ENR New York On the Scene: March 2022
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Photo courtesy Consigli Construction Co.
What social distancing?
The New York Build Expo was back in full form at New York City’s Javits Center for 2022.
About 25,000 attendees on March 2-3 listened to 250 speakers, checked out 300 exhibitors and attended construction industry workshops approved by the American Institute of Architects for continuing education credit. One event this year focused on rethinking tall building design in the fight against climate change. The event also included the Architect’s Hub, where designs and 3D models of upcoming projects in New York were on display alongside architecture photography.
Laura Bush, Consigli Construction Co., New York City metro region director of operations, moderated a panel called “Bridging the Skills Gap - Building the Future Workforce”. During the discussion, she said, “Creating pathways into construction management and the trades is so important for the health and future of our industry. Conversations like these will help us introduce even more people to the exciting opportunities that a career in construction can provide.”
Photo courtesy AVVIR
In top photo, from right, are: Bush; Mallorie Brodie, CEO & co-founder, Bridgit; Cherise Myers, senior manager, employee engagement and retention, MTA; Marilisa Stigliano, vice president and director of project support, STV; Krystal Peartree-McLean, director of workforce and contractor diversity, L+M Development Partners; Atul Paralkar, director of controls, Holt Construction; and Charles Esteves, director of preconstruction, Schimenti Construction Co. They talked about how construction industry firms can recruit, retain and engage their workforces; new trainings and skills that workers can develop; and new technologies that will be instrumental in drawing a younger generation into the trades.
Other participants used the expo to unveil their companies’ new offerings. Raffi Holzer, CEO and co-founder of analytics solutions provider Avvir, discussed updates of the company’s software that now can analyze a project’s work breakdown structure or schedule of values to “provide the first-ever coherent and transparent link between finance and construction teams,” he said.
The comments were part of the session called “Is BIM the Enabler for New Technology?” Pictured in the bottom photo, from right, are Holzer; Ruobing Yang Sr., virtual design and construction (VDC) engineer, EnTech Engineering; KiSeok Jeon, vice president and director of digital transformation, STV; Meena Abdelkodoos, VDC project manager, Turner Construction Co.; Alexander LaFranco, VDC manager, JRM Construction Management; and Kirsten Crock, design technology coordinator, emerging technologies, AECOM.
