Cherokee County School District – District-Wide Building Envelope Assessment

Title: Cherokee County School District – District-Wide Building Envelope Assessment

Award Category: Building Enclosure

Project Address/Location

200 Mountain Brook Ct., Canton GA 30115

Canton, GA 30115
United States

Submitted By: Shawn LeCrone

Company Info

BEAM Professionals

5019 W Broad Street NE
Suite M223
Sugar Hill, GA 30518
United States

9723104724

[email protected]

Project Description and Background: The Cherokee County School District (CCSD) traces its beginnings to the early 1800s, when Moravian missionaries first opened a school for Cherokee students. By 1831, three missionaries were running eleven schools throughout the county. Over the years, the landscape of education in Cherokee County has transformed, from the closure of boarding schools to the merger of the Canton Independent School District with the county system in the late 1950s. Today, CCSD stands as a unified district, established in 1975, operating around 40 public schools and serving more than 42,000 students across Cherokee County, Georgia. As facilities aged and enrollment surged, CCSD sought a fresh perspective by issuing a Request for Proposal for a Comprehensive Building Envelope Analysis across the county. BEAM earned the contract through its strong qualifications and proposal. Partnering closely with the District, BEAM embarked on an in-depth assessment of building envelope conditions at 48 campuses, covering more than 5.5 million square feet. The evaluation spotlighted areas in need of maintenance, repair, or replacement, empowering the District to make informed capital planning decisions. BEAM’s team delved into the history of each building, reviewing past renovations, and conducted thorough visual and physical inspections of exteriors, from roof membranes and sheet metal flashings to wall assemblies. Aerial mapping captured every rooftop feature, ensuring no detail was overlooked. Each facility received a tailored report detailing current conditions, roof system types, projected lifespan, and prioritized recommendations complete with cost estimates. The final, customized report—available both digitally and in print—featured comprehensive overviews, site maps, photographs, and essential findings. The project culminated in a review meeting, where BEAM shared its insights and strategic guidance with District leaders.

Scope: Our consultants collaborated closely with the District throughout the project, performing site walks and cost analysis in preparation for the final deliverable. By leveraging BEAM’s extensive cost analysis database, we aimed to support the District’s goals and provide expertise that contributed to a successful building envelope assessment. Due to the complexity and size of this project, our consultants recognized the importance of understanding the District’s unique needs and organized the process into three clear steps: 1.) Initial Site Walk 2.) Data Entry 3.) Cost Analysis and Finalization. With a district of this size, we implemented the use of iPads to directly input deficiencies during the initial site walk, aiming to reduce administrative burden for District staff and ensure accuracy. This approach allowed us to visually examine all walls, windows, doors, masonry, gutters, and roofs and document findings in real time. During data entry, our team used an assessment database that synced directly from the iPads, streamlining communication with the District. We held a line-by-line review meeting with District representatives to discuss and analyze the discovered deficiencies, ensuring their priorities and insights shaped the work items at each facility. In the final step—Cost Analysis and Finalization—we worked alongside the District to prioritize and refine the proposed scopes of work and estimate associated costs. The final priorities were defined as E-SPLOST 7A (life-cycle has 2-4 remaining years), E-SPLOST 7B (life-cycle has 5-7 remaining years), E-SPLOST 8 (life-cycle has 8-13 remaining years), and Future E-SPLOST (not to be addressed at this time). The District now has a living document that outlines all building envelope recommended replacements scheduled for the next 20+ years, reflecting a shared commitment to long-term facility planning. Our consultants were grateful for the District’s active involvement and played a supporting role by providing Subject-Matter Experts in exterior envelope and architectural components.

Solution: With BEAM’s comprehensive cost analysis database at our fingertips, our team was able to provide the District with a clear, precise scope of work and a transparent breakdown of all remediation costs. Our goal throughout was to ensure the District has the information and confidence needed to plan effectively for the future. This project was not without challenges thought; the District’s facilities span a wide range of ages and construction types, from prefabricated metal buildings to tilt-wall construction. Developing a 20+ year building envelope replacement plan that addressed the unique assembly requirements of 48 buildings was a significant undertaking. Yet, by leaning on proven tools such as AutoDesk Build for data collection and SmartSheet for organizing the many datapoints, we were able to turn complexity into clarity for the District. The end result is more than just a plan, it is a resource designed to ease the District’s decision-making process, provide transparency in costs, and offer a roadmap that respects both immediate needs and long-term stewardship of its facilities.

Value: The heart of this project was to give the District a clear, practical tool to support its ongoing commitment to safe and well-maintained facilities for students, staff, and the community. By organizing facility information, assigning cost estimates, and prioritizing deficiencies, the District now has a roadmap that makes planning more manageable and funding more attainable. To make this process meaningful for the District, we categorized facility needs by life-cycle stage within the proposed E-SPLOST framework. Immediate Needs & Critical Life-Cycle Replacements (E-SPLOST 7A) represent systems with only 2–4 years of life remaining. E-SPLOST 7B addresses systems within 5–7 years, while E-SPLOST 8 identifies those with 8–13 years. Items expected to last 14+ years were categorized as Future E-SPLOST considerations. Breaking these needs into smaller, digestible steps empowers the District to pursue funding strategically and ensures that critical items receive timely attention, with transparent documentation to support requests. This effort reflects a true partnership. Our team, drawing on the expertise of consultants from across the country, came together to collect, analyze, and present the data in a way that best serves the District’s priorities. Just as importantly, the active involvement of the District’s own facilities managers shaped the final deliverables, grounding them in the realities of day-to-day operations. Ultimately, the outcome is more than a report—it is a tool created with and for the District, designed to help safeguard its facilities, support its long-term vision, and ensure that students and staff can thrive in safe, well-maintained learning environments.

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