Building Design+Construction

DEI Initiatives at KAI Enterprises

Michael Kennedy, Jr. and Gyasi Haynes of KAI Enterprises, St. Louis, describe their firm's effort to create a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion—and how their own experiences as black men in the design and construction industry shaped that initiative.    

Building Design+Construction

Fostering Construction Innovation Through Investment, With Hensel Phelps' Thai Nguyen

Joining us is Thai Nguyen, Director of Innovation with Hensel Phelps, the construction management and GC firm that recently launched Diverge, an investment company specializing in construction innovation and technology. Topics include: 

• In terms of working with innovation partners and tech startups, how will Diverge be different from what Hensel Phelps had already been doing for the past decade?
• How many of Hensel Phelps’ employees are involved in Diverge, and what is Diverge’s vetting process, in terms of requirements of applicants and the time it takes for evaluation and approval? And what is your firm’s financial commitment to Diverge in its first year?
• There are quite a few accelerators and incubators in the ConTech space. How is Diverge’s mission different?
• Is the company looking to get in on the ground floor of innovations that, ultimately, would be proprietary, or will new innovations and technologies be shared with the broader industry?
• Can you give me a few examples of where Hensel Phelps might see near-term benefits from Diverge? 

Building Design+Construction

Specifying Materials in Multifamily Housing Projects

A trio of multifamily housing experts discusses trends in materials in their latest developments. Topics include the need to balance aesthetics and durability, the advantages of textured materials, and the benefits of biophilia. Our multifamily experts are: Mary Johnston, FAIA, Co-founder, Johnston Architects; Megan McKay, Partner, Johnston Architects; and Newton Breiter, PMP, LEED AP, Creative Director and Development Manager, Lake Union Partners.