Dive Transient:
- Skanska USA, the American department of the Swedish-based contractor and developer, has employed its first U.S. director of mass timber and prefabrication. Dean Lewis, who has 13 years of expertise in mass timber and engineering roles in Washington and California, will fill the function, based mostly in his native Seattle.
- Lewis, beforehand employed by Swinerton Mass Timber, will lead prefabrication and mass timber initiatives throughout the U.S., growing the scope of Skanska’s builds and consulting efforts round initiatives utilizing the choice constructing methodology.
- The hiring is a pattern: On the finish of 2022, San Francisco-based contractor Webcor created a timber division, tapping Matt Miller as superintendent. On the time, Miller advised Development Dive the demand for mass timber in California was “loopy,” including “the urge for food is big.”
Dive Perception:
Skanska is among the many many contractors turning to mass timber, highlighting its price efficient, schedule-friendly and carbon-cutting advantages on initiatives.
Seen as a low-carbon various to conventional constructing supplies like concrete and metal, mass timber constructing employs wooden panels nailed or glued collectively, and it’s fire-resistant and load-bearing.
Dean Lewis
Permission granted by Skanska USA
Skanska has accomplished 15 mass timber initiatives. They embrace:
- The Kendeda Constructing. On the Georgia Institute of Know-how, Skanska constructed the 36,978-square-foot training analysis constructing in Atlanta, finishing it in 2019.
- Portland Worldwide Airport. Skanska modernized 860,000 sq. ft of PDX, renovating and increasing the terminal, whereas constructing a brand new roof construction of Concourse B. The contractor prefabricated the 80-foot glulam beams on website, hoisting them into place to make the 9-acre roof.
- Washington’s Heart for Deaf and Arduous of Listening to Youth Enlargement. A brand new tutorial construction in Vancouver, Washington, is underway by Skanska, eyeing completion in time for the 2024-2025 college 12 months.
“Along with the improved aesthetics, the usage of mass timber helps our shoppers obtain their sustainability targets whereas decreasing development time and prices,” stated Lew Guerrette, govt vice chairman and common supervisor of Skanska USA in Seattle.
Previous to Skanska and Swinerton, Lewis labored for DCI Engineers and the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers. He has overseen mass timber initiatives like workplace buildings, campus dorms, multifamily developments and resorts. He has intensive expertise with the design, fabrication, challenge administration and supply of mass timber initiatives, and has additionally printed analysis initiatives inside the house, in line with a press launch.