A C3 Project Success Story
Building with Safety, Quality, and Accountability
. Planned with C3 Principles
At project set up:
• Owner: University of Houston
• General Contractor: J.T. Vaughn Construction, LLC
• Project Type: Higher Education
• Square Footage (planned): 77,224 sq. ft.
• Estimated Cost: $54.7 million
• Project Description: A new 3-story building with research labs, teaching labs, classrooms, collaboration spaces, and offices to serve the Sugar Land campus. Designed to complement the College of Engineering and demonstrate UH’s commitment to the Sugar Land community.
C3 measures were embedded before work began:
• Mandatory C3 orientations for all craftworkers
• Jobsite safety posters and procedures displayed
• Regular safety training and refreshers
• Use of the C3 Training Database to track and verify craftworker credentials
• Compliance visits and reporting processes established in partnership with Vaughn Construction
The collaboration between UH leadership and Vaughn Construction ensured the project was set on a strong foundation.
Delivered with Results
At closeout:
• Final Square Footage: 77,224 sq. ft.
• Final Cost: $54,784,039
• Craftworkers Oriented through C3: 1,417 (well above projections)
• Total Manhours: 258,770
• Punchlist Items per Square Foot: 0.04
• Deficiency Identifications: 3,447
• Lost Time Incidents (TRIR): 0
• Recordable Incidents: 2
• Non-Recordable Incidents: 8
• Substantial Completion: July 16, 2025 (delivered on time)
Safer Work for More People
Over 1,400 craftworkers were given C3 orientation and worked more than 258,000 hours without a single lost-time incident. This is a powerful achievement, reflecting the commitment of Vaughn Construction’s leadership and University of Houston’s oversight to protect every worker on site. Even with a project of this scale and complexity, the proactive C3 safety measures kept the workforce safe and confident.
Higher Quality, Collaborative Results
While more than 3,400 deficiencies were identified during the project, every one was addressed before completion. This shows the rigor and dedication of Vaughn Construction’s project management team and the high expectations of UH’s facilities leadership. The end result was a building delivered with high-quality standards, collaborative problem-solving, and no shortcuts.
On Time and On Budget
The Student Academic Building 2 was delivered on time and within the projected budget, even as workforce needs grew beyond initial expectations. This performance is a credit to the effective scheduling and coordination between the University of Houston and Vaughn Construction. Their partnership ensured the Sugar Land community will receive a facility that matches UH’s vision and commitment.
The C3 Difference
This project demonstrates the value of C3 standards:
• Safer: Thousands of hours with no lost-time incidents.
• Higher Quality: Issues addressed proactively, leaving UH with a first-class academic building.
• On Time and On Budget: Delivered exactly as planned, thanks to strong teamwork.
Celebrating Leadership
The University of Houston’s decision to build with C3 principles, combined with Vaughn Construction’s outstanding execution, has delivered a signature facility for students, researchers, and faculty. Together, UH and Vaughn showed how collaboration, safety, and accountability create lasting impact for the workforce and the community.
