Issue: Fall 2026
You Can't Future-Proof Buildings ... But You Can Future-Ready
by: Matt Handal, Help Everybody Everyday | Jeff Bonk, IDS | Sam Werschky, Cook Children's Health Care System
Picture a dean staring at a 20-year building plan and an uncertain job market horizon. AI just leapt forward again. Chip design and technology advances are reinventing what’s possible. Jobs are changing faster than course catalogs can be updated. Students ask what to study so they will matter in 2035, not just at graduation. Some campuses answer with more of the same: a new engineering building here, a computer science annex there, maybe a media lab down the road. Doors stay shut. Silos stay tall.
Michigan State University (MSU) chose a different path.
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It’s Not the User Group’s Fault You Stink at Communicating (And Other Hard Truths We Learned the Fun Way)
by: Jeanette Lopez-Torralba, COAAAlright, Owner PMs and anyone who has ever been trapped in a meeting where the user group’s Pinterest dreams collide head-on with building codes, organizational standards, sustainability goals, budgets, and the ever-popular “schedule says absolutely not,” this one’s for you.
We have all been there. The users want a rooftop terrace, exposed wood everywhere, and a space that feels like a cozy café.
Reality responds with:
“Fire code says no.”
“Facilities standards say nope.”
“Budget just laughed out loud.”
Ever had a project like that? Yeah … thought so.
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Three Procurement Approaches You’re Probably Not Using, But Should Know About
by: Matt Handal, Help Everybody Everyday
There is more than one way to skin a cat.
And just like cat skinning, there are many agencies across the country procuring architecture, engineering, and construction services using vastly different methods.
This article will tackle a few approaches agencies are taking that differ from the "norm." Are they better? Will they make procurement less like skinning a cat? I have no idea.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Camp
by: Lora Toothman, GRTC
Christina Camp was amazed the first time she attended a Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) event. Chris was a seasoned professional, a project manager in the Aurora (CO) Public Schools (APS) Planning, Design & Construction Department, and didn’t expect the insights and breadth of instruction she received at a COAA Owners Training Institute (OTI) class. Attending that OTI in 2019 taught her the importance of “things she already knew,” and helped her realize how important it is to consider the perspectives of Owners, architects and engineers, and builders.
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COAA Connect Fall 2026: Savannah Is Calling
by: Ashley Dale, COAA Markeing & Communications
Historic squares. Spanish moss. Incredible architecture. Great food. A city built for walking, talking and lingering over one more conversation.
Sounds like a pretty good place for COAA Connect.
This fall, the COAA community heads to Savannah for three days of education, connection and experiences designed around what COAA does best: bringing Owners and their project partners together to learn from one another and build better projects.
And judging by the response so far, plenty of you agree. More than 200 attendees are already registered for COAA Connect Fall 2026, putting the conference well on its way toward another sellout.