Anastasia Barnes
To say this year has been challenging would be an understatement. The global pandemic has affected us all, both personally and professionally. What we thought might be a few months of a shutdown continues today.
It’s hard to find peace, sometimes even at home. For me, peace has always been practicing yoga with a room full of strangers. When your daily routine is taken away from you, and even going for a run requires wearing a mask, it’s hard not to get grumpy.
Jim McManus, one of the founding members of The Construction Institute, sums this year up quite well in his year end review article on page 9. While we’ve had to tackle one crisis after another, one thing has been constant: the industry’s refusal to give in. Can’t make in-person meetings? No problem, we’ve got applications for that. Can’t work in the office? Fine, the dining room or spare bedroom will do. Don’t want your colleagues to see your messy room? You may want to try out the built-in background your video conferencing software has.
Even large conferences and trade shows have adapted. This year’s ABX show is promising to transform the standard in-person event into a technology-driven, streamlined experience that maximizes value. High-Profile will be a part of this experience with our virtual booth, digital publications, and marketing materials available for download. An attendee can even “stop by” a booth and chat, as long as the exhibitor’s chat box remains open. I’m excited to take part. I hope you can stop by and say hello to me or one of our HP account executives!
High-Profile has remained steadfast as a dependable news outlet for the industry. We will continue to bring to light the news and stories highlighting topics of equity and diversity, and what organizations are doing to further address these important issues.
We also continue to highlight the thought leaders who study our impacts on the Earth and provide innovative approaches to building sustainably. Philip Norton Loheed’s ten part series entitled, “Bioregional Urbanist Design Principles,” presents a holistic approach to urban areas affected by climate change. In his last installment, he encourages us to come together to create a new era of “We,” and challenges us to consider our impact on the whole bioregional system. Read more on page 42.
Giving back is more important than ever. AEC firms have been successful organizing their own in-house charitable events, like Turner Construction’s “Mac Attack” donation drive which is geared for veterans and their families or City Realty Groups’ nonprofit, City Kids, which recently supplied new Chromebook laptop computers to the Eliot K-8 Innovation School in Boston. Check out page 37 to read both stories.
HP’s next issue is Forecast 2021. Does your organization have a pulse on a particular market sector? Let us know what you feel the next 12 months and beyond will look like. The deadline is Dec. 23.
May you all have a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for continuing to read, support and contribute to High-Profile.
With much gratitude,
Anastasia Barnes
