Ch-Ch-Ch-CHANGE. Something to embrace, or run and hide from? Change is an inevitable part of life that motivates and challenges some but causes anxiety for others. No matter how we feel about change it is part of our personal life and our professional world and WILL BE encountered. Adapting to change is key for us as individuals and critical for businesses, allowing us to remain relevant and competitive.
As an employee, take the time to understand how to deal with change that is on the horizon. Being open to change can enhance your ability to communicate, help you work as a valuable team member while adapting to the changes, and strengthen your professional bond with coworkers. This demonstration of adaptability also shows your superiors that you can be relied upon.
During a season of change, it will be crucial to maintain communication with your direct supervisor who can help you navigate new tasks or processes. Take time to ask the questions that need to be asked. Even simple questions can give you a better understanding of how to complete any new tasks or processes and better understand why the changes are necessary. If new technology or skills are required, take initiative to look for ways to become more comfortable with them, even if outside of your work hours. This positive outlook on workplace changes will influence your ability to accept and adapt to them making it easier to accommodate change as it is happening. The goal is to be able to continue performing at an optimal level.
If the challenge of change is taking its toll on you, schedule a personal day to recharge and gain the energy needed to implement those changes effectively. This habit can limit the potential for burnout and help you come back to the work environment with a renewed sense of productivity. Dealing with change can be a challenge, but remember, all change becomes routine with time.
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” ~ Albert Einstein
Melanie Eby Manager of Administration & Human Resources
We spend roughly 90% of our lives indoors. Studies suggest that 90% of our thoughts are unconscious. So, this begs the question: Does the quality of a space influence cognition? The answer, as you might imagine, is yes. The three main ways through which space can affect our thinking are color, height, and light.
Color
We’ve all heard about the ability of color to affect our mood. Reds energize, blues and greens are calming and relaxing, yellows help creativity, and so on. But you may be surprised to learn that the color of the space you are in can impact your thinking.
In 2009, psychologists at the University of British Columbia set up an experiment to see how color can influence imagination. They recruited six hundred research subjects and performed a series of basic cognitive tests against red, blue, or neutral backgrounds. What they discovered was pretty impressive.
When subjects were tested with the red background, they performed much better with tasks that required accuracy and attention to detail. Scientists believe this is because we are conditioned to associate red with danger, which makes you much more alert and vigilant.
These same subjects, when tested with the blue background, performed much better with tasks that required more imagination and creativity. In fact, subjects were able to come up with twice as many creative solutions to their tasks in the blue condition than they were in the red. Scientists believe that this is because blue reminds us of open skies and the expansive ocean. It soothes our mind and allows us to think more openly about what is possible rather than what is right in front of us.
Height
We all tend to prefer big spaces. We like big, tall ceilings in our living rooms, vaulted ceilings in our bedrooms, and big corner offices. So, Joan Meyers-Levy conducted an experiment at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management in which she examined how ceiling height impacts the way people think, feel, and act. The idea for the experiment came to her while she reflected on how boarding a flight affected her mood.
In her study, participants were asked to complete a series of different tasks. Some required focus and attention to detail while others relied more on abstract thinking. She found that subjects placed in a room with a higher ceiling were able to complete tasks requiring abstract thinking much faster. Test subjects in the room with the lower ceiling performed better on tasks that required more focus and attention to detail.
Light
The visual environment and access to natural light are also extremely important to occupants’ mental health and performance.
A famous study, by social scientist Robert Ulrich, investigated the effects that windows and natural light had on patients recovering from the same type of surgery. The setting for the study was a hospital with patient rooms on either side of a corridor. Rooms on one side the corridor had windows with views of plants, trees, and lots of natural light. Rooms on the other side had windows facing the wall of a neighboring building. What Ulrich discovered was that the patients recovering in the rooms with abundant natural light and views of vegetation had shorter stays and required much less medication than their counterparts on the other side of the corridor.
In a study sponsored by the state of California, researcher Lisa Heschong found that kids in classrooms with abundant natural light performed as much as 25% better on standardized tests than kids in classrooms with little to no natural light. Large openings with plenty of diffused light and views of people, plants, and other objects in the distance were found to be ideal. Classrooms with unshaded direct sun from south or east-facing windows were shown to contribute to poor student performance, most likely from the excessive glare and heat. Blinds and curtains in classrooms were also very beneficial, since they provide teachers with a simple way to control distractions or glare.
The buildings we inhabit affect us profoundly whether we realize it or not. Most of that influence happens at an unconscious level. As designers, we need to start thinking not only about the aesthetics of the space we create, but also of the invisible emotional connection between those spaces and their occupants.
Several weeks ago, we introduced the idea that there are better ways to select a Contractor than to ask Contractors to submit bids at the end of the contract document phase. In previous posts, we discussed the pros and cons of design/build and Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc). We complete this series by discussing selecting a Contractor through negotiation.
Unlike Design/Build and Construction Management, there is no industry-defined method or set model of contracts to define a negotiated selection of a Contractor. In fact, what type of contract to use should be part of the negotiation.
The primary reason to select a Contractor through negotiation is that the Owner has an established relationship with a Contractor. The Contractor may have built previous buildings for the Owner. Often this means the Owner trusts that the Contractor understands their expectations for cost, schedule, and quality. What remains is to determine what is the best contractual relationship between Owner, Contractor, and Architect. Should it be design/build where the Architect works for the Owner? Should the Contractor function as Construction Manager, taking on preconstruction responsibilities for budget, schedule, and constructability reviews? A review of the pros and cons for each method described in our previous posts will provide guidance when addressing these questions.
The other type of negotiated process occurs when the Owner does not have an existing relationship with a contractor, but still wants the contractor selected early in the project. Blueline has a process for this that provides the Owner with both quantitative and qualitative information for decision-making. Typically, we complete a conceptual design that includes a detailed floor plan, building elevations, 3-D views, a preliminary site plan and an outline narrative describing the materials, systems, and performance requirements of the building. This conceptual design package is then distributed to several (we recommend three, but no more than five) Contractors. Each Contractor is asked to provide the following information related to the conceptual design:
A non-binding conceptual budget for the design
A non-binding schedule for the project
A list of potential cost savings or areas where design decisions will have significant cost impact
Examples of similar projects the Contractor has completed
Three references from the Owner of similar projects
Demonstration of their ability to provide preconstruction budgeting and scheduling services
In addition, we ask the Contractors to provide the following data:
A stipulated, binding fee for the work
A list of items they typically include as part of their general conditions
Their bonding rate and capacity. (Even if project does not need to be bonded it speaks to the volume, quality, and performance of company over time.)
Their cost for preconstruction services and the number of budgets and updates they are willing to provide.
Based on these answers, one or more of the Contractors is brought in for a face-to-face interview. In this interview, the team can ask questions that shine a light on their project management style. Typical questions can include, but are not limited to:
What do you believe is critical to delivering a project on-time and on-budget?
How will you choose sub-contractors for this project?
How do you handle conflict among project team members?
What is distinctive about your company?
This process can take four to six weeks, but if completed before detailed design work is started, can provide tremendous value to the Owner. When the Architect and Contractor work as a team for the good of the Owner, projects go from good to great. Let Blueline help you negotiate to find the right contractor for your project. Contact us at www.blueline.team.
Randy Seitz President | Client Service Leader | Architect
During a recent phone call, my good friend Pat Kase, Senior Project Developer with Aspen Group, said, “What our clients are looking for is clarity, not certainty.” Pat’s gift for insight is matched only by his deft alliteration. His words did echo what Blueline is hearing from clients as they discern whether to undertake building projects.
The pandemic has brought clarity. It has forced churches, schools, and businesses to focus on what is of value to their constituents and to discard everything that is not. COVID has been called “The Great Accelerator” – bringing rapid growth to that which is good and the need for swift cancellation to that which is not. Organizations that recognized the difference and responded quickly continue to thrive. For a donor-funded organization such as churches and private schools, this has been particularly true.
But the past 12 months have also tested our assumptions about the future. For those of us who love a good 5-year plan and get a racing pulse while “visioning,” the pandemic has brought humility and uncertainty. At best, strategic plans need significant recalibration. At worst, your strategic plan is in the trash can, and you are staring at a blank piece of paper.
So, if your church, school, or business does indeed have clarity, here are several things to keep in mind as you align your facilities with your mission and purpose:
Keep your options open. Even if you are building or renovating to address an immediate need, make sure you do not do something that limits future options. Master planning is good, but an hour planning session with Blueline can help you analyze traffic, utilities, pedestrian patterns, storm-water management, and topography enough to make sure you are not building yourself into a box. Choose clear-span building systems and minimize load-bearing walls. Stack and gang plumbing and use HVAC systems that do not require large duct runs. In many cases, common sense and experience can help you make near-term improvements without limiting growth.
Move quickly. Chris Weaver, President and CEO of Lantz Construction Company, says that the market for materials and labor “feels like the wild west.” Over the past decade, construction costs have risen by 50%. Inflation is hovering around 4% and is likely to go up a point the next year. Interest rates are still relatively low, but we have not met a business leader who expects them to stay low. If you are undertaking a project to meet current needs, you logically want to address them as soon as possible. Blueline understands that when a client says, “Go!” we need to have a plan and move fast.
More donations, less debt. With uncertainty about the future, most organizations have a relatively short planning horizon. Understandably, this means clients do not want to take on long-term debt. The good news is that many of our church and Christian School clients are seeing stable income. The care, hard work, and creativity they have put into serving their congregations and constituents mean there is a reservoir of goodwill. That goodwill can translate into strong giving for projects that are vital to the continued fulfillment of the organization’s mission and purpose. Blueline can generate the data and renderings your church or school needs to make its case for support
Blueline remains ready to equip your facilities so that they amplify your mission. Whether your project is big or small, we will match your clarity with our experience and understanding.
