Events > Tilt-Up Convention and Expo 2026 - Salt Lake City > SESSION

How Tilt-Up Changed a School District

October 22, 2026 from 9:00am to 10:00am Mountain Standard Time

Terance White

Damon Jones

Michael Callister

Bryan Dyer

The Washington School District’s building program offers a longitudinal view into how material and system decisions evolve over time through performance, maintenance demands, and community expectations. This session compares two adjacent schools delivered under different priorities—one driven primarily by initial cost, the other representing a shift toward durability and architectural expression through integrally colored tilt-up concrete. Over more than three decades, that shift has expanded across the district’s portfolio, now encompassing 60 tilt-up buildings out of 75 schools, including the replacement of the original structure. The discussion positions this evolution as a case study in how economic constraints can ultimately lead to more durable, contextually responsive, and architecturally significant outcomes.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand how tilt-up construction contributes to long-term durability and resilience in educational facilities.
• Learn how comprehensive quality control measures improve the performance and longevity of tilt-up buildings.
• Evaluate the advantages of tilt-up construction related to speed, cost, flexibility, energy efficiency, and maintenance.
• Explore architectural detailing strategies that protect tilt-up buildings from daily wear and tear in high-use environments.