Poudre School District Summer Renovations

Enhancing learning environments through long-term partnership, strategic planning, and fast-track school improvements.

For more than a decade, Saunders has partnered with the Poudre School District (PSD) to deliver a wide range of capital improvements and facility modernization projects across the district. Serving as construction manager/general contractor on numerous projects since 2010, Saunders has helped PSD enhance the functionality, safety, comfort, and efficiency of its schools through carefully planned renovations often completed within compressed summer schedules.

Many of these projects have been executed during short 8- to 12-week summer construction windows, requiring extensive preplanning, coordination, and fast-track execution to ensure facilities were ready for students and staff at the start of each academic year. Working within occupied educational environments and strict schedule constraints, the team consistently delivered improvements that minimized disruption while maximizing long-term value for the district.

A major focus of the renovation program has been upgrading aging building systems and improving occupant comfort. Numerous schools received HVAC improvements, including the installation of air conditioning in buildings that had never been cooled since their original construction. Additional infrastructure upgrades included new building automation systems, on-demand water heaters, plumbing fixture replacements, and energy-efficient lighting improvements designed to enhance performance and reduce operating costs.

Safety, accessibility, and security improvements were also implemented throughout the district. Renovations included high-security and ADA-compliant door hardware, replacement of flooring and finishes, and the construction of new secured entry vestibules designed to improve building access control and enhance student and staff safety.

In addition to large-scale renovation efforts, Saunders has completed numerous smaller projects that support district operations and facility needs. In 2019 alone, these projects included a boiler replacement at the Johanssen Support Services Complex, modular classroom setup work at Riffenburgh Elementary School, and installation of ice storage equipment at Bacon Elementary School.

One of the district’s most significant recent projects was the 2020 HVAC and building automation replacement at Rocky Mountain High School. Awarded through a competitive hard-bid process, the $3.6 million project included replacement of major HVAC equipment and installation of a modern building automation control system. The majority of the work was completed during the summer months, ensuring minimal impact on school operations while significantly improving building performance and occupant comfort.

The result is a long-standing partnership that has helped modernize educational facilities across the district, creating safer, more comfortable, and more efficient learning environments for students, teachers, and staff throughout the Poudre School District.