Photo courtesy of Satterfield & Pontikes Construction

Designed by SHW Group, Plano, Texas, the 104,000-sq-ft Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy was completed by the Dallas office of Satterfield & Pontikes Construction in June 2011.

Providing a college preparatory curriculum for as many as 500 students, the 104,000-sq-ft Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy is on a 10-acre greenfield site adjacent to a nature preserve south of Dallas. Designed by SHW Group, Plano, Texas, the school was completed by the Dallas office of Satterfield & Pontikes Construction in June 2011.

Incorporating a brick and curtain wall exterior, the $22-million, two-story steel structure was delivered by S&P on time, within budget and with no lost-time incidents. S&P used BIM software to create a model that was used for multiple project tasks, including coordination of the MEP trades for above-ceiling conflict detection.

Green elements include geothermal heating and cooling, low-consumption plumbing fixtures, extensive construction waste recycling and energy-efficient lighting in classrooms, the auditorium and the gymnasium.

Major challenges centered on coordinating the many high-end finishes found throughout the school, such as Simplex perforated metal panels, 100% recyclable Swisspearl fiber concrete panels, bamboo and Italian marble.

"Procuring materials with long lead times and precisely installing those materials proved quite challenging and allowed no room for error," says John Marshall, S&P vice president. "The high-end finishes were not typical for a school. Every step, from procurement to final installation of several types of high-end finishes, presented significant challenges."

Installing a 300-ft span of the energy-efficient Simplex panels 50 ft above the floor required extreme attention to safety and installation detail. Nearby ductwork, for example, had to be coordinated. With a lead time of 12 weeks or more for the panels, front-end planning and coordination among the trades had to be precise.

In addition, 20 large steel pipe columns were installed. The columns—four that are load bearing—are not vertical but randomly angled. Installing them at the correct angles and coordinating with the steel, concrete and other finishes also proved time-consuming.

Key Players

Owner: Dallas Independent School District, Dallas

General Contractor: Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Dallas

Construction Manager: Jacobs, Houston

Lead Design: SHW Group, Plano, Texas

Civil: Pacheco Koch, Dallas

Structural: AG&E Associates, Addison, Texas

Submitted by:

Satterfield & Pontikes Construction