Proper sequencing is a critical part of any successful construction project. At a high-level, sequencing is the timeline of work, outlining which phases are built first in order to ensure safety and efficiency, minimize disruption and deliver a project on schedule.
“Our goal with any project is to ensure the client and end user understand how sequencing affects the construction timeline and their day-to-day activities — and this is especially important at a school,” said Stephen Nemec, Project Manager for American Constructors.
Nemec currently oversees construction at Killeen High School’s renovation and addition project, where students remain in the building attending classes and activities. American Constructors began work at Killeen High School in 2020 as part of the Killeen ISD 2018 Bond, which includes more than 140,000 sq. ft. renovated spaces and 193,000 sq. ft. in new construction to accommodate advanced learning. Our top priority has been to safely continue work and limit disturbance so that teachers, students and staff can stay focused on teaching and learning.
The extensive scope of the campus renovations required thoughtful pre-construction planning and proactive communication with KISD about what to expect during the process. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, work had just begun, and while the building was vacated by students and staff for the following months, the return to in-person learning in August 2020 meant adjusting construction activities.
American Constructors strategically installed protective fencing, worked with the campus leadership to reroute student pathways, and scheduled noisier work and deliveries before or after school hours to minimize daily interruptions. For example, we realized that access between the two gyms would be cut off during the remodel, which posed difficulties for families with students in multiple grade levels attending sporting events. We were able to find an alternate solution that allowed them to safely and conveniently walk between the two gyms, as opposed to walking around the entire campus to avoid construction.
“Killeen’s band was recording in the auditorium for virtual competitions during COVID,” Nemec added. “We adjusted our schedule to begin work earlier in the day, and resume well after class was over, to ensure the band had the quiet time they needed.”
As we constructed Phase I, we thoughtfully planned ahead to anticipate the needs of the future phases, ensuring that the electrical, plumbing and fire systems would be easily accessible for connections and maintain continuity of services. Through our electrical investigation, we were also able to identify unused circuits in the existing panels that were previously unknown, reducing the amount of new equipment needed and ultimately saving costs for the client.
Our proactive, communicative approach to sequencing has ensured these projects are completed on time and on budget. It’s been a pleasure collaborating with KISD to create spaces truly worthy of their students’ talents. We look forward to beginning work on Phase II and unveiling the fully revitalized campus in Summer 2023.