At a Glance
The new Hays High School is a two-story building with an 800-seat Performing Arts Center; 2,000-seat gymnasium; and 2,500-seat football stadium. To maintain the district's vision for a state-of-the-art high school, Nabholz launched strategic value engineering (VE) efforts to reduce costs — all to support students for generations to come.
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Key Solutions
STAYING WITHIN BUDGET WITH STRATEGIC VALUE ENGINEERING
When early estimates projected the total cost of Hays High School’s bond projects well above the allocated budget, the Nabholz team launched a strategic value engineering (VE) effort to achieve the district’s goals while staying within budget. This process reduced costs and maintained the total size and functionality of the building. One key strategy involved separating the project into 84 individual bid packages, tailored toward local contractor capacity, which helped ensure their ability to contribute successfully.
During the conceptual design phase, our VE efforts focused on optimizing major building systems, building massing efficiency, and site infrastructure for the five separate projects included in the bond. As the schematic design (SD) phase unfolded, the expanding needs of the district began to push costs higher. In response, Nabholz collaborated with partner architects, engineers, and the client team to realign dollars within the overall bond budget through multiple VE sessions. These efforts included optimizing site development and on-site grading to ensure a balanced site, refining building envelope systems for efficiency, and working collaboratively with the client to align furniture, fixture, and equipment costs — ensuring the project design remained on par with educational institutions in the region.
As the design development (DD) phase progressed, we introduced over 100 cost-saving ideas that targeted design efficiency without compromising quality. Another key strategy involved collaborating closely with local market trade contractors, whose specialized expertise and input allowed us to introduce 300 more creative solutions. This collaboration resulted in $10 million in total savings while preserving the full design program. Notable examples include a comprehensive evaluation of the building automation system, where we opted for a cost-effective alternative that provided the same HVAC and lighting controls, saving nearly $900,000. Similarly, an optimized structural design proposed by the concrete and steel contractors saved nearly $1 million, and careful consideration of athletic facility materials, such as turf and lighting systems, contributed to significant cost reductions.
Through a continuous and data-driven VE process, Nabholz successfully brought the total project cost down to achieve the client’s goals within budget. Local contractor participation reached 20.1%, further supporting the community and ensuring the project’s success. The facilities promised to the community in their bond were delivered as envisioned, thanks to the intentional efforts of the district, DLR Group, and Nabholz to keep the bond scope and budget intact.
