Higher Education Institutional Investors & Owners

VERTEX supports higher education institutions during construction projects, from renovations to new development.

As a truly mission-focused enterprise with a largely youthful constituency, college and university campuses are active 24/7. Your higher education capital project needs to be managed by people who understand they are a visitor to your school and will take proactive steps to assure the impacts of your campus project will be as minimal as possible to campus activity and operations. Still, there is no way (yet) to make a multi-million (sometimes hundreds of million) dollar building or renovation project magically appear. However, having managed over $1B in higher education projects in the past ten years, we have identified key techniques and approaches to make the process more predictable and less impactful on your campus community.

Proactive Planning & Designing

First and foremost, colleges and universities are collaborative environments. We have developed several preconstruction processes which embrace that collaborative spirit, while delivering your capital project efficiently. By identifying and engaging all stakeholders, both academic and operational, early and often throughout the design phase, we avoid the costly consequences of revisiting design decisions made in earlier phases. By proactively identifying critical risk factors, we manage the mitigation of those risks as the project moves through the design process. Additionally, we have developed an intense, iterative cost estimating process which provides real time cost feedback as the design progresses. This process translates to a more predictable design phase that sets aggressive, but achievable, expectations for the scope, budget, and schedule for your project.

Minimize Campus Impacts

The impacts of construction on an active higher education campus can be significant, yet need not be disruptive. We have implemented several approaches and techniques to mitigate the impacts of construction on congested campuses. Construction mitigation starts early in design by establishing construction impacts as a key criteria in the design process and implementing constructability reviews starting in schematic design. It is important to build the academic calendar into the project schedule to take advantage of key opportunities (summers, inter-sessions) and avoid impacts during critical time periods (exams, commencement). Active construction management planning for traffic control, off hours work, and occupied spaces will help reduce the construction “footprint” substantially.

Effective Communication

New capital projects offer an exciting opportunity to showcase institutional advancement. These complex undertakings involve key stakeholders, therefore clear communication is imperative. Our 360-degree approach to project management means we integrate communications seamlessly into the project delivery cycle. Using an online collaboration portal, we are able to share information and collaborate with our institutional and project partners securely and effectively. For external communications, we develop project specific communications plans which incorporate “town hall,” bulletins, and a project communications website to keep your campus community up to date on project advancements and aware of project impacts.

Cutting Edge Technology & Sustainability

As incubators of future thought, colleges and universities are the leading edge of new ideas. Increasingly, that entrepreneurial energy is reflected in your building projects. Whether incorporating the latest thinking in sustainability and resilience, employing lean management techniques, or utilizing integrated design and construction methods, we provide project management services tailored to your priorities. Our in-house specialists in these and other forward-thinking practices complement our traditional project management skills and technical services to assure your project team can meet all challenges a project will present. Additionally, one of our core values is to embrace a Lifetime of Learning philosophy for our staff to assure they are always curious and current on developing methodologies.

Innovative Project Controls

While the design and construction industry has seen many technological and productivity advances in recent years, the formula for success of any project still relies on day-to-day execution of a sound project management plan to keep your project on time and under budget. To that end, your project representatives must be highly competent in the basics of project controls. From establishing and updating an accurate project budget that foresees all possible costs and contingencies to developing and maintaining an aggressive yet achievable schedule, our project managers are fully versed in the fundamentals of project management. Additionally, systems such as building envelopes and integrated controls are becoming increasingly complex and require quality assurance programs that meet that complexity.

Successful Turnover

Since any new or renovated building on your campus would be expected to last several decades, the transition to occupancy and operations is as important as the construction itself. Our approach to commissioning and turnover starts at the beginning by developing a thorough understanding of your facility, technology, and related departments standards and expectations. With a consistent check-in plan during design, we are able to assure the final result meets all expectations. Whether a complex lab or a 24/7 residence hall, each building reflects its own priorities and operational complexities. By constantly engaging your building representatives throughout construction, we aim to avoid surprises and delays in startup and commissioning. Additionally, we commit to post occupancy check-ins to assure the building’s performance meets everyone’s expectations.

Additional Solutions Offered on Higher Education Campuses and Schools

VERTEX is an industry-rated top Design Engineering, Construction, Environmental, and Forensic Consulting company that is value focused and operates with a constant sense of urgency. We are comprised of professional managers, engineers and scientists who provide valuable, innovative solutions in land development, civil infrastructure, construction, environmental, and industrial hygiene in addition to litigation support services/forensics to Clients in the private and public sectors. The highly diversified and comprehensive service offerings within VERTEX facilitate successful project outcomes that are completed on time and on budget. We have provided complex engineering and construction services on over $1B in construction and construction management projects for public and private Clients nationally and internationally. We are recognized for our integrity and the quality of our work. We enjoy outstanding Client relationships and are proud of the reputation we have earned by consistently delivering successful project outcomes for over 25 years.