Improved efficiencies and the future of the design and construction industry

The design and construction industry, like many others, has seen a great deal of change over the last few years. While our industry has developed a deep knowledge of the best ways to plan, design and build roads, bridges and buildings, we are now challenged to do so in a much shorter time frame and with fewer resources. Improved efficiencies will be paramount. Reflecting on our history and the trials of yesteryear, we see today's challenges as a tremendous opportunity to advance our businesses, industry and society. Like the design and construction leaders who came before us, we will be resolute in meeting the demands of today and will continue to thrive in the 21st century. Organizations such as the Connecticut Building Congress will play a key role, offering a variety of educational programs, as well as opportunities to network and innovate. For example, our October, November, December and February programs will look at the innovations, lessons learned and best practices of recently completed projects around the state. These include a program and site tour of the new Jackson Laboratories facility that is underway in Farmington; a roundtable discussion by a panel of large-scale facility owners; and a program on the changing healthcare landscape. In January, we'll travel to Bridgeport, to meet with the mayor and discuss his initiatives and plans for development in one of the state's great post-industrial cities, which is ripe for redevelopment. In March, we will explore Brownfield, waterfront and transit-oriented development with the Connecticut Department of Economic Development's Tim Sullivan. In April, we'll look at how the state's higher-education institutions are expanding their campuses by branching out into existing structures that previously were used for other purposes. We are continually striving to create opportunities for our members to interact with a variety of professionals in the industry and at different levels of project or development plans. Sharing ideas between owners, designers and contractors - as early as possible - is essential to the industry's continued growth. We always bookend our year of exciting programs with fun opportunities to network, share ideas and celebrate our accomplishments. Our annual CBC golf outing is scheduled for Monday, September 22, and is our major fundraiser for the CBC Scholarship Fund. These scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors who plan on studying an A/E/C-related field in college. The scholarship awards are part of our signature Project Team Awards event in June, when the best of the best in our industry gather for a night of celebration of project team efforts. 2014-2015 should be another period of steady growth in our industry, and we are looking forward to learning and sharing opportunities for improving and growing our industry. Technical proficiency is critical; quality communication and collaboration are paramount. Thomas Beebe is president of the Connecticut Building Congress and senior program manager at ARCADIS U.S., Inc.