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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Seven Skanska projects that highlight the importance of sustainable water management
Water is a critical resource for the environment, and it’s something that’s relied on to power our everyday life. Here are several Skanska projects that focus on sustainable water management and provide cleaner, safer water for our communities.
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Underwater drones dive deep to enhance efficiency and insight on Skanska construction sites
Over the past seven years, Skanska has incubated a large mature aerial Drone Network. The fleet includes 70 FAA pilots, and 60 advanced sensor drones that service hundreds of construction projects yearly. Leveraging our expertise and experience has led our teams to testing and implementing technology adjacent systems like autonomous robotics, ROVs and other unmanned systems. Simultaneously, the number of waterfront resiliency and marine projects across the U.S. continues to grow. With it, comes an increased need for companies to embrace technologies that enable them to build as safely, efficiently and effectively offshore, as they do on land.
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1550 on the Green shapes a new skyline for Houston
In Houston, the recently completed 28-story office tower, 1550 on the Green, sets a new standard for sustainable commercial development. Situated across from Discovery Green Park, the 375,000 square-foot Class-A office building is the result of a visionary collaboration between Skanska and architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Groups (BIG), with interiors by Michael Hsu.
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Women in Construction Week: Why mentorships are key in the construction industry
Ten years ago, Skanska Womens Network (SWN) launched a national mentorship program for employees interested in learning and developing professionally and personally through mentor-mentee relationships. In honor of Women in Construction (WIC Week), we’re highlighting Skanska’s mentorship program, and five pairs of mentors and mentees who have developed professionally through this program.
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How an emergency animal hospital benefits the Portland community
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, pet adoptions surged in the U.S. In 2020 alone, 12.6 million American households adopted a pet. In the state of Oregon, over 60 percent of households currently own at least one pet, increasing demand for veterinary services in the state.
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Aviation construction: my experience in this rewarding career
Airports are the gateway to new places and opportunities. They allow us to stay connected to family and loved ones, travel to new places and contribute to local economies. Airport construction keeps this connection possible by responding to increased demand, replacing aging infrastructure and improving the passenger experience.
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Renovating, restoring and expanding HBCU campuses across the country
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are higher education institutions established primarily to serve the African American community in the United States. Founded in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with some dating back to before the Civil War, HBCUs were initially established to provide education for formerly enslaved individuals and free Black Americans who were denied access to predominantly white institutions at the time.
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Electric excavation: Piloting the Volvo EC230 in Los Angeles
Could an electric excavator perform just as well as a diesel-powered one on a construction mega project? Is there a future for widespread electrification of construction equipment? These are the questions our Civil team began to answer with a 90-day pilot of the Volvo EC230, the largest electric excavator of its kind.
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Digital twins: Shaping a brighter path for construction and higher education
For over 15 years, our work with Houston Community College (HCC) has led to the delivery of projects like San Jacinto Memorial Building Historic Renovation, Missouri City Sienna Plantation Campus and more. Now, part of our partnership with HCC is going virtual. Recently, our team members partnered with HCC students and the school’s Reality Collab to create a digital twin of HCC’s Central Campus. The end result points to an array of possibilities on the horizon for digital twin use in education and beyond.
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Four developments that prioritize health and wellness
Did you know that in a typical year, you will take two million breaths in your office? That’s why it’s important to consider office space that prioritizes fresh air and wellness. From offices that feature efficient ventilation systems and floor-to-ceiling windows to state-of-the-art fitness centers, our USA Commercial Development team is currently working on four developments across the country that put tenants’ health and well-being at the forefront.
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Key takeaways from Autodesk University 2023
Autodesk's annual conference returned to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2023 and focused on their Design and Make Platform, which connects people, processes and data. Over three days, nearly 15,000 attendees learned how to adapt to change and drive transformation, increase sustainability and harness the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve quality and drive predictability. The conference also featured an expansive exhibit hall with 127 participating vendors and service providers.
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Key takeaways from LCI Congress 2023
Playing a vital role in the design and construction industry for 25 years, LCI Congress brought together more than 1,400 industry leaders to discuss cutting-edge Lean methods and knowledge-sharing across disciplines.
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Through rotations and real-world construction exposure, Skanska’s CCTP program shapes young civil talent
Skanska’s Core Competency Training Program (CCTP) is a rotational professional development program for recent college graduates and a launchpad into the complex and exciting world of construction. Created in 2005, CCTP is a proven framework for developing young industry talent at a formative career stage. For our USA Civil employees, this program offers hands-on project experience and invaluable learning opportunities in the heavy civil construction business.
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Veterans Day: Eight Skanska employees share their military experience
In honor of Veterans Day, we sat down with eight employees who share about their military experience, including the skills they have gained and how they relate to construction and development, and the best pieces of advice they’ve received in their careers.
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How nature is influencing healthcare design and construction
As Earth’s temperatures continue to rise, more frequent and extreme weather events are impacting coastal and disaster-prone communities. Additionally, more scrutiny to meet higher seismic standards is influencing hospital building codes. Healthcare facilities must stay online and provide vital care to their affected patient populations when disasters strike, and the impacts of climate change are influencing how we build hospitals. Here are a few ways Skanska is helping our customers and design partners shape more resilient healthcare buildings.
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Charting the course for sustainable development: Lessons and insights from Greenbuild 2023
This year’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in Washington, D.C., was filled with energy and a staunch commitment to the sustainable building movement. A week filled with spirit, collaboration and reflection, here are my key takeaways that have me looking towards the future and asking, “what’s next?”
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The benefits of biophilia in the built environment
Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, in places like homes, offices, schools and hospitals. The spaces in which individuals live, work and play can profoundly impact their disposition, health and productivity. Optimizing people’s wellbeing through design and construction has become a priority for architects, engineers and general contractors as they explore ways to improve the human experience in buildings.
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Improving walkability and pedestrian safety on eight Skanska projects
October is Pedestrian Safety Month, and in recognition of that, we’re highlighting eight Skanska projects across the country that enhance pedestrian access and safety.
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Procore Groundbreak 2023: Highlighting sustainability, recruitment and innovation in construction
The 2023 Procore Groundbreak conference brought together construction leaders and innovators from around the globe to share their vision for the industry’s future. Forty-five Skanska employees traveled to Chicago to attend discussions on the digital and cultural transformations that will help construction professionals attract and retain top talent, improve safety outcomes and meet growing demand.
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Mental health training empowers employees to start vital conversations on and around construction sites
Too often, talking about hard and real feelings of stress, anxiety or hopelessness at work feels uncomfortable and even taboo. Through Skanska’s Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, employees across the U.S. are creating safe spaces for their peers who might need support, embodying our Care for life value when it matters most. Below, certified Mental Health First Aiders reflect on what participating in the training program means to them.
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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
Recently, six 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.