Collaborative Build
Teams work together early to improve constructability, coordination and confidence throughout the project process.
Project Overview
Upgrading an existing educational facility required working across structures built at different times with varying conditions and configurations. The challenge was aligning new systems while maintaining building use during construction.
Through detailed verification and coordinated installation, the team delivered a retrofit solution that adapts to existing conditions while keeping the facility protected. The result is a unified system that improves performance without disrupting daily operations.
VP Builder
Cannon Building Systems, Inc.
Construction Type
Retrofit Reroof & Wall Solutions
Location
Alma, MO
Industry
Education
Completed
2019
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Santa Fe Schools Roof Retrofit
Working with what’s already there
Retrofit projects rarely begin with clean lines or consistent conditions. More often, they start with variation and the need to make sense of it.
For this educational facility, the building had evolved over time. Different sections had been added at different points, each with its own construction type, geometry and structural considerations. Bringing those pieces together under a single roof system required more than standard detailing.
It required understanding exactly what was in place.
Cannon Building Systems, Inc., a Varco Pruden™ Builder, worked closely with the engineer of record to verify the structural capacity of each area. Multiple inspections were conducted to confirm that the existing framework could support the new system.
That process took time, but it established a clear path forward, one based on real conditions rather than assumptions.
Keeping the building operational
While design and verification were underway, the building still needed to function.
Once the existing roofing material was removed, a temporary membrane was installed to protect the structure from weather exposure. From that point on, maintaining a watertight environment became a daily priority.
Installation moved in phases, allowing portions of the building to remain protected while work progressed. Coordination between trades was critical, especially as slope build-up framing was introduced across multiple roof areas and shapes.
These adjustments allowed the new system to align with the existing structure, creating consistent drainage and performance despite the building’s irregular geometry.
The final assembly, including the SSR™ Roof System and Panel Rib™ wall systems, brings a level of continuity that wasn’t present before. What had been a collection of separate sections now reads as a unified whole.
Recognized as a 2021 Hall of Fame “Best of Category” winner in the Retrofit category, the project reflects a practical approach to complexity: Understand the existing conditions, coordinate the solution and deliver a system that performs as intended.
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