KWA Construction

KWA Construction (KWA) is a company built upon creating solid relationships. The general contracting firm specializes in multifamily housing projects with an experienced team that brings decades of industry experience to every project. KWA empowers its seasoned professionals with the technologies to streamline operations and take control of a project’s finances, ensuring the team can focus all of its energy on delivering the highest quality at the right cost on every project; this commitment keeps KWA living up to its reputation for quality craftsmanship.

The company maintains just one location in Addison, Texas, but the KWA team will traverse the state to lend a client a hand and has been doing so since 2004. KWA provides all of the traditional capabilities of a general contractor following through with preconstruction, estimating, scheduling and project management services; KWA’s attention to the smaller details result in achieving estimations and budgets, ensuring clients come back again and again.

“What sets us apart from competitors is the fact that my team and I have over 600 years of combined experience building multifamily residential projects,” says Keller Webster, founder and president of KWA, proudly. Webster himself brings over 41 years of industry experience to the company, having joined the industry in high school and landing a career after earning his degree in building construction. Webster was also a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2009, which recognizes the achievements of entrepreneurs who demonstrate a personal commitment to their business and community as well as finding success through innovation and strong financial performance.

“My team takes the extra effort to perform a comprehensive estimate on a project long before we actually break ground,” adds Webster. The company reaches out to a network of reliable subcontractors and suppliers to keep prices competitive and ensure a quality product; the approach also ensures a small amount of price security and labor availability, which have become somewhat harder to secure in recent months as material prices continue to rise, and construction activity picks up in the multifamily industry.

The Greener KWA

KWA was quick to become LEED certified, as the team considers it a standard business practice within the industry. The team recognizes that sustainability-oriented projects build value for the developers and consumers, but KWA’s commitment runs deeper. The company has now built two LEED-registered projects, as well as two Green-Built Texas-certified projects. With multiple LEED Accredited Professionals on board, the KWA team strives to ensure every community is both efficient and affordable.

One of KWA’s first green developments was Cedars District’s Buzz condos, which KWA began work on in 2005. The mid-rise development eschewed many of the luxury amenities favored by swank high-rise developments nearby in favor of investing in areas that would facilitate further redevelopment in the area and set an example for sustainable urban living.

KWA partnered with the developers of Change Chamber Development on the project. The condos featured drought tolerant landscaping and rainwater irrigation systems to reduce resource consumption. Residents also have access to a “ped dispenser,” a garage full of eGo electric mopeds, powered with electricity generated by wind power purchased from Green Mountain Energy. The property’s proximity to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and major highways would encourage carpooling and the use of mass transit systems, which the developer expanded upon with a package for residents that included a DART pass and free membership to nearby cultural institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art.

KWA also completed work in 2012 on Taylors Farm, a multifamily residential development that sets a new standard for sustainability and energy efficiency in urban living. The property is located just west of downtown Dallas, and was completed in partnership with GroundFloor Development.

The mid-rise buildings were designed to meet LEED Gold certification by incorporating all Energy Star-rated windows and kitchen appliances in addition to high-efficiency air conditioning and heating units, low-flow water fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping, energy-efficient lighting and low-VOC paints, sealants, adhesives and carpeting throughout. The property is also located near public transit stops; these shared outdoor spaces will be smoke-free and managed with the use of nontoxic pest control methods, which will contribute to the project’s certification under the LEED for Homes category.

The future looks bright for the KWA team as the need for high-density housing continues to grow within the state. Having already established a reputation as a general contracting partner dedicated to quality, cost accuracy and affordability, KWA is poised to continue building momentum in the Dallas area and beyond with the team’s proactive approach. The company will also solidify the KWA Construction team’s status as a leader in green building by pushing to include cost-effective, energy-efficient features whenever possible.