Presenters: Billy Campbell and Kevin Lucas
Room Location: Pearl 1
Evaluation Form: Lowering the BOOM! Blasting Operations and Inspections
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
This session will provide an overview of the use of explosives and their importance in the construction process. Key topics will include inspection of blasting operations, how to determine an adequate blast plan is in place, seismograph monitoring, pre- and post blast surveys, and best practices for addressing complaints. Also, we’ll discuss best practices for safely using explosives and the role the inspector plays in ensuring safe and efficient blasting operation including special provisions on blasting from previous VDOT jobs.
Presenter: Chris McLuckie and Sean Lein
Room Location: Blue Point 1-2
Evaluation Form: Listening – The Forgotten Part of Communication
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
From birth, our parents and teachers teach us to communicate. We are taught all aspects of effective communciation, except one. We are taught how to speak words and sentences, how to write those words into coherent sentecences and paragraphs, and how to comprehend what we read. Almost no attention, however, is given to teaching us the skill of listening. Listening is a skill that can be improved with better technique and practice.
Presenters: Duncan Stewart, Alina Redden, Preston Duff, and Mitchell Cox
Room Location: Pearl 2
Evaluation Form: Drones and Site Capture Technology
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Drone and site capture technologies have made leaps and bounds over the past 5 years creating a whole new way of looking at construction whether it be horizontal or vertical. Join us for a discussion on where drone and site capture technology is going and how we can use it to empower ourselves to deliver better project outcomes.
Presenters: Michael Lussier, Tony Manning, and Leonard Morgan
Room Location: Pearl 3
Evaluation Form: Time is Money: Your Responsibility in TIA Analysis
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Have you ever had a delay on a project? How did you quantify the dollar and time impacts of the delay? The TIA is here to help! This presentation will empower your project team to understand how to effectively communicate about delays using the TIA process. This discussion will facilitate individual team member understandings of their responsibilities within the TIA process, empowering the team to quickly reach equitable delay conclusions for projects. This presentation will focus on how each member of the project team can collaborate using available resources to successfully implement the TIA process to aid successful project outcomes.
Presenters: George Kogi, Chris Barnas, Gary Lester, and Niyi Ladipo
Room Location: Pearl 1
Evaluation Form: CA High-Speed Rail and Gordie Howe Bridge
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Exciting and challenging journeys on two intriguing infrastructure projects. There are many engineering, architectural, and environmental facts to share, as well as captivating graphics and videos. While there have been major design-building changes on both projects, the Gordie Howe Bridge is unique with coordinate cooperation between two countries, two governments/funding mechanisms, metric/imperial units, and Canadian/US dollars. The Pandemic, ongoing Russia/Ukraine war, and unanticipated climate and weather conditions have resulted in major impacts to the cost of labor, material, equipment, supply chain issues, and design.
Toastmaster: Savannah Dotson
Table Topics: Rachel Fleming
General Evaluator: Cody Bain
Prepared Speech: Jenny Chen
Room Location: Blue Point 1-2
Evaluation Form: To Toast or Not to Toast: Put Your Best Foot Forward
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
We’ll run through a typical Toastmaster’s Club meeting, consisting of prepared speeches, table topics (impromptu speaking), and evaluations. This session will introduce others to a Toastmasters Club and demonstrate how involvement can empower them both professionally and personally. Even when not formally presenting in front of a group, public speaking is important to everyone. The skills required to eloquently present ideas can benefit any setting, from the kitchen table at home to a big meeting with clients (potential or current). Attendees will be engaged and actively participate in this session by listening to others speak and practicing public speaking.
Presenters: Marika Whitlatch, Kevin Day, and Stephen Cressionnie
Room Location: Pearl 2
Evaluation Form: Be a Hero, Go for Net Zero
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
In this session, we will delve into the emerging field of decarbonization and net zero. We will discuss how lean design principles and construction methodologies are employed to minimize the operational and embodied carbon in new building construction and existing building renovation. Attendees will understand what steps that can be taken now and how these solutions can contribute to an effective net zero strategy that will empower clients to act. We will explore how alternative sources of energy, combined with highly efficient systems can achieve net zero and whole building decarbonization. We will also discuss the challenges associated with implementation in support of a net zero strategic plan.
Presenters: Chris Payne and John MacKay
Room Location: Pearl 3
Evaluation Form: MBP 101 (no PDHs)
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Power up your MBP knowledge with an overview of MBP, including its services, values, history, and organizational structure, for attendees interested in knowing a more about MBP and what makes us unique. We will quickly cover much of the material in the day-long MBP Principles session that new Team Members participate in shortly after being hired, and will address specific questions. The session is designed for all attendees, whether newer team members, those who’ve been with us a long time or (especially!) guests curious to know more.
Presenters: Kevin Wills, Will Lawrence, and Alexander Angelides
Room Location: Pearl 1
Evaluation Form: Parks and Recreation – How it Really Works
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Presentation on two major park projects that MBP has supported: Christiansburg Huckleberry Park and Hanson Park. The park presentation will empower team members knowledge on various features of each park and the three main learning outcomes that led to the successful delivery of the projects. The three key topics will focus on project highlights and demonstrate unique features on park projects to anyone who will be managing or inspecting on a park project in the future. Each learning objective will be backed with specific evidence through story examples of experiences encountered.
Presenters:Â Tobias Herald and Julie Coolbaugh
Room Location: Blue Point 1-2
Evaluation Form: Atomic Habits – How Habits Make or Break Us
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Each new year you are asked, “What are your goals?” What you do not get asked is how are you going to achieve these goals. Your day-to-day activities shape how successful you are in achieving your goals and everything you do throughout your day is a habit that you formed over time. Some people call them schedules, but in reality, each activity is a tiny habit that is developed towards a larger objective. This presentation will teach you how to identify what your daily habits are, how to build better ones in four simple steps, and how these habits will shape your future for success.
Presenter: Danny Yeh
Room Location: Pearl 2
Evaluation Form: Empowering MBP for MEP Site Observations
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
Have you ever walked on to a job site and had no idea what you should start looking at? Or weren’t really sure how to best document an issue you observed? Identifying, properly tracking, and documenting issues during construction is extremely important to everything we do. In this session we would like to empower you with the knowledge and skills to identify some common mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) issues found in vertical construction and provide some best practice tips on how to effectively document them.
Presenters: Alina Redden and Michael Lussier
Room Location: Pearl 3
Evaluation Form: BIM – Bridging Interdisciplinary Misalignments
(available 3/4 – 4/3)
Learning Objectives
Description
The benefits of implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM) are ubiquitous in every stage of construction and a project’s total life cycle. However, BIM is still seen as more of a hurdle than an effective construction management tool. During this presentation, we will attempt to de-mystify the BIM implementation process and learn how to empower the entire project team to see the BIM as a tool that can enhance design transparency and promote increased project team communication during the entire project life cycle.