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Skanska’s US Building Operations Elevates Commitment to Sustainability
NEW YORK—Skanska has restructured its Sustainability Team in its U.S. building operations to better serve client and company goals, the construction company announced on March 4. Co-led by Steve Clem and Myrrh Caplan, who together bring decades of experience, this dedicated team will elevate the operations focus on sustainability to better serve its customers and projects.
“Steve and Myrrh are central to our commitment to sustainability,” said Project Planning Executive V.P. Steve Stouthamer of Skanska USA Building. “As senior vice presidents, they’ll leverage Skanska’s global and domestic initiatives to promote and implement sustainable construction practices and foster resilience within the communities where we operate. By harnessing their collective expertise, we can make significant strides toward our decarbonization goals while continuing to set the bar for sustainable industry practices.”
Since joining Skanska as a Project Manager in 2005, Ms. Caplan has helped shape Skanska’s national approach to sustainable building. She established the company’s first national Green Construction program and chaired Skanska’s first National Green Council. Throughout the past decade, she has managed multiple initiatives including carbon lifecycle analysis and efforts that benefit clients and the industry. Ms. Caplan leads Skanska’s National Sustainability Team, made up of consultants and advisors.
She was named a 2022 LEED Fellow by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), one of 20 professionals from around the world recognized for their work in advancing green building practices. To date, Ms. Caplan has advised on nearly 300 certified projects and projects seeking LEED, Living Building Challenge, WELL, Envision, and other certifications.
Mr. Clem joined Skanska as a project engineer in 1997 and over the years, established himself as one of Skanska’s staunchest sustainability leaders. In his role, Mr. Clem is responsible for setting and achieving Skanska’s decarbonization goals in the United States and works with construction teams to identify sustainable procurement solutions for clients including the use of mass timber. His efforts to reduce the industry’s embodied carbon began more than 15 years ago and he has been influencing procurement with the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3 Tool) since Skanska co-created and launched the tool in 2019. He has also authored multiple cost studies that demystify the adoption of environmentally preferable construction strategies.
NYSDOT Opens Modernized Service Area Along Hutchinson Parkway in Westchester
WHITE PLAINS—New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced on March 8 the opening of a fully renovated and modernized service area along the Hutchinson River Parkway in Westchester County.
The upgraded Mamaroneck River service area, located between Exit 13 (Mamaroneck Avenue) and Exit 14 (North Street) in the City of White Plains, offers travelers an expanded convenience store, additional restrooms and extra parking to help make their journeys along this vital commuter route more pleasurable. Charging stations for electric vehicles are also being installed to help advance New York’s nation-leading clean energy goals.
Renovations to the site, which began in 2022, expanded the convenience store from 1,785 square feet to 3,150 square feet and retained the building’s architectural features, which reflect the historic nature of the Hutchinson River Parkway. Exterior stones from the original structure were recycled and used in the renovation. The customer experience was also improved with people flow, new check-out facilities—including six self-checkout kiosks—and a patio area outside with picnic tables. Expanded restroom facilities consist of two six-person restrooms and a separate family restroom.
Energy efficient solar panels were installed along with heat pumps, which deliver far more energy than they consume, and a generator was installed to power the service area in the event of power loss. Fuel storage and dispensing equipment were also modernized and designed to accommodate future alternative fuels. The installation of electric vehicle charging stations, including three EV fast chargers, is nearing completion.
Additionally, parking facilities were increased from 18 to 51 parking spots.