Chris leads LEO A DALY’s largest design studio. He is a registered architect with three decades of leadership experience in both design and construction. His deep knowledge of both disciplines makes him an exceptional client steward. His experience spans concept design through construction documents, document review and construction administration for many of the region’s defining projects.
Chris has served as president of the American Institute of Architects-Omaha and he currently serves on multiple region-shaping boards of directors, including the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Omaha by Design, the Omaha-Council Bluffs American Heart Association, and the Boy Scouts of America Mid-America Council.
How did you become involved in the construction and design industry?
Constructing forts with card tables and blankets until mom started to yell. Building tree houses with my best friend until it was dark. Creating my own comic book series until the marker bled through the paper and stained the dining room table ... Doesn’t every kid do this?
I was blessed with super-supportive parents and they both influenced me from an early age. My mom supplied me with enough pen and paper to draw and craft stories for hours, ever fearful that I would become an artist. My dad was a farmer who repaired just about everything. He was an electrical engineer in the U.S. Navy who later earned his M.D. and became a radiologist. Add three siblings to the mix to make everything a competition and you have yourself a well-balanced family. Growing up, the dinner conversation revolved around the structure of things and how they are assembled, whether it be the human body, the lawn mower or my latest comic book storyline.
I grew up building models, constructing buildings and cities with Legos, and drawing ... lots of drawing. I just loved conceptualizing on paper and drawing stories. I enrolled in architecture courses in high school and found my calling there, ultimately attending Iowa State University to major in architecture. During summer breaks, I framed houses, which taught me how buildings go together and the value of hard work.
What is something that your company is doing that you consider innovative?
As an interdisciplinary firm, LEO A DALY has undertaken energy modeling in ground-up projects. This practice helps our clients realize how building systems are interrelated, how this relationship affects construction costs and how to better predict long-term operational costs. We test various site configurations, 3-D massing of building components, various mechanical systems and exterior enclosures (roofs, walls, windows, etc). Our models demonstrate the long-term impact of these variables. Consequently, owners are better equipped to make design decisions that affect the performance of their facilities.
What poses a challenge, risk or opportunity for your clients and what is your company doing to address it?
Mechanical and electrical systems are growing increasingly sophisticated. The upside is greater efficiency, precision and control. The downside stems from the potential for improper setup, operations and maintenance. LEO A DALY addresses these things through commissioning and by offering training to users of these systems.
Commissioning involves sending a certified commissioning agent to a project, post-construction, to test systems. Some states have already adopted energy codes mandating the commissioning process. The commissioning agent identifies construction errors, manufacturing defects and improperly programmed or uncalibrated equipment. The agent also educates the facility maintenance staff. It is not uncommon to discover several types of issues during commissioning. Some of the more common issues include auto on/off switches not properly masked, outside air louvers that become inoperable and get stuck in an open or closed position, and wiring that is installed in reverse.
We encourage owners to commission their buildings early so that any manufacturing defects can be submitted for warranty replacement. We have a short write-up on commissioning on our website that explains in more detail, and with graphics.
What is something you view as an emerging trend in the industry, and what are your perspectives on it?
Producing drawings/models beyond design intent by utilizing delegated design.
Using today’s technology, designers have the ability to produce drawings that are detailed well beyond design intent, the long-held standard of care in the profession. Design professionals can literally draw/model every component of every building system. Designers can also introduce delegated design to owners to create better-coordinated drawings/models to reduce construction issues.
I am intrigued to see how the legal profession is affected by designers providing professional services that are “beyond intent.”
Any final thoughts on what to keep an eye on in the near future in the construction and design industry?
Progressive Design-Build (PDB).
It allows owners to select a design-build team without limiting owners to a pre-determined design. That means owners can stay involved in the design process just as they would during more traditional delivery methods. The design-build team can issue a GMP (or even multiple GMPs by bid packages) when appropriate to give the owner the best design solution while being cost-competitive.
The reason I see PDB as something to keep an eye on is that it allows owners to select their team based on qualifications, in alignment with the Brooks Act. But the fact that the owner has joined the design conversation early in the process helps mitigate risk associated with scope, schedule and budget. It allows us, as designers, to be treated less as a commodity and to be in a better position to provide the value of a professional service.
Learn more about LEO A DALY at these upcoming events:
- American Society for Healthcare Engineers (ASHE) PDC Summit – March 22-25, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) ReCon – May 17-19 in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Joint Engineer (JETC) Conference & Expo – May 27-29 in Washington, DC
- National Homeland Security Conference – June 29-July 2 in Chicago, Illinois
- Society for College and University Planning Annual Conference July 19-20 in Cleveland, Ohio
- Airports Council International – North America, Annual Conference & Exposition – Sept. 12-15 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Global Cold Chain Alliance (FDM) – September 28-30, 2020 in Dallas, Texas
- IFDA – International Foodservice Distributors Association (FDM) – October 25-28, 2020 in Tampa, Florida
- Healthcare Design Expo & Conference – Nov. 7-10, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee
Visit our Construction Academy for more thought leadership content related to the construction and design industry.