AN SLC Building Manager

Architectural Nexus is seeking Building Manager to join our progressive firm in our Salt Lake City office.  This position is for someone who is passionate about sustainable operations, is self-motivated, cheerful, and eager to coordinate efforts with staff and third-party vendors such as landscape maintenance and recycling companies. Adherence to and enforcement of company green cleaning policy is mandatory. The below list outlines the duties of the Arch Nexus SLC Building Manager.

Housekeeping:

• Promote recycling habits with occupants in order to maximize diversion from landfill
• Track recycling efforts, provide feedback to occupants
• Trash removal (inside and out)
• Coordinate Recycling Pickup with third-party vendor
• Food Composting daily
• Snow removal from entries
• Pest control in accordance with written policies and plans
• Clean common areas as per green cleaning policy (not workstations)
  • Bathrooms
  • Kitchen
  • Lobby
  • Meeting rooms
  • Outside gathering spaces
  • Circulation spaces

Building Management:

• Take direction from Arch Nexus (companywide) Building Manager, Erica McBride
• Basic Mechanical Maintenance (change/clean filters, record meter readings, flush systems, etc.)
• Track Building Management System (BMS) and sub-meters, identify problems early
• Keep roof drains and gutters clear
• Coordinate repairs and servicing of equipment
• Coordinate seasonal solar panel and window cleaning
• Coordinate with indoor plant maintenance service
• Coordinate with outdoor landscape maintenance service
• Liaison with Condo Association
• Living wall management including:
  • Irrigation/fertilization system
  • Plants and associated growing medium
  • Drainage system

Pickup and Delivery:

• Run errands to and from office
• Clean vehicles
• Charge/fuel vehicles
• Coordinate repairs and maintenance for vehicles

Urban Agriculture:

• Coordinate with local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organization
• Weeding, pruning, light harvest, and heavy harvest coordination
• Annual fertilization
• Winterization of cistern and irrigation system
• Episodic plant replacement

About Arch Nexus:

Architectural Nexus is a people driven, architectural design firm focused on stewardship, inspiration, and regeneration. We have offices in two locations: Salt Lake City, Utah and Sacramento, California. Our Sacramento office building is the first and only Living Building in California and our Salt Lake City office building is finishing renovation and aiming to become the first commercial Living Building in Utah. As an employee owned firm (ESOP) we value and reward the contributions of all employees. 

Arch Nexus offers an array of benefits including:

• Employee Ownership (ESOP)
• Excellent medical and dental benefits
• Matching 401(k) and/or Roth 401(k) plan
• Twice yearly incentive and accountability bonus program
• Holiday and vacation benefits
• Philanthropy program including paid volunteer time
• Pay commensurate with abilities and experience
• Six weeks of paid leave following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

Email resumes to:

Brian Cassil
Principal | Director of Communications
bcassil@archnexus.com

Thanks for sending your resume; we look forward to getting to know you.

The concept of owning and operating a living building is going global. Inspired by Arch Nexus SAC, the Living Future Collaborative of South Africa recently hosted an online presentation that was well attended by design professionals, builders and developers from six different African Countries.

Representatives from Architectural Nexus shared regenerative design insights from California’s first Living Building, plus insights on their approach to another project underway that is pursuing a Living Building Certification. Resilient design expert Megan Recher, and Arch Nexus SAC Building Manager Erica McBride provided a filmed tour of the Sacramento building, followed by a Q & A session.

The market for regenerative design is growing in Africa and Arch Nexus is pleased to play a part. Click HERE to see the in-depth video tour of Arch Nexus SAC that was shared in the presentation.

The Library Journal and School Library Journal present a speaker program and online workshop that will explore how to design library space for flexibility, including coworking space, meeting space, and outdoor space.

As public spaces, libraries must continue to adapt to new futures that prioritize safe interaction and well-being. This new design workshop and guest speaker program from Library Journal and School Library Journal explores how to create library spaces with flexibility in mind for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities in a post-Covid era. Experts will discuss the short- and long-term modifications libraries can make in their spaces to support community needs, from changes in furniture choice and layout to how meeting rooms, outdoor spaces, and creation spaces are designed and used.

Arch Nexus Senior Principal, Jeff Davis, will be the closing keynote speaker on Wednesday, May 19th from 3:00 – 3:45.

Imagine libraries as sites of robust community wellness. In the age of a pandemic, it’s vital for library design to take not just physical, but social-emotional wellness into account. In this session, you’ll learn how to take into consideration color, lighting, sound, vistas, and patterns of movement through your spaces to create spaces that can calm, energize, or otherwise support your diverse communities.

Click here to learn more and register for this event.

Erica McBride has been the Building Manager at Arch Nexus SAC from its opening day. She was a recent guest on the Building Resilience Podcast, Living Building Challenge episode. This installment shares Erica’s journey to her current position, introduces listeners to the Living Building Challenge, discusses its history, design and the differences between LEED Certification and Living Building Challenge Certification. Erica gives insight into the unique challenges faced during the Arch Nexus SAC certification process. Regarding the occupancy of a Certified Living Building, Erica states “Another success story is our occupants. They had to learn how to engage with the building… people are the ecosystem and without people it doesn’t function.”

The Roy Innovation Center Building No. 1 has been selected as one of Utah Construction & Design’s Outstanding Projects of 2020. The $62-million, 231,254 square foot, 3-story office building located at Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah, was built on a compressed 10-month schedule. The Falcon Hill project team, led by Sunset Ridge Development Partners, was able to do so much in so little time by utilizing a fast track delivery process utilizing tilt-up concrete and excellent construction team. The design team, led by Architectural Nexus, designed a SCIF-secure, cost-efficient structure that is honest in expression and function while still having fantastic character and depth with its coloring, patterns, curtain wall elements, beautiful window-placement and structural steel.

Project Architect, Bryce Sorensen states, I love the combination of materials used. The multi colored concrete to create a gradient look, the cedar ship lap at the entry and soffits and the expansive glass, make it feel warm and inviting. I’m proud of our project team and our ability to achieve a very aggressive goal that left our client highly satisfied.

Adrian Collado, another architect on the team, echoed Sorensen’s sentiments: A building that is mostly a rectangular concrete shell, breaks its monotony with volumetric black metal panels that are contrasted with the warmth of the cedar planks. On a blue sky day with the mountains in the background, this high-level security building is a place you want to come and be a part of.

This project is the initial kickoff project for a multi-building campus for the internationally recognized tenant. When fully developed, the campus will include approximately 1-million square feet occupied by over 3,000 employees.

The National Guard has embraced the concept of resilience. Here in Utah, part of their resilient building strategy is to be up and functioning in the face of calamity. Colvin Engineers, along with the consulting firms of Architectural Nexus and Forsgren Associates, have been selected to design the new Microgrid Interconnect at the Utah National Guard’s Camp Williams, which aims to make the base completely energy independent during times of emergency.

Microgrids are localized grids that can disconnect from the traditional grid to operate autonomously. In addition to the possibility of grid-independence, they improve power reliability and quality, increasing system energy efficiency. At Camp Williams, the objective is to build a microgrid system that would allow the entire camp to operate independently of the master grid for up to 14 days. This will be achieved through combined use of on-site wind turbines, PV arrays, battery storage and, when all else fails, a supplemental diesel generator system.

The first step in this project is the creation of a Master Energy Plan for Camp Williams, followed by designing each of the components needed to facilitate this microgrid, including multiple systems and structures to house and operate them. The overall objective is to find a way to balance the wind, solar and battery components to minimize a need for supplemental generator power.

Breaking news regarding the development of other, future microgrids came just this week, with the re-introduction of The Energy Resilient Communities Act. This bill aims to create the first federal program to build 100-percent clean energy microgrids to power critical infrastructure for communities in the aftermath of an extreme weather event or power shut-off.

The Energy Resilient Communities Act prioritizes energy equity and environmental justice by putting grant applications from low-income communities and communities of color at the front of the line for clean energy microgrid grants. This will help combat power outages and rolling blackouts, reduce pollution, create green jobs and fight the climate crisis.

Arch Nexus Associate, Megan Recher has been selected to be Co-Chair of the AIA National Resilience and Adaptation Advisory Group (Rad-AG) along with Dr. Janice Barnes. The RAd-AG is a select group of esteemed architects and planners from around the country who help shape the practice of architecture through resilience. Megan has been a part of this group since the creation in of it in 2019.

RAd-AG has lead initiatives to create climate action such as writing climate action plans, business continuity guides, and creating other resources for architects and clients to strengthen their resilience efforts through design and planning. Read more about the AIA’s Resilience and Adaptation Initiative here.

Arch Nexus is pleased to announce the promotion of Curtis Dedrick to Associate. Curtis began work with Anova Architects in 2007. Over the years, and with the merging of that firm into Arch Nexus in 2011, Curtis developed and deepened his knowledge of architecture. His experience and expertise grew, with a focus on K-12 Educational work, where he manages increasingly larger and more complex projects, including the development and management of projects encompassing the development of entire school campuses. Curtis is an excellent learner and has gained deep knowledge of construction. This shows through in his meticulousness and attention to detail. Those talents have resulted in well-earned respect from partners and clients who look forward to working with Curtis again and again.

Having grown up in – and remaining in the Sierra Foothills/Sacramento area, Curtis has deep roots in the community. As he has grown in his career, taken on more responsibility, and become licensed, Curtis has taken the opportunity to help others learn and to mentor developing professional around him. His construction and K-12 knowledge have made him a trusted resource for clients, the project teams he leads, and the contractors with whom he works. Arch Nexus anticipates many great years ahead for Curtis Dedrick.

Arch Nexus is excited to announce the promotion of Kelly Schreihofer to Principal. A University of Kansas graduate and a Healthcare design expert, Kelly came to Arch Nexus’ Sacramento office from Chicago, Illinois 4 years ago where she was a health care planner and architect.

Kelly is proactive both in projects and in management. She works with excitement and vigor on any size project of any complexity. Mentoring is another of her strong-suits  – whether it’s in the realm of architecture, planning, or project management; Kelly helps anyone she works with to realize their best selves and grow their skills in the profession. Kelly will continue to create meaningful experiences for people both inside and outside the firm, in her new role of Principal level leadership at Arch Nexus.

On November 25th, the Architectural Nexus team received a building permit for the major renovation of their office in Salt Lake City. The project is registered for the Living Building challenge and as such there are several innovative systems that are now permitted along with this project. These include a rainwater collection system for both outdoor irrigation and indoor clothes washing, a gray water collection and recycling system for toilet flushing and indoor irrigation, a 208 kW onsite renewable photovoltaic power generation system, and an outdoor public gathering space which will be punctuated by by public art.