by Saul Schrader
All construction jobs have certain challenges and details that need to be balanced. University projects seem to add even more elements into consideration – whether stemming from specific time or seasonal constraints, types of space (from labs to dining hall kitchens to faculty offices to student dorm rooms), or permitting and closeout requirements. Yet despite the varying factors that can go into a building project in the educational market sector, one constant for success relies on the softer skills of a construction professional – specifically, coordination, communication, and congeniality.
In fact, one of the most challenging components of building and renovations in educational facilities is the fact that the environment often remains occupied throughout the construction cycle. Students may be out of session, but faculty and staff are always present, and sometimes jobs can’t be delayed until the school’s next recess. Sometimes, noise restrictions are limiting – if the project is taking place in a dormitory, usually any noise is limited until after 9 a.m.; if a project takes places in an office, however, noise must desist after 9 a.m. Coordination is key in these situations – making sure onsite carpenters and other building professionals understand when they have access to a space and when they don’t, as well as planning the sequence of actions to fit within windows of accessibility.
Another component of many jobs in education is the fact that the project is most likely on a condensed schedule, often crammed into two or three months over the summer. In these cases where the schedules are both so short and incredibly intense, communication is key. Understanding what a project needs by talking to university project managers and support staff ahead of time is very beneficial to the success of the project. Awarding projects weeks in advance to begin the permitting and procurement process is also incredibly helpful — this way, anything that needs to be ordered and requires a good amount of lead time can be taken care of before the “official start,” so that when the project is given the green light construction professionals can hit the ground running. Additionally, offering updates to university project managers outside of weekly project meetings goes a long way toward building trust and improving efficiency. This type of communication, combined with coordination, can encourage a longer view of the project, and possibly help to identify and resolve any issues well before they turn into bigger situations, and possibly setbacks. Knowing the lead times and thinking about the end of the job at the beginning of the job is crucial – and visualizing this through clear communication is most effective.
Tying both coordination and communication together, successful higher ed construction professionals need to have strong people skills – a certain congeniality that allows them to get along with most people, and manage others’ strong personalities when necessary. These individuals are able to resolve problems and get things done because they’ve established a certain level of respect with their colleagues and they know who to reach out to and work together with when the inevitable challenge presents itself – whether it has to do with a change in schedule, cost, technologies, securing the appropriate permitting, fire department requirements or most importantly closing out a project.
A superintendent can walk into a university project with a firm understanding of all the specific, technical skills needed for completing even the most complex buildings, but if he or she doesn’t possess the necessary people skills, it’s highly unlikely the project is going to be completed successfully. By making the most of coordination, communication, and congeniality, construction professionals can build relationships that lead to the successful completion of university projects that benefit everyone.
Saul Schrader
Saul Schrader, LEED® AP is a Project Executive at Acella Construction.
