{"id":7836,"date":"2021-03-23T23:28:06","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T23:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?page_id=7836"},"modified":"2024-05-20T10:01:03","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T15:01:03","slug":"the-future-built-smarter-podcast","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/the-future-built-smarter-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"Podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>The <strong>FUTURE<\/strong>. Built <strong>Smarter<\/strong>.<\/h1>\n<p>IMEG engineers and designers discuss innovative and trend-setting building and infrastructure design with architects, owners, and others in the AEC industry. Topics touch on all market sectors, engineering disciplines, and related services. Listen here or subscribe to \u201cThe Future. Built Smarter.\u201d on your podcast app.<\/p>\n\t\n\t<div id=\"podcast-subscribe-button-8060\" class=\"secondline-psb-square-style secondline-psb-alignment-none\">\n\t\t\n\n<div class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-icons\"><span class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-iTunes\"><a title=\"iTunes\" onMouseOver=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`#2a2a2a`\" onMouseOut=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`rgba(0,0,0,0)`\" style=\"color:#ffffff; background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)\" class=\"button podcast-subscribe-button\" href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-future-built-smarter\/id1561051016\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/podcast-subscribe-buttons\/assets\/img\/icons\/iTunes.png\" alt=\"iTunes\"  \/><\/a><\/span><span class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-Google-Podcasts\"><a title=\"Google-Podcasts\" onMouseOver=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`#2a2a2a`\" onMouseOut=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`rgba(0,0,0,0)`\" style=\"color:#ffffff; background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)\" class=\"button podcast-subscribe-button\" href=\"https:\/\/podcastsmanager.google.com\/show?show=show:oR1fp7XEeiVCjtoJL6vLGg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/podcast-subscribe-buttons\/assets\/img\/icons\/Google-Podcasts.png\" alt=\"Google Podcasts\"  \/><\/a><\/span><span class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-Spotify\"><a title=\"Spotify\" onMouseOver=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`#2a2a2a`\" onMouseOut=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`rgba(0,0,0,0)`\" style=\"color:#ffffff; background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)\" class=\"button podcast-subscribe-button\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/5gzxReGsQ9x1JW9qQ1llp7\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/podcast-subscribe-buttons\/assets\/img\/icons\/Spotify.svg\" alt=\"Spotify\"  \/><\/a><\/span><span class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-Amazon-Music\"><a title=\"Amazon-Music\" onMouseOver=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`#2a2a2a`\" onMouseOut=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`rgba(0,0,0,0)`\" style=\"color:#ffffff; background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)\" class=\"button podcast-subscribe-button\" href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/fe89a039-c5cf-40bf-9f36-6a5f7185f25e\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/podcast-subscribe-buttons\/assets\/img\/icons\/Amazon-Music.svg\" alt=\"Amazon Music\"  \/><\/a><\/span><span class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-Podbean\"><a title=\"Podbean\" onMouseOver=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`#2a2a2a`\" onMouseOut=\"this.style.color=`#ffffff`; this.style.backgroundColor=`rgba(0,0,0,0)`\" style=\"color:#ffffff; background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0)\" class=\"button podcast-subscribe-button\" href=\"https:\/\/thefuturebuiltsmarterpodcast.podbean.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"secondline-psb-subscribe-img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/podcast-subscribe-buttons\/assets\/img\/icons\/Podbean.svg\" alt=\"Podbean\"  \/><\/a><\/span><\/div>                                       \n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Antarctica or bust: Site visit sends IMEG to penguin paradise\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=eqvqa-1618d3e-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-16461\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1_IMG_3224-150x150.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1_IMG_3224-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1_IMG_3224-402x402.jpeg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1_IMG_3224-540x540.jpeg 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>IMEG\u2019s Peter Monroe joins this episode of The Future Built Smarter to share the experiences of his recent site visit to Antarctica. A former client executive and a structural engineer for 55 years, Peter made the journey from Denver to Antarctica in early 2024 to visit a project at McMurdo Station, a National Science Foundation research facility on Ross Island. McMurdo is undergoing extensive updates, and Peter\u2019s visit was to observe the structural construction of the station\u2019s new dormitory, one of two buildings for which IMEG has provided structural construction documents. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Established in 1955, McMurdo consists of numerous buildings and infrastructure of varying sizes and functions, many that are no longer used, others that will be replaced and consolidated into more efficient modern facilities. \u201cI&#8217;ve been telling people the best way to describe it is like some of the old mining towns here in Colorado or out in California that are half abandoned,\u201d Peter says of his first impressions of McMurdo. He also discusses the added challenges of design and construction in the Antarctic\u2014extreme weather and permafrost, materials logistics, limited construction seasons\u2014and key takeaways from the dormitory project. \u201cGenerally, we made good decisions,\u201d he says, adding that there were many lessons learned to apply to the core building\u2014the next project IMEG will design for the NSF. \u201cThe dormitory is one of their first major projects and hopefully the lessons transfer.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>While he was scheduled to be at McMurdo for six days, bad weather and airplane mechanical issues extended his stay to 12 days. That allowed him to be present for the dormitory \u201ctopping off\u201d ceremony\u2014the hoisting and placement of the final structural steel beam, which he signed along with the other project team partners who were present. The additional days also gave him extra time to explore and take photos and videos of the Antarctic\u2019s native residents. \u201cOne of the days, there were two little Adelie penguins walking down the road and we were all standing there watching them. Another day the big emperor penguins came in and there was probably 50, 60, or 70 of them.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The Antarctica trip will always stand out among Peter\u2019s career highlights and is decidedly his farthest site visit ever\u2014eclipsing a past visit to Saudi Arabia and easily outdistancing anything else. \u201cFor something that was in Denver, I&#8217;d leave the office in the morning, go out, and be back before lunch.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/peter-monroe-goes-to-antarctica\/\"><small>Watch a video of Peter Monroe\u2019s Antarctica site visit. <\/small><\/a><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Part 1 | Power in numbers: IMEG offices rally behind firm\u2019s sustainability plan\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=smnv9-15e9d9a-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3316\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3316\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3316\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mcmilen-adam-new-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mcmilen-adam-new-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mcmilen-adam-new-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mcmilen-adam-new-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mcmilen-adam-new-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/mcmilen-adam-new.jpg 765w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3316\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">Adam McMillen<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>In the first in a series of episodes on IMEG\u2019s refreshed Sustainability Plan, Adam McMillen, director of sustainability, and Taylor Gawthorp-Cruse, senior sustainability and energy consultant, discuss key aspects of the initiative. Designed to integrate environmentally friendly practices at the firm\u2019s offices, the updated plan builds upon the original version, released in 2018, and promotes conserving energy and water, lowering carbon emissions, and reducing waste. The 2024 version includes new mandated initiatives (such as tracking office energy usage) as well as optional initiatives (such as providing in-office composting) that allow each location to take actions best-suited for their office, whether corporate owned or rented. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>While the firm\u2019s largest positive impact on the environment rests within its ability to reduce the carbon footprint of its clients\u2019 projects, it also can now make a sizeable impact <\/small><small>through the operations and actions at its own offices, which now number 90-plus across the U.S. \u201cNow our carbon number has become a big number, and if we have a sustainable <\/small><small>mindset where we work every day, then that scales, too,\u201d says McMillen. \u201cIf you only have three offices, it is still worth it to think about it, but it has become more important for us now for sure.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1777\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1777\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1777 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gawthorp_taylor-5-e1564676116522-540x540.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1777\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">Taylor Gawthorp-Cruse<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>Implementing an internal sustainability plan is a large undertaking, and organizations seeking to do so should start by identifying office champions who can lead the effort at each office location. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cMy biggest piece of advice is to harness the power of passionate people in your firm,\u201d says Gawthorp-Cruse. \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised by the drive of people who want to make a positive impact and bring new ideas to the table that maybe they don&#8217;t get to express in their day-to-day work. Our sustainable office champions are amazing, and I think there&#8217;s nothing a group of passionate people can&#8217;t accomplish.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Part 2 | IMEG Sustainability Champion Jessica Lee: \u2018It\u2019s really inspiring\u2019\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=rsfdc-15e9da0-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16307\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16307\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-16307\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Jessica-Lee_medium-e1713363297716-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Jessica-Lee_medium-e1713363297716-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Jessica-Lee_medium-e1713363297716-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Jessica-Lee_medium-e1713363297716-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Jessica-Lee_medium-e1713363297716-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Jessica-Lee_medium-e1713363297716.jpg 693w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16307\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">Jessica Lee<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>The second in a series of episodes on IMEG\u2019s refreshed Sustainability Plan features Jessica Lee, a sustainability and energy consultant with the firm. Also the Sustainability Plan champion in IMEG\u2019s Chicago office, Jessica collaborates with her co-workers to implement the plan\u2019s mandated and optional initiatives. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Jessica\u2019s passion for the environment began as a child growing up within an indigenous community in Hawaii. \u201cBeing surrounded by the greenest greens and the bluest blues in the world made me appreciate nature and respect nature,\u201d she says. \u201cSo, growing up I was just surrounded by the idea that the earth is what gives us life and we should work with it rather than against it.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>In addition to contributing to the company-wide tracking of office energy use and other mandated initiatives, Jessica is looking forward to helping the Chicago office choose and implement its optional sustainability initiatives. She hopes these will include an office composting bin and increased use of public transportation to and from work. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cEverybody&#8217;s coming together to get new ideas on what they could do in the office and it&#8217;s just really inspiring to see that,\u201d she says.<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Part 3 | IMEG Sustainability Champion Anchila Monks: \u2018This is the right time\u2019\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=z75k5-15e9da8-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16308\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16308\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-16308\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/E_210615_N38_medium-e1713363377549-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/E_210615_N38_medium-e1713363377549-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/E_210615_N38_medium-e1713363377549-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/E_210615_N38_medium-e1713363377549.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16308\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">Anchila Monks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>IMEG\u2019s Anchila Monks is featured in the third episode in a series about the firm\u2019s refreshed Sustainability Plan. A business developer with IMEG, Anchila is also the Sustainability Plan\u2019s champion in the firm\u2019s office in Portland, OR, where she collaborates with her co-workers to implement the plan\u2019s mandated and optional initiatives. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Anchila recalls what her grandmother told her at a young age: \u201cShe said that heaven and earth and humanity are different manifestations of one life energy, and that we only have one planet\u2014and there is no Planet B.\u201d For Anchila, this was the beginning of her understanding of the importance of taking care of the environment. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Living and working in Portland\u2014one of the country\u2019s greenest communities\u2014makes some of the Sustainability Plan\u2019s optional initiatives easier to accomplish, such as biking and carpooling to work, recycling, and composting. The office also has \u201cadopted a block\u201d and formed a \u201cTeam Portland\u201d group to participate in a community clean-up day. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Like other IMEG Sustainability Champions, Anchila is passionate about her role, and urges people everywhere to not procrastinate in helping to save the environment. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cDo not waste time,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is the right time to do it.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Part 4 | IMEG Sustainability Champion Olivia Paxson: \u2018One person can only do so much\u2019\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=gcnb5-15e9dae-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16309\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16309\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-16309\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Olivia-Paxson_medium-e1713363457891.jpg 798w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16309\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">Olivia Paxson<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>The final episode in a series about IMEG\u2019s refreshed Sustainability Plan features Olivia Paxson, a structural engineering designer with the firm. Olivia is also the Sustainability Plan\u2019s champion in IMEG\u2019s St. Louis office, where she collaborates with her co-workers to implement the plan\u2019s mandated and optional initiatives. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cWe\u2019ve already switched to LED lighting and that&#8217;s thanks to the people we rent from,\u201d she says. \u201cWe have a dishwasher, and we have reusable utensils, and we\u2019re really close to a metro line as well as bus stations.\u201d Like most IMEG offices, the St. Louis team is a tenant in its building and will be working to find more ways to collaborate with the other tenants and the owner to enact further changes. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Olivia is excited over the effort she has seen across IMEG and the potential for meaningful change. \u201cI think this collective action is so important because one individual can only do so much,\u201d she says. \u201cAll the offices have come together\u2014different people of different backgrounds, and they&#8217;re not all engineers. We&#8217;ve got such a variety of people and because we&#8217;re able to come together I think we can be pushed so much further.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"AI in practice: IMEG chatbot brings decades of data to engineers in seconds - Part 1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=gaanr-15cb579-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"AI in practice: IMEG chatbot brings decades of data to engineers in seconds - Part 2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=6frms-15cb582-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16232\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16232\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-16232\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Steve-Germano_medium-e1711982346541-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Steve-Germano_medium-e1711982346541-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Steve-Germano_medium-e1711982346541.jpg 262w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16232\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Germano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>In this two-part episode, IMEG software development team lead Steve Germano joins Mike Lawless and Joe Payne for a conversation about IMEG\u2019s internal, AI-powered chatbot, Meg. After a year-and-a-half of development, Meg is now live and serves as a search engine for the firm\u2019s engineering teams and other departments, drawing from the company\u2019s vast amount of stored data. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Built as a large language model, or LLM, questions can be asked of Meg by anyone in the company on a variety of engineering and non-engineering topics, from \u201cHow do I submit my expense report?\u201d to \u201cWhere can I find guidance on sizing steam traps?\u201d Meg will then point the user to the appropriate in-house tool or information from among the firm\u2019s own curated, accurate, and verified databases. Meg fields upwards of 1,000 questions a day from the firm\u2019s 80-plus engineering teams and other staff around the country, quickly bringing knowledge from across the firm to answer questions and provide technical information to provide the best solutions for local clients. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cWe built a singular entry point to help users find information they&#8217;re looking for across the company in a single place,\u201d says Germano, who also is a mechanical engineer. \u201cEveryone can just type a sentence and ask what they want, just like you&#8217;d be asking a colleague sitting next to you.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Far from replacing engineers, Meg acts as an assistant to help them more quickly find the data and answers to their questions&#8212;an especially useful \u201cco-pilot\u201d and source of accelerated learning for less experienced engineers (who also continue to be mentored by the firm\u2019s veterans). <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cIt\u2019s like having someone you can bug and ask 50 questions a day and know you\u2019re not going to aggravate them and eat up their time,\u201d says Germano, who expects to see similar AI-powered assistants being developed across the AEC industry. \u201cAs the technology continues to develop, it&#8217;s just going to get better and better, and more and more knowledge will be available.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Germano offers a bit of advice for firms thinking about embarking on such a journey. \u201cThere are a lot of tools out there to start exploring with, but in parallel with that, you need to determine if your data is even ready to be consumed by AI. That\u2019s a deep topic that needs to be explored as it can take a lot of time to curate and cleanse your data.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Phius leader keen on passive building\u2019s role in decarbonization\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=eqynx-15b20fa-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16153\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16153\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-16153\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kat-Klingenberg-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kat-Klingenberg-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kat-Klingenberg-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kat-Klingenberg-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kat-Klingenberg-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Kat-Klingenberg.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16153\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kat Klingenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>Kat Klingenberg, executive director and co-founder of the non-profit organization Phius, talks about the history and current state of passive building in this episode of The Future Built Smarter. \u201cPassive building principles are not rocket science,\u201d she says. \u201cWe&#8217;re talking about continuous insulation, airtight construction, no thermal bridging in the envelope, good fenestration components, and minimized mechanical systems. It&#8217;s all about holistic integrated design, and once that is all implemented correctly, we get the result of super-low energy buildings that are pretty much zero-energy ready.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Kat also directs the technical and research programs at Phius, which certifies passive buildings and high-performance building products. The organization also has trained more than 5,000 architects, engineers, energy consultants, and builders as Phius Certified Consultants, Builders, and Raters\/Verifiers. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Predated by the construction of thousands of passive houses in North America during the 1960s through 1980s and originally modeled off the Passive House Institute of Germany, Phius codified the passive house strategies in the U.S. when the organization was founded in 2003. The principles have evolved over the past two decades and today apply not only to homes but also to new construction and retrofits of all building types, with climate-specific standards for different geographic regions. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Passive building principles are a vital tool in the global decarbonization effort underway in the built environment\u2014so much so that the 2024 USGBC International Greenbuild Conference will include a Phius-exclusive track, pre-conference summit, William Hill online bettingand pavilion of exhibitors.\u202f <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cThere has been collaboration and friendship between the Green Building Council and Phius for quite a while, and we decided that Phius should have a track within Greenbuild this year,\u201d says Kat. \u201cWe call it \u2018Phius at Greenbuild.\u2019 We hope that we can create a lot of interest in what we do and bring the stakeholders of Greenbuild into the fold and help them with their next challenges.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The urgent need to decarbonize at light speed, advances in heat pump and envelope technologies, the mastering of air tightness strategies by a growing number of builders, and the expectation that jurisdictions will begin to include Passive Building Certification as part of net-zero stretch codes (Massachusetts has already done so) are all bringing Phius into the spotlight as never before. \u201cIt&#8217;s almost like the perfect storm,\u201d says Kat. \u201cIt\u2019s super exciting.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><em><small>Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phius.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Phius on the web<\/a> to learn more about the organization and its collaboration with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phius.org\/phius-bring-passive-building-greenbuild-2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2024 USGBC International Greenbuild Conference.<\/a><\/small><\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em><small>Read about one of IMEG\u2019s Phius-certified projects, the net-zero <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/achieving-a-net-zero-k-12-facility-is-a-team-effort\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prairie Trails School<\/a> in Mount Prospect, IL. <\/small><\/em><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Northridge at 30: Seismic design advances benefit buildings across U.S.\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=i8x9a-15689fe-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1454\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1454\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1454 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CraigChamberlain_headshot2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CraigChamberlain_headshot2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/CraigChamberlain_headshot2.jpg 223w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1454\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small>Craig Chamberlain<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>This episode of The Future Built Smarter podcast provides a high-level look at seismic design and preparedness 30 years after the Northridge earthquake rocked Southern California in 1994. Joining the discussion is IMEG structural engineer and client executive Craig Chamberlain, president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California, which hosted the Northridge30 Symposium on the anniversary of the event in January. \u201cThe symposium brought policymakers, city government officials, building officials, and engineers together to help make sure we&#8217;re still moving ahead even 30 years after the earthquake, and that we don&#8217;t forget what happened on that devastating day,\u201d he says.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles at 4:30 a.m. Jan. 17, 1994, resulting in at least 57 deaths and more than 8,700 injuries. It was California\u2019s most destructive seismic event since the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the state\u2019s costliest to date, by some estimates causing up to $50 billion in damage to buildings and infrastructure. It also ushered in new and advanced building codes and requirements, building retrofits, and new structural best practices for building types with specific vulnerabilities\u2014all of which continue to evolve. \u201cA lot has come to pass since that day, but there is more work to be done,\u201d says Chamberlain.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The lessons learned from Northridge, the advances in design and technology, and the growing use of structural assessments, building resiliency strategies, and recovery measures have applications outside of seismic areas, since a variety of natural events can threaten buildings and infrastructure throughout the U.S. \u201cIt\u2019s important that we&#8217;re prepared for that event when it comes, because it&#8217;s going to come, whether it&#8217;s a hurricane, tornado, flood, or earthquake,\u201d says Chamberlain.<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"IMEG CEO reflects on firm\u2019s growth and career of 47 years (and counting)\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=eq6d3-150ccb2-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-15598 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Paul-VanDuyne_2021a_medium-e1701099275126.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"145\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Paul-VanDuyne_2021a_medium-e1701099275126.jpg 708w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Paul-VanDuyne_2021a_medium-e1701099275126-271x300.jpg 271w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 145px) 100vw, 145px\" \/>IMEG President and CEO Paul VanDuyne talks about the trajectory of his career and the firm\u2019s growth during his 20-year tenure as CEO in this special episode of The Future Built Smarter. The recipient of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.enr.com\/articles\/55773-paul-vanduyne-builds-imeg-into-powerhouse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ENR Midwest\u2019s 2023 Legacy Award<\/a>, Paul entered the industry as a design electrical engineer 47 years ago when he joined IMEG\u2014then KJWW Engineering. In 2003 he became president and CEO, and since 2015 IMEG has completed 35 acquisitions and has gone from 800 staff members to over 2,400 staff at 80 locations coast to coast. All of that might not have happened, however, had Paul followed his original plans when he moved from the East Coast\u2014where he\u2019d already earned an engineering degree\u2014to Davenport, Iowa.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small> \u201cI actually came out to the Midwest to become a chiropractor,\u201d he says. \u201cI was going into a new career direction. About six months into it I needed to make some money and joined this small engineering company over in Rock Island, Illinois. I was their 16th person at the beginning of 1976. That\u2019s my story with what eventually became IMEG.\u201d Paul shares how his interest in healthcare\u2014he did go on to earn his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College\u2014led to jumpstarting and building IMEG\u2019s healthcare portfolio, which today is ranked 4th in the nation among engineering firms by Building Design+Construction. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Paul also discusses IMEG\u2019s ongoing strategic mergers and acquisitions, its goal to become a billion-dollar company, and how its wide diversity of markets and services, geographic distribution, employee ownership, and single profit center combine to provide the firm with resilience and growth even during times of adversity. \u201cAll that really helped us get through the pandemic, but also any difficult times that come up,\u201d he says. \u201cThat&#8217;s a huge stability factor for us.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>After nearly 50 years in the business, Paul says he is very committed to a daily health regimen that helps him to stay energized and meet the demands of the job, physically and mentally. \u201cI think a lot of it has to do with mindset,\u201d he says. \u201cIf your mindset is a progressive mindset, and it&#8217;s an abundance mindset, I think that gives you a huge advantage.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><em><small>Learn more about IMEG\u2019s approach and stories of success in the new mini-documentary,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/imeg-a-strategic-growth-story\/\"> &#8220;IMEG Built Smarter: A Strategic Growth Story.\u201d <\/a><\/small><\/em><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"How Ann Arbor seeks to lift up an underserved neighborhood through community geothermal\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=a39ic-14f606b-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small>This episode features Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director for the City of Ann Arbor, MI, one of 11 communities being funded by the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Geothermal Technologies Office to design a community geothermal heating and cooling system. Joining the conversation is IMEG Sustainability Director Adam McMillen, who is leading the analysis and design portion of the project.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-15500 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Bryant-graphic-cropped.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Bryant-graphic-cropped.png 710w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Bryant-graphic-cropped-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Bryant-graphic-cropped-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Bryant-graphic-cropped-402x402.png 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Bryant-graphic-cropped-540x540.png 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/>\u201cIn Ann Arbor we have the goal of achieving a just transition to communitywide carbon neutrality by 2030,\u201d said Stults. \u201cOne of the things that is really critical is centering equity in our work, and so from the very beginning we said we have to make sure that we&#8217;re working with neighborhoods that we&#8217;ve traditionally disinvested in.\u201d The city\u2019s Bryant Neighborhood\u2014an underserved, energy-burdened community of 262 households, 75 percent of which are considered low-income, with over 50 percent of residents being minorities and renters\u2014was chosen for the project. \u201cFor almost three years we&#8217;ve been working with Community Action Network (CAN) and the residents of Bryant to figure out what would it mean if they became the most sustainable neighborhood in America,\u201d said Stults. \u201cWhat would it mean if you flipped the script on a neighborhood that we sort of just forgot about and made it be the centerpiece of climate action? And then this project came about.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The goal of the project is to design (and eventually build) a community-scale geothermal system that covers at least 75% of the heating and cooling load for all 262 households as well as for a local school, a county community mental health service center, and the City of Ann Arbor\u2019s public works facility. The project will directly lower the neighborhood\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, significantly improve indoor air quality, eliminate the energy burden for low-income residents, and enhance year-round comfort.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The project team is led by the City of Ann Arbor and consists of 14 entities including CAN and other community organizations, mental health providers, the public school district, utility providers, geothermal design firms, and workforce development and training organizations.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cThe answer to the climate crisis isn&#8217;t brand new neighborhoods everywhere,\u201d said McMillen. \u201cIt is: Work with what we have in a smarter way, reuse resources we have, then lift everyone else up with us. And make it replicable so anyone can do it.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/project\/community-geothermal-study\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about the project.<\/a> <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"UW Health bringing a proton center powered by the sun to Madison\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=n38jq-14cdaef-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small>This episode offers a preview of UW Health\u2019s Eastpark Medical Center in Madison, WI. Expected to be fully open by Fall 2024, the seven-story outpatient facility will offer advanced imaging and lab services, destination services, multidisciplinary adult specialties, and women\u2019s complex care. The center also will feature the state-of-the-art UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center, one of the few in the country to offer proton therapy and, in collaboration with Leo Cancer Care, the first healthcare facility in the U.S. to offer upright proton therapy. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-15247\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/upright-cropped-300x152.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/upright-cropped-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/upright-cropped-1024x519.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/upright-cropped-768x389.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/upright-cropped-1536x778.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/upright-cropped-2048x1038.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Discussing the new center and proton therapy aspects of the project are Jerry McGuire and Steve Mumm, senior project managers for University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Planning Design and Construction, and Kevin Langan, an IMEG mechanical engineer working on the project. \u201cProton therapy is a relatively new cancer treatment,\u201d says McGuire. \u201cIt\u2019s an advanced form of radiation therapy using a precise dose of radiation that conforms to the tumor itself\u2014reducing side effects and causing no damage to surrounding healthy tissues.\u201d The new center will offer both a rotating gantry where a patient lies down on a couch with the machine rotating around them, and an upright fixed beam system in which the patient sits up. The upright system is being found to provide improved outcomes\u2014 offering greater comfort, reducing patient anxiety, and improved accuracy\u2014and is particularly beneficial for pediatric patients.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The planning, design, and construction not only of the proton therapy spaces but also the infrastructure to support the technology was like no other healthcare project. \u201cThere were huge implications well beyond the proton therapy space\u2014for example, the chiller plant gets larger, an additional electrical service was added, and larger generators,\u201d said Langan. \u201cIt also required a lot of coordination with the proton therapy vendors to make sure we were providing what they needed.\u201d To withstand the neutron dose rates of the treatment bay and contain the radiation, the proton therapy space also required 7-foot-thick concrete walls below grade. A temporary system to pump glycol through tubing within the poured concrete was required to keep the concrete from overheating and to cure appropriately.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Eastpark Medical Center is also seeking LEED v4.1 certification for healthcare and has several sustainable features, including a 1MW rooftop solar array which provides the approximate energy needed to power the proton center. \u201cWe basically will have a carbon-neutral proton center in Madison, Wisconsin,\u201d says Mumm. <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Housing director: \u2018We\u2019re providing homes where people can thrive\u2019\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=gehfb-14b8b44-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-10480 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Scott-Campagna-402-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"166\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Scott-Campagna-402-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Scott-Campagna-402-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Scott-Campagna-402.jpg 402w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 166px) 100vw, 166px\" \/>Scott Campagna, Senior Director of Housing at IMEG, is featured in this episode\u2014one in a series of conversations with the firm\u2019s market leaders. Scott talks about the subsectors of IMEG\u2019s housing work\u2014neighborhoods, multifamily, student housing, and senior living\u2014and the challenges and opportunities facing the market overall. \u201cIt&#8217;s an interesting time,\u201d he says. \u201cThere&#8217;s a huge housing demand in all sectors but in the current environment, with the lending being pulled back, projects in all sectors generally are moving a bit slower.\u201d Scott also discusses <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/developing-an-office-to-residential-conversion-consider-the-engineering-challenges-early\/\">office-to-residential conversions<\/a>, a trending topic in the market. He cautions that such pursuits always be preceded by an infrastructure assessment. \u201cCertainly not every building is the same nor is it best suited necessarily for a housing conversion. You need to look at the systems infrastructure to ensure it will support the housing project. You don&#8217;t want to be hit with any surprises after the fact or during construction.\u201d On all projects in the market, Scott says the mentality at IMEG is to \u201cTurn housing into homes. We understand we are drawing more than just lines on paper\u2014we are providing a home where people can thrive and flourish within our communities.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Planning is essential for meeting education market challenges\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=ht8bd-14acd06-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-15014\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/john-holbert-2_medium-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"149\" height=\"149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/john-holbert-2_medium-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/john-holbert-2_medium-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/john-holbert-2_medium-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/john-holbert-2_medium-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/john-holbert-2_medium.jpg 741w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 149px) 100vw, 149px\" \/>In a continuing series of discussions with IMEG\u2019s market leaders, this episode of The Future Built Smarter features John Holbert, vice president of education. John discusses the challenges facing the market, primarily those for higher education institutions, which face ever-increasing enrollment competition, changes in student demographics, limited resources, aging infrastructure, and difficulties with facility staff retention. Many higher education institutions, as well as K-12 school districts, also face challenges in meeting sustainability and environmental initiatives as well as the need to improve safety and security in their buildings and on their campuses. \u201cSecurity has become a big topic, and we have started consulting on safety and security plans for campuses and districts,\u201d he says. Such initiatives start with a vulnerability assessment and gap analysis, with planning and design including principles from Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, or CPTED. \u201cWe\u2019re also seeing more referendums and funding opportunities for safety and security measures,\u201d he adds. Before embarking on any building project, John emphasizes the importance of master planning to best prepare for the needs of the future. Such planning helps institutions meet their long-term goals and allocate funds and William Hill free betsother resources accordingly\u2014before it\u2019s too late. \u201cAcross the landscape of education, we see a lot of deferred maintenance,\u201d he says. \u201cWe&#8217;re still going into 50-plus-year-old buildings that have original systems in them.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Keeping K-12 students safe demands a holistic security approach\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=wy8z3-149b46a-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3414 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Ryan-Searles-v2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"157\" height=\"157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Ryan-Searles-v2.jpg 458w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Ryan-Searles-v2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Ryan-Searles-v2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Ryan-Searles-v2-402x402.jpg 402w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 157px) 100vw, 157px\" \/>Holistic security considerations for K-12 school design are examined in this 17-minute episode featuring Ryan Searles, IMEG\u2019s security consulting group leader. Ryan spends an average of three weeks of each month traveling the country presenting at conferences or training organizations in crisis management, active shooter mitigation, and other security preparedness\u2014with a growing number of school districts seeking his team\u2019s services. \u201cWe keep seeing a rise in violence in the United States and more violent events occurring at places of education,\u201d he says. \u201cIn K-12, particularly, it&#8217;s really about what we can do to mitigate it from happening.\u201d In addition to getting involved earlier in the design phase of new facilities, Ryan and his team are also conducting an increasing number of security assessments of existing schools, providing answers to such questions as, \u201cWhat do we have in place? What are we doing right? Where are our gaps and where are our vulnerabilities? How do we fix those?\u201d The most effective security design and emergency preparedness takes a blended, holistic approach, Ryan says, and includes not only physical and technology design aspects but also \u201cthe human aspect\u201d\u2014training, drills and rehearsals for staff and students, as well as proactive threat assessments of individuals and being vigilant about watching for early warning signs. \u201cWe&#8217;ve been a very reactive culture in the United States with school security and safety. We can&#8217;t do that anymore\u2014that&#8217;s become very apparent and has a lot to do with my team being so busy. Schools are reaching out saying, \u2018Come show us what we need to do to keep these kids safe.\u2019 \u201c<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><em><small>Ryan Searles will present &#8220;Security Considerations for School Design&#8221; at 8:15 a.m. Oct. 13 at the Association for Learning Environments&#8217; National Conference, LearningSCAPES 2023, in Chicago. <a href=\"https:\/\/learningscapes.a4le.org\/SecurityforBuildingDesign.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more<\/a>.<\/small><\/em><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Water, water everywhere\u2014with many improvements needed\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=jyusn-14781ab-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-14584\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/jack-john-kusek-CC04_medium-e1691595472743-259x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"161\" height=\"187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/jack-john-kusek-CC04_medium-e1691595472743-259x300.jpg 259w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/jack-john-kusek-CC04_medium-e1691595472743.jpg 753w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 161px) 100vw, 161px\" \/>This episode\u2014another in a series of discussions with IMEG\u2019s market leaders\u2014features Jack Kusek, market leader for water and wastewater. Listen to the episode and you\u2019ll learn: <\/small><\/h6>\n<ul style=\"line-height: 20px;\">\n<li style=\"font-size: 0.77em;\">What PFAs are and what can be done about them<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 0.77em;\">Which U.S. city has the largest concentration of lead pipes<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 0.77em;\">Why security is a big concern for water and wastewater facilities, particularly in smaller communities<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 0.77em;\">How two communities collaborated to ensure their water resiliency<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 0.77em;\">Why outsourcing facility operations is a necessity for many small municipalities\/small&gt;<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 0.77em;\">How IMEG has helped restore Frenchman\u2019s Reef resort on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands following back-to-back hurricanes that devastated the property in 2017<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h6><small>Jack also discusses his motivation for the work he specializes in, and the reward he receives when he\u2019s able to help a community improve its water infrastructure and water quality and provide for one of the fundamental needs of life. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cThe fact that we can help people on St. Thomas and other communities so that they have new facilities, cleaner water to drink, and wastewater plants that aren&#8217;t polluting the streams\u2014just seeing how those improvements benefit people and how thankful they are, that\u2019s motivation enough for me.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Industrial market challenges: Project pace, scramble for resources, ESG goals\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=hj88j-146dc38-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-14497 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/kelly-altes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"147\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/kelly-altes.jpg 730w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/kelly-altes-245x300.jpg 245w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 147px) 100vw, 147px\" \/>This episode\u2014part of a series of conversations with IMEG\u2019s market leaders\u2014features Kelly Altes, the firm\u2019s industrial market leader. Kelly discusses the firm\u2019s industrial teams\u2019 areas of expertise\u2014 agriculture, aerospace, automotive, food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, and general manufacturing\u2014as well as challenges facing industrial clients. These include the pace of project delivery, the lengthy process of capital expenditure decisions, and the push to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. She also talks about the difficulty of meeting and funding ESG and corporate sustainability goals and the importance of master planning to help clients achieve those goals over manageable periods time. \u201cI&#8217;m actively talking with clients about the importance of master planning,\u201d she says. \u201cAs with any big problem, you break it down into small chunks. So, we&#8217;ve worked with a number of clients on yearly capital expenditures that we can look at over a five-, 10-, 15-, or 20-year period to try to help them with that decarbonization process.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Used as a \u2018copilot,\u2019 AI can positively assist designers\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=aafp2-145b292-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><em>Note: In keeping with the topic of this episode\u2014artificial intelligence\u2014the following summary has been generated by ChatGPT using a transcription from the podcast.<\/em> <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-14405 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Michael-Kilkelly_medium-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Michael-Kilkelly_medium-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Michael-Kilkelly_medium-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Michael-Kilkelly_medium.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>In this podcast episode, host Joe Payne and co-host Mike Lawless discuss the topic of AI and its impact on the design profession. Their guest, Michael Kilkelly, is a registered architect and member of IMEG\u2019s internal Technical Operations team. He shares insights on how AI is being used in the field of architecture and engineering. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>They discuss the initial fears and concerns architects and engineers may have about AI taking over their jobs. However, as people start using AI tools like ChatGPT, they realize the practical applications and usefulness of these technologies. Michael highlights that while there may be some unfounded fears, there is also a recognition of the skill involved in effectively utilizing AI. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The conversation dives into various areas where AI can enhance the design process. Michael mentions generative design tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/testfit.io\/\">TestFit<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/arkdesign.ai\/#home\">ARK<\/a> that help architects create optimal building layouts based on specific parameters. They also discuss the potential of AI in aiding visualization during client meetings, where AI tools can generate images based on spoken text, allowing clients to better understand and react to design concepts. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The hosts explore the benefits of AI in terms of efficiency and productivity, as well as the potential for AI to assist with data analysis and historical data access. They emphasize the concept of &#8220;augmented intelligence&#8221; and the idea that AI tools can enhance human capabilities rather than replace them entirely. Michael introduces the concept of &#8220;prompt engineering&#8221; as the art of extracting useful information from AI systems, while maintaining contextual control to avoid generating false or fabricated data. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Looking toward the future, the discussion touches on the possibility of personalized AI assistants or virtual copilots that can work alongside professionals, providing support and leveraging collective experience. They also anticipate advancements in querying databases with AI, allowing users to ask complex questions and receive accurate answers, leading to more informed decision-making. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small><em>For related information, read Michael Kilkelly\u2019s article, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartbuildingstech.com\/intelligent-building-systems\/article\/21266174\/artificial-intelligence-ai-applications-in-architecture-and-engineering-design\">AI and architecture and engineering: Programmed for success,<\/a>\u201d published by Smart Buildings Technology.<\/em> <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 150px;\" title=\"Bridge market update: Many projects, higher construction costs\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=nzuep-145b288-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><\/h6>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-14393\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/myer_steve_civil_medium-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/myer_steve_civil_medium-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/myer_steve_civil_medium-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/myer_steve_civil_medium-540x540.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>In a continuing series of conversations with IMEG\u2019s market leaders, this episode of The Future Built Smarter features Bridge Market Leader Steve Myer. Steve discusses his background, the types of services that IMEG\u2019s bridge engineering team provides, challenges facing the market, and often-heard questions from clients. \u201cThe common questions from our clients include how to extend the life of their bridges,\u201d he says. \u201cThey also often ask for rough cost estimates for their bridges and what they can do to make their money go further. We provide quite a few estimates, either for rehabilitation of existing bridges or for replacing bridges.\u201d Steve adds that over the past five years he and other engineers \u201chave been going at a really fast pace and have designed many bridge projects\u2014to the point that now one of the biggest challenges facing clients is there so many projects out there, the competitive bid process is somewhat going away because contractors can just go after the projects they want.\u201d As for the future, Steve says, \u201cI really don&#8217;t see a slowdown coming in the bridge market. Hopefully it stabilizes a little bit and construction prices stop doubling every five years.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Transportation market update: Infrastructure bill projects ramp up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=a9c66-143b783-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><small>In a continuing series of conversations with IMEG market leaders and directors, Corey Stout discusses the transportation market with host Joe Payne. Corey touches on several topics, including the effects to date of the federal government\u2019s massive infrastructure funding made available in late 2021. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cAside from repair and maintenance work, most of the projects have been in the planning stages and we\u2019re seeing these projects go out for bid, two years later,\u201d he says. Labor shortages have added to the slow-down of the process. \u201cThe state agencies have to assign the contracts and they&#8217;re short-staffed; consultants have to do their work and they&#8217;re short-staffed; and then the contractors have to get their work done and they\u2019re short-staffed. But it\u2019s coming around and we\u2019re starting to see more and more construction going on everywhere.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-5933 size-thumbnail alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/corey-stout-new2-540x540.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Corey also talks about the importance of public engagement, the effectiveness of holding virtual community meetings, and the technology now being used to help motorists and pedestrians visualize and understand infrastructure projects. In one such project, IMEG created a 3D rendering and flyover video showing a combine easily moving through a proposed rural roundabout. This allayed farmers\u2019 concerns by allowing them to \u201csee that the intersection was going to function just fine with something as big as a combine going through it.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/animations-and-3d-renderings-can-increase-public-engagement\/\">(Learn more and watch the video.) <\/a><\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>As for the future, Corey says to expect more electric vehicle charging stations popping up along the highways, and, someday, the rise of drones as a means of personal conveyance and commerce. \u201cI don&#8217;t know what that&#8217;s going to do to the infrastructure, but it\u2019ll be kind of exciting to see how it\u2019s going to go.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Innovation ends the game of \u2018Frogger\u2019 at site assessments\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=xcs4u-141756c-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13783\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13783\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-13783 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Night-flight-1-300x154.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Night-flight-1-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Night-flight-1.jpg 761w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13783\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small style=\"line-height: 15px; display: block;\">This night drone photo was taken for a lighting and security site assessment. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Night-drone-flight.mp4\">Click here to watch the video.<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>This episode examines an innovative and integrated application of reality capture technologies that has been developed by IMEG to improve exterior lighting and security site assessments. Explaining the components, applications, and benefits of the ALL (Accurately Locating Light) Meter are guests Eric Vallejo, Director of Reality Capture and Geospatial Solutions, Ryan Searles, Security Consulting Group Leader, and Shanna Olson, Architectural Lighting Team Leader. The ALL Meter combines an illuminance meter, 3D camera, GPS, GIS, and drone photography to gather more accurate and robust data in a vastly more efficient and safer manner compared to conventional site assessments. \u201cThe traditional methodology for lighting assessments is to go out on site, obviously after dark, and about every five feet or so get down on the ground with a light meter,\u201d says Olson. \u201cYou&#8217;re also looking at other things, making observations, and taking photos as it gets later and later into the evening. At a particularly large job site recently it ended up becoming a little bit like Frogger in that we were repeatedly bending down, getting up, and moving around as cars and semi-trucks drove past us.\u201d In contrast, the ALL Meter allows the gatherer to remain standing, stay out of harm\u2019s way, and quickly collect more and better data to inform the design phase, while the night drone photography enables stakeholders to visualize areas of poor visibility, lack of uniformity in lighting, and gaps in security. \u201cYou can see immediately where something&#8217;s dark or well illuminated,\u201d says Olson. \u201cOwners can see and feel how it is to be in that space at night.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><em><small>IMEG\u2019s Eric Vallejo, Ryan Searles, and Shanna Olson will discuss this new methodology at the AIA 2023 National Conference on Architecture in San Francisco. \u201cEnhanced Visualization &amp; Reality Capture from a Bird\u2019s Eye View\u201d will be presented at 4 p.m. Friday, June 9. Conference attendees also can visit with IMEG at booth #4240. <a href=\"https:\/\/conferenceonarchitecture.com\/schedule\/#poster-2294660\">Learn more<\/a>.<\/small><\/em><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Environmental issues, expanding specialization key topics in S&amp;T market\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=5gfzn-140ac7f-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/brandon-fort-2-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"149\" height=\"149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/brandon-fort-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/brandon-fort-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/brandon-fort-2-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/brandon-fort-2-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/brandon-fort-2.jpg 644w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 149px) 100vw, 149px\" \/>In the second of a series of conversations with IMEG market leaders and directors, Brandon Fortier, Director of Science &amp; Technology, joins podcast host Joe Payne and series co-host Steve Rhoades, Vice President of Market Development and Federal Solutions. This episode, like the others in the series, provides a high-level view of the trends, challenges, opportunities, and topics that are top-of-mind for IMEG\u2019s clients and partners.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cScience and technology intersects many different vertical markets and a lot of our clients\u2019 questions and needs are very specific to their program,\u201d says Brandon. \u201cBut the continuity between them is environmental related\u2014sustainability, resiliency, climate change, decarbonization\u2014things that we hear about in a variety of markets are the same ones that science and technology clients are very focused on.\u201d At the same time, adds Brandon, \u201cwe&#8217;re seeing a lot of different opportunities with specialization in the market,\u201d including cell gene therapies, life sciences, and healthcare in general. \u201cThese have provided many opportunities for new research, and we\u2019re seeing many owners expanding the market.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Communication is vital for engineers to provide successful William Hill Live Casinosolutions to S&amp;T clients\u2019 needs. This includes not only communicating with facility staff but also the end users\u2014the researchers and industrial hygienists and safety and chemical experts. \u201cWe need to address the needs of all end users in the facility design,\u201d says Brandon. \u201cWe don\u2019t necessarily need to understand the research they&#8217;re doing, but we need to understand what they need out of the building systems.\u201d<br \/>\n<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Decarbonization in Healthcare: Why it\u2019s needed, how to get started\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=xqdia-13ea397-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>Many in the healthcare industry have come to recognize the significant and symbolic role that healthcare organizations, their designers, and builders, can play in reducing the carbon emissions, or greenhouse gases, introduced by the built environment of their facilities. In this podcast episode, IMEG Senior Director of Healthcare Eric Vandenbroucke and Director of Sustainability Adam McMillen discuss why decarbonization is needed in healthcare, the challenges and opportunities that will be encountered along the way, and how organizations can start down the path. For additional information, listeners can read the free IMEG executive guide, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/decarbonization-executive-guide-3.23.pdf\">\u201cDecarbonization in Healthcare: A Practical Approach for the Built environment.\u201d <\/a><\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Data is the key to getting more help from your building\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=uy3jd-13df83a-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Digital twin uses building data to model effects of system changes\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=mrsz4-13df834-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13494\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13494\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-13494 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Brendon-Buckley_medium-e1681318351336.jpg 930w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13494\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small> Brendon Buckley <\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>The amount of data available from multiple building systems continues to grow exponentially. What this data is and how to decide what to do with it is examined in this two-part episode of The Future Built Smarter. Our guest on these episodes is Brendon Buckley, IMEG Protect Executive for Building Intelligence and Integration. In Part 1, Brendon discusses building system data and the potential it presents to owners for not only improving their building\u2019s operational performance but their business outcomes as well. \u201cEven though it&#8217;s an amazing thing to be able to maintain a comfortable, safe, sustainable environment, there&#8217;s a lot more we should be expecting out of our buildings,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat processes or areas could be improved with a little additional help from the systems within the building? What outcome or what result could that drive? I think each individual owner needs to brainstorm about what kinds of benefits they are not getting that they probably should be getting.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>In Part 2, Brendon talks about the use of a \u201cdigital twin\u201d to model changes in operations using building system data before any actual changes are made. \u201cA digital twin in the simplest term is a virtual representation, using collected data, of the systems that are running in a building,\u201d he says. Still largely just beginning to emerge on the scene, a digital twin can be used to determine not only how a building will react under different scenarios but also how the scenarios will affect occupants, staff, and processes. While useful for many different building types and markets, a digital twin can be particularly beneficial for mission critical buildings and those that must operate 24\/7, such as manufacturing and healthcare facilities. \u201cBeing able to model critical environments that have so many systems in play is really tremendous,\u201d Brendon says. \u201cUnderstanding the data and being able to leverage a digital twin in actual building utilization is really a big deal, and I think we&#8217;re going to see the use of this expand.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Team Commissioning, Part 1: Maximizing the \u2018Power of the Team\u2019\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=6h3gq-13cada8-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Team Commissioning Part 2: Applying the concept to federal projects\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=v9v9c-13cadbf-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13349\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13349\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-13349 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Thom-Kurmel-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Thom-Kurmel-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Thom-Kurmel.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13349\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Thom Kurmel<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>The concept of team commissioning, the benefits it can bring to any large project with multiple stakeholders, and its application in the federal sector are examined in this two-part episode of The Future Built Smarter. Our guests are Thom Kurmel, President of TDK Consulting\u2014a VA Certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business specializing in health systems design, organizational performance, business and operational planning, and infrastructure strategies\u2014and Armand Harpin, IMEG Director of Federal Healthcare. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Similar in some respects to building commissioning\u2014in which a third-party consultant verifies that a building is operating to its fullest potential as designed\u2014team commissioning involves ensuring that multiple project stakeholders work together in the most efficient manner \u201cto really use the power of the team to get the job done,\u201d says Kurmel. As a partnering consultant, he applies \u201ctried and true methods\u201d to commission a team, including accountability, proper alignment, governance, management expectations, risk management, and identification of roles and responsibilities. \u201cYou want to understand all of this at the beginning, and team commissioning allows that conversation to happen so people understand that they&#8217;re part of the solution,\u201d he says. <\/small><\/h6>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13350\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13350\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-13350 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115-540x540.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Armand-Harpin_medium-e1680017536115.jpg 937w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13350\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Armand Harpin<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>With the structure and expectations in place, it is imperative to maintain constant communication among the team and to have access to a representative from each stakeholder\u2014including the owner\u2014who can say \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d as issues arise. \u201cThis shortens the amount of time for decision making, which is essential in a construction project,\u201d Kurmel says. \u201cIf you can&#8217;t answer those questions quickly, especially during an active acquisition, you&#8217;re going to delay the project and it&#8217;s going to cost more money. That vexes a lot of teams because they haven&#8217;t set themselves up for success by providing the forum for discussion, discernment, decision, and then action.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Kurmel holds a Doctorate in Design from Harvard University, a BS in Architecture from the University of Nebraska, is a registered architect, certified design-build professional, and a Fellow in the Health Facility Institute. He also is currently a member of the DBIA Federal Committee and on the National Board of Directors for DBIA. He founded TDK Consultants after serving 30 years on active duty with the U.S. Army, where he was a platoon leader for the Combat Heavy Construction engineer battalion; served as commander, director, and chief of project management with the U.S. Army Health Facility Planning Agency; and was Senior Military Advisor and Chief of Staff, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cEvery single day we worked to provide facilities for active-duty soldiers and their families worldwide. So, I got a big dose of how to do this kind of work at a very large scale. I opened a consulting practice to try to continue to support facilities and missions, both in the federal space and the commercial world.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Hospitality update: Growth in demand, wellness, and sustainability\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=6xb59-13af42a-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-7292\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bob-winter-e1613509712939-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bob-winter-e1613509712939-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bob-winter-e1613509712939-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bob-winter-e1613509712939-540x540.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>The state of the hospitality industry\u2014and the trends to watch\u2014are discussed with IMEG Director of Hospitality Bob Winter in the first in a series of episodes featuring the firm\u2019s market leaders.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cLast year, 2022, was a tremendous year in the market for design and construction,\u201d Bob says, citing the recovery of occupancy rates as the industry emerged from the pandemic. \u201cI have seen a little bit of a headwind this year with some of our projects due to the cost of construction and the cost of money.\u201d However, he adds, there are still a lot of \u201cpent-up opportunities that are coming online,\u201d along with growing demand for more hotels in urban and resort environments.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Bob also sees a growing focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as continued growth in properties with a focus on wellness. \u201cMany of the major brands have wellness hotels that are really retreats and are located in places like Sedona or Palm Springs or in wilderness settings, but they&#8217;re also in top urban markets, too. These are places where people can go to experience various mind and body rejuvenation or even a much more focused healing and recovery experience, with medical staff and licensed therapists.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Bob is no stranger to the concept of wellness retreats. In 1912 his great grandfather opened the Hotel Thermia Palace in Czechoslovakia, one of the world\u2019s first wellness resorts.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cIt was built on natural hot springs and there were mud baths; people from throughout central Europe would go there for treatment, primarily for rheumatism,\u201d he says. Though no longer owned by the Winter family, the Thermia Palace exists to this day as a luxury spa and wellness hotel catering to clients worldwide. Those who cross the bridge onto the property pass a statue of a man breaking his crutch\u2014a likeness of Bob\u2019s great grandfather and a symbol of the retreat\u2019s long-standing healing properties.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cIt\u2019s still a very popular place,\u201d says Bob, who has visited the site.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The Winter family\u2019s hospitality legacy transferred to the U.S. at the outbreak of World War 2, when Bob\u2019s grandmother emigrated with her sons to the U.S. She soon became the country\u2019s first female general manager of a major urban hotel, the Hotel Pearson in Chicago. Bob continues the family legacy today as IMEG\u2019s director of hospitality.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u201cIt&#8217;s the \u2018giant circle\u2019,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s been an interesting journey.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Microgrids: Taking emergency power beyond code and beyond carbon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=ev7yn-1391a21-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-12927 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Healthcare-Microgrid-5.0-02-300x192.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Healthcare-Microgrid-5.0-02-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Healthcare-Microgrid-5.0-02-1024x655.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Healthcare-Microgrid-5.0-02-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Healthcare-Microgrid-5.0-02-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Healthcare-Microgrid-5.0-02-2048x1310.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>What is a microgrid? What are its benefits? Does it offer a good return on investment? Answers to these questions and more are discussed in this episode featuring Mike Zorich, IMEG\u2019s Vice President of Healthcare, and Eric Vandenbroucke, Senior Director of Healthcare. \u201cA microgrid is a collection of power sources in addition to your normal utility source,\u201d explains Eric. \u201cIt could include things like a generator, solar power, wind turbines, battery backup. It&#8217;s a collection that is able to be decoupled from the grid if you have a power surge or problems with the grid (occurring more frequently due to weather-related events), allowing you to continue operating your facility.\u201d Microgrids are especially beneficial for healthcare facilities and buildings in other markets that require 24\/7 uninterrupted operation. They go beyond code-required emergency power, can operate for an unlimited amount of time, and provide carbon-free energy. \u201cAnother consideration with microgrids is decarbonization in healthcare,\u201d says Mike Zorich. \u201cWe&#8217;ve seen a big push from the Biden administration with the goals of 50 percent carbon reduction in healthcare by 2030 and then zero emissions by 2030. A microgrid is not the only path to decarbonization, but it needs to be part of that discussion.\u201d Despite a microgrid\u2019s potential, Eric adds that many are not familiar with the strategy. \u201cThere have been some recent surveys stating that over half of healthcare facility managers aren&#8217;t even familiar with what a microgrid is and about another third of them admit they&#8217;re only somewhat familiar. So, I think education is going to be the first step in figuring out if this is something that might fit with your organization.\u201d Listen to the podcast to learn more, and download IMEG\u2019s free executive guide, <a href=\"http:\/\/\u201cMicrogrids for Healthcare Facilities: \u2018Island Mode\u2019 Ensures Long-term Operability.\u201d\">\u201cMicrogrids for Healthcare Facilities: \u2018Island Mode\u2019 Ensures Long-term Operability.\u201d <\/a><\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"From balsa airplanes to a lifetime achievement award: An interview with Cliff Schwinger\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=bg78v-138db8b-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-12889\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cliff-2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"166\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cliff-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cliff-2-402x402.jpg 402w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cliff-2-540x540.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 166px) 100vw, 166px\" \/>In this episode we visit with IMEG\u2019s Cliff Schwinger, a senior structural engineer in Philadelphia and recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction. Cliff has more than 40 years of experience, is a nationally recognized quality assurance expert, and presents at seminars nationwide, including the NASCC Steel Conference, where he has been a speaker for 10 years.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Cliff\u2019s interest in engineering sprouted when he was a little kid. \u201cI used to build these model airplanes out of balsa wood, and they were like mini structures,\u201d he recalls. Though he originally had designs on becoming an aeronautical engineer, as he entered college, jobs in that field were on the downswing. \u201cSo, I somehow wandered into civil engineering. I became a structural engineer, and I haven&#8217;t looked back.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>He has seen many changes over the course of his career, primarily due to advances in technology. \u201cI entered college with a slide rule and I came out with a calculator,\u201d he says. \u201cI still remember the first computer we got, and then, gradually, it got to where it is today. It\u2019s incredible the change that has happened since 1976 when I entered the profession, and it&#8217;s all good. But there are challenges, and one of the challenges is to train engineers\u2014in particular, younger engineers\u2014not to put blind faith in the software. You need the computer to crunch all those numbers; however, you still need to be able to tell whether the computer is giving you the right answer.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>Cliff also talks about his interests outside of engineering. \u201cAbout a dozen years ago, somehow I bumbled my way into community theater and played a bit part as an angry Roman citizen in a mob of other angry Roman citizens in a Shakespeare performance. And then another year I was a soldier in King Henry&#8217;s army in \u2018Henry IV.\u2019 \u201d Also an avid bicyclist, Cliff has, in the past, led unique tours for his bike club around Philadelphia. \u201cBut I wouldn&#8217;t stop at the famous landmarks\u2014I would stop at the totally unknown things,\u201d he says. \u201cThere&#8217;s always an interesting story behind every building. I had another ride called \u2018Cliff&#8217;s Decaying Infrastructure Ride.\u2019 \u201c<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>For young engineers just getting started, Cliff offers some advice. \u201cYou have to have passion, and you have to be OK with the understanding that you&#8217;re always going to be learning.\u201d<br \/>\n<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"\u2018Unique moment in history\u2019 gives engineers a critical task\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=u6v2c-132b2d4-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12047\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12047\" style=\"width: 172px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-12047\" style=\"padding-bottom: 0px !important;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Robin-Greenleaf-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"172\" height=\"172\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Robin-Greenleaf-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Robin-Greenleaf-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Robin-Greenleaf.jpg 321w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 172px) 100vw, 172px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12047\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small><span style=\"line-height: 1.25; display: block; margin: 5px 0px 0px 0px;\"> Robin Greenleaf<\/span><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h6><small>This episode of The Future Built Smarter features a 15-minute conversation with Robin Greenleaf, an IMEG managing principal and the immediate past chair of the American Council of Engineering Companies\u2014the first woman to hold that position. Robin shares her key takeaways from her time on the ACEC board and her career in general, including her insights on the challenges and opportunities that face U.S. engineering firms. \u201cThere&#8217;s such a large range of engineering companies, ranging from size to where they are to what they do,\u201d she says. \u201cWe&#8217;re dealing with workforce issues and supply chain issues and inflation, and it affects all of the ACEC member firms.\u201d In addition to navigating these business challenges, Robin adds that today\u2019s engineers are also faced with a critical technical task no other generation of engineers has faced: combatting climate change through reducing the built environment\u2019s carbon footprint. \u201cWe\u2019re in this really unique moment in history, where basically we are the ones who can make a difference in what the next generation gets,\u201d she says. \u201cThat&#8217;s the single biggest issue that I see engineering firms dealing with\u2014what&#8217;s our strategy for how we can make a difference.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"A PDQ summary of Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s clean energy provisions\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=3tve8-1315705-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>IMEG Director of Sustainability, Adam McMillen, joins this 14-minute episode to provide a summary of the clean energy and climate provisions included in the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA. \u201cAt a high level, the act has really opened the door for taking advantage of these incentives while also trying to stimulate economic activity,\u201d he says. One of the biggest aspects of the act is that, in addition to offering these provisions to the private sector, the IRA offers a \u201cdirect pay\u201d incentive to non-profits\u2014entities that could not take advantage of previous renewable energy technology tax credits due to their lack of tax liability. \u201cEssentially it is a grant, and this is a huge step forward, for sure,\u201d says Adam, who also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/heres-guidance-on-the-inflation-reduction-act-provisions-that-reduce-costs-of-building-green\/\">has written about the IRA on the IMEG blog<\/a>. To avoid wading through the act\u2019s hundreds of pages, he also has created a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Inflation-Reduction-Act-overview.pdf\">simple table that lists the credits<\/a>, the technologies\/building types they apply to, and the incentive levels. While not included in his table, several other provisions can benefit homeowners. \u201cFor example, there&#8217;s a 50 percent tax credit toward a heat pump unit for your house,\u201d he says. Everyone interested in taking advantage of the provisions should expect more clarity and guidance once the act is more fully developed in early 2023. \u201cEveryone is saying we should know a whole lot more by January, so you should start doing your planning now, but don&#8217;t pull the trigger until you know more.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"CPTED: A holistic strategy in the growing quest for safer buildings\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=4jtxq-130645b-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>Security continues to become an ever more important aspect of building design, and in this episode, we focus on the security strategy known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED. Our guest is Ryan Searles, a senior security consultant at IMEG and certified CPTED professional. Ryan has also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/crime-prevention-through-environmental-design-comprehensive-strategies-to-keep-people-and-buildings-safe\/\">written about the strategy for the IMEG blog<\/a> and says it is much more than just \u201clarge boulders and trees\u201d\u2014it also leverages architectural elements, social programs, colors, lighting, natural surveillance, natural access control, and even traffic curbing. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing CPTED being applied a lot more now,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe live in crazy times\u2014in the past four to five years we&#8217;ve had a lot of civil unrest and more active shooters. So, more clients are implementing this strategy. Used along with electronic and physical security measures, it provides a solid, holistic approach to safety and security and really helps secure buildings and keep people safe.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"IDEA! Part 1: Freeing up minds to help foster innovation\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=2hpvi-12c1dab-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>In the first of two related episodes, structural engineer Laura Hagan talks about her participation in IMEG&#8217;s internal IDEA! program, designed to foster innovation and sustainability across the firm and investigate future trends in the AEC industry. The program also frees up participants to focus on their areas of interest and take what they have learned or developed back to their team. &#8220;A big part of what I&#8217;ve been working on is accessing, calculating, and tracking embodied carbon on projects and developing a tool to visualize and communicate the information to a client early on to help make project decisions,\u201d Laura says. \u201cThat\u2019s a big goal for me and something I think is pretty powerful.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"IDEA! Part 2: Using AR to \u2018translate\u2019 project design\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=jy4m4-12c1d60-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>Using a HoloLens to provide an augmented reality (AR) experience is discussed in the second of two episodes on IMEG&#8217;s internal IDEA! program. This segment features guest Abby Coleman, an IMEG intern who participated in the program, which is designed to foster innovation and expose participants to future trends in the AEC industry. Abby describes the HoloLens and AR as a &#8220;translator&#8221; between designer and client, and discusses several AR experiences she and others in the program created, including an educational STEM-themed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/748955057\/b6e94d65dd\">AR tour of a library\u00a0<\/a>and a portrayal of how a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/748958009\/23f595cbd2\">HoloLens allows clients to immerse themselves within a design<\/a>.<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Equity in healthcare: Caregivers discuss inclusion, diversity, and bias\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=gtzhk-1296b7a-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>This episode of The Future Built Smarter examines equity in healthcare. Providing the caregiver perspective on the topic are guests Dr. Anne Doran, a pediatric hospitalist at Advocate Children\u2019s Hospital, Chicago, and Dr. Megan Morgan, a registered nurse and pediatric nurse educator at Phoenix Children\u2019s Hospital. Both share their views and experiences on equity, inclusion, diversity, and bias within the healthcare environment. \u201cWe&#8217;ve seen a big push to have a more astute awareness of where the gaps in care are and how we address diverse populations so that we are inclusive of all\u2014culturally, spiritually, and even among populations of varying levels of health literacy,\u201d says Dr. Doran. \u201cWe have a dedicated team of people bringing an awareness and education to the organization to be able to deliver care in an effective way.\u201d The ability to overcome language barriers and communicate is paramount, adds Dr. Morgan. \u201cI think the biggest success recently has been interpreter services on an iPad-type device that can be used in patient rooms,\u201d she says. \u201cThis provides \u2018face-to-face\u2019 interaction with the translator so that the family can see somebody of their culture speaking to them in their language and translating for them. This has created great collaboration among the healthcare team, the patients, and families.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>\u00a0<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"New R&amp;D center a true garden of innovation\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=3zwbv-1278b20-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-11086 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Ball_5-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"286\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Ball_5-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Ball_5-1024x715.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Ball_5-768x536.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Ball_5.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 286px) 100vw, 286px\" \/>In this episode of The Future Built Smarter, Jeff Ryan, Managing Principal for Design at Christner Architects, joins us for a discussion on the Ball Helix Central Research &amp; Development Center, winner of a 2022 Design Excellence Merit Award for Innovation from Lab Manager magazine. Christner was the architect, lab planner, and interior designer for the project, and IMEG provided structural, MEP, fire protection, and civil design, in addition to commissioning services. <\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>The center transforms the research culture and the scientific capabilities of Ball Horticultural Company, the world\u2019s largest ornamental seed producer. In collaboration with Ball\u2019s steering committee, the design team identified three design principles for the project. \u201cOne was, of course, to enable great science,\u201d Jeff says, adding that the company\u2014with an average employee tenure of 27 years\u2014was experiencing a wave of Baby Boomer retirements. \u201cSo, they really wanted to elevate their ability to attract researchers and enable new and existing staff in their ability to do great work.\u201d The second goal was to evolve the company work culture through strengthening the existing collaboration, trust, mentoring, communication, respect, and safety, and adding focus on employee happiness, productivity, and wellness. \u201cFinally, they wanted to communicate all the great research that was coming out of the center,\u201d Jeff adds. This would be accomplished by improved connectivity between research and business through shared spaces, transparency, and science on display; creating technology and spaces for global communication and collaboration; and enhancing client visitors\u2019 experiences with connections to the science, the gardens, and the greater Ball Horticultural Company brand.<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small>A central part of the project involved incorporating the center\u2019s existing demonstration garden into the overall design of the new building. \u201cThis garden is beautiful, and we decided to leverage it in the scientific space with the idea that the researchers would be engaged with the garden as a physical representation of the work they&#8217;re doing,\u201d Jeff says. \u201cThe building is formed so that the garden pushes into the middle of the research space and you can see it from wherever you are. You can see it from the office space and from within the labs and even from the back of house with windows that penetrate all the way through the research space. It\u2019s a stimulating environment for discovery.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<h6><small><em>In addition to this podcast, you can learn more about the Ball Helix project and see photos of the facility by reading the <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/christnerarchitects.com\/project-stories\/west-chicago-innovation-center\/\"><em>Christner Architects project story<\/em><\/a><em> and the <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/project\/addition-and-renovation-for-new-innovation-center\/\"><em>IMEG case study<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"SE 2050: A Call for Structural Engineers to Eliminate Embodied Carbon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=4mph7-1240354-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><small>In the first of two episodes on reducing embodied carbon in structural systems, IMEG structural engineer Laura Hagan joins Mike Lawless and Joe Payne in a discussion about SE 2050, which calls on all structural engineers to understand, reduce, and ultimately eliminate embodied carbon in their projects by the year 2050. The SE 2050 Challenge was developed by the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) and the SE 2050 Commitment Program developed by the Sustainability Committee of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). IMEG joined the Commitment in April. \u201cStructural engineers have always played an important role in the design of a project; now we are able to look at what we are doing through a different lens and see the role we can play in being able to reduce the environmental effects of the buildings we design,\u201d says Hagan. \u201cThe more we understand about how to make reductions in embodied carbon, the better the buildings will be for the client, the owner, users of the buildings, the surrounding communities, and the planet as a whole. I\u2019m also looking forward to seeing what happens in the material industries, because we\u2019re going to need a lot of innovation in the materials before we get to the year 2050.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Life Cycle Analysis: Calculating the embodied carbon in building materials\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=r7t6f-1240346-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In the second of two episodes on reducing embodied carbon in structural systems, IMEG structural engineer Laura Hagan discusses life cycle analysis (LCA), which, in the context of the built environment, examines the lifetime environmental impacts of the different materials used in a building\u2019s construction. The analysis provides data on the embodied carbon arising from the manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and eventual disposal or reuse of structural and architectural materials. This information enables clients to understand and compare the potential embodied carbon of various design options. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at each and every structural and architectural component\u2014that\u2019s the industry focus right now,\u201d says Hagan. \u201cWhat\u2019s coming in the near future will be mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components as well.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Mass timber is hot and getting hotter. Here\u2019s why.\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=wcizj-11e8849-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>This episode of \u201cThe Future. Built Smarter.\u201d examines mass timber \u2014 a sustainable, fire resistant, and aesthetic building material that is rapidly gaining use across the globe. Our guest for this episode is Matt Cloninger, a structural engineer for IMEG in Montana who has a lifelong passion for buildings made of wood and who has witnessed mass timber\u2019s recent rise in popularity. \u201cThere has been a great fundamental shift in using mass timber in the last couple of years that has made it easier to use structurally,\u201d he says. \u201cMore engineers and more owners are designing with cross laminated timber \u2014 or CLT \u2014 and other mass timber products. In the past the use of mass timber was very limited to small office building type projects, but the building codes have shifted a bit and now give us a little more leeway in what sort of buildings we can design using CLT. Now there are more commercial and industrial applications since the codes allow us to go taller.\u201d Matt also discusses the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EsX1YO91Do8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stadthaus<\/a>, a multiple-story residential building in England that exemplifies the benefits of mass timber. \u201cAs more owners, developers, and engineers see this product and what it can do, they are going to look at how it might be applied to projects for which they may not have considered it.\u201d For additional information not in the podcast, download IMEG\u2019 executive, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/mass-timber-101-a-guide-to-the-hottest-sustainable-building-material\/\">\u201cMass Timber 101.\u201d<\/a><\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"The Quadruple Aim &amp; the Built Environment, Part 1: Healthcare\u2019s Dynamic Duo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=bpyyv-11ab702-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Numerous healthcare organizations have adopted the guiding principles of the Quadruple Aim, a framework for healthcare excellence that focuses on improving population health, reducing the cost of care, enhancing the patient experience, and improving provider satisfaction. Many of these organizations, however, are missing out on opportunities to support these desired outcomes through an intentionally designed built environment. In the first of a series of episodes based on the executive guide,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/enhancing-the-quadruple-aim-through-data-driven-decisions-in-the-built-environment\/\"> \u201cEnhancing William Hill Live Casinothe Quadruple Aim through Data-Driven Decisions in the Built Environment,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0IMEG Director of Healthcare Mike Zorich provides a high-level explanation of the Quadruple Aim and offers examples of various design strategies and elements that can enhance it\u2014and ultimately help the healthcare industry deliver better outcomes for patients, caregivers, communities, and the world.<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"The Quadruple Aim &amp; the Built Environment, Part 2: Improving Population Health\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=2tagn-11c0ef1-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Numerous healthcare organizations have adopted the guiding principles of the Quadruple Aim\u2014a framework for healthcare excellence, the goals of which can be greatly supported through an intentionally designed built environment. In the second of a series of episodes based on the executive guide, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/enhancing-the-quadruple-aim-through-data-driven-decisions-in-the-built-environment\/\">\u201cEnhancing William Hill Live Casinothe Quadruple Aim through Data-Driven Decisions in the Built Environment,\u201d<\/a> IMEG Director of Sustainability Adam McMillen discusses how the built environment can help healthcare organizations achieve the first goal, improving population health.<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"The Quadruple Aim &amp; the Built Environment, Part 3: Reducing the Cost of Care\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=v9s9b-11e5a70-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In the third of a series of episodes based on the executive guide, \u201cEnhancing William Hill Live Casinothe Quadruple Aim through Data-Driven Decisions in the Built Environment,\u201d Joel Yow, co-founder of linear A, discusses how the built environment can help healthcare organizations achieve the Quadruple Aim\u2019s second goal, reducing the cost of care. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to make an investment in a new building that\u2019s meant to reduce the cost of care, and then misplace it or mistime it and then just generally increase the cost of care by not really thinking through the data enough,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen looking at patient origin, for example, we\u2019ve provided reports and data to clients that show them where their patient populations are coming from in relation to where they are currently located. It always surprises me how often there are two or three people out of 10 in a room who say, \u2018I had no idea this high of a percentage is coming from out of state,\u2019 or that \u2018this many people are in a service area in which we don\u2019t have any facilities or assets.\u2019 There is this lightbulb that goes off where they realize they really need to understand their patients better in order to better serve them.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"The Quadruple Aim &amp; the Built Environment, Part 4: Enhancing Joe\u2019s experience\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=uh9mz-11fd715-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Podcast co-host Joe Payne recently spent a fitful night in the hospital. How his experience\u2014and that of all patients\u2014could be improved is examined in the fourth of a series of episodes based on the IMEG executive guide, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/enhancing-the-quadruple-aim-through-data-driven-decisions-in-the-built-environment\/\">\u201cEnhancing William Hill Live Casinothe Quadruple Aim through Data-Driven Decisions in the Built Environment.\u201d<\/a> Guest Corey Gaarde, a biomedical engineer and healthcare information technology specialist at IMEG, discusses how the built environment can help healthcare organizations improve the Quadruple Aim\u2019s third goal, enhancing the patient experience. \u201cThe patient journey starts at home and ends at home,\u201d he says. \u201cIf there are ways that we can bring home-level types of experiences into the healthcare environment, why not? Things like an Alexa-based device in the patient room to play music, to change the television, to control the lights, all hands-free. Things like this are very easy to do in a hotel setting, so why not do them in a patient care environment? \u2018Hospital\u2019 is part of the word \u2018hospitality&#8217;, right? We need to push architects and engineers to think this way, push IT to think this way, push the design space, and really consider what the overall future vision of a smart patient room or experience looks like.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"The Quadruple Aim &amp; the Built Environment, Part 5: Improving provider satisfaction\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=tqexc-1249767-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Improving provider satisfaction is examined in the final episode in a series of podcasts based on the IMEG executive guide, \u201cEnhancing William Hill Live Casinothe Quadruple Aim through Data-Driven Decisions in the Built Environment.\u201d This episode features two healthcare providers\u2014Dr. Anne Doran, a pediatric hospitalist at Advocate Children\u2019s Hospital, Chicago, and Dr. Megan Morgan, a registered nurse and pediatric nurse educator at Phoenix Children\u2019s Hospital. Both share their experiences as healthcare providers who have worked in a variety of settings. \u201cThe caregiver experience has evolved over time as we&#8217;ve become more patient- and family-centered and try to deliver care in a way where we partner with not only the entire healthcare team but have the family be part of it as well,\u201d says Dr. Doran. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot more collaborative with families and the entire caregiver team \u2014including nurses, therapists, social workers, case managers. The evolution has been great for families and a lot more collaborative for the team.\u201d The two caregivers also offer input on how to address staff burnout through such things as employee assistance programs and caregiver-only respite spaces. \u201cA chapel, rooftop garden, or areas that families use for respite aren&#8217;t always ideal locations for caregivers to seek respite,\u201d says Dr. Morgan, whose facility has \u201ctranquility rooms\u201d for staff to utilize. \u201cHaving a space that is dedicated to each floor or unit for employees to go and just seek five minutes of respite\u2014maybe that&#8217;s all the time they have in their day besides a lunch break\u2014is so important.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"3-2-1: How commercialization launched IMEG into the aerospace industry\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=745ne-1103972-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>This episode takes a brief look at how the commercialization of the aerospace industry has opened the doors for more engineering firms to become engaged in such projects. Guest Ed Dean, an IMEG structural engineer who has designed several launch facility projects, discusses how IMEG entered the market, and the benefits commercially oriented firms bring to aerospace clients. \u201cCommercial buildings and structures are not done in an institutional way, but rather on a very rapid schedule; things are very much fast-tracked and you\u2019re delivering certain \u2018just-in-time\u2019 design elements. We apply this approach to the design of launch facilities, saving clients both time and money.\u201d Ed also talks about being on site for launches and discusses a mock rocket IMEG designed to allow a client to test their launch facility equipment and processes prior to an actual rocket launch.<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Embodied Carbon: In the crosshairs of designers, Bill Gates, and Girl Scouts\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=2mkbw-10db11d-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In the first of a series on sustainability strategies of the future, IMEG Director of Sustainability Adam McMillen discusses embodied carbon. \u201cWe have pretty much figured out how to reduce operational carbon,\u201d he says. \u201cNow the AEC industry is ready for the next step \u2014 reducing embodied carbon in steel, concrete, and wood.\u201d Getting these materials to a construction site requires extraction or harvesting, processing, and transportation \u2014 each of which requires energy, mostly from burning fossil fuels, which in turn releases CO2. These emissions combined make up the carbon footprint, or the embodied carbon, of a material. \u201cPeople in the industry and elsewhere are really starting to get it,\u201d says McMillen, who counts Bill Gates and Wisconsin Girl Scouts among those who are helping to spread the word. Learn more in this 15-minute podcast. <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"The Chiller Reality: Your MEP Equipment is Full of Embodied Carbon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=r22ia-10e4ae2-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In the second episode of our series on sustainability strategies of the future, IMEG\u2019s Adam McMillen discusses embodied carbon in chillers, boilers, and other MEP equipment. \u201cNaturally, engineers put a lot of equipment into buildings,\u201d he says. \u201cThat equipment contains a lot of steel and comes from all over the world, so it obviously has a carbon footprint.\u201d Quantifying that footprint is critical. \u201cIt\u2019s starting to become clear that the amount of carbon a company has on its books is going to be a liability in the future, from a climate change perspective, a dollar perspective, and a regulations perspective. We need to get all this quantified so that companies can clearly see these big numbers as a risk to their business and demand lower levels from manufacturers.\u201d Reversing the \u201cthrow-away\u201d mentality also is crucial and includes designing buildings for a much longer life. \u201cLet\u2019s not think about constructing a 50-year building \u2014 let\u2019s think about a 100-year building,\u201d McMillen says. \u201cAnd let\u2019s think about 30-year MEP equipment.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Cold Climate Electrification: A Path Toward \u2018Clean\u2019 Heating\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=z9pxt-10e9a58-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In the third episode of our series on sustainability strategies of the future, IMEG\u2019s Adam McMillen discusses cold climate electrification. Essentially, this is a means to providing heat in cold climates without burning carbon-emitting fossil fuels. In areas with cold winters, McMillen explains, we currently use natural gas-burning furnaces or boilers for heat. Electricity, however, is used to power our cooling systems in the warmer months. While electricity is produced predominately by coal-burning plants, there is a trend by utilities toward greater use of renewable energy as a source. \u201cWe see our electric grid getting cleaner, year after year,\u201d says McMillen. \u201cSo, imagine a future in which our grid is fully clean, and instead of using fossil-fueled boilers we\u2019re using some sort of electrically-based heating equipment. As a result, we would then have perfectly clean heating and cooling for our homes and our businesses.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Call in the reserves: Thermal energy storage to the rescue\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=5iwwh-111d478-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>The fourth episode in our series on sustainability strategies of the future examines thermal energy storage. To illustrate, consider hospitals and industrial facilities that use heat pumps to create the large amount of heating hot water needed for their buildings. This type of heat pump can\u2019t operate when temperatures dip below 15 degrees, however, and a gas-burning boiler is typically used as back-up. Thermal energy storage provides a carbon-free alternative. In this strategy, the heat pump generates additional heating water during the warmer part of the day and stores it in a thermal energy storage tank. That water can then be used to heat the facility during frigid overnight hours or anytime the temperature dips below 15 degrees and the heat pumps shut down. Conversely, chilled water storage in the summer months enables facilities to shut down their chillers in the hot afternoon hours and cool the building with water saved overnight to shave off peak demand charges. IMEG Director of Sustainability Adam McMillen discusses the challenges, solutions, and many opportunities of this new strategy.<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Battery storage: Clean energy for a rainy day \u2014 and peak demand relief\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=89qf7-111d480-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Battery energy storage is examined in part five of our series on sustainability strategies of the future. \u201cMost of us in the industry have had a lot of questions about batteries,\u201d says IMEG Director of Sustainability Adam McMillen. \u201cWhen does it make sense? When will they be cost competitive? How do they fit into the big picture? These are all good questions because the last thing you want to do is put some expensive, embodied-carbon heavy, lithium-ion batteries on your campus and then have them not really do much for you.\u201d Co-host Mike Lawless, IMEG Direction of Innovation, joins Adam in delving into these questions. They also discuss the many future opportunities of this strategy, such as pairing batteries with renewables such as wind and solar to provide facilities with both reliable and sustainable backup power when the grid goes down as well as a method to eliminate expensive peak demand charges from utilities.<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"5 steps to begin the process of decarbonizing your building\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=kz7vy-113da6b-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In the final episode in our series on sustainability strategies of the future, IMEG Director of Sustainability Adam McMillen discusses five steps any owner can take to begin the process of decarbonizing their building. \u201cThere&#8217;s a lot of discussion today about decarbonizing \u2014 the push to make sure we all electrify our buildings because the grid will get cleaner in the future. This is a big change, and a lot of owners are wondering how to wade into it without a lot of risk,\u201d says McMillen. \u201cSo, we\u2019re summarizing five things owners can do today that don&#8217;t cost a lot of money and that will help ensure their buildings will be ready for electrification\u2014whether it&#8217;s a new building, or even an existing building that&#8217;s undergoing a major renovation.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Keeping the Plants Happy: Cultivation Space Design for Cannabis and other CEA Facilities\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=bdbap-10c1d1a-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>With legalized medical and recreational marijuana continuing to expand across the U.S., many new grow facilities will be licensed and constructed in the coming years. This episode examines important infrastructure considerations that are critical for \u201ckeeping the plants happy\u201d and achieving successful harvests \u2014 not only for cannabis but also for other crops grown within controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities. \u201cOur experience designing these facilities allows us to provide valuable information and lessons learned for owners who will be venturing into this market for the first time,\u201d says IMEG\u2019s Luke Streit, a project manager for several cannabis grow facilities. Luke discusses a variety of topics during this episode, including water and energy use, HVAC systems, power requirements, and other unique challenges encountered by CEA owners. Based on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/keeping-the-plants-happy-cultivation-space-design-in-controlled-environment-agriculture\/\">recent IMEG webinar<\/a>, this podcast provides valuable information for owners and architects alike. <\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Carbon-free, Net Zero, One Water: Grand Conceptor Project Shows the AEC Industry Can Deliver It All\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=vs2fg-108a77e-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;font-color=auto&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>The 2021 National ACEC Engineering Excellence Grand Conceptor Award \u2013 which honors the year\u2019s most outstanding engineering achievement in the U.S. \u2013 was presented to IMEG Corp. for its design of the Denver Water Operations Complex Redevelopment. This episode examines the project\u2019s extensive water and energy efficiency goals and challenges from the perspective of Ken Urbanek, who led the IMEG team on the $205M redevelopment featuring a 186,000-sf LEED Platinum, net-zero energy and \u201cOne Water\u201d administration building. \u201cThis project is a testament to what we in the AEC industry can do,\u201d says Urbanek. \u201cIt demonstrates that given the right drive from ownership, we can achieve carbon-free emissions, net zero energy, and even significant reductions in water use. Engineers, contractors, and architects \u2013 we can all deliver on this.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Charging Ahead with EVs: From Restaurant \u2018Plug-ins\u2019 to Powering our Homes\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=abkwb-10678b0-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>All signs point to an exponentially increasing number of electric vehicles on U.S. roads in the coming years. What this monumental automotive revolution will look like and the changes it will bring \u2014 from roadside restaurant charging stations to EV-provided emergency back-up power for homes \u2014 are discussed in this podcast featuring Keith Vandenbussche, Automotive R&amp;D Market Leader for IMEG. \u201cSome automotive manufacturers are projecting 100 percent EV production within 10 years,\u201d William Hill Pokersays Vandenbussche, adding that some forecasts call for 1 million new EVs on the road this year alone. \u201cIn addition to solving the R&amp;D and manufacturing challenges this will bring, on the consumer side we have to make sure the infrastructure to support EVs is in place so that the consumer is supported and confident in buying these vehicles.\u201d <\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Back to the Office, Part 1: Helping Employees Feel Safe\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=3c4sd-10424d1-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Helping employees feel safe and secure as they return to the workplace is discussed in part one of a two-part IMEG podcast based on the recent executive guide, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/back-to-the-office-key-steps-for-safeguarding-health-well-being-and-continuity-in-the-workplace\/\">\u201cBack to the Office: Key Steps for Safeguarding Health, Well-being and Continuity.\u201d<\/a> Part 1 features guest Charles LeBlanc, an IMEG security expert and a co-author of the guide. Charles, who is also an electrical engineer, looks at security not only from the technical side but also from the behavioral side and how each perspective affects the other. \u201cPeople are feeling a lot of discomfort right now in regard to returning to work,\u201d he says. \u201cOffice managers, meanwhile, are trying to figure out how to bring people safely back, and how to do it in a comforting way that reduces anxiety.\u201d<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Back to the Office, Part 2: Crisis Management and Taming the Lizard Brain\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=xwvdn-105464f-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>The role of crisis management in helping employees feel safe and secure is examined in part two of an IMEG podcast based on the executive guide, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/back-to-the-office-key-steps-for-safeguarding-health-well-being-and-continuity-in-the-workplace\/\">\u201cBack to the Office: Key Steps for Safeguarding Health, Well-being and Continuity.\u201d<\/a> This episode features Ryan Searles, a security, threat assessment, and emergency preparedness expert \u2014 and who, in a former life, earned two Purple Hearts while in special operations and chased pirates in the Indian Ocean. Ryan draws on his vast security experience in the private sector to explain how organizations can help employees be prepared for and recover from crisis situations \u2014 from COVID-19 to catastrophic weather to active shooters. He also explains the importance of taming our \u201clizard brains\u201d when responding to an unfolding emergency.<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Acuity Adaptability and the Future of Healthcare\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=qsyqj-1031848-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>Acuity adaptability \u2013 a healthcare model in which patients remain in one room regardless of level of care \u2013 is being considered by many healthcare organizations looking for safer, more efficient care delivery in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. But is this model feasible \u2013 and if so, under what conditions? \u201cOne of the things that you look for when you are exploring this option is how to balance the patient experience, patient safety, and the staff experience,\u201d says Erin Clark, R.N., a clinical operations specialist and guest on the 35-minute podcast. Also featured on this episode are IMEG National Healthcare Director Mike Zorich and HIT Specialist Corey Gaarde, co-authors of the free executive guide, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/library\/acuity-adaptability-innovative-planning-and-design-for-responsive-healthcare-delivery\/\">Acuity Adaptability: Innovative Planning and Design for Responsive Healthcare Delivery.<\/a>&#8220;<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; margin-top: 20px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=23xwq-100b610-pb&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;btn-skin=3&amp;multiple_size=480&amp;square_size=300&amp;order=episodic&amp;filter=all&amp;limit=10&amp;season=all&amp;tag=all\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>In an arc of development that stretches back nearly 200 years, virtual reality is now finally making great inroads in design and construction. In this episode of The Future. Built Smarter., IMEG Director of Virtual Design Sarah Garthaus and mechanical engineer Mike Lawless discuss how VR has emerged from the shadows of video games to become a powerful and ever-evolving tool for the AEC industry. They examine the variety of current applications \u2014 from immersing stakeholders into a design to fully understand a space to immersing engineers to identify clashes \u2014 and predict what the future may hold for designers and owners alike.<\/small><\/h6>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"margin-top: 20px; border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);\" title=\"Intelligent Buildings\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=3zqhn-feb6b2-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1&amp;btn-skin=3\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><small>We\u2019ve long heard the words \u201cSmart Building,\u201d but these days \u201cIntelligent Building\u201d has become the buzz phrase for the opportunities presented by the IoT and the ever-growing amount of building system data it provides. In this pilot episode of the new podcast, \u201cThe Future. Built Smarter,\u201d IMEG engineers Jeff Carpenter and Mike Lawless explain the important distinctions between the two phrases. They also discuss how Intelligent Building design expands the focus beyond building systems to consider such things as the occupant experience \u2013 all while providing more concrete, actionable, and measurable paths for building owners to take in their quest to benefit from the IoT.<\/small><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The FUTURE. Built Smarter. IMEG engineers and designers discuss innovative and trend-setting building and infrastructure design with architects, owners, and others in the AEC industry. Topics touch on all market sectors, engineering disciplines, and related services. Listen here or subscribe to \u201cThe Future. 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