This past June, commercial HVAC contractor TDIndustries, Dallas, TX, completed the largest project it's ever had to tackle in its 60-year history: the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

TD's work included 60 miles of piping, 2.5 million pounds of sheet metal, nearly two miles of ductwork feeding the bowl, and more than 3,450 plumbing fixtures.

Special time was spent on quality assurance, quality control, safety, scheduling, making sure the correct people and supervisors were available, and a strong commitment to support the general contractor, Manhattan Construction.

“We worked with Manhattan Construction during the scheduling process to create a good sequence of work which we hoped would prevent spikes and dips in the manpower required. By having a well-planned schedule, TD was able to better control its manpower needs,” says Dave Youden, vice president of TDIndustries.

One of the most interesting and complex phases of the project was planning the ductwork supplying air to the stadium's main seating area. The planning required 500 man-hours. Because scaffolding tall enough to handle the ductwork didn't exist, TDIndustries' Partners — as its employees are known — were required to work while suspended from rafters more than 250-ft. above the field.

The fact that duct sizes larger than 8-ft. in diameter made up the majority of the bowl's system created challenges. These challenges related to handling and maneuvering materials around the jobsite prior to placing the duct high above the field.

For maximum safety, TD spent many hours creating pre-task safety plans and verifying outside training on materials and equipment that were unfamiliar to the Partners involved in the installation.

TDIndustries was the 1995 ContractingBusiness.com Commercial Contractor of the Year.