs and requirements upfront
Open and ongoing communication should be a priority throughout any construction endeavor, but it’s especially important in projects where there are multiple stakeholders, tight schedules and occupied jobsites — such as with school renovations, additions and new builds.
“This all starts with understanding what the client’s needs are first,” says Project Executive Bill Bromback, who leads many of HGC Construction’s school projects. “Are they ok with us having this area during construction? Where do the students need to get in and out of the building? We explain our process and they explain their process, and we work together to engineer all possible angles to avoid problems down the road.”
These conversations uncover important details that help identify the potential problems that need to be solved. Once we know what needs to be addressed upfront, “we dive into that day one in Preconstruction,” Bromback says.
Invest in planning to set up for success
A rigorous planning process before boots hit the ground on site is crucial to the success of any project. Our meticulous Preconstruction phase begins at least a year in advance of construction — and in the case of many school projects, 18 months or more — to lay the groundwork for a successful project that stays on budget, on time and exceeds our client’s expectations. During Preconstruction, we outline and analyze every step from conception to completion, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, prototyping, and value engineering. We collaborate with the architect early and often to help anticipate challenges and customize solutions.
“By bringing us in early, we can help our clients implement plans sooner rather than a couple of months before the job is scheduled to start,” Bromback says. This way, potential disruptions to students, faculty and staff can be planned for and prevented.
Capitalize on the down time
Whether construction remains underway during the school year or is reserved only for summer and holiday breaks is entirely up to the school and their vision. We have ample experience with both approaches and can accommodate needs accordingly.
In one recent project, we partnered with a private high school to renovate an entire wing, construct a 5-story addition, and replace two-thirds of the HVAC system. However, they didn’t want any construction taking place during the academic year. Through extensive planning, creative problem solving and a firm belief that no challenge is too complex, we created a program that featured customized solutions — including structural elements that were constructed in advance off-site — to successfully condense all work into a 13-week period during summer break. For administrators who choose a continuous construction schedule, we often implement temporary classroom spaces to meet the unique needs and requirements of individual schools and students.
Either approach can be designed to capitalize on periods where students are out of class and campuses are less occupied so as to minimize disruptions and promote seamless learning.
Get creative with solutions
At HGC, we believe our skills and craft are second to none — and the same goes for our problem solving capabilities. We take on challenges that others won’t because we know we have the expertise and ingenuity to solve them.
“We bring a lot of outside-of-the-box thinking to the table,” Bromback says.
In a recent project for Sycamore Community Schools, we were tasked with managing the renovation and expansion of multiple buildings without the use of trailers on site. While some schools are comfortable utilizing a modular trailer complex as temporary classroom space, Sycamore administrators were adamant that their students would not be displaced during the construction process. As a solution, we repurposed existing areas within the building to construct 17 temporary classrooms, temporary offices for administration and counseling, and a temporary kitchen. This avoided the need for trailers and allowed the school to maintain the same number of classrooms inside the building while supporting other student needs. We also constructed a new two-story glass-enclosed space inside the existing library, which provided an additional temporary classroom for the remainder of the project as well as a new book room for the library.
By implementing innovative solutions that kept construction going year round, we shortened this project time frame from 4 years to 2.5 years.
Be flexible
As is true with every endeavor, plans change. You need to be able to adjust accordingly. By leveraging our deep expertise and solutions-oriented approach, we are light on our feet and can flex schedules and adjust to meet changing demands or circumstances as needed.
“We’re really good about trying to find an alternative solution that allows things to keep moving while we’re waiting on something else,” Bromback says. “It goes back to thinking outside of the box to face those challenges.”
Manage risk to protect safety
One final consideration when initiating a school construction project is how to manage risk to not only protect the safety of everyone on site, but also to support project efficiency and on-time completion.
Managing risk on school projects extends beyond traditional considerations such as unforeseen site conditions and community engagement. It also encompasses factors like ensuring accessibility for students with disabilities, adhering to stringent safety standards, and addressing environmental sustainability concerns. By integrating these elements into risk management plans, construction teams can create learning environments that are not only functional but also conducive to student well-being and academic success.
HGC Construction is a trusted construction partner with a century-old legacy. We specialize in construction management, design build, specialty trades, historic preservation, new construction, and restorations. We build at all levels of complexity, across unique and diverse market segments. Our capabilities are defined not only by what we do but by how we do it. Our solutions-oriented approach is backed by grit, integrity and an unrelenting commitment to do it right. Discover how we leverage unparalleled expertise and creative problem solving to bring visions to life. Contact us for more.