CCR Issue 9-2022

To the mall…

Ican remember as a kid heading to the Southern Park Mall in Boardman, Ohio, which at the time was one of the country’s most premiere mall destinations. Developed by Edward J. DeBartolo Corp., the Southern Park Mall was named after the historic South ern Park Race Track. On our trips over from New Castle, Pennsyl vania, we would pass the historic horse racing facility located less than two miles from the mall.

The mall had everything. A record store where I could look for my favorite artists. A sporting goods store where I could find just about anything I needed to fulfill my dream of playing for the Pirates. And the food. There was this one restaurant where my brothers and I would race to get in line, saving every bit of our allowances to get a taste of the special seasoned chicken. Chick fil A I believe is what they called the place.

Looking back, the mall was the place to be—the place to go when you wanted to find something you just couldn’t find anywhere else. And it was all in the same place.

Today, well, it’s a different day. Even before the pandemic steered us away from that “everyone-in-one-place-at-onetime-is-too-much” mentality, malls were losing a bit of their luster. Maybe that’s why mall developers are doing all they can to try and make malls a place people want to spend some time hanging out.

Take the American Dream in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the New Jersey Hall of Fame just broke ground on a 10,000-square-foot custom built space. Dubbed an “Entertainment and Learning Center (ECL),” the highly immersive facility, located on the third floor, will become the first permanent home of the Hall of Fame in spring 2023.

The new facility will be home to one of the ultimate symbols of Jersey pride (yes, that means you BRUUUUUUUCE). Visitors can expect a bunch of that Jersey flair, including life-size replicas of New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees and the Hometown Exhibit, which enables people to enjoy a virtual-reality tour in a classic car with an inductee.

Oh, and did you know there was more (always is, or else I wouldn’t have given it all this cool space)? The center also will house the historic Model T. Ford car that Hall of Fame inductee Thomas Edison received from Henry Ford in 1933. Or, you can jump on the “Fly Me to the Moon” motion simulator, narrated by former astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly. There also will be a Great Hall display featuring a number of “Everyday Heroes.”

The New Jersey Hall of Fame is just one of a number of attrac tions expected to give people the kind of memories I still have of my days hanging out in a mall. The 11,000-square-foot Paradox Muse um, opening soon, features more than 70 exhibits of mind-twisting, eye-tricking experiences. In addition, there are 11 other attractions already opened, including the Nickelodeon Universe theme park, DreamWorks Water Park and the 300-foot Dream Wheel—a 3-D museum, TILT with 26 illusionist exhibits.

Hey, maybe they will even land a Chick fil A. See you at the mall.

We want to hear from you

At Commercial Construction & Renovation, we’re always looking to showcase the best of what our industry is doing. If you have a project profile or a fresh perspective on how to keep our industry positively moving forward, shoot me an email at mikep@ccr-mag.com. We’d love to take a look.

Michael J. Pallerino is the editor of Commercial Construction & Renovation. You can reach him at 678.513.2397 or via email at mikep@ccr-mag.com.

RETAILERS

AARON ANCELLO Facilities Asset Management Public Storage

DEDRICK KIRKEM Facilities Director Fragracenet.com

BOB MEZA

Senior Construction Project Manager Target

JOHN MIOLOGOS Director, Store Standards Store Design and Planning Walgreens Company

LAURA GROSS Retail Facilities Manager American Signature Furniture

RON VOLSKE Development Director Focus brands

RESTAURANTS

RON BIDINOST

Vice President of Construction Bubbakoo’s Burritos

DAVID SHOTWELL Construction Manager Atticus Franchise Group

DAVID THOMPSON Construction Manager

The Honey Baked Ham Company, LLC

ROB ADKINS, LEED AP CDP Project Development Manager- Licensed Stores- National Accounts Starbucks Coffee Company

ISYOL E. CABRERA Director Development and Construction Focus Brands LLC

DEMETRIA PETERSON Project Director, Design and Construction HMSHost HOSPITALITY

JOHN COOPER Principal Executive Vice President Stormont Hospitality Group LLC

SAMUEL D. BUCKINGHAM, RS CMCA AMS President & Co-Founder Evergreen Financial Partners LLC

GARY RALL Vice President of Design and Development Holiday Inn Club Vacations

ROBERT RAUCH CEO RAR Hospitality Faculty Assoc. Arizona State University

JOE THOMAS Vice President Engineering Loews Hotels

LU SACHARSKI Vice President of Operations and Project Management Interserv Hospitality

ANDY BRIGGS, CHA Managing Principal A14 Capital Management

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

MATT SCHIMENTI President Schimenti Construction JOHN STALLMAN Marketing Manager Lakeview Construction DEVELOPMENT/PROJECT MANAGEMENT

KAY BARRETT NCIDQ, CDP Senior Vice President Cushman & Wakefield

CLINTON “BROOKS” HERMAN, PMP Construction Project Manager Hill International, Inc.

PAM GOODWIN Goodwin Advisors, LLC Goodwin Commercial The Pam Goodwin Show

JIM SHEUCHENKO President Property Management Advisors LLC

CHRIS VARNEY Principal, Executive Vice President EMG

STEPHEN HEKMAN Executive VP Kingsmen Retail Services US

KEN DEMSKE Vice President Jones Lang LaSalle

REAL ESTATE

MEGAN HAGGERTY Founder Legacy Capital Investment

PERMITTING

VAUN PODLOGAR CEO, Owner, Founder State Permits, Inc.

BOB WITKEN Chief Operating Officer KCA Development

CONSULTANT

GINA MARIE ROMEO Founder Connect Source Consulting Group, LLC.

ARCHITECTS/ENGINEERS

JEFFREY D. MAHLER

RCA Advisory Board Member

FRED MARGULIES

Director of Retail Architecture

Onyx Creative

STEVEN MCKAY Managing Principal, Global Design Leader DLR Group

STEVE TURNER Director GPD Group

STEVEN R. OLSON, AIA President CESO, Inc. ADA

BRAD GASKINS Principal The McIntosh Group

ACADEMIA

DR. MARK LEE LEVINE Professor

Burns School/ Daniels College University of Denver

AroundtheIndustry

Restaurants

Capriotti’s

Sandwich chain Capriotti’s has been investing in tech innovation with a focus on automating more tasks at its namesake and Wing Zone restaurants. The focus on automation is designed to fuel the chains’ growth amid the ongoing labor shortage and serve customers who grew accustomed to digital ordering during the pandemic.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s will relocate its innovation center from a facility in Romeoville, Illinois to its downtown Chicago headquarters in a new hub called Speedee Labs. The labs will work on finding solutions to operational problems and improving the customer experience. About 100 employees are expected to relocate to the new hub when the first phase of the project opens in the second half of next year.

Jack in the Box’s Crave Jack in the Box’s new Crave store format is designed to highlight the brand’s modernized design and color palette as well as to integrate new technology, including double drive-thrus and digital menu boards. Digital orders now generate upwards of 10% of the chain’s total sales and new units will be built to the Crave format starting next year.

Smokey Bones

Smokey Bones’ new drive-thru program features included digital menu boards and order confirmation screens and an express lane. Customers can order ahead or at the window and choose from a menu of dishes that are ready in five minutes or the full Smokey Bones menu, which takes longer to prepare. They also have the option of adding items from two virtual brands: The Burger Experience and The Wing Experience.

Paris Baguette

South Korea-based Paris Baguette, which is returning to growth mode in the US after a pause on franchise expansion earlier in the pandemic, plans to add 56 new locations this year. The chain has unveiled a new format that puts a greater focus on its baked goods, and several new franchise agreements are part of a plan to grow to more than 1,000 units over the next eight years.

Au Bon Pain

Ampex Brands has created a new Au Bon Pain store prototype that will debut next year in the Northeast and be the design for future corporate store remodels. The Cafe of the Future format is designed to be bright and open and focus on off-premises dining, with graband-go options displayed prominently and scan-and-pay kiosks that let customers avoid lines.

Eggs Up Grill

Eggs Up Grill plans to open around 70 new units by the end of 2022. The company has signed an agreement with Alliance Food Group to open 30 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Hospitality

RIU Hotel

Construction is complete and occupancy has begun at the RIU Plaza Hotel, 48-story skyscraper at 145 West 47th Street in Times Square. Designed by Berg + Moss Architects and developed by Tribeach Holdings, the 519-foot-tall structure yields 353,000 square feet and 630 rooms.

Extended Stay America

Extended Stay America has unveiled its Extended Stay America Select Suites brand, which will feature apartment-like accommodations for long-term guests, including equipped kitchens, onsite laundry, WiFi and pet-friendly rooms. The extended-stay brand is planning to open nearly 100 properties across 30 states.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Plano, Texas is the first city to host a new extended-stay brand hotel from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The hotel is slated to sit along the southeast corner of Highway 121 and Rasor Boulevard. The 124room Project ECHO prototype will take up just under two acres of land and offer unique economy rooms.

Marriott International Marriott International has opened a new global headquarters in downtown Bethesda, Maryland at a 785,000-square-foot office tower owned by BXP and The Bernstein Cos. The building includes a day-care center, test kitchen, an Innovation and Design Lab and other amenities.

Hilton Hotels

A new lifestyle hotel, Tempo by Hilton Brand, is set to open next year in New York City. The 661-room hotel at TSX Broadway will feature programming from TSX Entertainment, an area for remote workers, wellness guest rooms and a dining terrace overlooking Times Square.

IHG Hotels & Resorts

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced its new EVEN Hotels prototype, featuring an updated restaurant that offers healthy and indulgent choices along with a market, in-room fitness experiences and a spainspired shower, as well as a complimentary tea service each night.

Enhanced Glass and Window Performance

One Nationwide Source

AroundtheIndustry

Resorts World Hudson Valley Casino

Resorts World Hudson Valley Casino, housed in a mostly vacant shopping center in the Newburgh Mall in Newburgh, New York, is scheduled to open this fall with a sports bar and 1,200 electronic table games and video lottery terminals. The 90,000-square-foot facility is projected to generate more than 250 local jobs and stimulate redevelopment at the shopping center.

Retail Five Below

Five Below will end 2022 with 160 new locations and plans to open 200 stores in 2023. The expansions are part of the discount retailer’s plans to grow to 3,500 locations and double sales and earnings by the end of 2026.

Best Buy

Best Buy recently opened a new digital-first, small box store concept in Monroe, North Carolina. The 5,000-square-foot store features a curated selection of “best-on-category products” in audio and home theater, cameras, cellphones, computing, small appliances, smart home tech and wearables.

Mejuri

Direct-to-consumer fine jewelry brand Mejuri plans to double its store count to 22 by the end of 2022 with a format that makes it easier and more fun for consumers to spend on jewelry for themselves.

Sephora

Sephora’s new Store of the Future format will make its Asia debut in Singapore with a focus on experiences and services. The space will feature interactive areas for experimenting with products and offer hair and skin services, including an app called Skincredible that will offer customers skin analysis and personalized advice on skin care.

Reformation

Fashion retailer Reformation will open two new London stores as part of a focus on growing its presence in the UK and Europe. The sustainability-minded brand operates 35 stores in the US, UK and Canada, and its first London location opened three years ago in Notting Hill.

FatFace

UK-based lifestyle retailer FatFace will grow its North American presence next year when it opens the first of six planned stores in Canada. FatFace plans to add eight North American stores annually.

Tractor Supply

Tractor Supply is changing the name of its Petsense retail stores to Petsense by Tractor Supply and modernize the stores to make them more welcoming. Additionally, Petsense shoppers can join Tractor Supply’s Neighbor’s Club loyalty program to earn perks like free pet grooming services and gain access to digital features for ordering pet medications and getting veterinary advice.

Grocery Meijer

Meijer unveiled its newest store concept, Meijer Grocery, which will offer a quick and convenient shopping experience in a small-footprint store format ranging from 75,000 to 90,000 square feet. The first two stores, opening in early 2023 in the Detroit area, will feature grocery staples, fresh produce, a full-service deli and a pharmacy.

Amazon Go

Amazon has opened its first Southern California Amazon Go convenience store in Whittier. The store includes “Just Walk Out” technology, a selection of locally sourced products, a madeto-order kitchen, on-tap cold brew coffee and kombucha teas, self-serve Pinkberry frozen yogurt and lockers to pick up products purchased online.

H-E-B

H-E-B is continuing its growth across North Texas after purchasing 20-plus acres in Prosper, about 30 miles north of Dallas in Collin County. H-E-B has two stores under construction in Allen and McKinney that will open next summer.

ALDI

Aldi is expanding its Southern California footprint with the opening of a new market in West Hills. The opening is part of the company’s plan to add 150 additional stores throughout the US.

Lidl

Discount grocery store chain Lidl US has signed a 25,000-squarefoot lease with William Macklowe Co. and Senlac Ridge Partners to open its first location in Brooklyn, New York.

Kroger

Kroger has teamed with Kitchen United Mix to open in-store ghost kitchens, starting with a location in a Los Angeles Ralph’s store that offers food from 10 participating restaurant concepts. Four Texas locations are slated to open in the near future.

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management.

Reserving your pie

Three hotels have signed up for Uno Pizzeria & Grill's new franchising opportunity, which allows hotels to convert existing space into a Uno unit. The company also is offering a franchise model that mimics the design of the original Uno Pizzeria restaurant in Chicago. While the program still is being rolled out, the brand already has transformed three hotel venues in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. More partnerships are expected.

What they’re saying...

“Having that ability to text them and email them and really keep ourselves top of mind while people were home wanting food delivery or carryout that they felt safe with was very important.”

— Deena McKinley, chief experience officer for parent company New England Authentic Eats, on Papa Gino’s strategy of keeping up with customers via text technology

“Eliminating diesel is our goal for today, but we’re also looking to the future and our ultimate goal of operating a carbon-free fleet.”

— Matt Harris, Sustainability Manager for energy and fleet technology for Wegmans, on the grocer’s testing out Nikola’s Tre battery-electric vehicles as a possible way to increase the long-term sustainability of its fleet.

“We are taking clear action and affirming our commitment to be net zero by 2050, not for our commercial gain but to create concrete change and encourage others to join us on the journey to net zero, and eventually net positive.”

— Radisson Hotel Group CEO Federico Gonzalez on the hoteliers commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 46% by 2030 and becoming net zero by 2050

CUSTOM LIGHTING DESIGNS

Getting all Chippy

Chipotle Mexican Grill will start testing Chippy, a chip-making robot from Miso Ro botics, at a single unit in California after testing the technology at its innovation hub. The chain also is experimenting with other technology innovations at select stores, includ ing location-based tools from Flybuy to improve app efficiency and a machine learning system created by PreciTaste to reduce food waste.

Filling the gaps

Apartnership

The numbers game

The percent of consumers who said they are dining out at least once a month, with 44% saying they’re eating in restaurants once a week or more, according to TouchBistro “2022 Diner Trends Report.”

The average drive-thru service time so far in 2022, according to an annual study from Intouch Insight of more than 1,500 drive-thrus at 10 chains. The time still is about 45 seconds longer than the typical wait time in 2019. KFC took first place this year on total time, pushing Chick-fil-A to second; McDonald’s and Arby’s tied for first on order accuracy; and Chick-fil-A and Carl’s Jr. both ranked highest

The amount, in millions, that True Food Kitchen has raised in its plan to add new restaurants and launch a smaller-format fastcasual brand.

project deserves the best team in

The Great Indoors

RCA networking tour visit Denver REI

If you’re going to be in Denver, it’s always good to do Denver things. For example, visiting one of the hottest spots for Denver outdoor enthusiasts—which just happens to be a very cool place to hold a networking venue.

Located in the restored 1901 Denver Tramway building, REI Denver was where the RCA networking crew held court. The historic building offers the latest in outdoor gear and clothing, in addition to a complete bike shop. The event was hosted by Schein er Commercial Group Inc. and Shames Construction Company.

Upcoming RCA network events are slated for New Orleans (November) and CenterBuild in Phoenix (November 30).

For more information, contact info@retailcontractors.org

Automated construction

Improving construction affordability, productivity and sustainability via robotics

By Anna Chenuintai

Despite record-high housing demand, the construction industry has faced a steady decline in productivity, with many citing a lack of skilled tradespeople among the leading causes. Recent findings report that over 80% of construction companies cannot find the workers they need, resulting in construction delays, higher labor prices and fewer deliveries—all of which impact profitability for builders.

Facing a shortage of more than 650,000 workers, builders are investing heavily into new construction automation technology to cope with the shallow labor pool.

Construction 3D printers are the latest technology bringing automation to the construction site. A wide range of advanced technologies and materials are being developed for the 3D-printed home industry. While the technology is young, 3D printing in construction is predicted to continue growing exponentially and be a $40 billion market by 2027.

Economics of 3D printed homes

At their core, construction automation tech nologies seek to reduce the cost of labor and boost production volume—and with 40-50% of the total average construction cost spent on labor, there is significant room for improvement. This is particularly true for concrete masonry block construction, where on average more than 82% of total cost is spent on labor.

Using a concrete 3D printer that creates walls that are identical to tradition al concrete masonry block walls 3D can provide cost savings up to 33%.

Yet, without the ability to scale the technology, it is nearly impossible for a construction company to deploy huge 3D printers to job sites. Some of the solutions on the market can be delivered to a job site with just two human operators, using only a small flatbed trailer. Once set up, printing can begin 30 minutes after arriving. And, with continuous printing the walls of a

2,000-square-foot home can be finished in a matter of days—nine times faster than a traditional masonry crew.

Faster construction translates to increased transaction volume, and even more than per-unit cost savings. It is this ability to close more contracts that’s attracting builders to 3D printing technology. Because cost savings are often passed through to the homebuyer, doubling the annual contract volume can mean doubling annual profit for the builder.

Once finished, concrete 3D printed homes are affordable to maintain and offer long-lasting durability. Compared to wood, printed concrete offers superior fire, moisture and pest resistance making it an ideal choice for regions prone to hurricanes, floods and natural disasters.

Robots and work flow optimization

Construction is an inherently risky business, and human error is a major contributor.

Workplace injuries, scheduling delays and avoidable work defects are common, and reducing the frequency of such occurrences can drive successful operations.

Robotic 3D printers are never late to work, they follow the construction docu ments without deviating, and print times are calculated down to the second before the project ever breaks ground. This dependable performance, robotic precision, and con sistent quality make 3D printers a powerful tool for reducing financial risk, optimizing workflow and accelerating project timelines.

still is building the walls of the home. This way, humans and robots can work together to accomplish more at the same time.

Using concrete printers to copy existing concrete block construction streamlines integration of 3D technology into existing workflows—enabling tradespeople to per form finishing work without additional train ing. The same is true for architectural and engineering documentation, because these “printed block walls” adhere to the same building codes and design specifications as a traditional concrete masonry wall.

Better materials for better buildings

Despite the rising popularity of disposable consumer products, homeowners continue to view their primary residence as a longterm asset and the preferred investment to safeguard household wealth.

For this reason, concrete is widely viewed as a superior alternative to woodframed construction because it is more affordable to maintain, retains value longer, and saves money in the long run.

With that said, money isn’t the only green at stake—and many homebuyers are concerned about their home’s impact on the environment. Traditional construc tion methods generate a massive amount of waste which ends up in landfills and negatively impacts our environment. In fact, construction and demolition waste more than doubles the amount of all other municipal solid waste combined.

Unlike stick-built homes, which are difficult to recycle, concrete and steel are some of the most widely recycled materials on earth. Moreover, 3D printers produce zero waste during construction, and most printers run on electricity, not gasoline or diesel.

Currently, 3D print materials are com posed mostly of sand and cement, but many companies have demonstrated successful testing of geopolymers and other carbon neutral materials which can improve building performance and the environment in which we live.

3D printing alone is not a remedy for ev erything wrong with how we build structures today. But as manufacturers struggle to keep pace with demand, 3D printing technology is a catalyst to rethinking and improving the overall construction process. CCR

3D printers excel at some of the most difficult, dirty and dangerous construction activities including concrete masonry, which enables skilled tradespeople to simulta neously install outlets, plumbing, insula tion, reinforcement and other secondary construction activities—all while the printer

Simply put, concrete 3D printers enable builders to optimize construction workflow without disrupting operations because the homes being printed are virtually identical to concrete block con struction, just built faster, stronger and more affordably.

Anna Cheniuntai is co-founder and CEO of Apis Cor, the pioneer of advanced, robotic 3D printing technology for the fabrication of full-scale buildings on Earth and on the Moon and Mars. Apis Cor holds the Guinness World Record for constructing the largest 3D printed building on Earth. The company also received top awards from NASA's 3D Printed Habitat Challenge for deep space exploration.

Anna Cheniuntai

The road ahead

Easing organizational growth pains in construction through technology

With a boom of more than 1,400 new firms created in the past two years, the construction industry has left pandemic-focused uncertainties in the past. Rapid industry growth and the looming expiration of the COVID-19 (Tem porary) Measures Act (“COTMA”) relief presents firms with a unique crossroads to meet demand.

Expected project volumes will require CIOs to guide their companies on how to manage business tools alongside actually completing work on deadline. How can they best leverage technology to continue growing rapidly and sustainably?

We sat down with John Meibers, VP/GM at Deltek, to get his thoughts on where things are heading.

What factors led to the current boom in construction demand?

There are a number of areas that are seeing increased construction demand as a result of the pandemic—industrial construction and data center construction are two of these. During the pandemic there was a significant change in consumer behavior when it came to ecommerce; companies had to make changes in how they structured their supply chains which created growth in industrial demand.

The pandemic also brought about a larger number of people working remotely and a higher demand for virtual meeting tools. These changes created a higher demand for more data centers to be built. In addition to these factors, residential

construction demands continue to be on the rise and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) will drive construction demand increases in late 2022 and 2023.

What are some successful strategies to implement for managing high project volumes?

The more projects you have in construction the more important it is to have the right tools to manage them. A contractor needs to be proactive and have these tools in place before their volume increases, because once it does, it will be very difficult to implement new systems and processes.

The contractor should start by evaluat ing their job cost process. This includes ev erything from how their jobs are structured and reported on, to their Work in Progress (WIP) process and how the time is reported on a daily basis from the field. The WIP pro cess is a key element of not only job costing, but also of financial reporting to a contractor. A contractor needs to look at how often they create their WIP report and how timely they are with getting updated cost projections on each project.

As the volume of projects increases, it becomes even more critical that a contrac tor has a good cost projection method in place to allow them to proactively manage this increased number of projects. Other processes that should be evaluated include the purchasing and committed cost, equip ment costs, customer billing, field-to-office communication, and payroll processes.

These processes can help to determine if firms can easily handle a rapid increase in volume, and if not, they should consider po tential changes to their ERP system to allow for future growth before it is too late.

What are some signs that signal a construction firm is growing too rapidly?

Some of the signs that a construction firm is growing too rapidly are obvious, while

others are not. One of the obvious signs is the inability to get real-time information on projects that need to be managed.

For example, the accounting team may struggle with keeping up with the vol ume of work associated with rapid growth. Other critical things such as timely WIP reporting, accurate financial statements accounting for the over-under billing from the WIP, and lack of visibility into committed costs associated with each project may be issues to take into account.

Another obvious sign could be working in certain geographic regions or doing types of work that haven’t been done before, which puts a strain on the payroll process. Some examples of this would be handling a prevailing wage job for the first time or working in a state or locality that has payroll tax requirements that they haven’t previous ly dealt with. A not-so-obvious sign may be that a company is using more spreadsheets and other manual methods to try and keep up with the extra volume of work.

While this may work for a while, it is only a matter of time before these manual systems will fail and need to be replaced with a more robust system that can handle the workload.

Why is tech implementation key to sustainable growth?

For a contractor, tech implementation is key to sustainable growth for a number of reasons. Manual processes and other workarounds, while in the short run appear to solve the problems, are in fact, just hiding or masking them.

This can lead to additional problems getting worse, potentially setting contractors up for future failure. If they take on a signifi cant amount of additional work, their manual processes and workarounds may temporarily keep them afloat with their reporting and business needs. But at some point, these manual systems will fail and can lead to a contractor’s undoing—once these manual systems begin to fail it may be too late. The only way to prevent this is to put the right technology systems and tools in place to be built for sustainable growth.

Tech implementation also allows for the creation of a team of top construction industry professionals who desire to work for

contractors that understand the importance of tech implementation.

Technology can help a contractor meet their increased demand in a number of ways. With the right technology tools in place, a contractor can handle the increased demand with the current staff that they have today.

These tools will assist the existing staff in increasing the amount of work they do when it comes to estimating and bidding jobs, purchasing material, managing submit tals and RFIs, and managing day-to-day ac counting and payroll needs. Technology also will help the contractor attract and retain the best talent in the construction industry, which is more important now as we continue to experience an increased labor shortage in construction. CCR

How can firms best leverage technology to meet increased demand?

Some of the signs that a construction firm is growing too rapidly are obvious, while others are not. One of the obvious signs is the inability to get real-time information on projects that need to be managed.

Welcome to the show

How Valor Hospitality Partners is changing the hotel game

Curious. Courageous. Doers. If you’re looking for a definition to define the Valor Hospitality Partners team and the impact they are having in the marketplace, you can start there.

Forging a reputation built on rela tionships, Valor Hospitality is a full-service hospitality acquisition, development and management company driven by excellence and innovation.

It all started in a restaurant kitchen, where co-founder and now CEO Euan McGlashan’s career began. McGlashan was one of just six out of 100 entrants accepted into a university program for Hotel & Insti tutional Management. Accepted based on his work experience rather than high school results, he began working part-time jobs to pay his tuition.

Working his way up the ladder and into the industry, McGlashan ended up buying a small contract catering company, which he grew and sold. After being hired to help build and open a luxury hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, he surrounded himself with mentors, eventually finding his way to starting Valor

Hospitality in 2012 with friend and business partner Steve Cesinger.

In 10 years, the company experienced an accelerated growth spurt, expanding its global footprint to include more than 80 properties throughout the US, Asia, Africa and Europe. Most recently, Valor Hospitality expanded its corporate office locations to include the Middle East.

We sat down with Valor Hospitality’s Director of Design and Development Paige Harris to get an inside peek at how and why they do what they do.

Give us a snapshot of Valor Hospitality

Valor Hospitality Partners is a full-service hospitality acquisition, development and management company of alternative thinking enthusiasts, driven by excellence and innovation.

While the pandemic brought a need for comfort and health to the forefront of hotel guests’ minds, as people’s desires to get back out and travel, we feel that today’s customers are looking for authentic experiences and a genuine connection.

Tell us a little about the brand. With 80-plus hotels in its international portfolio, Valor Hospitality offers an array of services, including site selection, product and brand selection, entitlements, financing solutions, conceptual design, construction and project management, procurement, technical services, pre-opening and operations management.

Every single Valor employee identifies as a Hotelitarian, creating a rare group of bold, creative specialists who have reimag ined the hospitality industry. Valor Hospitality creates memorable customer experiences and delivers exceptional commercial perfor mance for branded and independent hotels and resorts around the world.

What’s the coolest thing customers can expect to see?

At the upcoming McLemore Resort in Rising Fawn, Georgia the resort will be perched on a mountaintop, with plunging bluffs and panoramic views. The design team took great care to maintain the view as the focal feature of each space, while creating a warm interior environment.

What will be the biggest surprise?

That in the journey through the hotel, the surprises keep coming, the ways in which nature is intertwined throughout every detail and around every corner.

What are the trends in the hospitality design sector?

The biggest trends in the hospitality design sector currently include experiential design, sustainability, holistic hospitality/health focus, and finding ways to accommodate bleisure travelers, i.e., technology is critical for guests who come for business, but stay longer for leisure trips.

Why did you pick a location for construction?

The hotel owner selects the location for the hotel; we at Valor are happy to work in any location but are always seeking new markets to operate properties.

How does the overall design cater to what the area needs?

Take our McLemore project. Located in Rising Fawn, Georgia, atop Lookout Mountain it will be the first high-end resort in the area. It will offer one-of-a-kind mountain top experiences to accompany the existing golf destination. Within the resort is over 10,000 square feet of conference space, a boutique spa, fitness center with separate Peloton spin room, infinity edge pool and multiple restaurants.

What are today’s customers looking for?

While the pandemic brought a need for com fort and health to the forefront of hotel guests’ minds, as people’s desires to get back out and travel, we feel that today’s customers are looking for authentic experiences and a genuine connection. I see it in the change to a living room feel in a hotel lobby, the ability of guests to bring a laptop to the lobby and

work (furniture connectivity) while surround ed by the buzz of other guests.

Also, it can be felt in how a guest wishes to understand more about the city in which they are staying – local purveyors and artisans products used in the hotel and available for guest purchase. Local artists work hanging on the walls. Design focused on the history of the place.

What’s the brand’s short-term strategy? Long-term?

From a hotel design perspective, our short-term goals focus on pushing our partners (architects, designers, branding specialists) for the best in creativity and innovation to make each property unique and remarkable.

Long-term goals are more focused on the overall success of a property, including teaching the staff about the design and/or technology that continues to tell the story of each property to our guests.

Give us a rundown of what you are seeing out there.

We are continuing to see increased innovation across hotel design, along with hotel owners being receptive to higher levels of creativity to help differentiate their product in the marketplace. One main area we are noticing in design is a move away from tradition.

Desks are being replaced with FF&E that can be used by a guest to work while in bed, or in a lounge chair. Freestanding nightstands with bulky drawers are becom ing curated tables, or wall mounted/floating ledges. The need for drawers is not desired in hotel rooms because, who unpacks? FF&E design can be more streamlined as a result.

What’s the biggest issue today related to design and construction?

Similar to other industries, the ongoing supply chain issues and related cost

One-on-One with Valor Hospitality’s Paige Harris

(architect, interior designer, owner, brand, construction team, etc.), communicating with hotel staff to help solve problems that arise after a hotel is open. For example:

Describe a typical day. Thankfully there are no typical days in my role at Valor, but if I were to try to describe a typical week, it would include reviewing design plans and presenta tions with the entire team

If guest-room lighting is a common complaint, how can I assist?, creating budgets for potential CapEx projects, making site visits to hotels under construction to make sure operational needs are met as field changes are made. I could probably go on and on about what I do.

What’s the biggest item on your to-do list?

The list grows at a faster pace than it shrinks, but

currently it is a balancing act of reviewing architectural plans to critique operational efficiencies of a proposed hotel, managing various artisans who are executing design modifications at an operating hotel as part of on going capital improvements, and working closely with a GM on a renovation and FF&E refurbishment project to satisfy a PIP.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Working for a global hospi tality company allows me to blend my love of design and travel. Being able to travel across our portfolio of hotels

and see firsthand an array of creative ideas allows me to constantly find inspiration.

What was the best advice you ever received?

Something that I carry from my professional to personal life, is to always be the best I can be. Whether that is in how hard I work or how I treat others.

What’s the best thing a client ever said to you?

Honestly, a sincere thank you. A thank you for the hard work I put into a presenta tion, a project, the ongoing construction, and coordina tion efforts.

increase of materials continues to be one of the largest issues on the design/ construction side.

Talk about the continued importance of sustainability today.

Valor Hospitality intends to become the leading hospitality company for sustain ability. With each property we manage, we strive to partner with local businesses and organizations to ESG to limit our impact on the environment.

to create experiences that are more personalized to every guest. With so many people using their smartphones— including bypassing the front desk expe rience and opting for mobile check-in— how can hotels accept this technology?

Allowing guests to use their mobile phones in their rooms to control tem perature and light levels, perhaps even a Bluetooth speaker to create their own soundtrack.

Also, using QR codes, especially for an artwork collection, guests can quickly scan and learn about a variety of the design details surrounding them. Lastly, social media usage. Creating areas within the hotel that will drive a guest to snap a photo and post to Instagram—could be a cozy corner, a unique piece of artwork or any other eye-catching moment that is purposefully designed.

What type of challenges have you seen?

Projects are becoming increasingly more complex and at times with condensed schedules, leading to challenges in the ongoing coordination between design prin ciples and the pace of construction.

What changes do you expect to see for the 2nd half of 2022 and into 2023?

With business travel still not fully rebound ed from the pandemic, we are seeing a good amount of shifting in the planning stages of a project.

For example, we are designing a pool bar at a beach front property and in the design, we are utilizing native (and sus tainable) materials, wildlife friendly lighting to safeguard the sea turtle population, and keeping within a footprint to not encroach into the preserved ecosystem.

What type of opportunities do you see moving ahead?

Through the use of both design and technology, hotels have the opportunity

For example, should we pivot away from ballrooms and private meeting rooms and reprogram to commingling work/idea rooms and studios? Our team is working closely to help hotel owners make those crucial design decisions to help best meet the future traveler’s needs.

What are the brand’s plans moving forward?

To continue to drive innovative ideas from all our design partners—from architects, interior designers and branding compa nies—so that we can deliver the best in market hotels, for both our owners and our guests. CCR

Facility Maintenance service and product companies take the spotlight

One of the industry’s most vital areas takes the spotlight in this issue. Our annual Facilities Maintenance listing highlights the industry’s leading project management services for the retail, restaurant, hospitality, healthcare (and other) sectors. If you’re looking for the best for your project, our listing provides the contact information and contact person for each firm. If you didn’t make the list, contact Publisher David Corson at davidc@ccr-mag.com.

Acme Paper & Supply Co. Inc.

Andy Attman, Vice President 8229 Sandy Ct. Jessup, MD 20794 (301) 953-3131

www.acmepaper.com aattman@acmepaper.com

Year established: 1946

Number of employees: 240

Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, Janitorial, Consulting, Lighting/Re-Lamping, Signage, Equipment

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Amazing Pest Control

Grace Nappi, National Business Developement 105 Main Street, 3rd fl Hackensack, Bergen 07436 (877) 922-2336

www.amazngpestcontrol.com gnappi@academysg.com

Year established: 2001

Number of employees: 25+

Services Provided: Pest Control, Other: Wildlife Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, ,Federal, Healthcare

ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions

Chris Hobbs, Director of National Accounts 110 Sargent Drive New Haven, CT 06511 www.assaabloydss.com chris.hobbs@assaabloy.com

Year established: 1994

Number of employees: N/A

Services Provided: Other: Doors, Frames, Door Hardware, Locksets, Access Control Devices, and Related Architectural Support Services. Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

BrandPoint Services

Exec VP Sales & Marketing 820 Adams Ave, Suite 130 Trooper, PA 19436 (800) 905-4342 www.brandpointservices.com dknoche@brandpointservices.com

Year established: 2003 Number of employees: 500 Services Provided: Electrical, HVAC, Painting, Plumbing Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Healthcare

Bureau Veritas Blake Brosa, Sr. VP 17200 N Perimeter Dr., Suite 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 (602) 526-3916 Fax: (410) 785-6220 www.bvna.com blake.brosa@bvna.com

Year Established: 1828, No. of Employees: 630 Services Provided: Managing All Maintenance Projects Specialize In: Big-Box, Specialty Stores, Groceries, Shopping Centers, Drug Stores, Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, Casinos, Education, Healthcare, Federal, Banks

CBRE

Sr Marketing Specialist 2575 E Camelback RD, Unit 500 Phoenix, AZ 85016 (763) 274-9116 www.cbre.com madison.thompson@cbre.com

Year established: 1906

Number of employees: 105,000+ Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Janitorial, Landscaping, Consulting, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Roofing, Signage, Equipment Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Chain Store Maintenance, Inc.

John Catanese, Vice President

81 Union St., P.O. Box 2008 Attleboro, MA 02703

(800) 888-1675

Fax: (508) 222-8025 www.chainstore.com

john@chainstore.com

Year Established: 1991

No. of Employees: 55

Services Provided: Facility Maintenance

Specialize In: The multi site repairs specialist – Providing national retail, restaurant specialty chains, financial institutions, healthcare, assisted living, and hotels with reliable property management services throughout the US Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Emergency services 24/7/365. Handyman, Electrical, Locksmith, Plumbing, Pest Control, Backflow, Project Management. We’re here to HELP!

CS Hudson Inc.

Brittany Peavy, Client Development Manager

700 Veterans Memorial Hwy. Hauppauge, NY 11788 (832) 851-7250 www.cs-hudson.com bpeavy@cs-hudson.com

Year Established: N/A

No. of Employees: 60

Services Provided: Electrical, Consulting, Lighting/Re-Lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Plumbing, Signage, Equipment, Waste Disposal

Specialize In: Retail, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Craft Brewery, Healthcare, Office

Duthie Power Services

Shana Duthie, Head of Sales & Marketing

2335 E Cherry Industrial Circle Long Beach, CA 90805 (562) 790-1772 www.duthiepower.com duthie@duthiepower.com

Year established: 1965

Number of employees: 61

Services Provided: Electrical, Other: Generators

Specialize In: Retail, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office, Other: Commercial Real Estate

ECM Technologies (ECMT)

David Fenton, Managing Director

3104 E Camelback Rd, #7123 Phoenix, AZ 85016

https://ecm-technologies.net info@ecm-technologies.net

Year established: N/A

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: HVAC, Other: HVAC Treatment

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office, Other: Airports

ENTOUCH

Melissa Parsons 1755 N. Collins Blvd: Suite 350 Richardson, TX 75080 (214) 497-4482 Cell: (214) 497-4482 entouchcontrols.com melissa.parsons@entouchcontrols.com

Year established: 2007

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: HVAC Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Healthcare, Other: Multisite facilities

Facil-IT

John Hall, National Sales Director 275 Hillside Ave. Williston Park, NY 11596 (516) 739-1313 www.facilit.fm john@facilit.fm

Year established: 2014

Number of employees: 20 Services Provided: Other: CMMS Software Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Healthcare, Other: FM Service Providers

Facilities Excellence LLC David C. Fanning, President 7385 N. State Rt. 3, Suite 106 Westerville, OH 43082 (800) 354-2602 facilitiesexcellence.com dfanning@facilitiesexcellence.com

Year established: 2009

Number of employees: 8 Services Provided: Electrical, HVAC, Consulting, Painting, Parking Lot, Plumbing, Roofing, Signage Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers

FacilityRX Services, Inc.

John DiNunzio, President 24659 Halsted Road Farmington Hills, MI 48335 2485666187 Cell: (248) 320-5866 Fax: (248) 946-4198 www.facilityrxservices.com johnd@facilityrxservices.com

Year established: 2018

Number of employees: 10 Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Janitorial, Landscaping, Consulting, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Roofing, Signage Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Mixed-Use, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Federal Heath

Shane Sommer, National Sales Manager

1128 Beville Rd., Suite E Daytona Beach, FL 32114 (813) 240-4542

Fax: (407) 672-0678 www.federalheath.com/maintenance ssommer@federalheath.com

Year Established: 1901 No. of Employees: 550+ Services Provided: Lighting/Re-lamping, Signage Specialize In: Big-Box, Specialty Stores, Groceries, Shopping Centers, Drug Stores, Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, Casinos, Healthcare

Five Star Painting

Scott Specker, Owner, GM 104 Colony Park Dr., Suite 400 Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 904-9971

Cell: (678) 372-5612 Fax: (678) 341-9193 www.fivestarpainting.com scotts@fivestarpainting.com

Year established: 2012

Number of employees: 12 Services Provided: Painting Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

FloorMax USA

Cyntnhia Bills, Director of Business Development & Marketing 7701 Derry St. Harrisburg, PA 17111 (717) 564-6464 Fax: (717) 525-8713 www.floormaxusa.com cynthia@floormaxusa.com

Year Established: 2012 No. of Employees: 21 Services Provided: Floorcare Specialize In: Big-Box, Specialty Stores, Drug Stores, Hotels, Restaurants, Education, Healthcare

Fresh Coat Painters

Greg Platz, Senior Vice President of National Accounts & Commercial

4755 Lake Forest Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 205-3632

https://freshcoatpainters.com gplatz@freshcoatpainters.com

Year established: 2006

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Consulting, Painting, Parking Lot Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, MixedUse, Multi-Family, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Frontier Waste Solutions Christian Carere, SEO Consultant 2323 Bryan Street, Suite 2620 Dallas, TX 75201 (888) 854-2905 Cell: (469) 405-3107 https://frontierwaste.com christian@digitalducats.com

Year established: 2017

Number of employees: 350 Services Provided: Equipment, Waste Disposal Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Multi-Family, Office

GGS PARTNERS LLC Neil A. Sperling, Member PO Box 3075 Margate, NJ 08402 (609) 313-4346 Cell: (609) 313-4169 www.ggspartners.com neils@ggspartners.com

Year established: 2004

Number of employees: 5 Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Janitorial, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Other: handyman Specialize In: Retail, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Healthcare, Office

Harrison Contracting Co, Inc. Sharon Milton, Director of Facility Maintenance 65 E Industrial Ct Villa Rica, GA 30180 (770) 949-5776 www.HarrisonContracting.com smilton@harrisoncontracting.com

Year established: 1995

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Parking Lot, Plumbing Specialize In: Retail, Shopping Centers, Education

Heritage Fire Security Michael Rose, CEO 105 Main Street, 3rd fl Hackensack, NJ 07601 (800) 688-5557 www.heritagefiresecurity.com info@heritagefiresecurity.com

Year established: 2018

Number of employees: 25+ Services Provided: Other: Fire Protection and Maintenance Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

IdentiCom Sign Solutions

John DiNunzio, President

24657 Halsted Road Farmington Hills, MI 48335 (248) 344-9590

Fax: (248) 946-4198 www.identicomsigns.com jdinunzio@identicomsigns.com

Year established: 2009

Number of employees: N/A

Services Provided: Electrical, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Parking Lot, Signage

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

JLG

Erin Reeder, Marketing Specialist 14559 Industry Drive Hagerstown, MD 21742 (240) 420-5684 www.jlg.com ereeder@jlg.com

Year established: 1969

Number of employees: N/A

Services Provided: Equipment

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Education, Healthcare, Office

Kingspan Light + Air Mark Mitchell, Marketing Communications Manager

28662 N Ballard Dr Lake Forest, IL 60045 (847) 816-1060

www.kingspanlightandair.us mark.mitchell@kingspan.com

Year established: N/A

Number of employees: N/A

Services Provided: Windows, Other: Skylights / Daylighting

Specialize In: Retail, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Education, Healthcare, Office

Laser Facility Management

Joe Fairley, VP of Business Development 20283 State Road 7, Suite 107 Boca Raton, FL 33498 (561) 235-7444

Cell: (561) 466-1621 https://laserfacility.com joseph@laserfacility.com

Year established: 2018

Number of employees: 26

Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Janitorial, Landscaping, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Roofing, Signage

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Education, Healthcare

Ladder-Lock

Jelja Holding LLC. Andrew Parsons P.O. Box 393 Jeffersonville, NY 12748 (914) 799-94670 www.ladder-lock.net

Jeljaholding@yahoo.com

Year established: 2020

Number of employees: 1 Services Provided: Other Specialize In: Retail

Legacy Roofing Services Rick Martin 800 Killian Rd. Akron, OH 44319

LegacyRoofing.com legacy@pressrep.net

Year established: 2012

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Roofing Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Shopping Centers, Federal, Education, Healthcare

LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc., LG Air Conditioning Technologies Joslyn Fagan, Manager - Product Marketing 4300 North Point Parkway, 200 Alpharetta, GA 30022 www.lghvac.com brian.miseo@lg-one.com

Year established: N/A

Number of employees: Approximately 200 (including Commercial Air Conditioning, Residential Air Conditioning, ESS, etc.) Services Provided: HVAC Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, MixedUse, Multi-Family, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office, Other: Industrial, Warehouse

Modine

Dan Fisher, Director Sales & Marketing 10225 Elizabeth Place Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 689-4282 www.modinecoatings.com Daniel.W.Fisher@modine.com

Year established: N/A

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: HVAC Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Multi-Family, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office, Other: Agriculture, Horticulture

Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc.

Lynette Collins, Senior Marketing Coordinator 1195 Prince Hall Drive Beloit, WI 53511

(800) 786-1492

Fax: (888) 218-7838 mulehide.com

lynette.collins@mulehide.com

Year established: 1985

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Roofing Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office, Other: Warehouse

Nationwide Cleaners

Michael Rose, CEO 105 Main Street, 3rd fl Hackensack, NJ 07601 (877) 933-8356

www.natiowidecleaners.com info@nationwidecleaners.com

Year established: 2000

Number of employees: 25+ Services Provided: Janitorial, Windows, Other: Sanitizing, Floor Care Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Noritz America

Andrew Tran 11160 Grace Avenue Fountain Valley, CA 92708

(714) 433-7831

Cell: (714) 433-7831

Fax: (714) 422-8120 www.noritz.com

leoconie@greenhousedigitalpr.com

Year established: N/A

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Other: Boilers and Tankless Water Heaters

Specialize In: Other: Residential and Commercial

Oak Ridge Waste and Recycling

Director of Sales & Marketing

307 White St Danbury, CT 06810-6934

(203) 743-0405

Cell: (203) 940 6199 www.oakridgewaste.com

Mark.Bonistall@oakridgewaste.com

Year established: 1975

Number of employees: 300+

Services Provided: Waste Disposal

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Cameron Welch, National Account Manager 143 Union Blvd., 825 Lakewood, CO 80228 (720) 963-6100 www.oxifresh.com cameron@oxifresh.com

Year established: 16

Number of employees: Franchised (Varies on Location)

Services Provided: Floorcare

Specialize In: Retail, Hotels, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Education, Office

Paint Folks

Brian Foster, Senior VP 105 Main Street, 3rd fl Hackensack, NJ 07601 (888) 888-7870 www.paintfolks.com Bfoster@paintfolks.com

Year established: 2011

Number of employees: 20 Services Provided: Painting, Parking Lot, Other: Power Washing Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Powerhouse Business Development Support Manager 812 S. Crowley Rd, Suite A Crowley, TX 76036 (833) 574-7253 powerhousenow.com Info@powerhousenow.com

Year established: 2004

Number of employees: 1000+ Services Provided: Electrical, HVAC, Janitorial, Landscaping, Painting, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Roofing, Signage, Other: Snow & Ice Management

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Shopping Centers, Multi-Family, Education, Healthcare, Other: Banking Facilities

ProCoat Products

Larry Schwartz 260 Centre Street, D Holbrook, MA 02343 (781) 767-2270 www.procoat.com larry.schwartz@procoat.com

Year established: 1984

Number of employees: 6 Services Provided: Other: Acoustical Ceiling Tile Restorationb Specialize In: Retail

Rentokil North America

Robert Samluk, Commercial Business Development Manager 1125 Berkshire Blvd Reading, PA 19610 (610) 372-9700 EXT. 99235 www.rentokil.com/us hannah.bernhard@rentokil.com

Year established: N/A

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Pest Control Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Rockerz Inc.

Robert Smith, Director Business/ Nat’l Acct 100 Commonwealth Dr. Warrendale, PA 15086 (724) 612-6520 www.rockerzinc.com rsmith@rockerzinc.com

Year Established: 2004 No. of Employees: 60

Services Provided: Floorcare, Polished Concrete Specialize In: Big-Box, Specialty Stores, Groceries, Shopping Centers, Drug Stores, Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, Casinos, Education, Healthcare, Federal, Other

Servicon

Greg Mahdesian, Communications Manager 3965 Landmark St. Culver City, CA 90232 (310) 204-5040 (562) 508-0482 https://servicon.com greg.mahdesian@servicon.com

Year established: 1973

Number of employees: Leading regional/national presence Services Provided: Janitorial Specialize In: Healthcare

Sloan

Alison Heitman, Director, Global Marketing Communications 10500 Seymour Avenue Franklin Park, IL 60131 (847) 994-3214 www.sloan.com alison.heitman@sloan.com

Year established: 1906

Number of employees: N/A

Services Provided: Plumbing Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Multi-Family, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

SMG Facilities

Tom Kay 2517 NJ-35 Building L, 2nd Floor Manasquan, NJ 08736 (214) 912-9205 Cell: (214) 912-9205 www.smgfacilities.com tkay@smgfacilities.com

Year established: 1997

Number of employees: 50 Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Janitorial, Landscaping, Consulting, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Roofing, Signage, Other: Emergency Response

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Education, Healthcare, Other: financial services

Solatube International, Inc.

Iris Hoag, Global Marketing Manager 2210 Oak Ridge Dr. Vista, CA 92081 (760) 597-4411 www.solatube.com/commerical ihoag@solatube.com

Year established: 1991

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Other: Tubular Daylighting

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office Other: Sports Facilities, Industrial/Warehousing, etc.

Springwise Facility Management, Inc Lynn Harnishfeger 1822 South Bend Ave. Indiana, IN 46637 Cell: (850) 426-8069 Fax: (574) 855-5557 www.springwisefm.com lynn.h@springwisefm.com

Year established: 1969

Number of employees: 125 Services Provided: Electrical, Landscaping, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Plumbing, Signage

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Store Techs, LLC. Allison Brown, COO PO BOX 402992 Hesperia, CA 92340 (760) 956-5928 www.storetechsllc.com allison@storetechsllc.com

Year established: 2014

Number of employees: 25 Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Lighting/Relamping, Painting, Windows, Plumbing, Signage

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Healthcare, Office

Thomas Consultants, Inc.

Kevin Brent, Senior Vice President

4140 E. Raines Rd Memphis, TN 38118 (901) 398-8426

Cell: (901) 602-3177 Fax: (901) 398-5749 www.gotci.com kbrent@gotci.com

Year established: 1986

Number of employees: 7 Services Provided: Electrical, HVAC, Consulting, Lighting/Relamping, Signage, Other: Physical Security Specialize In: Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance

Bob Spreat, Director of Messaging & Marketing Communications 3735 Green Road Beachwood, OH 44122 (800) 852-6013

www.tremcoroofing.com bspreat@tremcoinc.com

Year established: 1928

Number of employees: N/A Services Provided: Roofing, Other: Building Maintenance Specialize In: Federal, Education, Healthcare, Other: Manufacturing, Sports & Entertainment

Veterans Worldwide Maitenance

Michael Rose, CEO 105 Main Street, 3rd fl Hackensack, NJ 07601 (800) 235-4393

www.veteransworldwidemaintenance.com service@vpssinc.com

Year established: 1998

Number of employees: 25 +

Services Provided: Electrical, Floorcare, HVAC, Consulting, Lighting/Re-lamping, Painting, Windows, Parking Lot, Pest Control, Plumbing, Equipment, Other: Handyman, Security Guards

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Craft Brewery, Federal, Education, Healthcare, Office

Wallace Design Collective, PC

Brad Thurman, PE, FSMPS, CPSM, Principal / Chief Marketing Officer

123 North Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Tulsa, OK 74103 (800) 364-5858

https://wallace.design brad.thurman@wallace.design

Year established: 1981

Number of employees: 236

Services Provided: Consulting Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Education, Healthcare, Office, Other: Warehouses

WaterSignal

Aaron Beasley 510 Staghorn Ct Alpharetta, GA 30004-0737 (844) 232-6100 www.watersignal.com abeasley@watersignal.com

Year established: 2009

Number of employees: 10 Services Provided: Consulting, Other: Water Management and Monitoring Services

Specialize In: Retail, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping Centers, Cannabis, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Craft Brewery, Education, Healthcare, Office

WINT Water Intelligence

Deborah Margalit, VP Marketing Amal 8 Rosh Haayin, Israel 4809229 +972543403406 www.wint.ai deborah.margalit@wint.ai

Year established: 2012 Number of employees: 80 Services Provided: Other: Water Management Solution

Specialize In: Hotels, Shopping Centers, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family, Education, Office

Window Film Depot

Jeff Franson, President/CEO 4939 Lower Roswell Rd., Suite 100 Marietta, GA 30068 (866) 933-3456 Fax: (678) 547-3138 www.windowfilmdepot.com jeff@windowfilmdepot.com

Year Established: N/A No. of Employees: N/A Services Provided: N/A Specialize In: Bullet Resistant Systems, Glass Protection, Windows, Window Film Sales & Installation

ZipWall Dust Barrier System

Doreen Bouvier, Customer Service Manager 37 Broadway Arlington, MA 02474 (800) 718-2255 www.zipwall.com info@zipwall.com

Year Established: 1997 No. of Employees: N/A Services Provided: Other Specialize In: Big-Box, Specialty Stores, Groceries, Shopping Centers, Drug Stores, Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, Casinos, Education, Medical, Federal

Keeping iton the fairway

By Granger Hassmann

In 2018, the PGA of America made a bold announcement: It planned to move from its long-time headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to the Dallas suburb of Frisco. While they did not land in the sand traps, they did have a few hazards to overcome as proj ect planning for the PGA’s new home started in early 2020, just before the world locked its doors and everything went virtual because of the pandemic.

Inside Adolfson & Peterson Construction’s new headquarters for the PGA of America

Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) worked as the project contractor in part nership with Cushman & Wakefield, which served as the construction manager. Design firm Page was the architect. The headquar ters project—a new 106,622-square-foot, $33.5 million building—plays a significant role in the larger PGA Frisco 660-acre mixed-use campus that includes two new 18-hole championship courses, a 510-room Omni Resort, a 30-acre practice facility, a performance center and a clubhouse.

The project is part of a unique pri vate-public partnership between the PGA of America, Omni Hotels & Resorts, the City of Frisco and the Frisco Independent School District.

Construction Planning in a Pandemic

As the design work and planning started, the pandemic hit. Like the rest of the business world, AP had to adjust from the way it was accustomed to operating. The entire precon struction process initially transferred from in-person to Teams and Zoom meetings. It learned the protocol of being on camera rather than meeting in person while looking over drawings and plans.

Despite these new challenges, the design, management and cost assessment planning went smoothly. It was not as much a challenge as more an adjustment to doing things differently. The AP team used to be in a conference room with 20 people and having drawings taped to the wall. Now, its gathering was limited to five to six people.

Doing everything electronically created different communication processes to ensure everyone was heard. But this was something we were all learning and expe riencing together. The construction timing tremendously benefitted the PGA, as the supply chain industry had not started its downward spiral yet.

Thankfully, we didn’t experience the struggle of escalating prices and materi als shortages that came as the pandemic lingered. This was a very high-tech, unique building, and the PGA was already paying a premium for certain project elements.

AP was managing and staying under those targeted expenses, and when changes did occur, we were fortunate that Page’s

design provided options for exchanging materials. Each of the partners involved from Page to the PGA and Cushman & Wakefield was aligned with what we were trying to do to reach the mutual goal.

No Sand Traps Here

That teamwork resulted in an incredible building that maximizes the golf-course views while incorporating beautiful na tive Texan Lueders limestone cut in large sections of four-foot stones and placed with deep horizontal joints. This stonework con trasts with the double-height glazed curtain wall systems marked with vertical fins.

There was no Lego stacking here; there are lots of bends and turns with architec turally exposed structural steel wrapping around the building. The use of unusual roof

elements, architectural welding, stones, plaster, metal panels and a tremendous amount of glass added to what is a visually stunning facility.

The PGA is seeking LEED Silver certifi cation for the building, which features many green-building practices including the use of regional and local materials. The building’s orientation maximizes natural light while minimizing solar gain. The interior designs feature natural, recycled and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials to enhance the indoor air quality.

With three floors of office space, the build ing features a top-floor conference room and an outdoor terrace lounge space overlooking the driving range and golf course. The ground floor serves staff, PGA members and guests with a video studio and education center.

The lobby design highlights a wood wall sculpted to mimic the contours of a golf course. It also includes terrazzo flooring and an open social stair with side seating areas.

For the Win: Delivering on Time & Under Budget

As with all projects of this nature, there’s a fiscal responsibility to meet and often challenges related to the process of putting those dollars together and staying within that GMP (guaran teed maximum price). The PGA strives to be financially responsible but also recognizes how a facility of this caliber requires an investment.

One of the biggest project challeng es we encountered resulted from the big snowstorm in February 2021. Portions of the building are below grade, which was impacted greatly by the adverse conditions.

From left to right: Granger Hassmann, vice president of preconstruction and estimating; Josh Patton, assistant superintendent; Dan Huntington, assistant superintendent; Travis Thompson, senior superintendent; Bob Lemke, vice president of operations; Will Pender, regional president.

Fortunately, at that point, we were about 70 to 80% complete with the structural steel erection.

So, while the DFW Metroplex was shut down for almost two weeks, our leadership team was communicating about how we would thaw out. A lot of planning was done to make sure we could get to the job site safely as we also determined how to clear the entries and work decks to get things ready for the crews’ return. Safety was the top priority, and it did not want to burn three or four days simply managing snow.

Despite document changes, add-ons and delays due to the historic winter storm, the AP contractually met its deadlines.

AP’s Shot of the Day

At the end of the day, this PGA HQ is really a cool building. It was all done first class. The coaching and training areas, the golf simulators, hitting bays, and chipping and bunker practice areas are impressively located within the building. There also is space for club maintenance and an adjustment center; it’s the best of the best.

We knew this would be a landmark project with many eyes watching its development, and it has been an extremely popular project. We have done big projects for multiple Fortune 500 companies, but there is something special about building the PGA of America’s headquarters.

PGA Frisco is expected to drive more than $2 billion in economic impact to its stakeholders and the community over the next 20 years. PGA’s mission is to get peo ple involved in golf, and they have put down community roots. The leaders want to teach the lessons learned from golf and develop a lifetime love for the sport.

This is their field of dreams, and it is just the beginning. The PGA is reaching out to the community with big ideas and this building is part of that. CCR

Granger Hassmann is VP of preconstruction and estimating for Adolfson & Peterson Construction, leading both the AP Southwest and Gulf States Regions. He has achieved a volume of more than $1.5 billion in work over the course of his career. You can reach Granger at ghassmann@a-p.com.

Operation Carbon Valley

A community’s efforts to deliver the Wyoming Innovation Center

By Phil Christopherson

Energy Capital Economic Development (ECED) has always been dedicated to expanding and diversifying Campbell County, Wyoming’s local economy. Today, Campbell County, dubbed “Carbon Valley,” is home to the Wyoming Innovation Center (WyIC). In economic development, it is not uncommon for projects to take over a decade from start to finish. But when a construction project is set to break ground at the beginning of the pandemic, you can imagine the setbacks to the timeline.

ECED and a dedicated team of commu nity members began working on the Wyoming Innovation Center (WyIC) project in 2015. The plan for the center was part of a broader effort to spur innovation in Carbon Valley— located in Northeastern Wyoming—utilizing its natural resources and mines to grow and sustain jobs using coal and coal byproducts as a feedstock for advanced manufacturing.

Plans to build a 5,500-square-foot coal commercialization facility on a reclaimed mine site in Gillette, Wyoming, received a $1.5 million grant from the Wyoming Busi ness Council and a $1.46 million matching grant from the US Economic Development Administration (EDA).The City of Gillette and Campbell County each allocated $176,000 for the project, and additional funding came from private businesses.

The mission of the WyIC is to provide a home to companies and researchers develop ing products using coal and coal byproducts.

The project’s most significant sup porters included Campbell County, the city of Gillette and the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources. The support stemmed from a desire to keep the region economically viable.

With the project funds, ECED pur chased the land for the site in November 2019. Arete Design Group completed the project design in December 2020. The plans for the WyIC were for a relatively simple structure: a metal building on a concrete foundation. The design was purposefully basic, allowing for flexible spaces that future innovators could utilize for various research and work.

Once complete, the project was put out for construction bids with hopes of attracting an excellent contractor who understood that this project had a tight budget. Three local bidders came in with proposals just under the wire; all were close to the budget. Ulti mately, Powder River Construction, a Gillette, Wyoming-based construction company, was selected for the project.

The team held a groundbreaking at the beginning of June of 2021. Elected officials, business leaders, the Executive Director at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources and other community members attended the event. Construction was initially scheduled to be completed in December 2021, and despite being in the middle of a global pandemic, the team was optimistic that it would meet that schedule. That was when supply chain issues spread.

Holding the line

By the end of the pandemic, construction materials were in low supply. Despite the challenges, Powder River Construction stayed on budget. Extending time on a project raised costs it didn’t have. Difficulty obtaining materials drove the price up, but the subcontractor held to the bid amount— something unheard of in construction.

The contractors and sub-contractors deserve recognition for holding the line on the Wyoming Innovation Center. The spirit of the project was that this building was helping the community.

Community support continued with the donation of a wall, which was erected to make the facilities more inviting. There is a small natural gas building on-site near the entrance of the property that was an eyesore. With more traffic passing through, the idea of building a wall in front of the building was devised.

Arete Design Group stepped up with a concept, and with no additional budget, the firm generously donated the design. Materials left over from the WyIC project were used for construction. Wyoming Integrated Test Center donated bricks, Black Hills Energy donated funds to buy other essential materials and S&S Builders lent the scaffolding for the wall building project. It was a true community project.

The contractors and sub-contractors deserve recognition for holding the line on the Wyoming Innovation Center. The spirit of the project was that this building was helping the community.

WyIC Ribbon Cutting

Going all state of the art

The state-of-the-art center officially opened on June 14, 2022, and includes 4,000-square-feet of office, lab and workspace for tenants, along with a 1,500-squarefoot-building that can handle raw materials.

Tenants have access to one of the six half-acre testing sites and one 1-acre site where they can upscale their lab-proven processes from using small amounts to up to several hundred pounds of coal or coal byproducts daily.

The region holds 165 billion tons of recoverable coal, making it a desirable testbed for new and proven products produced from coal. Outside, there are seven large open-air pads with power and water available. The site also has a small water pump house.

WyIC’s first tenant is the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), which focuses on applied research for producing and using clean energy resources. Some facilities at WyIC may be developed to commercial scale on-site. Additional land is available at the Fort Union Industrial Park for larger projects or commercial expansion for those technologies proving to be commercially profitable.

The WyIC project is an excellent example of how economic development projects come into being. A concept is developed, explored and investigated. If the project makes sense and is supported by com munity leaders, a plan is developed, funding is sought after and, if successful, the project moves forward. Acquiring financing can take several years to obtain, as in the case of this project. Many projects are stopped along the line, and only a few may rise to the level of completion.

Since construction is completed at WyIC, ECED sees a future in the product market. This project is just the beginning. Over the next five ,10 and 15 years, the area is expected to have had several research projects graduate and go into commercial production. Coal will most likely still be in decline, and the WyIC strives to join a community effort to provide hope to Campbell County and other communities. CCR

Carbon Valley

The mission of the WyIC is to provide a home to companies and researchers developing products using coal and coal byproducts.

Phil Christopherson is CEO of Energy Capital Econom ic Development (ECED).

The Parking Agents

Data analytics and parking experience

By Stan Bochniak

Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has changed consumer behavior in ways that will remain for some time—and parking is no exception. But the pandemic-driven pause in the pace of normal life has also provided some unprecedented opportunities for improving the overall parking experience.

The good news is people are returning to their normal lifestyles—with workers getting back to the office, shoppers hitting retail centers and the return of full atten dance at large scale events. More people are opting to use their own vehicles instead of mass transit or third-party services. As a result, parking operators are thankfully seeing a resurgence of drivers and custom ers in their facilities.

Nevertheless, the post-pandemic world is different. New models of working and COVID-related concerns have created a shift in behavioral trends. People are de manding — now more than ever—safety, efficiency, and a hassle-free parking experience. Convenience is top of mind.

In fact, many are looking for parking options, pricing and reservations before they leave their house. Combined with the fact that more electric vehicles (EV) populate the road, parking facilities lack ing modern EV charging infrastructure will be increasingly passed over. If you

are not keeping up with these changes, your business will undoubtedly suffer.

Staying up to date on the trends and new mindset is essential to creating efficient, sustainable and cost-effective operations. Parking garages need to have a robust online presence with such con veniences as mobile parking apps, online reservations and payments, and frequent parking programs. It is all about offering a better parking journey.

So how can you find new ways to navigate and mitigate your parking challenges while capitalizing on these new opportunities? A smart parking solution

that delivers meaningful analytics could be the answer.

Start with a Robust Technology Solution

The growing availability of integrated automation solutions, advancements around the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless technologies as well as intelligent software provides the opportunity for parking opera tors to achieve strategic differentiation and really transform how people interact with their parking facilities.

Technology upgrades — such as touchless technologies, mobile payment

New types of revenue models can then emerge—such as premium EV parking, combining parking + charging fees, and variable pricing based on the length vehicles are parked.

integration, contactless card readers and license plate readers and sensors — can provide actionable data to maximize revenue and forecast optimal use of spaces.

A smart parking infrastructure with connected EV charging stations can offer new revenue streams, improve sustainability metrics, and deliver a key differentiator. The same infrastructure used to support customers’ vehicles can be multipurpose to support your own transition to an electric operational fleet and further reduce your facility’s carbon footprint.

With the digital transformation of your garage in place, real-time insights from data and analytics can now work to maximize

your revenue, forecast optimal use of each space and create new revenue streams.

Bringing the Data to Life

Mobile payment systems and parking ac cess and revenue controls systems (PARCs)

provide a wealth of granular data that can be leveraged to prevent cost overruns and effectively address customer needs.

Data from online booking and reserva tion systems, license plate recognition and new camera technologies, and wayfinding

There are various smart parking products on the market, but the key is to get them to work together seamlessly. The good news is that digital ecosystems are becoming the new normal.

solutions can all be used to create actionable data, real time insights and an enhanced driver experience.

There are various smart parking products on the market, but the key is to get them to work together seamlessly. The good news is that digital ecosystems are becoming the new normal. By adopting a cloud computing infrastructure, multiple disparate sources of data can be fed into a single data lake.

One such example is a fully integrated and cohesive smart parking and mobility ecosystem that collects data from disparate parking systems viewable through a sin gle hub. (See Graphic 1, which illustrates the dashboard and operations portal that allows operators to see the health of their system in real time and thereby pull the levers that drive revenue.)

The system uses AI machine learning and com puter vision to deliver actionable insights for increased net revenue, real time insights, and an enhanced driver experience.

These data-driven insights can inform dynamic pricing and deliver predictive analytics that truly maxi mize your revenue per spot. You could increase volume with pre-booking and digital marketing. You could

upcharge for reserved spaces. You could also introduce driver-focused premium services and new amenities.

New types of revenue models can then emerge— such as premium EV parking, combining parking + charging fees, and variable pricing based on the length vehicles are parked.

With the right infrastructure and analytic tools, data really can be your friend.

Stay Agile

One of the important lessons of the pandemic is the need for parking operations to be flexible and respon sive to factors they have no control over—such as business closures, customer behavior, and changing government guidance.

Now is the ideal time to take a proactive approach to find new ways to navigate emerging challenges while capitalizing on new opportunities to make your parking facilities safer, build customer confidence and enable smart operational decisions.

Take a closer look at the latest technology and analytic solutions that can help you reimagine a more re silient, profitable and future-proof parking facility. CCR

Stan L. Bochniak is VP of National Park ing Sales for ABM. He has worked at ABM for more than 20 years. He has been actively in volved with BOMA’s Greater Los Angeles chapter, including co-chairing the TOBY Awards, Spring Fling, Real Assets, and the 2015 BOMA Inter national Confer ence. Bochniak also sat on BOMA GLA’s Board of Directors between 20112013. For more information, visit www.abm.com/ services/parkingtransportation.

Now is the ideal time to take a proactive approach to find new ways to navigate emerging challenges while capitalizing on new opportunities to make your parking facilities safer, build customer confidence and enable smart operational decisions.

InvestingAmericain

With an eye on the future, The Portobello Group is making its move

By Ron Treister

One of the top global manufacturers of ceramic tile soon will begin producing its stunning, world-class materials stateside. Established in 1979 and headquartered in Tijucas, Santa Catarina, Brazil, The Portobello Group has grown to become one of the largest ceramic tile companies in the world.

All photos courtesy of Portobello America

Successfully producing and selling both ceramic and porcelain tile products in Brazil, as well as exporting its products to five continents worldwide, the firm has grown exponentially for many reasons. These include producing superior, in-demand products; offering cutting-edge, current styles; maintaining sustainable production processes that respect biodiversity and continual usage of natural materials.

It became evident to top management that to best compete at the highest levels

in America, a new step had to be taken. And it was a big one. After intensive delib eration, an executive decision was made to build a comprehensive, totally high-tech, brand-new factory in Baxter, Tennessee.

After highly thought-out and patient planning, construction began last year.

The group’s vision of a full-service, ultramodern and “green” production facility located in the United States is getting closer to reality. Portobello America’s CEO, Luiz Felipe Lenzi Brito says the factory will be a sustainable production venue with

the most modern technology and generate roughly 220 new jobs. Tile production is set to start in the first quarter of 2023.

Drones fitted with high-quality telescopic lenses have been used to fly over and photograph progress throughout the ongoing building process. This way, all involved in daily construction can see every angle of what’s currently being built—and what’s to be built.

Portobello contracted Design Innova tion Architects of Knoxville, Tennessee to design its new stateside factory. Set to be built in phases, the majority of this roughly 1,000,000 square foot industrial facility was to be dedicated to manufacturing and warehouse space.

Architects say the main challenge was to combat the rigid nature of tile man ufacturing by developing a flexible design, suitable for versatility and expansion. The solution was to intentionally engineer certain areas, throughout the plant, to efficiently transform from warehouse storage to equipment zoning.

With products, processes, and tech nology changing rapidly, it was crucial for Portobello America to operate in a space with as little restrictions as possible.

Jed Durbin, the company’s VP of Manufacturing & Outsourcing says that everything has been on schedule. “We anticipate a March or April 2023 startup. From Day 1 of production, the new factory will be able to double originally planned capacity of small format wall and floor tile. There is a strong demand from our North American customer base for these to augment some of our best-selling porcelain collections. The pieces will be produced using the same body materials as included in our original field tile ranges. And they will be just as high-end in appearance and performance.”

The new Baxter, Tennessee facility will not only be a major sustainable manufacturing venue, but also be the new home of Portobello America’s North American offices. Baxter is located in Putnam County, considered a national hub regarding the manufacture of porcelain tile due to the local obtainability of natural clay and feldspar supplies.

The new factory’s updated personnel plan is expected to generate jobs for local

Holly Badertscher

James Durbin

The new Baxter, Tennessee facility will not only be a major sustainable manufacturing venue, but also be the new home of Portobello America’s North American offices.

American workers, many of whom will go through extensive training to learn the insand-outs of Portobello’s high technology (including robotic) new machinery.

Holly Badertscher, Portobello America’s VP of Marketing, says its designers travelled the world to examine the newest trends, ultimately crafting leading-edge design solutions for American tastes.

“Once our new factory is going full tilt, our plan is for Portobello America to be offering complete product design solu tions. This will include a full range of tile design offerings from small to extra-large format for any application.”

Durbin says the new plant will be fully automated, outfitted with absolutely the most modern technology. This will

include laser-guided systems, automated packaging and palleting, actual robots that move materials from one area of the plant to another, and more. “Obviously, we have quite a bit to accomplish before our startup. As of now, 80% of the building has been completed. We are now waiting to receive our production equipment, a considerable amount of which is man ufactured in and delivered from Italy. Once that arrives, we’ll immediately start training programs for our personnel on the usage of these.”

With much transpiring until the grand opening, Durbin says the company intends to be ready for it. “This new factory rep resents a methodically planned, major step in our quest to be the best American source for highest-quality, modern tile material. Immodestly, we plan to offer nothing less than that.” CCR

Ron Treister is a marketing communications specialist. For three decades, he has worked with major accounts in the commercial construction sector. He can be reached at rontreister@gmail.com.

“Once our new factory is going full tilt, our plan is for Portobello America to be offering complete product design solutions.”

— Holly Badertscher, VP of Marketing, Portobello America

Being a retail superintendent requires a unique set of skills different from other market segments. While all construction superintendents have responsibilities for schedule, productivity, safety, and quality on the project site, the challenges and constraints of the retail environment mean that a special training focus is needed.

Superintendents must learn how to think like a retailer and a contractor throughout these projects.

RCA’s Retail Superintendent Training Program addresses this need.

Certified Retail Superintendents have:

• At least three years of experience in retail construction

• Completed OSHA 30-hour certification

• Completed RCA's two-day workshop, which includes in-depth training on retail-focused customer service

• Passed the Certified Retail Superintendent exam

Making the adjustment

John Kirk, AIA, Partner Cooper Robertson

Making the adjustment

An inside look at the Farmington Country Club’s 21st Century kitchen renovation

There’s lots of history there. Dating back to some 100 years, the Farmington Country Club offers a unique blend of classic country club ambiance with all the luxurious amenities of a modern club.

But to truly step into the genre of what today’s country clubs and social clubs are offering, Farmington needed that special extra touch, including using its kitchen as a member perk, and a crucial element of attracting and retaining better staff.

That’s where national firm Cooper Robertson entered the picture. Led by John Kirk, AIA, Partner, and Sam Blodgett, Associate, Farmington’s back-of-house transformation became a focal point of its post-pandemic plans.

The architect of record for award-winning kitchen and support layouts for varied clubs around the world, Cooper Robertson wanted to foster an upgrade that helped improve both the member and staff experience. Photo courtesy ©Francis Dzikowski/OTTO

To get a feel for the Farmington trans formation, we sat down with Kirk and Sam Blodgett, who provided an inside peek of what they did.

Give us a snapshot of the project?

Kirk: The Farmington Country Club is an es teemed and historic venue in Charlottesville, Virginia. It has been operating as a club for nearly a century, but some of the buildings date back hundreds of years—and a portion of the original house was actually designed by Thomas Jefferson himself.

For our part, Cooper Robertson has been engaged with Farmington for several years, leading the development of a master plan, Farmington 2027, which will guide short-term and long-term improvements to the campus, to better serve its evolv ing membership base with expanded and forward-looking facilities.

Reimagining and expanding the club’s commercial kitchen had long been a goal of Farmington leadership, so it was a crucial element of our capital improvement plans. In fact, country clubs and social clubs nationwide are discovering their kitchens as

a member perk and an essential element of attracting and retaining new members as well as more experienced staff.

In terms of strategic upgrades that really improve both the member and staff experience, new kitchen facility designs and renovations are among the most impactful steps any member-based hospitality organi zation can take.

What type of member is the club targeting?

Blodgett: While private-membership clubs remain a staple of many affluent communi ties, Farmington is pivoting from this more traditional customer base. Club leaders intend to make Farmington more appealing to a broader range of individuals, including millennials and young families in particular.

Farmington also is making a concerted effort to provide more inclusive services for women, services that have historically been lacking in the country club setting. From renovating women’s locker rooms and lounges to creating children and teen centers so families can enjoy the experience together, Farmington’s goal has been to break from a historically limited customer base.

Together with this focus on expanding the club’s appeal to a broader range of potential members, Farmington leaders also recognize that people are now more interested than ever in experiences—for example, club members today really seek out activities and classes for themselves and their families, so the kitchen renovations also had to facilitate this kind of use.

What type of adjustments have you made surrounding the recent state of events?

Kirk: For the post-Covid reopening and recovery period, Cooper Robertson’s adjustments focused largely on expanding Farmington’s ability to provide outdoor settings for safe socialization.

The expansion of outdoor program spaces is critical, as everything from infor mal gathering areas and new outdoor dining to dedicated performance and event venues have been essential to clubs’ recovery efforts. In line with this recognition, our work at Farmington incorporated the addition of two new outdoor dining patios, as well as an outdoor pavilion.

John Kirk

Sam Blodgett

(Bottom photo)

Courtesy Cooper Robertson/Farmington Country Club

How does the design cater to what today’s guests want?

Blodgett: Today’s guests want private clubs to offer a diverse array of experiences, from traditional activities like golf and passive recreation, to opportunities for families and active learning and engagement.

In terms of food services, they also want a seamless and elevated experience. Our design for the new and expanded kitchen spaces at Farmington Country Club addresses all these needs.

The new arrangement for the kitchen space is targeted at facilitating the most efficient and streamlined service, with both customers and back-of-house staff in mind.

Not only does a functional and beautiful back-of-house area help drive operational efficiency, but it also supports more diverse and appealing culinary offerings and pro grams, and higher staff satisfaction levels.

By facilitating greater flexibility in ser vice, the new back-of-house design directly expedites more diversity in the potential services, a primary aspect of what guests look for in today’s market.

Walk us through how and why the kitchen and related facilities are designed the way they are?

Kirk: Our team created an entirely new layout for the back-of-house food ser vice areas, including a dedicated food allergy-friendly kitchen and two separate full kitchens with shared support spaces, allowing the club to host multiple events simultaneously for the first time in its long history—or a single large event while main taining standard service for members.

Other important elements include walk-in freezers that save time and ease the strain of taking in deliveries, along with a new separate employee entrance and new direct grease piping, allowing the staff

to avoid the unpleasant chore of manually removing waste after each meal time. The main drivers behind this redesign were to prioritize smoother internal kitchen opera tions, as well as to pay special attention to employee resources.

Take us through your construction and design strategy. Blodgett: Our design and construction strategy for this project had function and efficiency at top of mind. Cooper Robert son’s goal was to create a kitchen that will not hinder the efforts of the staff, and will in fact actively support them in sustaining Farmington’s long history of top-tier service.

Reimagining and expanding the club’s commercial kitchen had long been a goal of Farmington leadership, so it was a crucial element of our capital improvement plans.

Photo courtesy Cooper Robertson/Farmington Country Club

For example, the brand new food allergy-friendly kitchen is a testament to Farmington’s commitment to accommodate every need of a diverse customer base. Thoughtfully implemented details in the de sign and construction helped this renovation have the biggest impact on both customer and employee experiences.

The first goal in the Farmington master plan was to reinvent many of the outdat ed areas of the building to create a more relaxed and informal atmosphere that would appeal to younger members. A second objective was to help facilitate the club’s growth and expansion, and cultivate its unique appeal to the members of tomorrow.

Aiding staff recruitment and retention was another important design goal, so we paid special attention to employee resourc es. The addition of specialized spaces and equipment is a hiring draw, for example, offering new opportunities for culinary talent like famous Netflix pastry chef Melissa Root, who recently joined the Farmington staff.

Upgrades also included new locker rooms and a spacious, attractive employee cafeteria. Combined with heightened operational efficiency that reduces stress, these thoughtful designs are helping the club get ahead of staffing challenges that have been a major stumbling block for the hospitality industry as it emerges from the pandemic period.

What’s the biggest issue today related to the construction side of the business?

Kirk: Navigating supply chain delays is a major challenge in today’s construction industry. Across many construction projects, there is an increasing necessity to be able to pivot planning and design in response to changing availability.

Fortunately, Cooper Robertson was able to overcome this challenge in the project work for Farmington, through flexible plan ning and creative problem-solving. Country Clubs are not unlike hospitals in that they need to stay operational while renovating and expanding, or risk losing their patron age, which presents another challenge for a major kitchen overhaul.

Our strategy was two phases, a major new kitchen and back-of-house area as phase one, keeping the existing kitchen in

service, and then a gut renovation of the existing kitchen facilities.

Talk about sustainability. Blodgett: In all of our firm’s work, Cooper Robertson places a strong emphasis on energy efficiency and the incorporation of sustainable materials into the design and construction processes. We also believe in renovating and reimagining existing spaces to make them modern and sustainable.

The project at Farmington offered numerous opportunities for renovation and reuse strategies, and Cooper Robertson was able to redesign and update many spaces including renovations and upgrades to its fit ness and locker facilities. By giving new life to Farmington Country Club’s centuries-old spaces, we’re taking a very sustainable ap proach to serve the club’s long-term goals.

Are you optimistic about how the marketplace has responded to everything happening today?

Kirk: Although recent years have been volatile for the hospitality industry, we’re seeing a resurgence of interest in the social and leisure opportunities that clubs provide. At Farmington, for example, day-to-day service and especially events are once again a core component of the club’s offerings as pandemic restrictions ease and pent-up demand are released.

Bigger-picture, we’re also seeing positive momentum in terms of reimagining and reinvigorating historic country clubs nationwide. There is a growing movement across the country toward making private clubs more diverse and modern, in order to bring them in line with the current and evolving desires of new members.

Photo courtesy ©Francis Dzikowski/OTTO

Farmington’s leadership, including CEO Joe Krenn, has really been the driving force behind the club’s renaissance, and their focus on the three R’s of recruitment, retention, and relevance is a highly effective framework for breaking down the challenge of boosting membership into strategic com ponents and concrete actions. We feel there are many reasons for optimism.

What trends are you seeing?

Kirk: Private clubs are beginning to shift toward more diverse and modern attitudes, putting new emphasis on serving young families, offering flexible amenities and paying new attention to employee resources. The opening up of the industry to appeal to fresh demographics is a positive shift overall, and will bring new opportunities for both potential members and for the hospitality providers.

In terms of the food service compo nents, there’s really a push for clubs to offer a very high level of culinary experi ence that members couldn’t find any where else—from the range and quality of the food offerings themselves, to the extraordinary reputations of staff chefs and bakers, to opportunities for members to get hands-on with classes and tastings. Kitchens are an essential component of the experiential nature that defines the contemporary club environment.

For example, we added new specialty spaces and equipment—such as a pastry shop and an indoor cooker—which means that Farmington has been able to create a richer experience for members with popular offerings such as a chef’s table along with group and individual cooking classes.

in exciting and unique activities that they wouldn’t have access to in other contexts. This is why upgrading kitchen facilities is important: Not only does a functional and beautiful back-of-house area help drive operational efficiency, but it also supports more diverse and appealing culinary offerings and programs.

Blodgett: Today’s “must-visit” hospitality envi ronment is a place that offers a wide range of top-level, curated experiences for guests. This is especially true in the private club context, where members need to feel that they’re finding real value in the overall experience.

To achieve success in the hospitality comeback, club leaders need to understand those “Three R’s” mentioned above, and apply this framework to staffing as well as membership—because reinventing the backof-house environment is one of the most effective ways to ensure a venue holds unique appeal and delivers top-notch service across the board in such a competitive market.

What is today’s consumer looking for?

Kirk: In the private club world, today’s con sumer wants a place for the whole family to exercise, relax, meet with friends, and engage

In Cooper Robertson’s experience working with Farmington Country Club, another major consideration in meeting con sumer desires was modernizing the facilities while still maintaining their historic appeal— after all, the club’s campus is a landmark in many senses of the word, which is a unique point of differentiation.

We were able to seamlessly integrate the new kitchen facilities into the club’s historic fabric; if you didn’t know these areas had just been redone and expanded, you would think they were a part of the original club structure, which is an achievement that makes us proud.

Another important aspect of meeting consumer needs was incorporating new kinds of uses and activities within the club’s facilities. For example, we added a new children’s center—so parents can work in a game of tennis or yoga class—and a short er, nine-hole golf course makes it easier for kids to play and for members to fit a quick game into their busy schedules.

In addition to the classic expectations for a club, flexible and diverse amenities and services are fundamental to maintaining a happy membership in the current landscape.

Tell us what makes your firm so unique?

Kirk: Cooper Robertson is an integrated full-service architecture and urban design firm, with a practice that covers a range of sectors from clubs and resorts, to museum and cultural facilities, to public realm design, education, medical and research facilities and campus planning.

We can bring this diverse expertise to bear in all of our projects, which means in practice that for a client like Farmington Country Club, we are able not only to create a strategic campus master plan, but we can design and oversee the build-out of each component of that plan—ensuring that the completed project functions beautifully on the overall campus level and on the individu al building level.

CK

What’s the secret to creating a “must visit” environment today?

Photo courtesy Cooper Robertson.jpg

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Forging Ahead

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Forging Ahead

Women and the fight to fend off occupational risks

By Jonathan Damashek

` Like most trade professions, men make up most of the workforce in the construction industry. Although you may be surprised to learn how many women work in construction, the demographics of construction workers could soon shift further toward more inclusivity.

In mid-2022, the Biden Administration launched the Talent Pipeline Challenge, a new initiative for the equitable development of the infrastructure workforce. The challenge encourages employers, training providers, and state and local governments to not only bring on workers but create more pathways for women and people of color to join all infrastructure sectors, including construction.

Breaking Ground for More Women in Construction

This push for hiring also comes during a nationwide shortage of construction laborers, with over half a million residential and nonresidential construction positions sitting un filled. More women in construction could help bridge this gap.

Just over 57% of all women participate in the labor force: however, “women were substantially underrepresented (relative to their share of total employment) in man ufacturing (29.5%), agriculture (27.7%), transportation and utilities (24.1%), mining (14.5%), and construction (10.%),” accord ing to the latest databook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Of the 11% of women in construction, many hold administrative and leadership positions, while around 100,000 are laborers on the front lines of a job site— research from the Institute for Women’s Policy shows this is a significant increase in female laborers since 2016, indicating more room to grow over the coming years.

Is Construction More Dangerous for Women in the Field?

Female construction workers may face more risk of injury on the job compared to their male counterparts. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics collects and reports comprehensive data on occupational fatal and nonfatal injuries among construction workers, it is not granular enough to reveal much about how many women are hurt or killed in construction jobs.

In a report by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), one study found that women had higher rates of sprains, strains, and nerve conditions of the wrist and forearm than men. But overall, the lack of data highlights a need for further research and a breakdown of workplace injury data on women specifically.

While data on women hurt or killed in con struction accidents is sparse, the NYCOSH report explored some other risks women in construction face, such as:

Challenging Ergonomics — The physical differences between men and women can pose difficulties for women in construction jobs since most of the common equipment and tools used are designed for larger hands and overall stronger body types. When women are not provided proper tools or are pushed beyond their physical limits, they face a greater risk of injury.

Improper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — In addition to challenges using construction tools and equipment, women can also be hurt if they do not have proper PPE for the job, such as hats, boots, and high visibility vests. OSHA states that PPE should be fitted to each worker’s body measurements and many sizes are available—when it comes to PPE, one size does not fit all.

Reproductive Hazards — Little data exists on how reproductive hazards affect women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. Common construction site hazards such as dust, lead, and other chemicals are dangerous for all construc tion workers but may pose a greater risk to expectant mothers. CDC suggests this risk can be mitigated with proper PPE and by closely following safety practices in the workplace, but women still face health exposure.

training or experiencing sexual harassment in training and on the job.

A Brighter Future for Women in Construction?

Everyone in the construction industry has a responsibility to keep female workers safe, from employer and labor unions to safety and regulatory agencies. Women have come a long way in terms of representation in historically male-dominated fields, but with more potentially joining the construction workforce, steps should be taken to ensure that those fields are as safe for them as they are for their male colleagues.

A brief by the Institute for Women’s Policy emphasizes the value of more women join ing construction and other trades: “Having clear data can create accountability and help policymakers ensure that trades women have access to sustainable careers,

Beyond physical dangers, women in construction also can face stressful or even hostile work environments.

Inadequate Training — In 1999, an OSHA report documented the concerns of some female construction workers regard ing inadequate training, lack of support, and less “general acceptance” and trust from male colleagues to learn new skills or complete tasks. When women are not given the same opportunities for mentorship and coaching from coworkers and superiors, there’s a greater chance they won’t receive critical information about their work, creating a greater chance for injury.

Other Challenges for Women in Construction

Beyond physical dangers, women in construction also can face stressful or even hostile work environments. Although apprenticeships in male-dominated indus tries can offer better-paying opportunities than stereotypical “women’s work,” women at many levels—from laborers to the C-suite—unfortunately report being denied

with adequate work hours, workplace policies that support work/family balance, compre hensive on-the-job training and freedom from bias and sexual and racial harassment. The industry as a whole benefits greatly from access to the skilled work of tradeswomen.”

Despite the risks and challenges wom en in construction face, trade workers are in high demand, and employers are raising pay to help meet the call—particularly in the homebuilding sector, where the rate of wage growth is at its highest in more than 40 years.

The general outlook for growth in the construction industry is on par with other trades, but the immediate need and relative ease of entry makes a career in construction worth considering. n

` Jonathan Damashek is co-founder of Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek P.C., a personal injury law firm based in Manhattan.

Recognizing leading women in construction, architecture, and more

Women-directed initiates spotlight and honor deserving females advancing the built environment

By Cynthia Phifer Kracauer

`

Women are leading innovative solutions to challenging situations in all aspects of construction, architecture and design. They are delivering concepts and practices to withstand the effects of climate change. Advancing smart real estate development. Plan ning and overseeing business development and complex projects. Developing creative and effective practices through mentorship. Women are behind successful collaborations among construction professionals, city planners and community stakeholders.

Yet, too often, these women are over looked when they should be recognized and celebrated. Certainly, a more gender-bal anced industry that provides equal opportu nities and promotions for all genders would be best. Many of us are working toward that through various industry and in-house programs, organization and association initiatives, and media outreach.

Awards programs also help put the spot light on women in construction, architecture, and design. Women like Fiona Cousins, Chair of the Americas for the global engineering and design giant Arup. Judy Kessler, Con sultant to Vornado who is known for leading large-scale building projects and supporting housing for low- and moderate-income residents, including the formerly homeless.

J. Meejin Yoon, dean of Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning and one of the founding partners of the architec ture and design firm Höweler + Yoon.

They, along with three other wom en—Adrienne Hepler, founder of owner’s representative and project management firm Envoie Projects; Elaine Molinar, managing partner of the US practice for Snøhetta, an acclaimed 100-person interdisciplinary architecture, landscape, and interior design studio with a focus on well-being; and Brennan Gilbane Koch, Director, Strategic Partnerships and Client Relations for Gilbane Building Company—are being honored by the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation’s 2022 BEVY Leadership Awards.

Just as Beverly Willis, FAIA, was a pioneer of her time, these pillars of the construction, architecture, and industry— along with the women before them who have been recognized by the BEVY Leader ship Awards’ decade of honoring women of distinction—are changing the culture of the built environment professions. They are ele vating the roles of women leaders in varied fields through their powerful approaches to advancing the built environment.

Consider engineer Fiona Cousins whose contributions to iconic projects worldwide include the US Embassy in London and New York City’s Fulton Street Station. Her work as a valued advisor is marked by her counsel on critical climate legislation for New York City’s recent Local Law 97. She has served as the Chair of the US Green Building Council and earned such honors as LEED Fellow and the AIA New York Chapter’s Award of Merit in 2017.

Here’s more:

J. Meejin Yoon’s leading work and research on the intersections between architec ture, urbanism, technology, and the public realm have furthered cultural buildings and public spaces, like the Institute of Democracy and the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia, and the MIT Museum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A published author, Yoon has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in the field of architecture, the highest recognition of artistic merit in the United States.

Judy Kessler has facilitated the comprehensive vision for improvements to Penn Station in New York, with more than $2 billion of privately funded projects above grade and $3 billion of publicly funded and PPP projects in Penn Station and the transit network below. She has led pioneering projects, such as 15 Central Park West condominium as a development executive for Zeckendorf Development, and per formed early work on what would later become the Moynihan Train Hall as a project director at Tishman Urban Development Corp.

Adrienne Hepler’s strategic oversight and planning for complex capital projects puts cultural, mission-driven and not-for- profit clients on top. Her large teams navigate varied capital projects through regulatory reviews and approvals to ensure the projects’ timely completion and adherence to budgets.

Elaine Molinar has led the design of cultural projects across the globe, including the Bibiliotheca Alexandrina, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, and the National September 11th Memorial Museum Pavilion. Her decades-long commitment to social and physical well-being is the cornerstone of programs she’s cultivated in-house for Snøhetta and in connection to independent outside groups. Molinar furthers the power of equity, diversity, and inclusion by speaking about these issues to audiences that range from student and commercial groups to national and international public officials.

And, as the lead for Arup Americas she’s advancing the firm’s commitments to achieving net-zero emissions across its entire operations by 2030 and the compa ny’s undertaking of whole lifecycle carbon assessments for significant building projects.

Still, it is one thing to honor outstanding women with our distinguished award. It’s another to do it with the support of female colleagues. The BEVY Leadership Awards’ co-chairs, Jennifer Stone and Ebbie Wisecarver are two powerhouses that add to the program’s might. An advocate for exceptional design and collaborative problem-solving, Jennifer Stone, AIA, is advancing optimal outcomes by bringing diverse talents together in her role as a part ner at Robert A.M. Stern Architects.

Ebbie Wisecarver is influencing work place culture by promoting gender equality as the senior vice president and head of

Brennan Gilbane Koch is director, strategic partnerships and client relations for Gilbane Building Company, a global integrated construction and facility management services firm.

global design at WeWork, where she also is the executive sponsor of Women of WeWork, the company’s employee resource entity.

Having the support of sponsors matters, too. Each one affirms the value of women’s contributions in the construction industry and the importance of recognizing their valuable work. This year, the law firm Zetlin & De Chiara, is championing women as a sponsor for the BEVY Leadership Awards, as are real estate developer and manager Brookfield Properties, engineering firms Thornton Tomasetti and Arup, and architecture companies SHoP, Robert A.M. Stern Archi tects, Dattner Architects and Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM).

I am glad to see a growing momentum in the impact of women and diversity in general in the construction and architecture industry. The more we recognize leading contributions, the more responsive and effective our work will be in the built environment. n

Women are leading innovative solutions to challenging situations in all aspects of construction, architecture and design.

` Cynthia Phifer Kracauer is Execu tive Director of the Beverly Willis Archi tecture Foundation.

Leading the charge

Science says women enhance team effectiveness, and other things intuition told me

By Marissa Dionne Mead

`

For architects working in multiple project sectors, one of the unexpectedly rewarding aspects of the job is learning about our clients and their work. Occasionally, for the most curious of us, we take a deep dive into particular fields of study and we come away with an enhanced appreciation for our clients’ contributions to the world.

In this exploration, we often gain enough newly found knowledge to inspire dinner conversations on topics as interest ing and varied as eSports, the Montessori Method or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Rarer though is the occasion to stumble upon a concept that resonates mean ingfully with our own profession and that challenges or alters our own perceptions of how we work in the industry of architecture and design.

A recent project for a robotics lab led me to an exploration of self-organizing systems in nature referred to as collective intelligence. Imagine schools of fish or mound-building ants that work collabora tively and collectively to ensure protection or successfully complete a task. Essentially, collective intelligence is a measurement of the team’s effectiveness, and the idea applies to human groups as well.

Since almost every profession relies on the work of teams, data on what makes a good team is crucial information. What I found is that studies on collective IQ have been performed repeatedly. In 2010, MIT published a report outlining some of the findings:

In two studies with 699 people, working in groups of two to five, we find converging evidence of a general collective intelligence factor that explains a group’s performance on a wide variety of tasks. This “C factor” is not strongly correlated with the average or maximum individual intelligence of group members, but is cor related with the average social sensitivity of group members, the equality in distribution

of conversational turn-taking, and the proportion of females in the group.*

In other words, groups performed bet ter when they were composed of members who were more empathetic, more egalitarian and more female.

In the last decade our architecture firm has embraced a philosophy that “all of us are better than any one of us.” It is a belief that a community is better at solving its own challenges than any one individual. We have embraced this both internally in how we structure our project teams, as well as externally in how we include a broad range of stakeholders in envisioning a project. The more people have a chance to share their perspective on what is needed in a project, the less likely we are to miss something important in the design.

And while this collaborative sentiment is felt deeply in our ranks, we have not necessarily grounded it in scientific data. But there was proof in witnessing the success of sensitive projects that emerged from profound collaborative efforts.

It is important to note that the burgeoning of this philosophy at our firm occurred in concert with the increase in female participation and leadership within the office. The proportion of women in the architecture industry, and especially at leadership levels, continues to lag behind graduation rates.

But it is increasing. The acceptance of female expertise in this industry has been a measured rise, but my perspective—15 years in—is that the impact is palpable. Firms are actively marketing their collaboration strategies

and preference to work with, as opposed to for, communities. We are leaving behind the idea of the “lone genius” and embracing the concept of collaborative engagement. And our projects are better for it.

My feeling had been that correlation between female participation, improved collaboration, and project success were not unrelated. And it turns out, it’s not just my feelings: it’s science.

I have also become aware of the 2019 best seller advocating cognitive diversity, Rebel Ideas: “The Power of Diverse Thinking” by Matthew Syed. He effectively shifts the diversity conversation from one about polit ical correctness to one about performance and innovation. By offering up stories, inter views and research, he illuminates how blind spots, echo chambers, and the pleasure our brains experience when someone confirms our way of thinking obstruct new solutions to complex problems.

As a mother of young children, the con clusions of these studies have steadied the constant uncertainty about my value to the industry. What I should know, and what every woman should know, is that there is a power in our lived experience and in those traits traditionally considered feminine, such as nurturance, supportiveness and cooperation.

Innate social sensitivity, emotional in telligence and an egalitarian leadership style are valuable characteristics that translate to better team cohesion. Diversity fosters reinvention and growth. These equate to im proved execution in many standard metrics of business performance.

The takeaway is simple—when organizations bring more women and diversity to the table, they increase their odds for success. n

` Marissa Dionne Mead, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, is an Associate Principal and Director of Art Integration at Svigals + Partners, an architecture + art firm based in New Haven, Connecticut, as well as a founding principal of art studio, Atelier Cue.

* Woolley A., Chabris C. F., Pentland A., Hashmi N., Malone T. W., Evidence for a collective intelligence factor in the performance of human groups. Science 330, 6004 (2010).

Landing on construction

Reflecting on my journey across the globe

By Samantha Sprole

` I do not come from a lineage of tradesmen and women, nor did I ever think as a young person who I would find a home in construction. Instead, I wandered through a thousand interests, a hundred places, through multiple schools and several career paths before arriving at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 429 in Nashville.

Here, with my brothers and sisters in the trade, I have discovered how a good livelihood can intersect with one’s innermost values, a duty to one’s community, and the siren call to build a better future before it’s too late. With some luck, my story of stumbling through life and onto a construction site will help more young women envision themselves in full command of their future, even in a male-dominated industry.

After almost eight years in higher education, I have become a firm believer in the earn-while-you-learn philosophy of the building trades. Today, I am a proud first-year apprentice electrician, studying at the Nashville Electrical Joint Appren ticeship and Training Committee (NEJATC) while at the same time working 60-hour weeks with Rosendin, one of the largest

Samantha Sprole

employee-owned electrical contractors in the country.

Week after week, hundreds of my fellow workers and I build the largest data center in Tennessee, while two nights a week I sit in class and learn the theory be hind my craft. I’m happy to share the story of how I got here.

My Journey to Now

I earned a bachelor's degree in philoso phy at the age of 19. Not wanting to go straight to graduate school to focus on ethics in the abstract, I decided to move to a fully income-sharing commune in rural Virginia. For two years, I helped cultivate food and maintain buildings and vehicles on those 400-plus acres shared by 100 people.

It was here that I discovered my love for the craft trades. Still, by the age of 21, I was ready to set off on my own again.

physical health. I longed to realign my work life, moral convictions, and a sense of community, like what I experienced on the commune.

By 2021, I was ready to return to a more active lifestyle.

Joining An Apprenticeship Program

Thankfully, I discovered the Music City Construction Careers (MC3) pre-appren ticeship program while emerging from the coronavirus lockdown. Mingling with representatives from several union trades, I realized how the culture of trade union solidarity could potentially be that missing link, my gateway to integrating my values and my work.

I was not completely sold on walking the electrician’s path, however, until I met the president of local 429, Kim Sansom. She was teaching a class for the MC3 program,

distribution is central to our mission to limit greenhouse gas emissions and transition to ecologically regenerative systems. Even training as an inside wireman, my chosen field contains keys to understanding and innovating what makes our homes livable, our economy moving, and our fingertips able to access the wealth of human knowl edge with the stroke of a finger.

Now as an apprentice with local 429, I work each day to build a LEEDs Gold-cer tified data center, powered by 100% renewable energy and using 80% less water than a typical data center. My fellow workers vary widely in age and experience level; I work with teenagers fresh out of high school and with Vietnam veterans nearing retirement.

When it comes to the younger workers around me, I am confident that the future of construction will be in the hands of a competent generation of craftspeople less bogged down by the machismo stereotypes that burdened our elders. Now workers discuss things like mental health issues and work-life balance concerns. You are no longer expected to suck it up and grit your teeth rather than ask for help when you need it.

I worked as an educator for the next several years, receiving a master's degree in education while teaching English in Shanghai, China. Next, I pursued an other master's degree in social science research in Taipei, Taiwan, focused on environmental standards in the island's heavy industry. My background in English language arts led me to edit for profes sors, graduate students and eventually the now-defunct China Post newspaper.

But after five years of wandering, living the expatriate life in Asia plus several months in central Europe, I felt determined to find a home where I could potentially make a difference. Moreover, years spent hitting the books and toiling away behind computers soon took their toll on my spiritual well-being and my

and she happened to ask me what trade I was considering. I told her about sheet metal work, because of the intricate designs and unique aesthetic beauty of architectural sheet metal.

After I mentioned this, she led me and some other students through a door into the guts of the NEJATC school. Point ing to perfectly laid out lines of shiny elec trical conduit, she described the skill and craftsmanship involved in pulling off these carefully wrought electrical designs—de signs that would power the very heart of the building and enable the learning that happens within its walls. I was sold.

Moreover, living in the US and seeing the work needed to improve our infra structure, I realize the centrality of the electrical trade. Power generation and

My more seasoned male colleagues have also warmly welcomed me on site. A few have told me they are not used to working beside women, but I have found it relatively easy and rewarding to earn their respect by working smart and working hard. My supervisors offer patient instruc tion and advice, making me much more confident with the tools of my trade—from wire strippers and hydraulic pipe benders to forklifts and flatbed trucks.

Now as I embark on the latest stage of my journey, I am inspired by tradeswomen like Kim Sansom who paved the way. Per haps one day I also will become a mentor to a new generation of craftswomen. Together we can build a more ecologically flourish ing world and a healthier, more inclusive construction industry. n

` Samantha Sprole is a first-year apprentice electrician who is studying at the Nashville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NEJATC).

Perhaps one day I also will become a mentor to a new generation of craftswomen. Together we can build a more ecologically flourishing world and a healthier, more inclusive construction industry.

New Britain Beehive Bridge

Biohaven UPharmaceuticals

niversity of New Haven Bergami Center

Yale Child Study Center

Strength. Grit. Willingness.

Ushering in change for construction safety

By Michelle Tinsley

` Women make up around 11% of the construction workforce, but as the workforce shortage continues, that percentage is expected to rise as companies recruit this untapped resource. Women have historically been hesitant to join skilled trades because the industry was considered men’s work that required strength, grit and a willingness to get dirty. Boy, how have things changed.

Modern tools and technology opened doors for women to have a rewarding career in construction, whether they are working in an office, a warehouse or a jobsite. Regard less of a business’s size, every employee and contractor deserves the right to work in an environment where they are safe from physical and mental harm and companies are adapting.

That’s why after spending 26 years at a large corporate technology company and a decade investing in small businesses, I decided to shift my focus to better incorporate my personal belief that safety is always the top priority.

As the President and COO at YellowBird, I now promote worker health and safety through our two-sided marketplace that connects environmental, health and safety

professionals with companies for a few hours, days or months. Our professionals implement realistic safety measures for businesses of all sizes and work to improve standardization across construction, manufacturing, energy and insurance industries.

Operating a small business presents its own individual set of challenges. While some companies may be unable to hire full time safety specialists, the citations, along with potential injuries and fatalities can be avoided by following safety programs, imple menting training, and developing safer work environments.

Paying for EHS programs “as you go” and staffing it with a quality professional for the task is the way to tap into today’s workforce. YellowBird provides these essential services to keep workers safe and keep workflow moving forward. We even have been hired by subcon tractors to assess job sites to make sure they are meeting general contractor standards.

Throughout my career, I have noticed the exponential growth in individual and companies’ attentiveness to safety while continuing to meaningfully scale operations. With initial investments into safety training and best practices for every employee, regardless of level, our industry has seen a shift in on-the-job injuries.

Here are my top safety measures to ensure everyone goes home at night to their families, feeling good about their safety:

1 Make Safety One of Your Company’s Top Values

In construction, it is imperative that the workforce is properly trained in safety protocols. Work-related injuries, illness, and fatalities not only hurt morale, but they can also cost a company money through lost time from work stoppages, training workers, damage, and fines. Compliance must be a top priority for people at all levels of the company, from the C-Suite to the veteran worker to the first-year apprentice. Small businesses are no exception. Safety should be a part of daily toolbox talks and formal safety protocols that cover every area from job sites to the lunchroom. Not only does it improve production, but it can also boost recruiting and retention efforts.

2 Host Mandatory Safety Sessions

Employees will do what they see management do and training is no exception. A company’s management team can set an example and show that safety is for everyone, not just for frontline work ers. Demonstrate that the entire company is invested in the safety and health of all employees by scheduling safety courses, like the OSHA10 or the OSHA30 for the construction industry, first aid/CPR or a fall awareness class to identify hazards. Investing in employee safety shows the company values its employees.

3 Ensure Access to PPE

Women construction workers may be at a higher risk of injuries if they do not have access to properly fitting PPE including right sized safety glasses, harnesses and hardhats. Not all companies will purchase specialty products made to fit a woman’s frame, but if you work in the industry, it is worth spending your own money and you may be able to write it off on your taxes.

4 Site Safety Management

Not all contractors can afford a full-time safety professional to enforce regulations and policies, but companies can provide safety oversight and stay in compliance by setting up strong policies and leveraging emerging technologies. If a company is too small to have a full-time safety professional on staff, consider suggesting they hire a consultant to serve as an on-site safety manager to conduct walkthroughs and audits.

5 Incident Response

If an accident does happen, it can be ter rifying for employees, especially if on-site managers are not equipped to handle an emergency. It is critical that all employees know what to do in the event of an injury or death. Every company and every job site should have a plan that is readily acces sible that gives employees permission to stop working, contact their supervisor, and assess the situation to determine if anyone else is at risk. Safety consultants at YellowBird can respond to emergencies and be available in just a few hours to help get things back on track and in compliance.

As the construction industry adapts to attract a more diverse workforce, companies must consider safety a valuable and crucial part of business operations by making sure every job site implements key steps that ensure ease of access for everyone. Regard less of deadlines and economic pressures, it is imperative to focus on creating a safe work environment that can be standardized across operations.

While the necessary safety measures may look different from job to job, the imple mentation of meaningful safety tactics in the construction industry is an essential part of prompting growth within a small business.

Hiring safety experts for short term proj ects allows teams the flexibility to expand and contract when needed. It can be challenging to find the right team so finding a specialized, online platform like YellowBird can help save time by searching candidates with specific credentials, experience, skills and geography.

Compared to hiring through staffing and temp agencies, using an on-demand service can save weeks or months of time spent interviewing and vetting candidates. n

` A successful professional, Angel Investor and active community member, Michelle Tinsley is President and COO YellowBird.

Throughout my career, I have noticed the exponential growth in individual and companies’ attentiveness to safety while continuing to meaningfully scale operations.

Safety dance

How—and why—women are helping change the construction safety game

By Krista Looney

So what type of facilities damage do I get to evaluate with my Wallace forensics team? I'm glad you asked:

Moisture Intrusion

Almost nothing is more vexing to a building owner than leaks. Water damages merchan dise and creates slip hazards, making leak detection and repair a top priority for most facilities maintenance departments.

I have examined my fair share of TPO, PVC, EPDM and metal roofs for holes, open seams, and damaged flashings and surveyed EIFS and block walls for failed sealants and coatings. Tracking down moisture points of entry is tedious, but finding those defects and knowing that your repair recommendations will make a difference is incredibly satisfying.

Wall, Slab or Foundation Damage

`

When most people hear the phrase “women in construction,” they think about the ladies with the hands-on jobs—the female welders, equipment operators, and more. And that’s fantastic. I love that more and more women with the confidence, skills, and passion to pursue those boots-on-the-ground occupations are finding the encouragement and opportunities to do so, and getting some recognition along the way.

But in reality, opportunities for wom en—for everyone—in construction extend far beyond physical labor. From project managers and estimators to salespeople and product experts to architects and design consultants, there is a mountain of diverse opportunities for anyone who has the drive to join this evolving industry and impact the built environment.

As a licensed structural engineer and registered roof consultant at Wal lace Design Collective, I interact with the construction industry from a unique niche: forensic investigations and inspections for facilities maintenance.

While not involved with the physical work of repairing facilities, I am part of a team that helps building owners get to the bottom of their structure-related facilities maintenance mysteries. We piece together clues, combining structural and roofing

expertise with research, observations, and results from non-destructive or limited-de structive testing, to identify issues and develop recommendations designed to keep buildings safe and functional.

Since we deal with existing facilities, the evaluation and specifying processes often involve a little creativity. Depending on the damage, we might have to assess structural integrity with calcs and models that account for reduced steel sections at corroded members or load redistribution at damaged concrete.

We also will bounce ideas off of contractors and work within a building owner’s budget and operating constraints to come up with innovative, cost-effective design options that will address the issue while minimizing disruption to service. Final reports or repair plans are always developed with safety and operations in mind.

Cracks in floor slabs or walls are a close second on a building owner’s list of nuisanc es. They create trip hazards, discontinuities in the building envelope, and in some cases, looming doubts about structural soundness.

Drawing conclusions about underlying cause and risk versus reward for repairs is always a data-heavy, thought-intensive process. Does evidence point to heave, settlement, or something else? Is there damage to structural components, or just slab on grade and architectural stud walls? Is everything constructed as specified?

Answering these questions and more while taking into account building use, budget, and future risk help us advise the owner on implementing temporary, on-going maintenance versus. a more costly and invasive permanent solution.

Vehicle Impact

Whether it's forklifts puncturing columns or trucks backing into walls, building damage caused by vehicle impact is more common than you might think. Since the cause is not usually a mystery, we can jump straight into focusing on existing drawings and visual observations to determine if the impacted element is load bearing, whether shoring or cordoning off is required, and the best approach to specifying repairs.

Photo courtesy of Candace Arthur

Roof Assessments, Repairs and Capital Outlay Programs

Special Inspections

Load

Surveys and Repairs

Disaster Response

When a tornado, hurricane or fire strikes, building owners need to understand damage extents as soon as possible so emergency clean-up and construction crews can start safely removing debris and constructing temporary shoring and partitions. Assessments focus on what needs to be done to structural and roofing systems to keep portions of the building safe and operational while performing major repairs or replacements in severely damaged areas.

Whether evaluating the structure or roof, the key to disaster response is looking beyond the obvious to search for critical damage that might not be evident to the untrained eye, like broken joist welds caused by uplift or tiny hail fractures in a roofing membrane that will lead to big leaks down the road.

Volume Assessments

Building owners with hundreds or thousands of facilities across the country constantly juggle rolling maintenance schedules with limited budgets. Deciding where to direct funds can leave them overwhelmed. Our team helps owners prioritize maintenance for everything from weathered roofs to aging oil change facilities with spalled concrete and corroded steel.

Data from detailed on-site checklists evaluated through our lens of technical ex pertise allows us to comparatively rank sites and provide recommendations on which sites need to be addressed first, whether sites require full replacement or targeted repairs, and how to best allocate funds.

Post-Repair Inspections

Building owners need to know that they have invested in repairs that will last. For roof replacements or structural repairs, we often are engaged at intermediate and final stages to inspect construction. We will verify that repairs were completed per our drawings and details or create a punch list of deviations to be addressed.

Digging into the cause of structural or roofing damage, coming up with creative, budget-conscious solutions that minimize

downtime, and inspecting final repairs is re warding work. And just like every other field in the construction industry, there's room for all in this space.

Even so, as a female, I still will come across the occasional comment or dou ble-take. But I usually find that it’s more based on curiosity and surprise than hostility—as in, "Hmm…we've never had a female inspector before."

Well now they have. And as more women find their way into all aspects of

construction, I think most residual shock and skepticism eventually will fade away. Because at the end of the day, actions speak louder than looks, and great work speaks for itself. n

` Krista Looney is a Structural Engineer and AEC Content Writer at Wallace Design Col lective, a consulting firm offering structural and civil engineering, landscape architec ture, surveying, and more.

Women in Roofing

Why the heart of the industry is focused on family, loyalty and service

By Heidi J. Ellsworth

` Women in roofing? Eight years ago, this was not even a discussion. According to a few, there were token women in the right spots, but what they did not realize was that those women were bringing productivity and success to positions that men were not even understanding. They were running woman-owned companies, without even realizing it.

Executive team from NWIR with Heidi Ellsworth first ever NWiR WORLD Award Winner at NWiR Day 2020!

Today, with the efforts of many women, men and National Women in Roofing (NWIR), there is a renewed understanding, interest and demand for diversity. Wom en-owned roofing businesses are more prevalent than ever along with women working in and owning manufacturing, distribution and service businesses.

Not because of affirmative action but because the roofing industry is under standing that women have played a criti cal role in the trade not just for decades, but for centuries.

Yes, centuries. How many people grew up with parents who owned their own business in a trade. The mom was doing the books and raising families and the dad was “running” the business. Please do not take this wrong but many of us grew up in a construction family and it was an equal opportunity relationship in the family/business dynamic. But in the greater industry or even society, the women (moms) were not recognized as an owner or even partners.

Today that is changing, women are seeing the opportunities and recognition to own their businesses or work in any part of the roofing business. While roofing is a conservative trade, it also is one of the most honorable and ethical. The roofing industry continually shows that the heart of the industry is focused on family, loyalty and service.

As a women-owned business in roof ing, RoofersCoffeeShop has been incred ibly active in promoting diversity in the roofing industry. As a founder of NWIR, I have always believed that the true goal is to find a good balance where everyone’s talents are appreciated and support the greater success of the business and industry overall.

When the National Women in Roofing association started in 2014 it was a group of women and men who recognized that 2% of women working in the roofing indus try were not going to work. They needed to look at attracting more women into the roofing industry and even more importantly how to push a culture of diversity and inclusion so that professionals new to the industry would stay.

NWIR was started by a diverse group of women and men who were committed to not only recruiting women into roofing but providing benefits that would keep them in the industry including mentoring, networking and education. Starting with a core group of ten women and men, it quickly expanded to a national associa tion now comprising over 2,000 mem bers and more than 45 NWIR councils across the US.

and if they do, believe us, they have plenty of jobs in construction that do not include roofing. So, the times are changing. It takes balance, and in business it must be about all employees working together to find success and profitability.

By recognizing the strength of women in roofing and women-owned businesses along with the balance of a strong and diverse employee base, the roofing industry is gaining strides quickly

As you will see on their website, “National Women in Roofing (NWiR) is a volunteer-based organization that supports and advances the careers of women roofing professionals, from manufacturing to design to installation, investigation to repair to management, and every step in between.

NWiR provides networking, mentoring, education and industry recruitment oppor tunities from the rooftop to the boardroom, for the young professional at the start of her career to the seasoned manager in the executive suite. Through a commitment to connect and empower women in roofing, NWiR members contribute to the overall betterment and professionalism of the roofing industry.

Membership also includes and welcomes men who support the inclusion of women in the roofing industry. Working together, NWiR members are bringing the industry to a new level of excellence by supporting and promoting the contributions of women as an essential component to the future of roofing.”

It does not stop there. We have a whole new generation coming up of women who do not expect to see any discrimination

in the recruitment of women and minorities. When companies work together for everyone’s success it shows and by embracing and empowering women in roofing, the industry will continue to see success in retaining the highest levels of talent.

As I work with women throughout the roofing industry, I can say that they are strong leaders, innovative employers and thought leaders who are leading the way to making the roofing industry better than ever. I encourage all women to visit nationalwomeninroofing.org to learn more about the association and see the strides they have made.

With their focus on four pillars— Networking, Education, Recruitment and Mentoring they are creating a space that embraces diversity and is changing the face of an industry. n

` Heidi J. Ellsworth is President of RoofersCoffeeShop, and founder of the National Women in Roofing (NWIR), a volunteer-based organization with the goal to provide networking, mentoring and education for women in the roofing industry.

By recognizing the strength of women in roofing and women-owned businesses along with the balance of a strong and diverse employee base, the roofing industry is gaining strides quickly in the recruitment of women and minorities.

Taking to the wind

How a series of offshore wind farms are helping change how we view energy

This is an

of

Taking to the wind

How a series of offshore wind farms are helping change how we view energy

By JoAnne Castagna

Dec. 17, 1903: It was a windy day at Kitty Hawk, a coastal area of North Carolina, but suitable for the Wright brothers’ first test of their motor-operated flyer. In fact, they specifically chose this location for its wind. They started the engines and the propellers turned. After a few attempts, they managed to get the flyer off the ground for 59 seconds for a distance of 852 feet. It was the first-time humans would fly, but it would not be the last. Today, something else is harnessing the power of the wind at Kitty Hawk. Off the coast, a new offshore wind farm is being constructed through a collaboration of federal government agencies with the goal of making wind energy an everyday part of American life.

What’s happening at Kitty Hawk is advancing the Biden Administration’s offshore wind energy goals outlined in Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Cli mate Crisis at Home and Abroad, issued Jan. 27, 2021. The executive order directs interagency collaboration:

“…to increase renewable energy pro duction on those lands and in those waters, with the goal of doubling offshore wind by 2030 while ensuring robust protection for our lands, waters, and biodiversity and creating good jobs.”

To help meet this goal, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) North Atlantic Division is collaborating with the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). USACE is providing BOEM and its wind energy developer con tractors scientific and technical support, and regulatory oversight prior to its construction of offshore wind farms in the waters off the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast coasts.

“This partnership is a great example of federal agencies coming together for a common goal: to advance renewable energy solutions for the nation,” says Karen Baker, former USACE North Atlantic Division re gional programs director and current BOEM Chief of the Office of Renewable Energy Programs. “We look forward to applying USACE’s scientific and technical support to enable the BOEM-led team.”

What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished, such as sunlight or wind. Wind can be harnessed to create electricity. To do

this, wind turbines are used. Several turbines together create what is called a wind farm. While wind farms can be constructed either onor offshore, wind energy resources tend to be stronger offshore.

Wind turbines are large structures whose towers can be as tall as a New York City skyscraper. Typically, three blades extend from these towers with widths reaching the length of a football field. Heavy foundations that can be 220 feet long and weigh 1,000 tons secure the turbines to the ocean floor. Wind turbines in deeper ocean waters can be constructed on floating platforms instead.

Electricity is generated as wind turns the turbine’s blades. The blades turn a shaft inside the turbine. The shaft turns slowly and is connected to several gears that cause a smaller shaft to turn much faster. This smaller shaft drives the electrical generator.

This generated electricity then flows through a buried under water cable to an onshore substation where the voltage is stepped up and it connects to the onshore electrical grid. Before offshore wind farms like this can be constructed, wind energy developers must go through the National Environmental Policy Act review and approval process led by BOEM with USACE’s support as a cooperating agency.

NEPA requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions on permits to allow the construction of these structures.

USACE New England District Project Manager Christine Jacek is heavily involved with offshore wind farm projects in the New En gland region. She says USACE reviews and comments on the wind energy developer’s Environmental Impact Statement—a govern ment document that outlines the impact of a proposed project on its surrounding environment.

“It’s reviewed in accordance with our regulations and ensures impacts to the aquatic environment are avoided or minimized,” she says. “Based on this review, USACE is responsible for providing the de velopers permit decisions. These projects can’t proceed without permit decisions issued by USACE.”

USACE also makes sure wind energy developer’s construction plans don’t negatively impact USACE projects. Naomi Handell, USACE North Atlantic Division regulatory program manager, gave this exam ple, “If an underwater transmission cable route would cross a federal channel or the wind developer proposes to cross over an area where USACE is dredging sand for a project, we advise BOEM and the wind energy developers on ways to avoid this.”

Following are a few of the offshore wind farm projects planned or moving forward in the waters off the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast coastlines:

Kitty Hawk Offshore Wind Project, North Carolina

USACE Norfolk District is serving as a cooperating agency as part of BOEM’s environmental impact study review. According to BOEM, the project will sit 27 miles off the coast of Kitty Hawk.

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s renewable energy activities in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts. Credit: BOEM.

Throughout 122,405 acres of ocean, there will be up to 69 offshore wind turbines gen erating 5.2 gigawatts of energy to 700,000 homes by 2026. USACE’s South Atlantic Division is also working on this project.

Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project, Virginia

Norfolk District is also serving as a cooperat ing agency as part of BOEM’s environmental impact study review. This will be the biggest offshore wind farm in the United States and one of the biggest in the world, according to BOEM. The project will sit 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. Throughout 176 miles of ocean, there will be up to 205 offshore wind turbines generating up to 8.8 million megawatts of power annually to 660,000 homes in 13 states by 2026.

US Wind, Maryland

USACE Baltimore District is serving as a cooperating agency as part of BOEM’s

environmental impact study review. The project is projected to sit 11.5 miles off the coast of Maryland. Throughout 79,707 acres of ocean, the project is slated to have 126 offshore wind turbines generating 2 gigawatts of power for multiple states.

Ocean Wind 1, New Jersey

USACE Philadelphia District is serving as a cooperating agency as part of BOEM’s envi ronmental impact study review. This project will sit 13-miles off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. There will be up to 98 offshore wind turbines generating up to 1.1 gigawatts of power annually to 500,000 homes by 2024.

South Fork Wind, New York

USACE New York District issued a permit and authorized construction in January 2022, to move forward. The project will sit approximately 19 miles southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island, and 35 miles east of Montauk Point, Suffolk County, New York.

Throughout approximately 13,700 acres of ocean, there will be up to 12 offshore wind turbines generating approximately 132 megawatts of power for approximately 70,000 homes in New York.

Revolution Wind, Rhode Island

USACE New England District is serving as a cooperating agency as part of BOEM’s envi ronmental impact study review. The project will sit 18 miles off the coast of Rhode Island. There will be 100 offshore wind turbines gen erating 704 megawatts of power to 400,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

New England Wind (Park City Wind & Commonwealth Wind), Massachusetts

New England District is serving as a coop erating agency as part of BOEM’s environ mental impact study review. The project will sit 19 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. There will be 130 offshore wind turbines generating 2,000 megawatts of power for the Connecticut and Massachu setts power grids.

Mayflower Wind, Massachusetts

New England District is also serving as a cooperating agency as part of BOEM’s envi ronmental impact study review. This project will sit 26 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. There will be up to 147 offshore wind turbines generating 804 megawatts of power for the Massachusetts power grid.

Vineyard Wind 1, Massachusetts

New England District authorized this project last summer; it will sit 14 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Throughout approxi mately 75,614 acres of ocean, there will be 84 offshore wind turbines generating 800 megawatts of energy for the Massachusetts power grid by 2024.

USACE addresses climate change

The Biden Administration not only tasked federal agencies to work together to fight climate change, but also to develop their own plans. In response, USACE developed a

Climate Action Plan in 2021 that benefits its projects, the people working on them, and the communities they serve.

“The US Army Corps of Engineers’ Climate Action Plan provides actions that demonstrate how the Corps continues to further their efforts to address climate adap tation and resilience in all aspects of Civil Works projects and operations,” says Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jaime A. Pinkham. “This is a vital component of identifying the contribution of the Corps to the Administration’s goals for resilient infrastructure and community preparedness.”

our carbon footprint. Producing wind energy domestically also makes us independent from oil, which hopefully would make us less exposed to international adverse situations that could cost us generations to come. It’s a win-win situation.”

Issapour says these locations off the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts of the United States are prime areas to establish wind energy for several reasons, such as having access to deep, open waters, enabling wind farm parts manufacturers, some located solely in Europe, to ship materials to this region on large cargo ships.

Regarding wind turbine construction, Issapour said their size is growing. “When you

According to BOEM, perhaps the most important benefit of offshore wind farms is they help decrease the region’s reliance on fossil fuels and help tackle climate change. When fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and gas, are burned to meet our energy needs, this releases carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air, which degrades air and water quality and contributes to climate change.

Construction and operation of the Kitty Hawk project alone, by BOEM’s estimates, is expected to displace 1,330,032 tons of carbon dioxide, 860 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 703 tons of nitrogen oxide annually that would have been emitted from fossil-fuel burning facilities.

The plan includes identifying programs and missions most at risk from climate change to ensure best use of taxpayer dollars; putting senior leaders in charge of these projects so they are held account able; revamping supply chain policies and operations to create a more climate-resilient system; enhancing protections for workers and communities; and building a more equitable future for at-risk populations.

Wind energy benefits environment, economy

A supporter of the Biden Administration’s push for wind energy, Marjaneh Issapour, director of Farmingdale State College’s Renewable Energy and Sustainability Center, believes the United States could benefit from this renewable energy source in two major ways.

Issapour is a senior member of the Insti tute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in Long Island where she chairs the Power and Energy Society and is a subcommittee mem ber of the American Wind Energy Association. “Producing wind energy provides clean ener gy, reduces CO2s — carbon dioxide — and

construct a building, the taller the building, the deeper the foundation has to be. Wind turbine foundations are filled in with a special gravel material that makes the turbines steady and stable. This material is produced in Canada, which also is easily accessible to this region.”

The economy of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts will also benefit greatly. For example, BOEM says offshore wind farm construction in North Carolina and Virginia is expected to generate nearly $2 billion for the region’s economy over the next decade. BOEM has stated part of this will come from new jobs. For example, the Kitty Hawk project, once operational, will create 900 full time jobs.

When these projects are operational, the economies of these regions will further benefit. BOEM states regions with offshore wind turbines tend to experience an increase in recreation and tourism.

Part of this may be due to an increase in recreational fishing because of an in crease in fish habitats. The underwater foun dations that support the tall wind turbines may attract a wide variety of fish and other marine animals.

BOEM reports these projects are not only meeting federal climate change goals, but also state objectives. For example, the Common wealth of Virginia enacted the Virginia Clean Economy Act in April 2020. This act supports development of 2,500 to 3,000 megawatts of clean, reliable offshore wind energy to be in service by 2028 and has the goal of transi tioning Virginia’s biggest utility companies from their current electric portfolio to 100 percent carbon-free resources by 2050.

Issapour says Americans have been slow to accept renewable energy, such as wind energy, and she would like for them to think of the possibilities. “Before you say no, just take a look at the data and learn about it. Look at the long-term benefits. Don’t be short-sighted but think of the generations to come. Ask your self—what are the benefits for me, my family, and the longevity of our planet? We forget we are the guardians of this beautiful Earth.”

Possibly, in years to come, with the off shore wind farms being constructed now and those in the future, renewable energy will be just as common as boarding an airplane and climate change will be a passing breeze. FC

Dr. JoAnne Castagna is a public affairs specialist and writer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division. She can be reached at joanne.castagna@usace.army.mil.

While wind farms can be constructed either on- or offshore, wind energy resources tend to be stronger offshore.

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Cannabis Brokers

Matte Namer founder, Cannabeta Realty

bring

to

The Cannabis Brokers

How Cannabeta Realty is helping bring cannabis shops to the NYC metro areas

If you want Matte Namer to be honest about the cannabis movement in the New York City area, Namer will: Anyone can get cannabis delivered. But if you want someone to harvest it, package it, market it and distribute it, you need space.

That’s where Namer’s company, Cannabeta Realty, comes into the picture. As founder of the New York-based broker age firm, Namer is helping clear the path for storefronts and warehouses bringing cannabis to the New Yorkers.

The real estate developer, asset manager, hotelier and salesperson has been busy helping grow the cannabis market in the tri-state area with a company of com mercial real estate industry veterans repre senting more than $1 billion in transactions.

Cannabeta leverages its knowledge of neighborhood demographic trends to help its clients identify and implement cannabis re tail strategies. It also makes sure its clients can maximize revenue in the pre-license phase of their business by drawing upon our unmatched experience in short-term rentals and pop-ups.

We sat down with Namer to get an inside look at how Cannabeta is helping change the New York area cannabis game.

GIVE US A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR BRAND?

Essentially, we are the experts at the cross-section of the cannabis and real estate industries. We have a geographical focus on the tri-state area. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have each recently legalized cannabis for recreational and adult use. They will each rapidly grow to multi-billion dollar industries in the next couple of years and need cannabis real estate solutions.

We are a very unique kind of company in that we are a real estate brokerage and

advisory firm that focuses entirely on the cannabis industry. We’ve developed special ized expertise that allows us to work very effectively with cannabis companies that want to source real estate or with real estate companies and property owners who wish to work with cannabis companies.

WHAT TYPE OF CONSUMERS ARE YOU TARGETING?

We work with any type of cannabis busi ness that is looking to source real estate in the tri-state area. We also work with cannabis businesses looking to finance their projects. Additionally, we are working with land and property owners interested in cannabis businesses as tenants or purchasers of their properties.

HOW DOES THE OVERALL DESIGN OF YOUR SHOP CATER TO WHAT CONSUMERS WANT?

Your typical cannabis dispensary has a much higher-end renovation and buildout than many expect. Some have a minimal aesthetic that might be more reminiscent of an Apple store; others try to emulate a more natural, wellness-type aesthetic that could evoke a spa or a high-end natural beauty product store.

You definitely get some variety, but generally speaking, there are a lot of exciting design aesthetics that different types of cannabis brands and dispensa ries are now utilizing.

On the other end of the aesthet ic spectrum, we also work with many companies focused on cultivation. Plenty of dynamic construction elements go into building a cannabis cultivation facility. They are a type of controlled environment agri cultural building, with very unique layouts and mechanical infrastructure.

buildout to support that operation, depend ing on the dispensary owner’s strategy.

People are definitely looking at that aspect of the business: how orders are placed and delivered to the consumer. Every state has different laws regarding the order and handoff or delivery of cannabis to the consumer, and sometimes the regulations within a state will also vary.

WHAT TYPE OF AREAS DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SEEKING STORE LOCATIONS?

Cannabis dispensaries will have a very high amount of revenue per square foot. That usually means we try to source prime loca tions while adhering to local zoning codes, which often prohibit cannabis dispensaries from being highly visible, close to residential and school zones, or in walkable retail areas.

cannabis businesses. Cannabeta is effec tively sourcing sites for cannabis businesses in New York City and Jersey retail markets. We have also been sourcing cannabis cultivation locations in New York and New Jersey. So far, we’ve closed many deals in those categories.

In the long-term, we’re looking to continue doing business in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, though the way we operate within those states will change over time. In the future, I suspect that we will probably be more involved with selling and financing different types of cannabis businesses, which is a trend that we’ve seen starting to take place in more developed markets such as Massachusetts.

We’re also looking to ultimately expand our geographic focus to markets such as Pennsylvania and Maryland. They currently are medical-only states, but we expect they

WHAT KIND OF ADJUSTMENTS HAVE YOU MADE IN ORDER TO CATER TO HOW CUSTOMERS ARE SHOPPING IN THIS NEW LANDSCAPE?

Many cannabis dispensaries are currently examining how to develop a delivery sys tem efficiently. It is essential for the store

When Cannabeta Realty is sourcing dispensaries in suburban areas, we assess factors like how much parking is available at the site, how visible the property is from the road, how many vehicles per day drive on that road and how many consumers are within convenient driving distance.

WHAT IS YOUR SHORT-TERM STRATEGY? LONG-TERM?

In the short-term, we truly believe in providing a good experience for our clients to get repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Ensuring Cannabeta has an excel lent reputation in the industry is our primary short-term goal.

We are expanding our company and continuing to do what we do best: sourcing a variety of different types of locations for

will be some of the next to legalize adultuse cannabis. They are both very highly populated markets that we’re interested in expanding into.

I foresee that ethical consumerism and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) will become more important in the cannabis industry. As consumers develop more awareness, they will start to look for brands that align with their values, whether those are businesses owned by families, women or minorities, businesses that victims of the drug war run, or small businesses in general.

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER OTHER BRANDS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING TODAY?

I’m excited to see how different dispensary companies break ground in New York state with enterprising ideas for new cannabis businesses.

The environmental impact of the canna bis industry is under-discussed, but I believe it will increasingly factor into discussions. As brands develop, they must be mindful of practices. Looking at studies on how people choose brands, ethical consumerism ranks exceptionally high among the reasons people pick one product over another. I think this will become very important in the cannabis industry. Speaking for ourselves, Cannabeta is a small, minority-women-owned business.

WHAT MAKES YOUR LOCATION ENGAGING TO TODAY’S CANNABIS CUSTOMER? HAVE YOU ADDED ANY IN-STORE FEATURES?

We have sourced different kinds of dispensary locations for various types of clients. We recently sourced an extensive site in a central area of Manhattan for a prominent client that will be highly accessible and may even become one of the highest-grossing dispensaries in the nation.

It is fascinating to see how different dispensaries are utilizing space. In larger dispensaries, there are often dynamic artwork and lounge areas for customers that are not consumption lounge areas.

I’m excited to see how different dispensary companies break ground in New York state with enterprising ideas for new cannabis businesses.

WALK US THROUGH HOW AND WHY YOUR SHOP(S) IS DESIGNED THE WAY IT IS?

The aesthetics of dispensaries often challenge the stereotype of what a “head shop” is. Cannabis is a large, legitimate industry still facing many taboos, so dis pensaries must carefully craft their look, store buildout, and general atmosphere to convey a feeling of safety, quality and customer service.

Dispensaries focused on health and wellness benefits will often try to emulate the aesthetics of a spa, with lots of natural textures and soft lighting. Dispensaries targeting a more adult-use clientele often try to capture the look and feel of a clean, minimal, luxury store with sleek fixtures and clear, bright lighting.

There are a few defining architectural features of most dispensaries, too. They must have plenty of space for budtenders and other employees since customers have to interact with them extensively. They need robust overall security and a secure location to store the cannabis and cash.

Cultivation properties have their own set of requirements depending on the company’s specific needs. Access to power and utilities, floorspace and sustainability features are all critical design aspects of cultivation spaces.

GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF YOUR MARKET’S LAYOUT.

Typically, if a cannabis dispensary is in a suburban location, the design begins with the building’s parking lot and exterior. The lot should be convenient for the consumer to

In many cases, dispensaries will need to highlight their ownership, values and mission or contributions to the cannabis industry and the community to win over consumers.

park in, and there should be enough available parking spots. The exterior of the building should be very visible from the roads.

For urban locations, the storefront design is even more critical. For all canna bis dispensaries, once you enter the door, there should be a security or check-in area where someone checks IDs. After that, the customer might want to browse the store a little. Some stores have a lot of display cas es where they showcase various products they sell.

Some of the largest dispensaries will sometimes have 40 different display cases. Other smaller dispensaries might not have dis play cases, and the customer may go directly to the desk to speak to the budtender. There, the focus is on the customer experience.

The budtenders usually are behind a counter with many Point of Sale (POS) stations. The counter often displays products the business sells, and there are usually screens with various menus for what the dispensary is selling. Typically, busier dispensaries will want more POS stations, as they can help the shops bring in a lot of revenue in a busy location.

be some variation in the different dispensa ries you might go to.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST ISSUE TODAY RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THE BUSINESS?

One of the significant challenges for can nabis companies is timing. They often will not want to spend money on construction until the cannabis license is in hand. Once they have the cannabis license, they want to open for business as soon as possible because they’ll do better business earlier when there is less competition.

At the start of the recreational cannabis program in any state, it is a race to the finish. The first open businesses will often do very well in the first year. So timing is a significant factor.

Beyond that, what makes dispensaries’ buildouts unique are all the security features that need to go into them since they are a prime target for robberies. Dispensaries will have a large amount of cash on hand because cannabis is still federally illegal, and it is difficult for cannabis companies to

TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

We as a company have set a mandate to donate 10% of our profits to charity. One of the groups we work with is the New York Growers and Processors Association, which has promoted sustainably-grown cannabis.

Sun-grown cannabis has a considerably smaller carbon footprint than cannabis grown indoors and in warehouses. Not many people are aware that indoor-grown cannabis has a high carbon footprint. We’re generally trying to promote outdoor-grown cannabis as much as we can.

Sustainable building practices should be paramount in setting a store floor plan at the dispensary level. Our company has focused on sustainable construction throughout my career as a real estate developer. We did gold-LEED certified projects with very efficient mechanical systems, solar thermal, well-designed insulation and windows, and recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified woods. Many sustainable elements can go into building any type of sustainable retail space.

Sustainability efforts are even more critical on the cultivation side of the business. Indoor growers can offset energy usage by installing solar—many companies design cultivation facilities to capture the heat they produce and recycle the water they use.

You can make quite a big difference with sustainability in building out cultivation facilities. I would advocate and hope that the lawmakers regulating the buildout of these fa cilities make some stringent requirements for how cannabis is grown or at least come up with a way for cannabis growers to track the carbon footprint accurately they’re creating.

WHAT TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU SEE MOVING AHEAD?

There also will be some way for the budtenders to access the products easily, as they must remain in a very secure location such as a vault. The [back-of-house] area for cannabis dispensaries is usually pretty significant. Often, there is an office and space for the employees.

Dispensaries might have a large area where you walk in, sometimes with an awe-inspiring piece of artwork—I’ve seen large video art displays and even a van with an octopus coming out of it. There can also

do banking or be able to take credit or debit card purchases.

The risk of theft also can be a genu ine concern for neighborhoods that have cannabis dispensaries in them. Having very thought-through security plans and programs is very important for dispen saries—keeping the cannabis in a vault, having a very thought-through plan for how cannabis is delivered, and ultimately having a strong security point in the front of the store.

I’m excited about New York state, in partic ular, starting to issue cannabis licenses for businesses to sell and cultivate cannabis. Once that happens, our company will proba bly become a lot busier. So that’s something on the horizon that I’m excited about.

WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING/EXPECTING?

I expect more focus on ethical and sus tainable practices in the cannabis industry.

We’re already seeing customers making choices based on brands’ values, so we know that individuals are increasingly concerned with ethical consumption.

In many cases, dispensaries will need to highlight their ownership, values and mission or contributions to the cannabis industry and the community to win over consumers.

As more people become informed about the huge carbon footprint that a lot of indoor-grown cannabis produces, sustainability will become a big factor in brand choice. Consumers across every industry are more concerned about sustainability now than ever, so it makes sense that it will carry over to the cannabis space. Whether that means only buying from companies that support sustainable practices, choos ing outdoor-grown cannabis or backing carbon-neutral brands, we’re going to see more and more customers worried about the impact that the cannabis they buy has on the environment.

WHAT’S THE SECRET TO CREATING A “MUST VISIT” LOCATION TODAY?

There are three elements: Most consumers will look for a convenient location—that’s probably the most important thing. Beyond that, having a unique experience at the dis pensary is essential. Experiential purchasing is critical for dispensaries that see signifi cant tourist business, such as dispensaries in New York City. So something unique is essential. Finally, having a wide variety of products for more discerning and advanced consumers is fundamental.

WHAT ARE TODAY’S CONSUMERS LOOKING FOR?

They’re looking for consistency, safety and excellent customer service. These elements were not available to consumers in the unregulated cannabis market. There is an element of safety in the cannabis sold in legal dispensaries nowadays regarding lab tests for mold, the amount of THC and other safety concerns.

Any cannabis dispensary I’ve ever been to also has individualized customer service. Even for experienced cannabis consumers, seeing the various options and selections from dispensary to dispensary can be daunt ing. People often go with what the budtenders recommend, so customer service is critical.

Generally speaking, you have the traditional elements of what all consumers seek—quality products, a good diversity of products and well-priced products. I think you also get a segment of consumers want ing an experience sometimes, especially those newer to dispensaries and those newer to cannabis.

TELL US WHAT MAKES YOUR BRAND SO UNIQUE?

Cannabeta Realty was the first real estate brokerage firm to specialize entirely in cannabis. I believe we’re still the only real estate bro kerage firm in the tri-state area that focuses exclusively on the cannabis industry. We’re extraordinarily unique in that sense.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH... Cannabeta’s Matte Namer

Describe a typical day.

I have a morning routine that is very important. The first thing I try to do when I wake up is get up and walk around outside and see some nature. Getting sunlight and having my eyes able to look at short and long distances is very important. I’m very health-fo cused, so I like to meditate, do yoga or go for bike rides in the morning. Then I’ll look at my calendar for the day and dive into my to-do list.

Since I’m the head of the company and we are a small business, I get involved with all aspects of the work. The

most important thing is always ensuring that our existing cli ents get good quality service from their point of contact. Beyond that, I am also very involved with the company’s business development, mar keting, and financial aspects.

These are things I need to focus on as the head of the company because a lot of my other agents are directly focused on serving our client’s needs.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

It is the team I get to work with. Cannabeta has an incredible

team and great culture, and we all truly enjoy each other’s company and working with one another, which is incredibly important. Seeing the people in our company learn from me, learn from their job and become greater experts in this unique field is probably the most rewarding part of the job..

What was the best advice you ever received?

As far as Cannabeta is con cerned, the best advice I have ever received is to be patient. Often, the cannabis industry changes rapidly, but also it can get very delayed when it

comes to regulators opening up new spaces, drafting regulations, and licensing cannabis businesses. Being patient and flexible are two things that are essential for any cannabis business.

What’s the best thing a client has ever said to you?

We worked with the Director of Strategy of one of the country’s largest multistate Cannabis Busi ness Organizations (MSOs). He told us we were the best real estate firm he’s ever worked with, which was a huge compliment.

Construction Data

aim

Amazing

ANP

Beam

Bostik CVR 2-1

Bureau Veritas

Chain Store Maintenance

Commercial Construction & Renovation 2023

34

Mike Levin 8 5

Modulex 99 45

MSW Store Rollout Services 84-85 39 NAC 11 8

Nationwide Cleaners 55 27

National Terrazzo & Mosaic Assocation 37 19 Navien 5 3

Paint Folks 79 37

Permit.com 137 58

Summit 132-133 57

Commercial Construction & Renovation Women & Men Awards

Construct Connect

Construction One

Dacon

Architecture

Goodwin

Kleeger

Hunter

Demashek P.C.

55

Poma Retail Development, Inc 40-41 20

Project Management Consortium (PMC) 30-31 17

Retail Contractors Association 83 38 Ritz Safety 93 42

Rockerz, Inc. 7 4

35

Rock the Trades 131 56

Roofers Coffee Shop, Metal Coffee Shop, Ask A Roofer 109 49

Rosendin 113 50 Schimenti 8, CVR4 6, 63 Signage Solutions 65 31 Svigals + Partners 115 51

Tax Incentive Agency 139 59 The Bevy 107 48 Thomas Consultants 53 26 Triangle Sign Services 97 44 Veterans Plumbing 49 24

Wallace Design Collective 119 52 Window Film Depot 13 9

Weekes Construction, Inc. 86 40

Wolverine Building Group 25 14 YellowBird 121 53 ZipWall 29 16

Built with love of flying…

My son attended a two-year aviation tech school called AIM (Aviation Institute of Maintenance) in Duluth, Georgia to earn his A&P FAA license. A&P, which stands for Airframe and Powerplant, has 14 campuses around the country for those looking for a career in aviation maintenance.

At AIM, they train tomorrow’s techni cians. The demand for skilled technicians in aviation, manufacturing, welding, energy and other industries is outpacing those entering these career fields.

We need men and women to develop technical trade skills for today and the future. AIM campuses are proud to teach these skills and help the labor market shortage to fill the void of qualified skilled technicians.

While at AIM, he learned sheet metal, woodworking, avionics, welding, electron ics, and all things aviation and jet engines. His tech school was an old grocery store that was renovated to classrooms, offices, hanger, metal and wood shop, and even had a runway to taxi planes so sustainabil ity and reuse was implemented to fill an empty and aging building gaining dust.

If you opened some of the textbooks he was learning from, it was not easy as mathematics, physics, calculus, etc., were all necessary to pass your exams along with the hands on test that was the big finale.

And with his graduation and pass ing his A&P test, he would be in high demand to work on anything that had a jet engine like a train, healthcare facility boiler and, of course, both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

The interesting thing was that all the jobs he held during high school and tech school helped him get hired at Boeing. Working in the local automotive garage, being a waiter, DoorDash driver, motorcycle flipper and project manager for my wife’s contracting/interior design firm went a long way. The recruiter said he liked candidates who had customer service experience.

Starting at the bottom to learn all as pects of any business is a plus in whatever you do. You can use those lessons to apply

later—tools in your toolbox that are ready for action.

The best decision he made was being an airline mechanical contractor in the Boeing manufacturing facility for a year. He then applied for the flight line operations job, which became available on a long shot (a lot of people applied for the elite position).

At only 23, he beat out many candi dates with more experience. His work ethic and willingness to help whenever asked was what separated him from the status quo.

You cannot teach this; it has to come from within. Me, being Sergeant Carter as

he was growing up, helped. I always told him that what I was teaching him was not what he wanted to hear, but down the road, it was all done for a reason.

My job as a father was to give him the thickest skin possible—to take on the world, as it can be a highly competitive battlefield. He had to learn how to deal with all those bumps in the road. Having a “can do” attitude and doing whatever it takes to get things done and never quit shows character.

My wife and I just visited the “Boeing Family Day” festivities, where we spent a Saturday afternoon touring the Charleston, South Carolina facility where the 787 Dreamliner is built.

Seeing everything up close was amazing. When I look back at all the ups and downs of bringing a child up, and then watch ing him succeed makes me proud to say, “Yep that’s my son.” To watch as he makes flying safe for you and your family is special. There is nothing better than working with your hands and saying, “Yes, I built that.”

Just like when Boeing rolls a plane off its assembly line, we hope you will like our new CCR website design, which features all the bells and whistles. We also are intro ducing our first “Women in Construction” quarterly supplement.

And there’s more. Mark your cal endars for Noon to 4 PM (EST), Jan. 26, 2023, where we are inviting you to be our guest(s) for the 13th Annual Hybrid Summit, held in-person for commercial construction professionals that are local in the Atlanta area as well virtually for others across the USA and Globally.

We are not done yet. We also are bringing back our monthly CCRP networking receptions in 2023, where we can finally return to seeing our subscribers and friends in person after a long two-plus year hiatus.

So, as we close out Q4 and get ready for the holiday season ahead, here’s to safe travels, good health, prosperity and, most of all, having fun with a smile.

Keep the faith. Cheers.

My job as a father was to give him the thickest skin possible—to take on the world, as it can be a highly competitive battlefield.