Culture

Digital Classics

In this Building Conversations Ask the Expert episode, David Hamilton, Senior Vice President of Construction Procurement Solutions, answers listener questions about construction procurement and the evolving strategies reshaping how projects are delivered. From industry fragmentation and supply chain complexity to direct manufacturer partnerships and technology-driven visibility, Dave explains how modern procurement approaches help reduce risk, improve cost certainty, and keep projects on schedule. Tune in to learn how smarter procurement decisions create more control, transparency, and better outcomes for clients.

In this episode, Greg Dunkle, Chief Operating Officer at STO Building Group, sits down with three pre-construction leaders—James Mezzadri, Estimating Manager at Structure Tone New York, Troy Addis, Senior Vice President at LF Driscoll, and Kurt Thomas, Vice President of Business Development at Layton Construction—to discuss how pre-construction sets the tone for project success. They explore how early collaboration builds client trust, drives schedule and cost certainty across sectors, and how tools like VDC, pull planning, and shared platforms help teams stay aligned from estimating through delivery.

In the wake of the pandemic, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in how cities use space. Commercial tenants are prioritizing quality over quantity, leaving older office buildings underoccupied and underutilized. At the same time, an increase in healthcare investment and technological advancements have led to a surge life sciences growth across the nation. These two trends have set the stage for an unconventional solution: converting office buildings into lab space.