Passion and creativity collide at Carson City School District

June 6, 2018 by Spark Staff 1 Comment

Two hundred students, parents, teachers and school administrators from Carson City School District (CCSD) gathered at the Nevada Governor’s Mansion on May 24 to celebrate students taking part in McKinstry’s powerED program and Project ReCharge, a STEM-focused energy and sustainability curriculum program led by Envirolution.

CCSD hired McKinstry in May 2016 to conduct a comprehensive facility audit in search of energy savings. Dozens of potential improvements were identified, kicking off a $6.1 million contract spanning LED lighting retrofits, water conservation measures, heat pump replacements, improved HVAC systems and more.

McKinstry introduced powerED to CCSD students in October 2017. The program augments the district’s sustainability and STEM education initiatives by engaging students, staff and faculty in energy, water and waste conservation efforts. Ten CCSD schools are participating.

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Keeping Each Other Safe, 24/7/365

May 31, 2018 by Ron Johnson Leave a Comment

Safety is core to McKinstry’s mission, values and ongoing success. Join us in recognizing June as National Safety Month as we spotlight efforts to keep each other safe 24/7/365.

McKinstry is a family of phenomenal people with common values and a shared purpose – delivering excellence for our clients and our communities. We cannot fulfill that purpose if we do not ensure each other’s wellbeing. This is no small task as our work can be dangerous.

June is National Safety Month, an annual campaign led by the National Safety Council. It’s an important topic that deserves a national spotlight.

There is no more sacred responsibility or greater priority than the safety of our 2,100 family members across the country. In conjunction with National Safety Month, I’m excited to introduce McKinstry’s new safety video, featuring our people sharing why safety matters to them personally.

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Artificial Intelligence: Transforming delivery in the built environment

March 28, 2018 by Collette Duck Leave a Comment

Photo via Flickr.

The following is the third in a series of posts providing insights into how trends on display at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will drive innovation in the built environment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a buzzword that gets bandied about in all sorts of platforms these days. At its simplest, AI is a series of algorithms that allows a machine to mine incredibly large amounts of data, recognize patterns, assess and return relevant results—and in many cases, act on those results. Advances in quantum computing, deep learning, evolving human-to-machine interfaces, deep neural networks, cloud computing and many other technologies are making what was once a dream quickly turn into reality.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) featured thousands of variations on how companies are currently employing AI. Think about robots that fold laundry, drones controlled by hand gestures and assistants that respond to your voice and complete tasks—not to mention the cameras that detect people and record what each person looks at, how long they are present, who they are with and demographics. The list of current technologies using some form of AI goes on and on.

It’s clear the ability to apply AI in the business world is real and becoming increasingly accessible. If you have data, then AI can help you slice and dice it to create more than you could ever dream of doing on your own. It’s taking extreme datasets and creating simple and useful outputs.

When we think about AI for McKinstry and the clients we serve, several application opportunities rise to the top.

[Read more…]

5G is coming

March 21, 2018 by Jeremy Edalgo Leave a Comment

The following is the second in a series of posts providing insights into how trends on display at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will drive innovation in the built environment.

The next few years will be full of discussions about Smart Buildings, Smart Cities and how the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will transform business and society in ways we haven’t yet realized. Sensors will be everywhere and in everything, gathering data to be analyzed and providing a deeper look into virtually everything. Most cars will have the ability to drive themselves. People will have six or more connected devices at any given time. And how we interact with the built environment will change.

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The jobsite of tomorrow

March 14, 2018 by Sam Rathert Leave a Comment

The following is the first in a series of posts providing insights into how trends on display at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will drive innovation in the built environment.

The evolution of technology continues to accelerate, and with it the impact it has on how we design and construct the built environment. McKinstry is already using many newer technologies. We use building information modeling (BIM) for 3-D modelling and detailing, digitally enhanced pre-fabrication and kitting in our state-of-the-art shop. On the job site, our use of collaboration software and on-site data vaults—and even moving to handheld devices for reviewing specs, plans and creating as-builts—means we never need to go back to the job trailer. Technology has dramatically improved how we deliver work and there is no end in sight.

CES 2018 showcased several emerging technologies that portend the future of construction and will be implemented on the jobsite of tomorrow.

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Our leaders drive excellence

March 9, 2018 by Spark Staff Leave a Comment

As we close out the week and our celebration of Women in Construction Week, we’ll end by focusing on some of the women in leadership at McKinstry. From running businesses to developing new markets to mastering financials, these women are critical to driving excellence within McKinstry. As leaders, these women are making strides and driving impact in their careers, the industry and our communities every day.

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Innovation is thriving at McKinstry

March 8, 2018 by Spark Staff 3 Comments

Whether you’re talking about technology, systems, hiring or even building materials, the answer is the same: The construction industry is ripe for innovation. As our computers and phones have gotten more and more sophisticated, our buildings haven’t always kept up. However, this won’t be the case for much longer! As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week, we spoke with three women at McKinstry who are on the front lines of innovation in the built environment:

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The power of diversity and inclusion

March 7, 2018 by Spark Staff 1 Comment

Studies show that diverse and inclusive organizations have higher-functioning teams, enjoy improved financial performance and attract top-notch talent. While the construction industry has been diversifying for decades, women still make up only about nine percent of people employed in construction. At McKinstry, leaders and team members recognize the importance of continuing to grow and improve diversity and inclusion efforts—and individuals across the organization are bringing their passion, commitment and dedication to fostering inclusivity every day. From serving on advisory committees to bringing unique backgrounds to the table to engaging in tough conversations, these three women are helping to pave the way to greater diversity and inclusion in our industry.

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Giving back moves us forward

March 6, 2018 by Spark Staff 1 Comment

McKinstry is dedicated to giving back to the communities in which we live and work. Top-performing employees come to McKinstry–and stay–in part because they feel good about our company’s corporate citizenship and because they have opportunities to be involved in social issues through volunteerism and community outreach. Volunteering enables our employees to develop leadership and other skills as well as forge networks and relationships that improve effectiveness.

Our peoples’ passion and participation is critical to our ongoing success. Fortunately for us, we have many dedicated employees like Rebecca Fitzsimmons, Brittany Pfaff and Laurel Price who exemplify McKinstry’s deep spirit of community and pour their hearts and hands into helping the company make a meaningful impact in our communities and for our planet. [Read more…]

Staying and growing with McKinstry

March 5, 2018 by Spark Staff Leave a Comment

Leaving companies when changing jobs is standard these days. Pursuing new opportunities or relocating often means finding a new place to work. McKinstry’s approach is different. As a people-first company, McKinstry aspires to provide an environment where our employees want to stay and grow with us. Whether that means moving departments, pursuing new career paths, or changing locations, we encourage employees to explore internal opportunities that allow employees to progress in their careers. The following stories highlight just a few of the women within McKinstry that have made exciting changes–vertically, laterally and geographically–in their careers. [Read more…]

SPARK

Discoveries, innovations, and insights that illuminate the future of the built environment

Passion and creativity collide at Carson City School District

Keeping Each Other Safe, 24/7/365

Artificial Intelligence: Transforming delivery in the built environment

5G is coming

The jobsite of tomorrow

Our leaders drive excellence

Innovation is thriving at McKinstry

The power of diversity and inclusion

Giving back moves us forward

Staying and growing with McKinstry

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