Build Successful Projects

Transcription

1 2013 Edition Two Inside: 4 Build Understanding, Build Successful Projects 8 Listening: Market Trends Summary Build Successful Projects What makes a building project successful? How can you provide the best learning environments for your students and community in an efficient and well-coordinated manner? Clovis Unified School District Roger S. Oraze Elementary School // Fresno, CA 2012 Award of Merit, AIA San Joaquin

2 Build Understanding, Build Successful Projects P//03 Build Understanding, Build Successful Projects Page 3 Listening/ Market Trends Summary Page 8 Build Understanding Build Successful Projects BY // Walt Byrd President WH Byrd, Inc. Jeff Becker Director of Facilities and Operations Fresno County Office of Education Scott Griffith, AIA Principal HMC Architects Central Valley 1827 E. Fir Avenue, Studio 103 Fresno, CA Los Angeles 633 W. 5th Street, Third Floor Los Angeles, CA Ontario 3546 Concours Street Ontario, CA Phoenix 1001 N. 3rd Avenue, Studio 2 Phoenix, AZ Reno 50 W. Liberty Street, Studio 630 Reno, NV Sacramento 2495 Natomas Park Drive Studio 665 Sacramento, CA San Diego 5935 Cornerstone Court Studio 300 San Diego, CA San Francisco 417 Montgomery Street, Eighth Floor San Francisco, CA San Jose 1570 The Alameda, Studio 330 San Jose, CA School Advisors 3546 Concours Street Ontario, CA What makes a building project successful? How can you provide the best learning environments for your students and community in an efficient and well-coordinated manner? These are the questions continually going through the minds of school district and county officials many of whom have risen through the educational ranks and are now tasked with managing a portfolio of properties and building projects. Seeing the need for schools and building team members to better understand each other s roles and responsibilities, the Central Valley Successful Projects Workshops were developed. The workshops are an evolution of the facility planner s meetings, which were led by the Fresno County Office of Education. While the facility planner s meetings tended to attract smaller districts, the Central Valley Successful Projects Workshops were aimed at greater collaboration with school districts of all sizes and they included project team members. The fourpart workshop series brought school districts, architects and contractors to the same table to openly discuss strategies for a successful project. The goal was to learn how to move forward with building sustainable relationships over the long-term, foresee and overcome roadblocks early in the process, and understand how cooperation is advantageous for cost savings and improved coordination. Defining each party s perspective and having empathy for their roles and specific challenges allows the entire project team to work toward win-win solutions, rather than disputing decisions throughout the course of a project. The workshops were structured in order of the design and construction process, focusing specifically on: Workshop 1: Roadblocks. What are the things that get in our way? There is a need to understand how the roadblocks vary between team members and how they impact each other as a collective whole. Workshop 2: Selecting the team and negotiating contracts. Contracts need to be balanced and there needs to be shared risk so that all parties can share in the success of a project. If contracts are unbalanced, there is an adversarial relationship from the beginning that isn t healthy for a project.

3 P//04 Build Understanding, Build Successful Projects Workshop 3: Using contracts Building long-term relationships is attended the workshops expanded their lease-lease-back and preferred to resolve issues. The contract perhaps the most valuable takeaway professional networks and now have project delivery methods, or building should be a tool when you face from these workshops. When thinking a long list of contacts they can reach commissioning. As organizers, we those issues. Think about how about the construction process, out to for expertise when faced with a are bringing the attendees together do you resolve them fairly and one thing to remember is that every project question or issue. and will take the workshops in a equitably to everyone s satisfaction. district is different and there are direction that is of value. While certainly lessons that can be learned The Central Valley Successful Projects session focuses will change, the Workshop 4: The construction from each other regardless of the Workshops are a unique and evolving end goal will always remain to process. There are many steps size of the district. By sharing insight endeavor. The collective group is continue open discussions about including putting the project out and resources in an open forum, all providing input into what is most how to collectively make the building to bid, getting it started, building districts and counties are empowered important to them, what topics do they process more efficient and effective. it and finally close out. Attendees with the tools to get their project done want to go deeper into this is their discussed the value of pre- at the same quality and standards, meeting! Future sessions may dive construction services and the resulting in the best possible facilities into specific topics that schools are implications of contingencies. for their communities. Those who facing, like maintenance best practices, FOR MOR E INFOR M ATION CONTACT Walt Byrd Jeff Becker Scott Griffith whbyrdinc@comcast.net jbecker@fcoe.org Scott.Griffith@hmcarchitects.com WITHIN EVERY PROJECT, ISSUES WILL ARISE. IT IS HOW YOU OVERCOME THOSE ISSUES WITH COMMON SENSE AND COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. ERIC CEDERQUIST, SUPERINTENDENT, FOWLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT P//05

4 P//06 Build Understanding, Build Successful Projects P//07 An Inside Look at Lessons Learned IF DISTRICTS PLAN EARLY, THE KIDS ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BENEFIT MOST. THEY WILL BE PROVIDED WITH QUALITY, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND SAFE DR. TERRY BRADLEY, PRESIDENT SCHOOL BUSINESS CONSULTING OF FRESNO PLACES TO LEARN. A fundamental takeaway from the workshops is to start earlier. Assemble your team early, define your project early, and get everyone on the same page with the same understanding as soon as possible. For us as a County, it starts with the moment there is a seed of an idea in someone s mind that looks like it has legs and will become a project. You start thinking about what you need to do to get a team assembled and who will be the right players for that team. It has been refreshing to experience all parties willingness to be collaborative and hear that we are moving in a direction of a common upfront understanding one where we trust each party to do their job and have the best interest of the project at heart. School districts now have a better understanding of the implications of their project requests, while architects and contractors recognize the pressures that school districts go through on a day-to-day basis and how school facilities impact other areas of a school s program. Gaining that bigger understanding of all the parties is a critical component and uplifting to see. Together we are all better. JEFF BECKER DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS, FRESNO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION One of the biggest lessons learned is that Clovis USD isn t the end all be all and there are always ways to improve upon current processes. I ve learned new perspectives from districts that have different philosophies than we do. For example, we can learn from some of the smaller districts on how they communicate more effectively with their school site staff. It has been refreshing to hear different points of view and their unique challenges and the reverse is true too, I ve been able to share what has been successful at Clovis. We are known for our facilities and strongly believe in our core values that facilities have a direct correlation to test scores. Imparting this philosophy to other districts has allowed them to also realize that if they make that commitment to their facilities, they could also see a difference too. From my perspective, I want all districts to succeed. We hear all the time that it is all about our kids, but in reality it s not just about Clovis Unified students, it is about all students! I have also found the workshops valuable for building a network. I don t want to pretend that I know everything, because I don t and sometimes I need a different perspective. There were a few in the room that I have known for a while and some that I just met, but now that we have been through the workshops together, I feel comfortable to call and ask them a question. RICK LAWSON DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING, CLOVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT The workshops were a meaningful opportunity for districts and project team members to network and expand their knowledge in school facilities. The discussions were open and flowing and the venue provided an opportunity to share, learn and validate a variety of experiences and practices. The mix of small and large districts, as well as architects and contractors, provided an opportunity for discussion from very different perspectives. Several of my District team members also attended the workshops and appreciated the learning experiences and interaction with others. Districts, other agencies, architects and contractors of all sizes in this industry can benefit from becoming more involved in these workshops to diversify their knowledge and share their own experiences. LISA LEBLANC EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FRESNO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Attending all four sessions personally has been invaluable. Over and over again one of the main messages that kept coming out of the workshops was the importance of pre-planning and getting everyone at the table. I m fairly new. Coming from a role as Principal, I had not experienced the construction process. I m now in my third year as Superintendent and after my first year, modernization money came through. While we are very happy with how the project turned out, it was a learn-as-you-go process for me. Looking back after these workshops, I realized that the project could have benefited from getting more input from the principal, maintenance staff and other individuals at the school site from the start. I know a lot more now about the design and construction process and going forward, I would begin pre-planning early and engage more of our staff in the process. RUSSELL FREITAS SUPERINTENDENT, FIREBAUGH-LAS DELTAS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT A common theme during the workshops was how communication, common sense and understanding everyone s role are critical to the success of a project. Within every project, issues will arise. It is how you overcome those issues with common sense and cost-effective solutions that defines a successful project. These lessons learned will become building blocks for the future success of projects. An open line of communication is also important, especially within our own staff. Principal and on-site staff can be better integrated into the planning in the end, they are typically the ones who get calls from the community or parents. In the past, smaller districts didn t always understand that you need a full project team or recognize the need to assemble your project team early. These workshops have changed the level of expectations for construction projects as people s understanding has matured. There is tremendous value in pre-construction services and assembling the team early will result in fewer contingencies later on in the project. To truly be successful, you need someone on the site everyday to be the eyes and ears of a project. ERIC CEDERQUIST SUPERINTENDENT, FOWLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT It is so important that schools, architects and contractors come together to better understand each other and deliver better projects. If a State bond passes in 2014 and districts expect to receive any of that funding, then planning for future modernizations or new facilities should be underway. School districts might need to take a bit of a gamble and spend some reserve money to hire an architect, get plans drawn up and DSA approval. Districts that holdoff on planning until a state bond is passed could miss out on the opportunity to receive funds the State will be flooded with a backlog of projects that are already DSA approved and seeking money. If districts plan early, the kids are the ones who will benefit most. They will be provided with quality, environmentally friendly and safe places to learn. DR. TERRY BRADLEY PRESIDENT, SCHOOL BUSINESS CONSULTING OF FRESNO

5 Listening: Market Trends Summary LISTENING P//08 In late 2012, HMC conducted a client outreach Market Survey to better understand the trends affecting the K 12 market in California. We asked our survey participants to think about the future and respond with some of the more challenging issues that are keeping them awake at night. The following trends analysis breaks down the K 12 market into four areas of focus: 01 Current Situation / 02 What Change is Needed / 03 Getting There / 04 Making the Project Work / 01 Current Situation Reduced funding funding sources. This has resulted challenges were not only associated California State public schools and in many school districts initiating/ with the cost to acquire and implement, counties are facing some significant contemplating local bonds to fund but also around how to select from so challenges for the foreseeable future. buildings, maintenance, technology many options; and with new technology The State s economic conditions and other infrastructure related costs to comes the need to train staff, develop an have resulted in drastic reductions offset the reduced funding levels from infrastructure to support new software in funding affecting operations, the State. programs and hardware, and implement infrastructure, and lower levels of across large districts with consistency teaching staff resources and time to Adapting to new ways of learning deliver instruction. Consistent with In addition to the operational changes other State-funded organizations, needed to adjust to the new norm California schools have begun the for funding, schools are continuing to retooling process to structure their adapt their curriculum to the federally operations to accommodate less mandated common core requirements State funding in their annual budgets and are challenged to find effective ways for the foreseeable future. to incorporate technology into their and equity. learning environments while keeping Los Angeles Unified School District South Region Elementary School #9 // Los Angeles, CA 2013 Award of Merit, C.A.S.H. // 2012 Award of Excellence, AIA Inland California Overall sentiment among school pace with the way students are learning administrators is that regardless of outside of the classroom. recently passed State tax initiatives BY // and the future State General The subject of technology in the learning Obligation bond anticipated in 2014, environment was consistently mentioned they must prepare their organizations as both a challenge and the solution for continued erosion of traditional to how to do more with less. The John Nichols AIA REFP, LEED AP BD+C Principal and Pre-K 12 Practice Leader, HMC Architects John.Nichols@hmcarchitects.com P//09

6 P//10 Listening: Market Trends Summary P// What Breaking with Tradition Change is Needed? Getting There Rely more on local communities The new paradigm in public schools is hitting districts on several fronts. Reduced funding from the State is requiring districts to rely more on their local communities for funding, as well as for other synergistic opportunities to join with existing resources (human or capital) to accomplish mutual benefits with limited resources. This was noted through the use of shared facilities and staff operations support among districts and local municipalities. Furthermore, this message is being clearly communicated by the California Department of Education in its recent report on California s K 12 Educational Infrastructure Investments. Focus on student outcomes Secondly, the growing acceptance of technology-assisted learning tools, coupled with the shrinking funds to maintain teacher salaries and accompanying benefits structure, has district staff asking difficult questions about how to leverage technology to improve outcomes while utilizing new methods of teaching. However, teachers unions and collective bargaining organizations continue to resist changes that threaten to erode their positions and benefits within the system. The current structure is perceived to be designed around the staff and there needs to be more emphasis on student outcomes. Tie funds to improved outcomes The third element of the new paradigm in California public schools is the anticipated change in how funding will ultimately be administered by the State. With the State actively lobbying for more taxpayer dollars to be committed to public schools, there is renewed commitment to having those funds tied to improved outcomes for students. District officials are closely monitoring this dialogue in Sacramento and anticipating how they might adapt their organizations to align with the new paradigm in funding. Key issues include closing the achievement gap for underperforming sub-groups, more rigorous methods of student engagement, and the use of modulated instruction to increase student outcomes. School districts have recognized the new reality from a funding perspective. Now, how do they adapt to the new reality? Although school administrators acknowledge they have downsized and changed their operations, most recognize that the change process has just begun. Class sizes / flexibility Reduced funding is currently resulting in larger class sizes throughout California; however, districts recognize that this solution is short term and that increasing class size using the current teaching paradigm is already having negative outcomes. As a result, districts are planning for adaptability in their classrooms. Ultimately they need more flexibility in modulating classroom environments for the future. Class sizes will eventually shrink again. Modulated learning With the proliferation of learning applications intended to be delivered in a variety of approaches, forward-thinking districts are planning for curriculums and environments that accommodate the diverse array of options available. Most of our survey participants acknowledged that they are planning for students to incorporate their own computing devices (tablets, cell phones or laptops) into the daily learning platform and many are already doing this at some level. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a near-term reality, so classroom planning must accommodate how to power these devices and transmit data within the classroom and campus environment. Basic learning of the traditional material can be delivered via online devices thereby freeing up the teaching staff to focus on individual instruction/coaching and project-based learning activities. This hybrid learning environment is anticipated to enable teachers to better address larger class sizes by allowing a portion of the class to receive online learning while the balance will get more focused attention by the teacher. At the same time, the anticipated result is improved learning results. Maintenance of schools For years the State s system for applying funds to districts for ongoing maintenance activities has been woefully underfunded. This was a consistent theme throughout all interview participants with no simple resolutions or ideas coming to the forefront. However, the discussions did center on a few basic concepts: / Consolidate and decommission/ dispose of underutilized assets or lease out marketable facilities to supplement other capital needs and/or the general fund / Build/remodel to maximize efficiency and minimize operational and maintenance costs / Better documentation of current infrastructure and the need to increase awareness in the communities that will be called upon to supplement state funding deficiencies

7 P//12 Listening: Market Trends Summary 04 Making the Project Work. Project delivery methods The survey participants expressed limited emphasis on utilizing nontraditional delivery methods in constructing and renovating their facilities. The frequent response included the reference to the perception of transparency in the contracting environment. For most participants, design-bid-build is the anticipated model for the foreseeable future, with some discussing the use of lease-leaseback as a fallback method to avoid unscrupulous contractors. Sustainable objectives Within the districts we surveyed, we received a consistent message that sustainability was not about LEED, but more about how to minimize costs for both the short- and longterm life cycle of a building. Energy efficiency was critical given reduced operating budgets. We also heard that accomplishing LEED and sustainable building design is just part of good architecture and therefore should not be charged as a premium to the architects basic services. Improving satisfaction with the A/E/C industry As an architecture firm with very deep roots in the K 12 school market, HMC was particularly intrigued by the responses we received from our school clients. After assessing the comments, we share some of the same concerns. In general, we heard that the architectural community is focused on the clients, but perhaps not focusing on all the pieces of the problems facing school administrators today. We were told that strategies to reduce operational costs are a top priority and that the A/E/C industry is having some success there. However, the industry could be doing a better job understanding the linkages between facilities design and student outcomes. Sometimes there is a tendency to focus solely on the traditionally published school building criteria without attempting to describe how the design enhances student outcomes. We are in agreement with our survey participants that there has been some erosion in the process whereby students evolving needs have not remained the highest priority with the design processes that are currently utilized. We acknowledge that we can do a better job on our part to study student outcomes and to provide more creative solutions and innovative thinking that supports the overriding needs of individual schools in delivering on their mission to best educate California s youth. We also heard our clients asking for help in better understanding technology trends in teaching environments. This was referenced as an important element for the future of the school system to aid in overcoming the significant financial and performance issues facing our schools. Measure of good design Many of the responses we received about the value of good design are closely aligned with the specific challenges the school districts are facing today. In our survey we heard that good design builds support for local bond measures; essentially demonstrating that local dollars are being well spent. More specifically we heard that good design should be contextual, functional and easy to maintain with an emphasis on the maintenance element. Our clients know they will continuously be challenged to upkeep their facilities. Complete market survey with trend analysis of the higher education, healthcare and civic markets.