The editors of Building Design+Construction magazine are teaming with nearly 30 leading women AEC professionals to launch the first annual Women in Design+Construction Conference (WiD+C), November 9-11, 2016, at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, Calif.
The inaugural event, themed “Building Together,” will bring together more than 125 women from multiple disciplines of the commercial construction market—architects, engineers, contractors, developers, owners, marketers, business development professionals—to address the difficult issues that women face in this fast-paced, competitive industry.
"Women in the AEC industry face similar issues and need an empowering environment to address, discuss, learn, and network," says Tony Mancini, Publisher of BD+C and Group Director and Principal of the SGC Horizon Building Group. "We listened to the feedback of our readers and partners, which is why we felt it was an ideal time to create an event for women by women."
‘Based on demographics, we are entering a war on talent the size of which we’ve never seen before. Companies that are able to tie into the untapped potential of women in the AEC industry will not only survive, but will thrive for years to come.’ —Ann Truair, an WiD+C Advisory Board member
The 2.5-day event will feature inspirational speakers and thought leaders, takeaway-focused educational seminars, multiple networking events, and team-based workshops, including a high-energy AEC Business Hackathon facilitated by leading “Hackathonist” Paul Doherty.
“Having this opportunity to learn from pivotal experiences of women in the AEC marketplace—in such a concentrated manner—is very rare and much needed,” says Krista Phillips, AIA, NCARB, Principal with RIM Architects, and one of 29 AEC women on the WiD+C Conference Advisory Board, which is working with the BD+C editorial team to plan the event.
The WiD+C Advisory Board includes leading women from a range AEC firms: Balfour Beatty, CannonDesign, DeSimone Consulting Engineers, Gould Evans, Granite Construction, Haley & Aldrich, KSQ Architects, Leo A Daly, Mortenson Construction, RSP Architects, and SmithGroupJJR to name a few.
“The inclusion of women in companies and leadership roles is not just about doing the right thing, it’s about smart business,” says Ann Truair, an WiD+C Advisory Board member, Marketing and Knowledge Management Leader with Granite Construction, and Co-founder of Above Glass Ceilings, a women’s leadership firm. “Based on demographics, we are entering a war on talent the size of which we’ve never seen before. Companies that are able to tie into the untapped potential of women in the AEC industry will not only survive, but will thrive for years to come.”
“We are extremely excited to be working with such a high-powered group of AEC women leaders to plan this event,” says David Barista, BD+C’s Editorial Director. “This conference is going to be something special.”
WiD+C Conference attendees are eligible to earn up to 10 AIA CES Learning Units or Professional Development Hours.
For more on the Women in Design+Construction Conference, visit the website or contact Erica Mileo, BD+C Events Manager, at emileo@sgcmail.com.
Related Stories
Building Team | Jul 14, 2022
Austin PBS gets a new state-of-the-art facility with three studios
Since the 1970s, Austin PBS, birthplace of the Austin City Limits TV series, has been based inside the communications building on the University of Texas campus—a space it has long outgrown.
Building Team | Jul 13, 2022
The YIMBY movement emerges as valuable advocate for affordable housing
Over the past few decades, developers grew accustomed to nothing but staunch opposition to dense affordable housing project proposals.
Energy | Jul 13, 2022
Electrification of buildings, new and old, furthers environmental responsibility and equity
It’s almost a cliché in our industry, but nonetheless: The greenest building is the one that is already built.
Building Team | Jul 13, 2022
Austin’s newest entertainment and hospitality complex has been made from repurposed shipping containers
A new entertainment and hospitality complex in Austin, The Pitch, has been made out of repurposed shipping containers.
Codes and Standards | Jul 12, 2022
USGBC sets out principles for LEED’s future
The U.S. Green Building Council recently published a report containing principles outlining how LEED will evolve.
Building Team | Jul 12, 2022
10 resource reduction measures for more efficient and sustainable biopharma facilities
Resource reduction measures are solutions that can lead to lifecycle energy and cost savings for a favorable return on investment while simultaneously improving resiliency and promoting health and wellness in your facility.
Office Buildings | Jul 12, 2022
Miami office tower nears completion, topping off at 55 stories
In Miami, construction of OKO Group and Cain International’s 830 Brickell office tower is nearing completion.
University Buildings | Jul 11, 2022
Student life design impacts campus wellness
As interior designers, we have the opportunity and responsibility to help students achieve deeper levels of engagement in their learning, social involvement, and personal growth on college campuses.
Museums | Jul 11, 2022
Denmark opens a museum that tells the stories of refugees worldwide
Located on the site of Denmark’s largest World War II refugee camp, the new Refugee Museum of Denmark, FLUGT, tells the stories of refugees from the camp as well as refugees worldwide.
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2022
Inefficient supply chains, outdated project delivery systems hamper construction investment
Constructing and justifying the cost of physical assets such as a manufacturing plant is much more difficult than it was decades ago, according to a report by Steffen Fuchs, senior partner with McKinsey & Company.
