High-Profile: September 2026 | Page 16

16 High-Profile Focus: Schools and Institutions September 2026

safety measures, and temporary disruptions.

• Educational opportunities: Integrate student learning through site tours, mentorship programs, or curriculum tieins where appropriate.

By Carson Collier

Renovating or expanding an occupied school demands a fundamentally different approach than constructing a standalone building elsewhere on the site. In occupiedfacility work, construction occurs within tight adjacencies, sometimes directly attached to active classrooms, requiring heightened attention to safety, circulation, acoustics, and emergency access. The margin for error is small, and planning must be anticipatory, conservative, and collaborative.

The four phases of QA + M Architecture’ s recent North Branford High School project reinforced the lessons shared here and sharpened our approach with each successive phase. The campus originally consisted of three connected buildings: an intermediate school, a shared auditorium, and the high school. The project demolished portions of the high school to construct new additions overlapping the existing footprint, followed by demolition of the remaining facility for the next phase of construction. Students resided in the existing school and auditorium which continued to operate safely while new construction rose within fifteen feet of those occupied spaces. Architecture Phasing Image 1 Successful phased renovation and addition projects balance overlapping priorities: uninterrupted education, student safety, predictable circulation, and controlled construction impacts. The following guidance distills practical lessons for owners, architects, and contractors undertaking these complex projects.

Principles for Phasing Success

• Safe buffer zones: Sequence demolition

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Aerial of North Branford High School

and new construction so occupied areas remain separated by secure, monitored barriers and controlled access points.

• Strategic timing: Schedule the most disruptive activities during school breaks or summer windows.

• Built-in flexibility: Incorporate contingency weeks to absorb unforeseen conditions, permitting delays, or required design adjustments.

Site Logistics and Student Safety

• Early discussions between architects and owners should define non-negotiables: acceptable noise levels, vibration, dust and air-quality thresholds, temporary entries and exits, and changes to parent and bus circulation. Student safety requires layered, proactive controls:

• Perimeter and access control: Establish permanent and temporary fencing, controlled entry points, and dedicated construction access that never intersects student routes.

• Emergency access: Maintain existing or temporary clearly marked emergency routes for school occupants, construction crews and emergency personnel.

• Visual and acoustic separation: Use solid barriers, sound-attenuating partitions, and covered walkways to shield students from dust, noise, and visual distraction.

• Onsite monitoring: Assign a contractor safety liaison to coordinate daily with school administration and security staff.

• Minimize disruption: Orient noisy work away from occupied classrooms whenever possible.

• Off-hour work: Specify off-hour requirements in bid documents so contractors can price them appropriately and avoid later change orders.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

• Predictable communication reduces surprises and builds trust across the school community.

• Project committee: Include school leadership, municipal officials, and parent representatives to review phasing milestones and safety protocols.

• Weekly coordination: Hold standing meetings with the contractor, architect, and school operations staff to review upcoming impacts.

• uage updates on schedule milestones,

Mechanical / Electrical Phasing Strategy

• A common HVAC phasing strategy involves constructing a new mechanical / electrical room within the addition. Renovated areas are systematically connected to the new system while unrenovated areas remain on the existing one. Ceiling cavities and rooftops may not accommodate dual systems during transition phases, requiring careful evaluation and sequencing.

• Architects and engineers must collaborate to define a logical, workable strategy. At final turnover, existing systems are decommissioned and removed, freeing space for future use. Commissioning should occur immediately after each phase turnover to ensure classrooms are fully operational before occupancy.

Architecture Phasing Image 1

Architecture Phasing Image 2

Contracting and Schedule Controls

• Procurement should align with risk allocation. Construction manager or CM / GC delivery enables early contractor involvement and collaborative phasing. Contract language should:

• Define phasing milestones and occupancy dates, tying payments and liquidated damages to phase turnovers.

• Require detailed phasing submittals including logistics plans, fencing layouts, and abatement strategies before mobilization.

• Establish contingency and changeorder protocols to manage unforeseen conditions and expedite approvals. Carson Collier, AIA, is a project architect and associate at QA + M Architecture. www. high-profile. com