Last week at Facades+ Chicago, organized by AN with long-established design and engineering firm SmithGroup, a roundtable brought together Bill Zahner, former CEO of innovative metal fabricator Zahner; Lauren Van Reken, senior preconstruction services manager at powerhouse curtain wall manufacturer Harmon; and Juanita Garcia, senior project manager at environmentally focused construction management firm Pepper Construction. The early part of the discussion was led by Garcia, and the Q&A session was moderated by Matt Dumich, principal at SmithGroup.
Before an audience of nearly 200, the speakers shared how their teams are working to reduce embodied carbon while responding to tariffs, how manufacturing facilities are cutting waste and improving recyclability, and how new workflows play a crucial role in achieving design excellence. The following is an excerpt from the conversation.
