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As the association celebrates this significant milestone, what are some of the most impactful contributions CSI has made for the benefit of the AECO industry?

I feel this organization is responsible for a great deal, but to highlight what has truly made an impact on the architecture, engineering, and construction community and associated industries, I would say it has been the development of the Practice Guides. That was a significant start. This is a methodology that could be followed consistently no matter the level of the practitioner and is still in use today.

Development of the classification systems UniFormat® and MasterFormat® and the specifications format documents SectionFormat® and PageFormat® gave the industry needed consistency and the ability to make things easier to locate in such a way that few would question an answer once they found it.

More recently, we have ventured into how we use technology to share what was originally created for the pen-and-paper universe. The establishment of Crosswalk® in the marketplace is a first step in enhancing CSI’s ability to impact so much of the built environment with our legacy documents—because they are utilized by so many organizations and individuals—and the software tools these documents touch, will be huge for this organization.

In what ways have you seen specifications change in terms of how they're developed and used, and how do you see them continuing to evolve?

The changes have occurred primarily because of automation, computers, and advances in technology. I “cut and pasted” my first sets of specifications using a typewriter, cutting then placing with tape each edit on top of a change on an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper. Oh, were those the days!

I also started with WordPerfect primarily because our federal government used it everywhere. Then the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed SpecsIntact for use with their specifications, and I learned how to use that software tool. I was the first person outside of NASA’s architecture/engineering specifications writing team to use SpecsIntact to develop project specifications for the government. This software tool is still used today.

I cannot leave out BSD and SpecLink as the concept of performance specifying and nearly multiple choice answers was created and a product they named PerSpective was developed. I was lucky enough to be selected to train a group of US Army Corps of Engineers on this product about two decades ago.

So, what lies ahead? Who is to say? I will presume as building information modeling (BIM) comes more into play that specifications will become a more integral part of that model. Will specs as we currently know them, as a standalone document, still exist in that “form”? Possibly, if for little other reason than for research and referencing the project they represent. But one might also assume that BIM, as a software tool, will evolve such that it has the capability of generating the specifications and that its data export will serve in place of any separate, standalone set of specifications.

I’m always amazed at the breadth of projects CSI members contribute to – from landscaping to skyscrapers. How did you first get involved in airport asset management, and why is this such an interesting field to you?

I was a specifier for over 20 years, supporting and actively participating with project design teams. I have been fortunate to work for larger architectural/engineering firms and gained exposure across all A/E disciplines and more than a multitude of client types, including retail, warehouse and cargo, laboratories, higher education facilities as well as K-12, hospitals, the federal government, and even some municipal government agencies.

An opportunity surfaced for a major hospital system to develop internal guide specifications and associated design guidelines for them, and in turn, provide these documents to other A/E firms for use on their projects. This was quickly followed by similar requests from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, and my first commercial airport. These types of projects each had a scope that addressed the development of what CSI refers to as Division 00 and 01 documents and I subsequently began speaking at conferences on why the development of such standard documents by a facility/organization “owner” would be of benefit to their organization.

It should go without saying that design teams develop projects quite often with little thought to how the resulting assets will be maintained, how long these constructed assets will or should last, and whether the products and materials selected will work in that specific climate. This project development process from planning through design amazes me for there is typically little consideration of how the owner will have to care for the newly constructed asset upon project completion, which is where the development of standards can play a significant role. The bottom line is that aviation evolved and simply became the next step, and I have supported numerous, primarily commercial, airports for over 20 years.

From Denver to Kansas City to Salt Lake City, airports are evolving quickly. What are some of the key trends you are seeing right now?

Actually, you have only named a few with significant projects. It seems as though airports are in constant motion, always rebuilding, tearing down, and building afresh again. Within the last 10 years, San Diego completed a new terminal expansion and is getting ready for another. Dallas/Fort Worth is constantly refurbishing, adding on, and was entertaining another terminal pre-pandemic that they shelved because of the pandemic but recently announced that the $1.6 billion Terminal F would begin in 2024.

Another interesting DFW project was the addition of four gates to the south end of Terminal C (referred to as the High C Gates). This project utilized modular construction allowing completion during the pandemic and came in under budget and ahead of schedule! The most significant feature or trend that other airports have expressed a great deal of interest in, is that this project was completed through modular construction.

Kansas City recently opened its brand-new terminal facility, and Salt Lake City is still in construction while occupying part of its new space literally tearing down old, while simultaneously building and occupying new!

Seattle recently opened a new international arrivals facility and is expanding its Central Terminal along with numerous other renovation projects.

This list is never-ending. Each of these airports has embraced something new—from artwork installations to software systems and technology enhancements and energy savings features.

They always want to improve or enhance the customer experience, and signage is typically at the forefront of everyone’s mind. In DFW’s High C Gate areas, they installed really large LED screens to help make airport and flight information easier to read.

SLC has numerous art installations that serve dual purposes of being both artwork and seating.

Then there are the things the customers don’t always see like dynamic glass or take for granted like larger check-in areas and expanded or an increased number of concessions.

When you walk through an airport, what are some of the details you see that most people probably don’t notice?

Possibly the one that people do look for: signage. Where is it, does it truly communicate to someone who just arrived at an airport such as how to get out of the building, where the restrooms might be, or which direction they should go to arrive at the bag claim area? What about the location of elevators versus having to walk miles on end? If you have yet to visit the new SLC terminal, be prepared and wear comfortable shoes!

Restroom design is another area most airport design teams cannot seem to get right, at least from the customer service or maintenance perspectives. I’ve seen soap dispensers that drip product straight to the floor and “invisible” towel dispensers because an architect thought it was a beautiful, sleek design to hide them away in some wall cavity, to the point that the maintenance staff had to apply stickers that say “towels” and point to where the dispenser is hidden.

Then there are those spectacular art displays that airport boards and the executive teams seem to want but rarely have someone develop the cleaning program for. These beautiful artworks won’t stay looking new and clean without regular attention and maintenance and this comes with a price. The public will squeeze bubble gum (or worse) into any cracks and crevices it might find or place their used soda cups into the weirdest of locations that are obviously not trash or recycling bins. And then there are the helium balloons that float away only to become trapped in an art piece several feet above the ground floor. I could go on….

In honor of the association’s anniversary and your membership, I’d like to close by asking, what does being a member of CSI, and contributing to the rich history of this association, mean to you?

CSI has been the cornerstone of my career. If not for the organization, the educational opportunities, the friendships I have created, the networking, and the exposure to all things it has developed and that I have been a part of or have a hand in helping create—I am uncertain I would have accomplished some of the things I have, would have ever known some of the things I’ve learned along the way, and definitely would not have met so many warm and wonderful people who share the enthusiasm for one another and for CSI.