BuiltWorlds is proud to host the 2023 Buildings Conference as a means to address what the AEC industry at large desires: getting the most out of our buildings. This conference hosts industry trailblazers to lead the conversation, specifically pertaining to cost, speed to market, sustainability, agility, user experience, wellness, and more. By implementing emerging technologies at the forefront during every phase of the building process, from designing, to material reuse and waste disposal. BuiltWorlds acknowledges the rapidity of change and innovation within the industry and provides spaces like the Buildings Conference to discuss how to grow alongside these exciting changes. Within this piece will be a rundown of Day One of the conference.

Keynote--The New Developments for Future Cities

Presented by Michael Ellch, Senior Vice President of Related Midwest

“We try to look long term in our large-scale projects but also in some ways we are conservative because we need to make sure our projects are going to make sense within our portfolio. That is the kind of balance we need as we engage across the board. To shoot down the middle and work long term and make sure you’re in it for the long term.” -Michael Ellch

Buildings 2.0--What Will that Ultimately Mean?

Featuring Panelists: Kyle Hendricks, Managing Director, Sustainability, CRBE; Geoffrey Kasselman, CEO, Op2mize Energy; Chris Drew, Director of Sustainability, Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill; Nolan Browne, Founding Partner, ADL Ventures; and Rose Chen, Head of Innovation Investments & Partnerships, Wesco International

"I think we’re going to look at a world in 10 years where we don’t call it industrialized construction, just call it construction. There’s a major shift that’s about to happen in the building materials space, in the delivery space, everything is about to shift and there’s going to be huge winners and losers." - Nolan Browne, Founding Partner, ADL Ventures

How the Drive for Energy Positive/Carbon Negative is Changing our Buildings

Featuring Panelists: Peter Siegal, SVP & Director of Development, LendLease; Joe Dardis, Head of Presales- Construction Projects, ArcelorMittal; Matt Wegworth, VP, which is a part of the wonderful organization known as Dawson Ventures, McKinstry; Myrrh Caplan, Vice President, Sustainability, Skanska

On moving projects towards Carbon Zero projects: "We’re all given this promise of something that is very achievable but sometimes we might not be able to deliver it for the next to two or three years. That to me sets a tone for clients and of ourselves, well, I guess I won’t ask of it next time. It’s just that kind of ripple effect of things can’t change." - Myrrh Caplan, VP, Sustainability, Skanska

New Tools for Planning Better Buildings

Featuring Panelists: Terence Caulkins, Associate, Digital Services, Arup; Andria Tay, VP Marketing, Carbon Title; Nick Durham, General Partner, is highlighting the work that has been done within Shadow Ventures; Leila Banijamali, CEO, Symbium

"We hear about decarbonization all the time and incredible technologies and new ways to build beautiful buildings and developments that we hear about this morning. But we, also along with thousands of other GCs, have buildings that we don’t think about ever. We’re touching 60 million square feet a year of industrial buildings. Instead of just thinking about the incredible strides that a lot of us are making on deep decarbonization, let's think about small strides we can make across everything." - Terence Caulkins, Associate, Digital Services, Arup

How Sustainability and ESG Priorities are Changing the Way We Develop and Design our Buildings

Featuring Panelists: Denyse van Opbergen, Manager, Corporate Sustainability, EllisDon Corporation;John Ortiz, Global Head of Sustainability, MBCC Group; Ryan Spies, VP of Sustainability, Clayco;Jennifer Taranto, Vice President of Sustainability, STO Building Group; Tommy Linstroth, CEO, Green Badger

How Prefabrication, Lifecycle Costing, and Other Factors are Changing the Role of the Contractor in the Design of Buildings

Featuring Panelists: Michelle Palys, VP of Performance Excellence and ESG, Graycor; Susan Heinking, SVP of High Performance and Sustainable Construction, Pepper Construction; Stacy Scopano, VP-National Director of Prefabrication and Manufacturing, JE Dunn; Belinda Carr, Prefab Research Coordinator, DPR Construction

On BIM integrations: "Cost is still a big hindrance but what we’re trying to get people to think about is thinking about the right metrics at all phases so you can pay more on the construction side or you can pay more every single year to operate the asset and have that impact the building in perpetuity. They are taking a lifecycle approach. They are not just thinking about it from the initial phase. They are thinking about it over the 10, 20, and 30 year life of the product." - Jessica Fransisco, Global Head of Sustainability, Cushman and WakeField Global Occupier Services

Intersection of ConTech and PropTech

Featuring Panelists: Jessica Francisco, Global Head of Sustainability, Global Occupier Services, Cushman & Wakefield; Todd Burns, President Project and Development Services, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL); Nick Carter, CEO & Founder, IngeniousBuild

"Cost is still a big hindrance but what we’re trying to get people to think about is thinking about the right metrics at all phases so you can pay more on the construction side or you can pay more every single year to operate the asset and have that impact the building in perpetuity. They are taking a lifecycle approach. They are not just thinking about it from the initial phase. They are thinking about it over the 10, 20, and 30 year life of the product." - Jessica Fransisco, Global Head of Sustainability, Cushman and WakeField Global Occupier Services

How Innovation in Building Materials and Systems is/is not Changing our Buildings

Featuring Panelists: David Fennell, Senior Structural Steel Specialist, American Institute of Steel Construction; Scott Kelly, Director of Technical Services- Ready Mix Concrete, Ozinga; Eric Lindquist, President, Adjustable Concrete Construction; Ed Bernard, SVP- National Director- Facilities Services, Terracon

SOM Presentation on 800 Fulton Market

Presented By: Kevin Rodenkirch, Associate Principal, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM); Lucas Tryggestad, Principal, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM); Julie Michiels, Senior Associate Principal, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)

"There was a lot happening when we started and finding a balance between building on a street where two, three, four story brick buildings and 20-story solid mass buildings was a challenge and one of the drivers. We had to find this balance to respect the surrounding areas of the historical district and the newly established extension of the downtown area in Chicago." - Kevin Rodenkirch, Associate Principle, SOM

Key Quotes from the 2023 Buildings Conference Day 1