Strict quality-control procedures, a high degree of project management and meticulous craftsmanship helped guide the $157-million construction of Klein Cain High School. The 675,000-sq-ft school in northwest Houston is one of the largest in the area and will accommodate up to 3,500 students. Construction took place in two phases and required two separate crews in each trade. This presented subcontractor staffing challenges.

Instead of starting at one end of the building and working to the other end, work began at both ends and proceeded toward the center. The process increased speed and efficiency but made management and scheduling difficult.

Further complicating scheduling was a deluge of 12 in. of rain that muddied the jobsite, plus the use of high-end, innovative building materials. The school features several floor-to-ceiling folding-glass partitions not typically found in schools. A change order called for the entire front of the library to be enclosed in this operable glass. The construction team resequenced the project several times to stay on schedule.

A high-pressure gas pipeline that ran through the site carried restrictions that influenced construction. The easement had to be covered with special mats to support any equipment heavier than a pickup truck, and a pipeline inspector had to approve the process.

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