This issue of the Practice Management Digest looks to our annual PMKC Fall Conference. This year please visit us in Chicago from September 24 through 26. Our theme is Changing Times|Time for Change, and it promises to be an exciting three days. In addition to our stimulating programs and sessions, we have receptions and city tours planned. Please visit the conference site to register. We look forward to meeting our active and engaged membership.
The contributors to this issue are some of our presenters, who have written articles around their presentations.
Gary Cunningham and Jason Edic write on Emerging Trends: Constructability through Design Review & Collaboration. They take up the issue of designing in safety (for the construction worker as well as the life-cycle for the building). Gary is a Senior Safety Engineer in the Harvard University Environmental Health and Safety Department. Mr. Cunningham is responsible for managing the University’s Occupational Safety Program. His metrics-driven approach to safety management establishes occupational safety as a fundamental business consideration such as accounting, budget, procurement and scheduling.
Mr. Edic is the Construction Safety Manager for Harvard University’s Construction Services Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As Safety Manager, he has developed a comprehensive EH&S program for the University’s capital construction and renovation projects. In addition to the program, Mr. Edic is focused on moving safety to the conceptual and design phase, where he works with University project managers to address constructability challenges and maintenance operations.
Kelly Cone, the Director of Innovation at Beck Architecture in Dallas, writes about the symbiotic relationship between Sustainability and BIM. In his current role, he oversees the implementation of BIM software nationwide in our Architecture, Estimating, and Construction groups. The list of software includes Revit, Innovaya, Navisworks, and DProfiler – our own in-house macroBIM applications.
Micheal J. Lough discusses How to Differentiate Yourself: A Focus on Quality. Mike has been a practicing architect for 30 years and has experience in managing large commercial projects across a broad range of building types, including high-rise residential, office buildings, schools, hotels, retail, mixed-use projects, and residence halls. Mike has also focused on project quality assurance and project efficiency since 1994, when he authored the Working Drawing Standards and Guidelines as a vice president at Solomon Cordwell Buenz. In 2006 Mike established Integral Consulting, a consulting practice specifically providing Quality Assurance and Risk Management services to architects, development managers and contractors.
Volker Mueller, Research Director, Bentley Systems writes about his presentation: Change Design with Parametric Methods. In his article he explains how he introduces participants to concepts of parametric design through case studies, and describes how he uses exercises to let participants experience the potential of parametric methods.
Zigmund Rubel, principal at Anshen and Allen in San Francisco, is a frequent presenter on BIM and Integrated Practice methodologies. His article, Collaborative BIM for Eco-Effective project delivery, describes how team collaboration, a fundamental requirement of integration, is still evolving.
Christopher Martersteck, a project delivery consultant for PSMJ Resources, an international consulting and training firm serving the A/E/C industry, writes about his presentation, Integrated Project Management -- Tools and Training, where he describes the requirements of top-down executive support and developing project delivery excellence strategies.
Peter Beck, outlines his presentation; Beyond IPD: The Integrated Enterprise Challenge. Peter has been involved with his firm, The Beck Group, since 1978. One of the most forward looking global design and construction firms it has been recognized as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by Fortune Magazine. Beck’s mission is to integrate the building disciplines, through unique processes and technologies, resulting in order of magnitude improvements in design, cost and schedule.
Bradford Russell writes about The Use of Green Materials in the Construction of Buildings’ Structure. In his presentation, Bradford explores the successful use of “green” and “biodegradable” materials in construction. He will outline what impact use of naturally renewable materials have on a building’s performance. Bradford holds professional licenses as an architect and a structural engineer and was one of the first LEED Accredited Professionals in the US and Texas. He is currently working towards a PhD from Southern Methodist University in the subject matter of incorporating ‘green’ design in the practice of structural engineering.
Mike Leinbeck discusses Combine and Conquer—Long-Distance Collaborative Teaming for Small Design Firms. Mike explores how to run a “collective” architectural practice. Under this scenario, several sole practioneers and small firms each practice as independent architects to deliver small projects until such time as schedule or the sheer magnitude of a single project dictated a need to seek assistance from some or all of the “collaborative”. Mike has been an architect since 1986. In 1992, after he founded JML Architects. Since its inception, Mike has sought to leverage technology to the greatest extent possible. Through this methodology, the firm has been able to reduce staff to an absolute minimum (and thus reducing overhead costs by approximately 1200%) while responding to a considerable increase in project workload. Since implementing Combine and Conquer, JML has been able to meet numerous deadlines for simultaneous projects with a full-time staff of three including the principal.
Brad Horst and Erin Rae Hoffer write about Finding Pearls in the Process: Leveraging the Information Created by BIM. Brad Horst is Principal and CIO at Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture and Engineering. Previously he Brad was a Product Marketing Manager for architectural solutions at Autodesk where he was responsible for product marketing of the Revit Architecture software application.
Erin Rae Hoffer is the Industry Programs Manager with Autodesk. Her career also includes Hollywood experience where she created award-winning effects on “The Last Starfighter.” Prior to joining Autodesk, Erin served as Executive Vice-President with the Boston Architectural College and served on the board of directors of the Boston Society of Architects as Commissioner of Technology.