Constructive Thinking is Skanska’s thought leadership blog where we share our expertise and highlight innovations in the built environment that help us build for a better society.
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Beyond sustainability: four remarkable benefits of mass timber
Mass timber is gaining popularity among builders and architects around the globe, often because of its environmental benefits. But there are more reasons to work with this material than meet the eye. Think faster speed to market possibilities, higher yield rental rates and a positive impact on future occupants’ wellbeing to name a few.
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CDUS participates in Boston accelerator to explore possibilities of mass timber
Mass timber is making headlines, and for good reason. In recent years, Skanska teams across the U.S. have highlighted the material’s many benefits and capabilities, utilizing mass timber in over a dozen projects. This year, our USA Commercial Development (CDUS) team is joining the conversation in a unique way through their participation in the Boston Mass Timber Accelerator. As one of three awardees within the program, they’ve been resourced to thoughtfully envision how mass timber could intersect with a bold CDUS project on the horizon.
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Innovations in flight: Key construction trends across aviation
The art of flight has captivated humans since the Wright Brothers made history with their first powered flight in 1903, changing our world forever. Over the next century, the intermingling of innovation and aspiration propelled the aviation industry forward into a dynamic era of transformation and growth.
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A look inside Nashville’s 99 percent mass timber building
Skanska’s Nashville team recently completed The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s new headquarters, a $9 million, 18,500 square-foot, two-story office building for The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee that connects Middle Tennessee’s leading charities to funding and nonprofit support.
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Unlocking business insights with data
Data isn’t just a buzzword at Skanska. We must continually innovate and implement new and efficient ways of working that support our people and exceed our customers’ expectations. One way we aim to do this is through our Data Program.
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Foresight visit: An international two-week exchange program for Skanska Commercial Development colleagues
This spring, three of our Skanska Commercial Development (CD) colleagues traveled to a different country to participate in a two-week learning and development program: “Foresight visit.” In joining a different CD business unit for a short period, they gained a deeper understanding of different markets and team operations, worked alongside local teams, visited current projects and learned about different cultures.
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An interactive infographic: National Intern Day
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Connect with Emerging Technology: Meet Graham Condit
Skanska’s Director of Emerging Technology Graham Condit has always been passionate about building, even from an early age. As a child, he built plaster Dungeons and Dragons castles, and he now helps our project teams on the West Coast solve construction problems with technology. In this Q&A blog, Graham discusses how his love for building began and why thinking outside of the box is key to innovation.
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An inside look at Clarksville’s new events center
While most individuals associate Nashville with Tennessee, Clarksville, home of Austin Peay State University, was named the fastest-growing city in the state for the second year in a row. The population of Clarksville is increasing quickly, and new infrastructure is being built to accommodate. One of the newest hubs of the city, F&M Bank Arena, recently held its grand opening.
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Lessons we learned from this year’s ENR Future Tech
As the premier forum for construction technology, ENR Future Tech brings together industry innovators to discuss how they are applying new technology to improve quality, safety, productivity and profitability.
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Regional Connector ushers in a new transit experience for LA
The highly anticipated Regional Connector brings a smooth commute to the heart of Downtown Los Angeles this summer. The project, which began in 2014, is a 1.9-mile light rail subway that was recently delivered by our USA Civil (USC) West team. Aside from being an underground engineering marvel, the project stands out for its safety excellence, investment in the Angelino community and innovative application of technologies.
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An interactive infographic: How individuals from different industries transferred their skills to Skanska
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Connect with Emerging Technology: Meet Albert Zulps
Skanska’s Director of Emerging Technology Albert Zulps has lived many lives—from serving in the Canadian Navy and traveling the world to designing buildings and residences in Japan. Now, he’s working at the intersection of construction and technology. In this Q&A blog, Albert discusses how he got into the construction industry, the best part of his role and what he’s most excited for in the field of emerging technology.
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Building a network of drone experts at Skanska
Did you know that the first unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were developed during the first World War? Initially used for military operations, UAVs—or drones as we know them today—have transformed from a novelty technology to an integral tool that benefits various industries, including our construction operations.
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A welcome addition to Atlanta’s skyline
Atlanta will soon welcome a new 42-story building to its booming skyline: Hilton’s first ground-up Signia by Hilton hotel. Our team recently celebrated the topping out of this project that overlooks Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.
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Durham Bulls Athletic Park gets a facelift
The Durham Bulls have been playing baseball since 1902, but it wasn’t until 1998 that they began their inaugural season at Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) as the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Since then, they’ve become a staple of the city of Durham, North Carolina, winning various class, league and division titles over the past two decades.
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The evolving landscape of women in construction: 5 ways the industry has transformed
Upon hearing the word “construction,” some people craft mental images of jobsites filled with tools, machines, and men in PPE gear.
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Topping out milestones across D.C. show promise of innovative developments to come
In a tough economic climate, we have no choice but to come together and lean on the expertise and ingenuity of one another to keep building and developing. In the first quarter of this year, our USA Commercial Development (CDUS) and USA Building (USB) teams have modeled just this. Together, they’ve topped out on three projects in the D.C. metro area. Having reached this milestone, these projects, and the individuals who work on them, are inspiring proof that even as supply chain difficulties mount, a 'be better together’ mindset can bring a bold vision to life.
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Environmental protection in construction: 8 ways Skanska invests in our planet
According to a recent United Nations climate report, greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to increase. More than a century of burning fossil fuels and unsustainable use of natural resources have led to global warming of 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
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The future of mass timber: key trends to watch
In a world faced with climate change and a heightened need for sustainable, low-carbon solutions, a material used for thousands of years is disrupting the design and construction community: wood. The industry is buzzing about the benefits of mass timber and that has me very excited about the future.
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Connect with Emerging Technology: Meet Danielle O’Connell
In this Q&A conversation, we’re sitting down with a pioneering individual working at the intersection of construction and technology: Senior Director of Emerging Technology Danielle O’Connell. Let’s get to know Danielle’s path and vision for navigating the industry in this present moment.
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Water, sustainability and stewardship within Civic Park at Hemisfair
Our Texas team is currently constructing a place that fits the history, life and character of San Antonio in the heart of downtown.
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Sitting down with Skanska’s 2023 ENR Top Young Professionals
Every year, Engineering News Record (ENR) names individuals from each region who are industry up-and-comers and leading the charge into the future of construction. We sat down with four Skanska colleagues who were named 2023 ENR Top Young Professionals to learn more about their accomplishments and commitment to their communities.
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Women in Construction Week: Many paths, one mission
This week, we’re celebrating Women in Construction (WIC) Week, which celebrates and promotes the role of women in the construction industry. To honor this year’s theme, “Many Paths, One Mission,” we sat down with eight women at Skanska to discuss the different journeys they’ve taken to get where they are today.
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Geo Week 2023: Takeaways from the emerging technology conference
Bringing together more than 3,000 building and geospatial professionals from 50 countries, the annual Geo Week Conference in Denver, Colorado focused on the changing needs of the built world and the impact of emerging technology on the AEC industry.
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Connect with Emerging Technology: Meet Michael Zeppieri
In a world where technology has the power to improve the way we work, Skanska’s Strategy department, home to Emerging Technology, is setting a new standard for how technology shapes construction and development. In this blog series, we’re sitting down with the leaders at the center of this movement. We want to know, what drives them in this work and how do they see it evolving?
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Rebuilding an iconic structure on the NYC World Trade Center site
Skanska’s history at the World Trade Center site in New York City goes back to the late 1960s when Slattery Skanska built the foundations for the Twin Towers.
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Showing up in the communities we help shape, during Black History Month and beyond
This Black History Month, we’re reminded of the importance of pursuing diversity and inclusion (D&I) every day.
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An interactive infographic: Celebrating the completion of our I-4 Ultimate project
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Meet Spot: A robot that’s being tested to keep construction sites clean
Housekeeping—or the practice of keeping a jobsite clean and organized—is critical in construction to reduce risk of injury.