The Cost Wasn’t Eliminated. The Options Were.
Some construction budget decisions don’t save money. They decide what the next capital project has to undo. When bids came in high, leadership shrank the…
capital projects
The Building Gets Transferred. The Reasoning Often Doesn’t.
Capital projects don’t just transfer buildings. They transfer the consequences of decisions—often without transferring the reasoning behind them. A General Manager inherited a building that…
Every Project Gets an Explanation. Not Every Explanation Is True.
The project is finished. Lessons-learned reviews often settle on a tidy explanation like “stakeholder alignment,” which names no decision and leads the next project to…
“Your Guy” Still Has to Earn It
When trusted recommendations quietly change the conversation. An owner-recommended permit expediter fell behind, and the team quietly absorbed the work while concerns circulated in hallways,…
When a Project Finds More Than It Was Funded to Fix
Sometimes the most consequential capital decisions appear after work begins. The roof is already off. The contractor calls to report a deteriorated roof access door,…
How High-Performing Capital Programs Integrate Signage Into the Building Strategy
Signage rarely creates problems.Poor integration does. And when integration is deferred, the consequences rarely stay small. In disciplined capital programs, signage is not a finishing…
The Building Was Designed. The Technology Infrastructure Wasn’t
Infrastructure Must Be Engineered Before Installation Begins — Or the Building Won’t Support Its Systems Most technology failures don’t happen because equipment was installed incorrectly….
GCs Won’t Love This, Owners Will: The Rider Every CapEx Leader Must Drive Before Signing an AIA Contract
Closing the Gap Between Legal Language and Construction Reality Most owners assume an AIA contract protects them. It doesn’t. At least, not from the problems…
Guardians of Performance: The Role of Building Commissioning and Envelope Consultants
The design team designed it. The contractor built it. Why does the owner need someone else to verify that it performs? Originally published August 2024….
Construction Manager vs. General Contractor – Part I – Overview
The question isn’t simply which one is better. It’s which project-delivery structure fits the owner, the project and the decisions that need to be made….
Turning Developments into Destinations
Mixed-use development isn’t created by putting several uses on one site. The real test is whether those uses work together well enough to make people…
Technology, Creative Firms Flock to Converted Industrial Spaces
High ceilings, large floor plates and exposed structure can make an industrial building attractive. They don’t tell you whether it will make a good office,…
Who Is Actually Leading the Construction Project for the Owner?
The architect is designing it. The contractor is building it. Someone inside the company is attending the meetings. That still doesn’t answer the question. Construction…
The Facility Manager’s Important Role During a Construction Project
Facilities should not first discover how a building will operate when the project team is preparing to turn it over. Originally published October 2015. Updated…
What is the best predictor of performance for a General Contractor?
The company may have an impressive résumé. The owner still needs to know who is actually going to run the project. Originally published October 2012….