Issue: Spring 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.
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
Make the Most of COAA Connect in Denver: More Than a Conference
by: Ashley Dale, COAA Markeing & Communications
COAA Connect Spring 2026 isn’t just a conference; it’s an experience. The kind where you show up for the content, and leave remembering the conversations, the people, and the moments in between.
This spring, we’re bringing together thoughtful education, meaningful connections, and a lineup of optional experiences that make your time in Denver feel a little more like … well, something you actually got to enjoy, not just attend.