There are countless different sustainability certifications, rankings and claims used by builders and suppliers – so how do clients and designers know which choices to make for their projects? Karin Miller and Jeff Frost of Brightworks Sustainability, a sustainability consulting firm, join us to talk about the impacts of our design and construction decisions on health and the environment. Jeff and Karin together explore issues around waste, recycling, material selection, and what tools and resources have emerged to determine customer impacts and sustainability. They delve into what is at stake, and what an ideal future looks like in terms of sustainability and environmental impacts. About Karin MillerKarin Miller, LEED AP (BD+C, O+M, ND), LFA, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, is a project manager at Brightworks Sustainability, a sustainability consulting firm that helps clients in over 25 industries establish and implement sustainability programs.Tapping into ten years of experience in Chicago, Portland and New York, Karin Miller supports a full spectrum of sustainability project types, including sustainability strategy, research, certification coordination, materials management and educational curriculum development. Karin’s experience in the full life cycle of project development allows her to guide teams through the integration of sustainability strategies from the master plan phase to the design and construction of individual buildings – and see complex projects through to successful completion. In addition to extensive experience managing green building certification programs, she brings a substantial background with healthy and sustainable materials consulting. Her instincts to seek out, observe, listen and learn from multiple perspectives equip her with skills necessary to facilitate discussions amongst stakeholders.About Jeff FrostJeff Frost is a Project Manager at Brightworks Sustainability, a sustainability consulting firm that helps clients in over 25 industries establish and implement sustainability programs. He is recognized as a national subject matter expert on a wide array of material issues affecting the built environment.Jeff is the co-founder of the mindful MATERIALS collaborative; an industry-led initiative making healthy and sustainable products selection easier for building professionals. He’s an invited member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Material Knowledge Working Group (MKWG); a group of industry professionals shaping the AIA’s approach to materials. Jeff’s a member of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC) and is co-chair of the Content Inventory Technical Sub-Group (TSG); tasked with developing the content and structure of the Health Product Declaration (HPD). He joined the USGBC’s MR TAG early in 2018; a group of elected professionals that develop and approve revisions and improvements to LEED.

Future Built

Building More Sustainably: Assessing the Impacts of Suppliers, Materials, Recycling and Waste in Your Projects

How far have the architecture and construction technology fields come in the past decade, and where will these industries be in another decade? As we close out a decade, Skender Chief Design Officer Tim Swanson and Chief Technology Officer Stacy Scopano sit down to discuss the past, present, and future of construction, design, and the technology that supports those industries. Tim and Stacy delve into how technology has democratized the design industry, and predict what lies on the horizon in terms of “wild, audacious collaboration.”  About Tim SwansonChief Design OfficerTim leads Skender’s team of architects and designers—bringing his passion for integrating the design and construction process to the firm’s clients. In his former position of Chicago office director at CannonDesign, he was the youngest office leader in the history of the century-old firm. Throughout his decade there, Tim oversaw a team of more than 200 architecture, engineering, and planning experts. He also led its City Design practice, a national group focused on helping cities around the world grow and prosper. Having lived in Abu Dhabi, rural India and major American cities like New York and Chicago, Tim brings a unique, global perspective to his design work. He is an advocate for smart growth and sustainable development, working with leaders at the intersection of urban planning, public health, and education. Tim earned a Master of Architecture with a specialization in urban development and infill from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and undergraduate degrees in fine arts and economics from Colgate University.About Stacy ScopanoChief Technology OfficerStacy ensures that Skender is continually evolving its technological capabilities and integrating industry-leading innovations across the company. His experience includes a broad spectrum of technologies used by real estate, architecture, engineering and construction industries. Most recently, Stacy was vice president of innovation at Skanska USA, a subsidiary of the multinational construction and development firm. Previously, he was the senior strategist for building construction at Autodesk, Inc., where he partnered with the global construction community to identify, develop and deliver innovative digital workflows. Stacy has served as a past chairman of technology for the AGC BIMForum. Currently he is a member of the Social and Economic Policy Advisory Board for the RAND Corporation, an international research organization that develops policy solutions to make communities safer, healthier and more prosperous. He holds a degree in economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

“Wild, Audacious Collaboration”: How Technology has Democratized Design and Where the Built Industries are Headed

Dr. Suzet McKinney, the CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District (IMD), and Jenny Han, Skender’s Director of Healthcare Design, continue their conversation from Future Built Episode 5 with a focus on career growth, ambition, and mentorship. In her work with the IMD, one of the largest urban medical districts in the United States, and West Side United, a collaboration working to build community health and economic wellness on Chicago’s West Side, Suzet follows the mantra “Go big or go home.”Tune in to hear the advice Suzet and Jenny give to young women that is applicable to anyone looking to achieve more in their work and advance professionally. And listen through to the end for Suzet’s answer to the question on many people’s minds: Will she ever run for office? About Suzet McKinneyDr. Suzet M. McKinney currently serves as CEO/Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District. She is the former Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), where she oversaw the emergency preparedness efforts for the Department and coordinated those efforts within the larger spectrum of the City of Chicago’s Public Safety activities, in addition to overseeing the Department’s Division of Women and Children’s Health.Dr. McKinney has earned a reputation as an experienced, knowledgeable public health official with exceptional communication skills. She has served as an on-camera media expert on emergency issues including biological and chemical threats, natural disasters, pandemic influenza, and climate-related emergencies. A sought-after expert in her field, she has also provided support to the U.S. Department of Defense’s, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, lending subject matter expertise in biological terrorism preparedness to the country of Poland.Dr. McKinney serves on the Board of Directors for Susan G. Komen Chicago, Thresholds, and the African-American Legacy of the Chicago Community Trust. Dr. McKinney is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), Health and Medicine Division’s Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies and is a member of the NASEM Board on Health Sciences Policy. She also serves on the Science and Security Board for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council (NAC). In academia, Dr. McKinney serves as an Instructor in the Division of Translational Policy and Leadership Development at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Additionally, she serves as a mentor for the Biomedical Sciences Careers Project, also at Harvard University. She is the co-author of the text: Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Practical Solutions for the Real World (2018), and was named one of Chicago’s Notable Women in Healthcare (2018 and 2019).Dr. McKinney holds her Doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. She received her Master of Public Health degree (Health Care Administration) and certificates in Managed Care and Health Care Administration from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.

Fearless and Fully Committed: How to Grow, Advance Your Career, and Enact Real Change in Your Work

What is the Builders Board, why does it exist, and how can you get involved? Tune in to hear from two Builders Board co-chairs about this impactful and inclusive organization. Listen through for a surprise interview with Beth Malik, Associate Director of the Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Each year, the Builder’s Board selects a local Chicago organization as its fundraising focus, and this year Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is the focus organization. Learn more about the organization, the vital work it does in the Chicagoland community, and how you can come out and support by attending this year’s fundraising event, Harvesting Hope.Click here to purchase your ticket for Harvesting Hope on October 17!  About Beth Cunningham MalikElizabeth (Beth) Malik is an attorney and the Associate Director of the Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Prior to becoming Associate Director in 2015, she worked as the Youth Futures attorney, a role she has held since joining the CCH staff in 2007. A 2005 graduate of University of Denver Law School, she previously worked 18 months at the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center. She earned a bachelor’s in English and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2010, Ms. Malik was honored with the Kimball R. Anderson and Karen Gatsis Anderson Public Interest Law Fellowship, a significant honor awarded by the Chicago Bar Foundation. Beth continues to coordinate CCH’s Youth Futures Mobile Legal Clinic, which provides civil legal services to over 400 homeless youth throughout metro Chicago.  About Lili SilvaLili Silva is a co-chair of the Builders Board for the first time this year. She served as silent auction co-chair in 2018, where she surpassed all previous years’ fundraising goals. Lili loves giving back and seeing what an impact the Builder’s Board can make towards deserving organizations in the Chicago area. Lili works as a senior project coordinator at Skender, where she has worked for two years.  About Colin MaloneColin has been a member of the Builders Board for the last 3 years and co-chair for the last 2 years. He joined the Board in hopes of providing a helping hand to the organizations that the Builders Board sponsors with their Annual Harvesting Hope event. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and from a professional perspective he has been in Technology for 15 years and is currently a VP of Sales for Windstream, a Fortune 500 Manager Services Provider.

Inside the Builders Board: How and why the Skender Foundation’s junior board supports the community

On any given night in Chicago, there are more than 2,000 women who are homeless. Sarah’s Circle is a nonprofit organization located in Chicago's Uptown community with a mission of serving women who are homeless or in need of a safe space. Sarah's Circle currently has a Daytime Support Center open to any woman in need, a 50-bed interim housing (shelter) program for women who are currently homeless, and permanent supportive housing for women who have a disabling condition and have been chronically homeless. The organization is in the process of constructing a new building to house their programs and operations, with Skender serving as the general contractor for the project. Skender has broken ground on the new, 42,000-SF supportive housing facility in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for Sarah’s Circle. Located at the intersection of Sheridan and Leland, the six-story steel and precast building will include a basement, 38 units for long-term housing and emergency overnight space for 50 nonpermanent beds. The shelter will also feature a food hall, walk-in commercial freezer and hot room.Executive Director Kathy Ragnar sits down with Senior Project Manager Sean Moran, who is coordinating the Sarah’s Circle construction project, to talk about the project, the organization and why this project matters so much to the women of Chicago. Click here to learn more about Skender’s in-progress project with Sarah’s Circle.  About Kathy RagnarKathy Ragnar, MBA is the Executive Director of Sarah’s Circle. Kathy received her Bachelor of Science in Economics and MBA in Finance and Economics from DePaul University. She joined Sarah’s Circle in October 2006 as Executive Director. Prior to her position with Sarah's Circle, Kathy served as the Executive Director of Infant Welfare in Evanston where she worked to renovate the agency’s facilities and expand programming for women and children residing in shelters. Kathy started her career in banking with Northern Trust. After Northern Trust, she moved to Price Waterhouse as a manager in the financial services consulting group.

“Safe, secure and part of a community”: How local nonprofit Sarah’s Circle is using built space to serve women who are homeless

The legal industry has traditionally been a slow adopter of architectural and design change. Typical office layouts with perimeter offices and career growth indicated by office size have persisted, despite other industries moving toward new trends like open offices. The unique nature of the legal industry mandates much of the reliance on standard office layouts of the past – but is there change on the horizon?Hosting this episode is Skender Vice President and Partner Clay Edwards, an office interiors industry thought leader with extensive experience in law firm construction. Clay is joined by two guests from Nelson, a global architecture and design firm. Marty Festenstein serves as NELSON’s Legal Practice Group Leader, and Kristin Cerutti is an experienced lead project designer. Marty, Kristin and Clay take a deep dive into the drivers of change and evolution in law firm office design, now and into the future, and explore questions such as:What types of offices will millennial-age lawyers expect and want?Can attorneys work in open offices?How are law firms investing in ubiquitous technology?In what areas are law firms leading change in office design?Can you future-proof a law firm office?About Marty FestensteinMarty Festenstein serves as NELSON’s Legal Practice Group Leader, driving creativity and strategy for clients nationally. Throughout his 30-year career, he has managed over 12 million square feet and over 400 workplace projects. As a result, Marty has gained a national reputation as a workplace “trusted adviser.” Many of his clients are large, national firms with sites across the country as well as large regional firms. This has allowed him to direct multi-site projects and national account occupancy planning. Marty consistently leads design teams to deliver creative solutions that delight law firm clients, meet their functional parameters and exceed their expectations. With his intense focus on workplace, he is acutely aware of the trends that affect how attorneys and their support staff work, which allows him to provide them with environments in which they can thrive. A consummate leader, Marty has contributed to numerous writings in Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Lawyer Magazine, Law Firm, Inc., and American Lawyer. His speaking engagements have included the Association of Legal Administrators’ Annual Convention, Managing Partner Round Tables, and the annual NeoCon design conference.About Kristin CeruttiWith 13 years of experience in interior architecture, Kristin Cerutti is an experienced lead project designer, with extensive knowledge in schematic design and design development processes, as well as construction document assembly, construction administration, and client relations. With experience working in multiple markets across the country and around the globe, her project coordination, design capabilities, and proficiency in the operation and implementation of computer-aided design programs are invaluable to her team as a leader in the office. 

Designing the Law Firm: Slow Adopters of Change, or Emerging Trend Leaders?

Here at Skender we talk a lot about our work in modular construction and the launch of our new manufacturing facility – but just how do you run a successful manufacturing operation, and how do you staff the facility? Skender’s Virtual Design Manager Shyam Telikicherla, a key member of the Skender Manufacturing team, sits down with special guest Raghi Iyengar to delve into both the technology and the workforce behind manufacturing and modular construction. Raghi is the founder of ManufactOn, a tech startup that helps the construction industry leverage the power of prefabrication, with tools that integrate supply chain, prefab production, and planning.Raghi and Shyam dig into the details of modular construction, with a look at: How ManufactOn’s technology worksWhat benefits manufacturing brings to the construction industryHow to staff a manufacturing facility in the midst of an industry-wide labor shortageWhat the future of construction looks likeAbout Raghi IyengarRaghi Iyengar is founder of ManufactOn, a SaaS startup that brings the best of manufacturing to construction. Construction technology professional for over 25 years, Raghi joined Intel in 1988 and spent a decade leading software initiatives to support construction, operations & maintenance, and materials management at all Intel’s factories worldwide. During his tenure at Intel, Raghi was also technical advisor to Center for Facility Engineering (CIFE) at Stanford University, where he funded research for what is now called virtual design & construction. After Intel, Raghi continued to create software solutions for the AEC industry as founder of VisonPlanner (1998) and managing director at Inquest Technologies (2002). Raghi joined Autodesk in 2006 to bring building information modeling (BIM) into construction. As product line manager, he led initiatives around construction modeling with Revit, acquisition of Navisworks and several cloud/mobile startups that are now part of the collaborative construction application called BIM 360, and worked on product strategy with some of the most advanced construction companies in the world.

Catalyst for Change: Why Manufacturing is the Future of Construction

The modern food hall, the newest up-and-coming trend hitting the retail industry, is a place where patrons can try a variety of different foods and restaurants under one roof. These spaces, which feature high-quality food and drinks from local eateries in modern, well-designed settings, offer distinct benefits to patrons, restauranteurs, and property owners alike. Andy Koglin, the president of OKW Architects, has been a leader in the food hall market, and his firm has designed many of the Chicago food halls we know and love.  Andy sits down with Skender project engineer – and food hall aficionado – Dan Turro to explore the modern food hall in depth. The two discuss: What makes a modern food hall, and why are they so popular? How do you design a food hall, and is the process different than designing a traditional restaurant space?Where will the next food halls be built?About Andy KoglinFour years after earning his Masters in Architecture from Yale University, Andrew “Andy” Koglin joined OKW. Another four years later, he became a principal. Having built a foundation in corporate interior planning and design, Andy grew the scope of his expertise to include residential, retail, institutional, and hospitality clientele. As the firm’s President, he directs OKW’s retail and mixed-use project group, drawing on over thirty years of experience in architecture to strategically steer projects. Andy also manages the daily operations of the firm, which range from establishing the firm’s vision and mission, to financial oversight, strategic planning, and client relations.Outside the office, Andy serves as a member of the Yale Alumni Schools Committee, where he interviews high school applicants, and is involved in both the Urban Land Institute and the Economic Club of Chicago. To decompress on weekends, he enjoys golf and driving his sports car as fast as possible (on a track and not at the same time), which allows him to connect with his not-so-secret dream of becoming a professional Formula 1 racecar driver.

The Modern Food Hall: A Passing Trend, or Here to Stay?

Laser scanning and other new technologies have hit the construction industry in a big way over the last few years, and promise to deliver cost savings and greater efficiency on the jobsite. But what are these technologies really capable of delivering, and how can they be implemented? Brent Slawnikowski, Senior Account Manager at FARO Technologies, sits down with Skender’s Construction Technologist Ben Stocker to take a closer look at laser technologies. The two will delve into:What laser technology is and how it’s usedThe history of laser technology and in which other industries it’s utilizedThe benefits to using laser technology on a construction projectHow to start using laser technologyWhere laser technology will be used in the future About Brent SlawnikowskiBrent Slawnikowski currently works as a Senior Account Manager for FARO Technologies providing 3D laser scanning solutions for the construction industry. Brent brings over a decade of surveying, laser scanning and civil engineering practice to the industry. Brent graduated from Purdue University Calumet in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. During his four year tenure at Purdue Calumet, he worked as an intern for Great Lakes Engineering and two years later took the role of Project Engineer at FALK PLI Engineering & Surveying. Expanding his reach a little further, Brent relocated to Florida in 2014 where he spent a year with CAPTEC Engineering as a Project Engineer. After his one year tenure in Florida, he relocated back to Northwest Indiana, where he picked up where he left off at FALK PLI Engineering & Surveying. Seeing an opportunity to offer his knowledge and experience to the AEC market, he joined FARO in June 2016. 

Laser Scanning on the Jobsite: The Future of Construction?

The Illinois Medical District (IMD), one of the largest urban medical districts in the United States, is a 560-acre region of Chicago that includes medical research facilities, labs, a biotech business incubator, universities, raw land development areas, four hospitals and more than 40 healthcare related facilities. Dr. Suzet McKinney, the CEO and Executive Director of the IMD, is a seasoned public health expert in the fields of emergency preparedness and natural disasters. She sits down with Skender Director of Healthcare Design Jenny Han to share more about how she got her start in public health and what led her from working on the Ebola outbreak to running the IMD. Learn more about the IMD and an exciting new initiative the IMD is involved with, West Side United – a collaboration working to build community health and economic wellness on Chicago’s West Side.  About Suzet McKinneyDr. Suzet M. McKinney currently serves as CEO/Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District. She is the former Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), where she oversaw the emergency preparedness efforts for the Department and coordinated those efforts within the larger spectrum of the City of Chicago’s Public Safety activities, in addition to overseeing the Department’s Division of Women and Children’s Health.Dr. McKinney has earned a reputation as an experienced, knowledgeable public health official with exceptional communication skills. She has served as an on-camera media expert on emergency issues including biological and chemical threats, natural disasters, pandemic influenza, and climate-related emergencies. A sought-after expert in her field, she has also provided support to the U.S. Department of Defense’s, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, lending subject matter expertise in biological terrorism preparedness to the country of Poland.Dr. McKinney serves on the Board of Directors for Susan G. Komen Chicago, Thresholds, and the African-American Legacy of the Chicago Community Trust. Dr. McKinney is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), Health and Medicine Division’s Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies and is a member of the NASEM Board on Health Sciences Policy. She also serves on the Science and Security Board for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council (NAC). In academia, Dr. McKinney serves as an Instructor in the Division of Translational Policy and Leadership Development at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Additionally, she serves as a mentor for the Biomedical Sciences Careers Project, also at Harvard University. She is the co-author of the new text: Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Practical Solutions for the Real World (2018), and was named one of Chicago’s Notable Women in Healthcare (2018).Dr. McKinney holds her Doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. She received her Master of Public Health degree (Health Care Administration) and certificates in Managed Care and Health Care Administration from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.

“Where you live should not determine how long you live”: Inside the Illinois Medical District and West Side United

The open office concept has been around for long time now. Companies that embraced the open office trend early are now moving into new spaces, as their staff sizes grow or they outlive their lease. One company, Chicago-based Cars.com, took the opportunity during a recent office upgrade to create a space even more open than their previous open office. Project Director Cathy Grable of Partners by Design delves into the Cars.com project with Skender Project Manager Mike Hightower. Together they discuss the project itself, and look at the state of office layout trends market-wide, with a focus on:Why Cars.com decided to go even more open with their office spaceWhat lessons Cars.com learned from their first open office, and how that informed their new space designWhat clients should know about when considering building an open officeWhether there are industries where an open office layout might not be the right fitHow a company’s culture shapes the design and layout of its officeAbout Cathy Grable:As Project Director for Partners By Design, Cathy is directly involved in all project phases, from programming and design development through construction document preparation, construction administration, and management. During planning and design phases, she plays a pivotal role in developing the design concept and maintains a high degree of client contact to ensure that the client’s needs are met.Cathy’s diverse experience with space planning and analysis, concept development, furnishings and finishes selection is reflected in her creative approach to each project. Her multidiscipline background enables her to quickly respond to client needs and tight project deadlines. Cathy received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Environmental Design degree from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Open Offices 2.0: What Came Next for Cars.com, an Early Adopter of the Open-plan Layout

The Future Built podcast features interviews with industry leaders who are disrupting the way we think, the way we design and the way we build. Powered by Skender.

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Future Built

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