Building Tomorrow: Unlocking Market Potential with Modular Construction
January 21, 2025
11:30 AM - 1:15 PM
Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center
2201 Fred Taylor Dr.
Columbus, OH 43210
Add to Calendar
Directions
Event Date + Time
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025 | 11:30am – 1:15pm
Event registration closes on Friday January 17, 2025 @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda:
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Registration, Lunch + Networking
12:00 - 1:00 PM: Panel Program
1:00 - 1:15 PM: Wrap-Up + Final Networking
Event Description:
Modular construction is transforming how we build, offering shorter timelines, improved safety, and cost savings by shifting much of the work offsite to controlled factory environments. This approach enhances safety by reducing on-site exposure to weather, minimizing work at heights, and enabling standardized safety protocols. Modular construction also offers unique advantages like factory-testing systems, which help prevent issues during facility startup and operations.
With modular construction still in an experimental phase, firms are discovering valuable, project-specific wins and exploring how to translate these successes into broader, industry-wide applications. This current era of experimentation will, in time, lead to more widely accepted standards and streamlined practices.
Join our panel as we delve into the key strategies that position modular construction as a transformative force in AEC. From the practical advantages of schedule certainty to modular construction's branding and business opportunities, attendees will gain actionable insights into positioning their firms at the forefront of this industry shift. Learn how our panelists collaborate effectively with modular teams, leveraging lean principles for client satisfaction and creating new growth pathways through modular design. This session is essential for those looking to future-proof their firms and lead in the evolving construction landscape.
Moderator:
Brian Bruggeman, KLH
Brian Bruggeman is a principal and chief client officer at KLH Engineers, where he oversees sales, client relations, and project management services. With 25 years of experience in the AEC industry, Brian is a recognized expert in legislative affairs, public-private partnerships, and economic development. He has helped contract over $20 billion in vertical construction and is actively involved in industry associations such as AIA, SMPS and the Kentucky League of Cities.
-
Panelists:
Alex Jonovski, Demain
A leader in the field of Industrial Construction, Alex has advanced building design and construction through a variety of business models and innovative project delivery methods over his career. Jonovski is a licensed mechanical engineer and currently serves as chief executive officer for Demain. He is also a frequent advisor and guest speaker on industrialized construction and integrated delivery methods.
-
Brad DeHays, Connect Real Estate
Brad J. DeHays is the founder and president of Connect Real Estate, Connect Construction, and Connect Housing Blocks, companies specializing in commercial real estate development, property management, and modular housing manufacturing. Connect Real Estate leads large-scale urban projects in Columbus and beyond, while Connect Housing Blocks operates one of the largest modular factories in the U.S., producing high-quality stackable housing units. Brad is an expert in leveraging government programs to reduce risks in major developments, utilizing tools such as tax credits, financing programs, and revitalization grants. An active community supporter, he has served on numerous boards, including the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, and Alvis, Inc. He has been named to Business First’s "Power 100" list for six consecutive years (2019–2024) as one of central Ohio’s most influential people.
-
Tim Rank, NAC
As an Associate Principal and Senior Architect at NAC, since joining in 2016, Tim has used his passion as a healthcare architect to design spaces with the patient’s holistic well-being in mind. Combining the patient and caregiver experience with innovative space planning, Tim has excelled through his work in children’s healthcare, regional health centers, and rural healthcare.
Over the past five years, Tim has specialized in the development of healthcare projects that utilize Volumetric Off-site Modular Construction, which has led to NAC becoming one of the authorities of this innovative construction technique in the region. Tim thrives on taking complicated information and distilling it in a way that assists clients with understanding the issues in order to make informed decisions, which is critical in modular construction.
-
David Williams, Gilbane
David is a 28-year veteran of the construction industry. He joined Gilbane’s Columbus team in 2017 after spending the first 20 years of his career building hospitals in Texas. David currently serves as a Preconstruction Executive supporting projects throughout Ohio, and he has extensive experience leading during preconstruction, procurement, GMP development and construction phase activities. His primary goal is to ensure collaboration among all parties throughout the lifecycle of a construction project to achieve common goals and objectives.
-
CPSM Credits: Yes
How many? 1.5
Become a Monthly Event Sponsor and receive two (2) admissions to the event, recognition on the event page and all communications around the event, verbal recognition at the event, and have the ability to leave literature on every table at the event.
To learn more and secure your sponsorship, please email Anna McDonough, Sponsorship Chair, at amcdonough@legat.com
Registration:
Member of another SMPS Chapter? Please continue as a guest and select the "SMPS Other Chapter Member" ticket option. Please provide the Chapter Name and SMPS ID number during registration for confirmation.
Tickets
$55.00 SMPS Member
$75.00 SMPS Non-Member
$55.00 SMPS Other Chapter Member
