HISD Cuts Construction and Maintenance Costs While Improving Service to Schools

Report on Construction and Facility Services highlights department's success using a customer-focused, solution-driven approach

HISD has saved taxpayers millions of dollars by cutting employee overtime, restructuring contracts, reducing energy consumption, and taking other proactive actions in the Construction and Facility Services department, according to a report presented this week.

"By implementing a customer-focused, solution-driven, 'way of work,' our CFS team continues to collaboratively work with our customers to meet our schools' needs with less financial resources," said Leo Bobadilla, HISD's Chief Operating Officer. "We have streamlined reporting, developed a no-excuses, team-work culture, and increased our customer satisfaction rating by over 50 percent, all while working within budget shortfalls."

Key accomplishments achieved by following the industry's best practices and steadfastly tracking more than 70 metrics and expanded performance indicators include:

• A 60-percent reduction district-wide in maintenance and operations overtime resulting in a $5.2 million savings;
• $3 million savings through contract restructuring;
• $2.8 million savings through department reorganization;
• A 50-percent reduction in reactive work orders by reinstating an effective preventative maintenance program; and
• $935,000 in energy savings as a result of installing energy efficient equipment and implementing a four-day summer work week.

In addition, the voter-approved Bond Program continues to deliver on promises made to the community with 85 projects either under construction or already completed, 64 other projects either under design or in a bid/award phase and an additional 29 projects that will move into the design phase next year. "We are on track, and moving forward on time with our renovations, expansions and new construction projects," said CFS General Manager Issa Dadoush.

During the 2011-2012 school year, the CFS team will be implementing an energy enterprise management system, an expanded and improved single-stream recycling program, a retro-commissioning program, an energy performance contracting program to maximize energy savings district-wide, and various other initiatives to continue to improve service delivery to schools, maximize the efficient use of resources and reduce costs.

CFS manages more than 29-million square feet of property, one of the largest real estate portfolios in the country. For more information, or to track construction progress, visit www.hisdprojects.org.