Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com August 1, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 11 Quality Construction + Butler Manufacturing = Repeat Customers www.borghesibuilding.com © 2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing™ is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. 2155 East Main Street • Torrington, Connecticut 06790 Goodwill Brookfield | 2007 | 13,050 sq. ft. Goodwill Westport 2011 | 9,960 sq. ft. Goodwill Torrington 2002 | 14,690 sq. ft. Contact us at 1-855-BUILD-86 or visit us on the web. Worried About Healthcare Reform? Oasis Can Help! We'll guide you through the increasingly complicated maze of laws, government regulations and human resources issues associated with the employment relationship – including those related to Healthcare Reform. As a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), we help you turn challenges into cost-effective solutions that help you achieve your business objectives. To learn more, contact us today at 866-709-9401 or visit us online at www.OasisAdvantage.com. Healthcare Reform Webpage For additional information on Healthcare Reform, please visit www.OasisAdvantage.com/HCR. HR SERVICES | EMPLOYEE BENEFITS | PAYROLL ADMIN | RISK MANAGEMENT The 3 "Rs" of Managing Healthcare Reform Human Resources Services Employee Bene its Payroll Administration Risk Management I N N O V A T I V E W O R K F O R C E S O L U T I O N S Q&A Construction focuses on making CT greener, more efficient Q&A talks about the construction industry's focus on energy efficiency and other trends with David Bobrowski, the new director of business development for Erland Construction. Q: You recently joined Erland Con- struction to be the new director of business development for its Connecticut office. In the announce- ment it was said you want to make the state a greener and better place to live. What did you mean by that? A: I have always had a pas- sion for helping people find more energy-efficient ways to live their lives. Research has shown that people are happier and healthier when they work or live in environments that have qual- ity air and comfortable lighting. Connecticut supports this idea by collaborating with the utility companies, like Eversource, to provide incentives for people to upgrade their living and work- ing spaces, and these programs support improvements that use less energy and yield less waste — all good in making our state a greener, better place to live. I want to make sure that resi- dents and businesses are edu- cated about what is available for them. Q: What are some of the things that the construction industry as a whole can do to make the state greener? A: Construction firms like Erland have sophisticated recycling programs to encourage mate- rial re-use and limit pure disposal. When Erland is involved with a renovation project, we encour- age our clients to per- form a more detailed evaluation of exist- ing systems, looking for ways to upgrade the performance of what's already there for increased efficiency rather than simply replacing systems with new — a way to reduce waste. Q: You're seen as an expert in con- struction efficiency. What are some of the steps you've taken over the last three decades to make construction more effi- cient? What's a common mistake made in the industry? A: Sometimes developers or building own- ers fail to fully consider the benefits of high- performance systems. These almost always cost more at the outset, but because they use less energy and last longer, they can be a bet- ter value over time. Landscaping can also be a place where resources are used more efficient- ly by choosing plantings that are indigenous and require less water or chemicals to stay looking great. More frequently we see gravel or crushed stone lining planting beds, eliminating the need to add mulch every spring. Q: How is Connecticut perceived as a market for construction? Obviously there might be some cutbacks going forward from the public sector because of tough budget times. Is the private sector lucra- tive enough or will we see downsizing of construction firms in the near future? A: I see great opportunities in Connecticut. We might read about companies leaving our state, but there are many more that are growing and thriving. Existing buildings are being repo- sitioned — renovated and retrofit- ted — for a new lease on life as the home for new tenants. These repositioning projects often yield more energy efficiency, which is good for everyone. As Erland knows from first-hand experi- ence, subcontractors in all trades are quite busy, which is a leading indicator of the health of the con- struction industry. Q: What's coming next for the construction market both in Connecticut and regionally? What's going to be a strong source of rev- enue for construction firms like yours? A: Erland continues to be busy in the multifamily residential market, meeting the demand for rental housing. Looking forward, I think healthcare- related facilities will be areas of growth, especially those that help keep people out of the hospital. These include medi- cal office buildings, urgent care walk-in clinics, and free- standing MRI/ultra- sound centers. Peo- ple are increasingly conscious of staying fit and healthy and the increasing activity in mergers and acquisitions of healthcare sys- tems generate opportunities to construct or renovate for new users. Q: Your expertise is business devel- opment but how is talent development? Are there enough people going into con- struction as a trade to meet demand? Or is there a glut of people seeking work? A: A shortage of skilled talent is the most critical impediment for the construction industry. Many people left the industry in the slowdown of 2008 and 2009 and they have not been replaced. We are fortunate to have many training alternatives available to help meet this chal- lenge, from college programs with construc- tion management majors to trade or vocational school offerings in specialty areas. Some of the trade organizations that we support such as the CT Associated Builders and Contractors also offer excellent training programs and encour- age people to seek careers in the construction industry. n DAVID BOBROWSKI New director of business devel- opment, Erland Construction ▶ ▶ Research has shown that people are happier and healthier when they work or live in environments that have quality air and comfortable lighting.

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