From Hard Hats to Helmets

The Employee Magazine for Skanska in the U.S.
2009/Issue 02
coasttocoast
From Hard Hats
to Helmets
Employees in the Reserves
page 4
The Power
of Teamwork
page 2
School's In
This Summer
page 8
Our Green
Symbol
page 12
Contents 2009 • Issue 02
Page 02
Page 04
Page 08
Page 11
Page 12
Our Safety Culture
We should all take a moment to think about the safety culture
that is rapidly growing within our company. It is truly amazing.
Here are some examples:
• Throughout May of this year, USA Civil had only two losttime accidents in over 3.5 million hours worked.
• At USA Building, 95 percent of projects and offices do
Stretch and Flex every morning.
• Over 1,000 executive site safety visits have been made
year to date.
• There has been a dramatic increase in pre-task planning.
As you will see in this issue, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Hazardous Waste Landfill Cap has been named Skanska’s Safest
Project of the Year.
I recently attended a CEO safety forum and it is clear to me that
we’re regarded as the leader when it comes to safety. While we should
be proud of this, we also need to feel a responsibility to lead our
industry into an era where all of our projects are injury-free. We owe it
to all of the great people who work for us and their families.
Think it can’t happen? Just read above – USA Civil recently
worked 3.5 million hours with only two lost-time accidents. It
can happen; so long as you don’t put yourself at risk and don’t
let those around you put themselves at risk either. If everyone in
the pool acts like a lifeguard, no one drowns.
Thank you all for your hard work on safety. It is certainly paying off.
Page 14
Safety
02 The Power of Teamwork
Project teams work together to
improve the safety mind-set.
03 Best Practices Exchanged
03 Dos and Don'ts
Our People
04 From Hard Hats to Helmets
Employees trade in their
construction boots to serve in
the U.S. Military Reserves.
06 Skanska Remembers
Frank Marchiano
07 Day in the Life
07 Panel Question
Our Projects
08 School's In This Summer
A look at some of our key
education projects across
the country.
10 Riverside Team Branches Out
11 Skanska ID Seizing
Market Opportunities
11 Playing It Safe in Colorado
Focus
12 And the Banner Yet
Waves: Our Green Symbol
Skanska debuts new green
symbol.
12
13
14
16
17
Our Code of Conduct
Editorial: The Green Movement
Earth Day the Right Way
The World of Skanska
Our Community Timeline
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coasttocoast Publisher Mike McNally Editor Shana Bitterman Editors/Writers Karen Diemer, Mary Humphreys,
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Wohlers coasttocoast is the quarterly employee magazine from Skanska USA. Subscribe free of charge by
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Fall Prevention
Proper
Attire
Dos
and Don’ts
Dos and Don’ts
Best Practices Exchanged
Each year the National Safety Leadership Team
(NSLT) establishes goals to help promote Injury-Free
Environment (IFE).
This year, one of the objectives is to have teams from our offices share knowledge
related to IFE and other performance excellence concepts by touring unfamiliar
jobsites and meeting with the project teams. The group tasked with completing
this goal is Paul Hewins, Courtney Lorenz, Mike Quinn and Andrea Atherton.
The Power of Teamwork
Keeping the labor force safe on a job takes engagement from the entire project team. So when
the employees at USA Civil Northeast were brainstorming ideas for their Safety Week road show,
which took place June 8 -12, they settled on holding a challenge in the name of teamwork.
“Last year when we did the Safety Week road
show, the guys were really hands-on and liked seeing
new, innovative safety products,” explains Safety
Director Paul Haining. “So I thought, ‘these are the
people who should be helping to develop tools or
procedures – the ones who will use them.’”
From a new way of working to a new piece of
equipment, each of our Northeast project teams
held a friendly competition to formulate an original
safety innovation that has practical use on the
jobsite. The innovations were then rolled out during
USA Civil Northeast’s Safety Week.
The Bowery Bay project team was named top dog
2
for its invention of a handle adaptor for a mini dumpster.
After a laborer on the project sustained a minor injury when a dumpster hit
him on the ankle, Superintendent Nick Vitucci came up with a handle extender
The winning invention is in the process
of being patented and will be implemented
on our job sites in the near future.
that could easily attach to the mini dumpsters. The extender creates a wider
space between the ankles and the dumpster to mitigate such injuries.
The winning invention is in the process of being patented and will be
implemented on our jobsites in the near future. ◆
coast to coast
A summary of best practice findings will be
published on MySkanska, USA Building's
intranet, and communicated to every office.
Through this initiative, Area General Managers select teams of three to five
employees from each office to visit another jobsite and choose one or two of
their projects to receive visiting teams. To ensure that the visits reap maximum
value and minimal expenses, the NSLT matches the sending and receiving teams
based on need, schedule and location.
Following the site tours, employees document their findings and the results
are presented to their local office in a peer group type meeting and shared with
the NSLT. A summary of the best practice findings will be published periodically
on MySkanska, USA Building’s intranet, and communicated to every office.
“Having employees from different offices tour projects will capture best
practices related to IFE and performance excellence, build collaboration between
offices and promote camaraderie among our employees,” says Paul. “In addition,
Skanska will benefit from connecting people with peers across the country to
discuss specific challenges they face and their solutions.” ◆
coast to coast
Do! Use the proper lanyard
When working at heights, have
a complete pre-task plan, ensure
appropriate systems are in place
and that the tie off point is an
approved engineered system.
Don't! Use the wrong equipment
Don’t!
Never tie off to a non-engineered
point or without a comprehensive
pre-task plan. Also, don't allow
others to work at heights without
a clear plan.
3
Pre-construction Manager and Navy Reserve
Joe Hackney, with wife Lori.
as E8 Senior Master Sergeant. Like Dana,
she sees an overlap between her Skanska
role and her Air Force duties.
“My job in the military is to provide
the commander a mission-ready enlisted
force to execute the unit mission,” Maria
says. “As a PX, my job is to provide
Skanska a trained and fully capable project
team to complete a project.”
The Balancing Act
From Hard Hats to Helmets
Some of us go home and coach little league sports or turn to hobbies. All of us have something
to do when we’re not at work. But only a few employees trade in their boots for uniforms as
members of the United States Military Reserves.
A Pillar of Support
Project Engineer Dana Nelson knows all about the Injury-Free
Environment (IFE) program and how it was applied at the Heron Heights
Elementary School project in Parkland, Florida. In fact, he thinks it
meshes perfectly with his role as a Captain with the U.S. Air Force 482nd
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
“In the military, 99 percent isn’t good enough,” Dana says, “ninetynine percent means there’s still potential for loss of life.”
That thinking translates to the jobsite: we always have to be
aware of everything around us at any given moment in the military.
4
It’s the same for IFE.
His South Florida coworker, Project Executive Maria Houle, has
been to Iraq – and it was while she was building the now-complete Lynn
Cancer Institute in Boca Raton, FL.
“When I deployed, I was astounded by Skanska's support and
patriotism,” Maria says. “They recognized the importance of my
contribution to the war and the value of my military experience, training
and discipline.”
Maria is also with the 482nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, serving
coast to coast
Anthony Burns is no stranger to juggling
a career with his service to our country.
While working as a CAD Engineer on
the World Trade Center HUB, he’s also
holding the rank of First Lieutenant
in the Army Corps of Engineers 368th
Engineer Battalion/716th Vertical
Company and is in the Army Reserve.
This year, Anthony will be required to
take Extended Combat Training (ECT)
for three weeks, which will take him to
Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin.
This is the Northeast office’s first
experience with an active military
member. However, the team fully
supports Anthony’s commitment.
“It’s important that I work for a
company that stands by me,” Anthony
explains. “Not only did Brad Nystrom
assure me that Skanska would support
coast to coast
Project Executive and E8 Senior Master Sergeant Maria Houle.
me during training, but he’s called me
periodically to ensure that everything is
going well with my job.”
Support Our Troops
Skanska’s ongoing support of employees’
military commitments is best illustrated by
our Nashville team. When Pre-construction
Manager Joe Hackney – who is in a special
operations task force for the Navy Reserve –
was deployed to Iraq, the team made sure his
family had more than words of support.
“We just knew we needed to do
something big to support Joe’s wife and
young son,” explains Office Manager Joanie
Hatch.
And did they ever. Employees’ donations
amounted to enough to provide gift cards
for gas and groceries to support the family
for Joe’s entire tour. The team sent many care
packages and stays in constant touch with
Joe. But it’s the ongoing support that shows
true commitment.
“A storm blew some of the siding off Joe’s
house,” Joanie explains. “His wife called us
and we got in touch with some of our project
team members. Before you knew it, we had
two guys at the house fixing it.”
Joe deployed in January and will return
this fall. Joanie says the team will support
him and his family anytime they need. ◆
Project Engineer and U.S. Air
Force Captain Dana Nelson.
CAD Engineer and First
Lieutenant Anthony Burns.
5
Skanska Says Goodbye
to Co-Worker and Friend
Panel Question
What green practices do you
incorporate into your personal life?
A message from Michael Cobelli, Executive Vice President
It was with great sadness and disbelief
Mats Johansson
President of Skanska Commercial
Development, New York, N.Y.
that we learned of the passing of Frank
“
Marchiano, a 40+-year Skanska veteran.
Frank leaves behind a wonderful wife,
Josephine Marchiano; two sons, Joseph and
After commuting to work by car
for 15 years, I now walk to the
train station and take the train.
So I walk about an hour a day,
have a lower environmental
impact and can do some work on
my way to the office.
“
Frank Marchiano, who are also part of the
Skanska family; and five grandchildren.
Jessica Miller
Superintendent, Bronx, N.Y.
Upon meeting Frank, your first impression would center around two
overwhelming realities. The first was his sheer physical power. While
he wasn’t of extraordinary height, he was of extraordinary
strength. Frank effortlessly performed feats of strength that couldn’t
be rivaled by anyone half his age. This physical power might have been
disconcerting; however, very quickly you realized how reassuring it
was to be around him. He was a man who gave you greater respect
than you felt you deserved, and a man who followed wherever you
asked him to go.
Instead of using disposable
utensils and cups at the
office, I use kitchenware from
home to reduce waste. I use
compact fluorescent light
bulbs in my apartment. When
grocery shopping, I try to
choose Fair Trade and organic
food products and non-toxic
cleaning products.
word
Design Engineer, USA Civil
7:00am
Amando Madan
Finance Director,
Alexandria, V.A.
“
My new home
incorporates many
energy saving features:
thicker exterior walls,
multiple HVAC zones
with programmable
thermostats, higher
efficiency appliances
and dimmable lights.
“
Jessica Smith
Marketing Assistant, Tampa, F.L.
“
My husband and I compost
our organic waste,
recycling, keep our house at
78 degrees and do only full
loads of dishes and laundry.
We drive fuel efficient
vehicles and bring our own
bags to the supermarket.
“
6
Isabel Lillard
7:30am
was bond. When Frank said
he would do something, it
would get done.
Very shortly after understanding this about Frank, you began to
understand the second reality. His extraordinary physical strength was
dwarfed by his own strength of character – his strength of integrity,
tireless work ethic, resolve to succeed, intelligence and humbleness.
You would find that his word was bond. When Frank said he would
do something, it would get done. He relished responsibility on his
broad shoulders and accomplished any feat not for the accolades, but
for your benefit and the company’s wellbeing. If you made a list of the
ten most important things to do in a day, Frank would gently suggest
ten different ones and provide the logic to support them. You would be
left scratching your head, wondering why you didn’t recognize them
earlier and set him loose to accomplish his tasks. It’s now our responsibility to ensure that Frank’s legacy
continues on in our company. The best way to honor him is to live
the lessons he taught us everyday and to ensure that we pass them
on to those who follow. ◆
A Day in the Life…
“
You would find that his
“
10:30am
12:00pm
1:00pm
2:00pm
3:00pm
5:30pm
6:00pm
Arrive at the office.
Begin the day by looking at requests and inquiries
from the field. The engineering department is largely
one of support for estimating and field activities,
so this is the time I prioritize what is needed
immediately and what is not. If I need input, I speak
with my manager, Bill Spence.
Work with the estimating department to see if
engineering can add value to bids by coming up
with alternative engineering schemes so that we’re
competitive in our submittals.
Lunch with coworkers.
Sit with Bill and others in the engineering department
to brainstorm.
Meet with J/V partner to look over the design of
pre-stressed concrete beams and decks for the 11th
Street Bridges, a new project we were awarded in
Washington, D.C.
Spend the rest of the day working on the design for the
timber ties for the railroad bridges on the HRT Light
Rail project in Norfolk, Virginia. This project requires
extensive collaboration with Pat Moore, Daniel Francis
and Wayne Kendricks.
Time to head home.
Set out for a run along the water.
From left: Pete Mini, Ali Catik, Frank and Joe Goncalves; bottom: Frank with Tony Validzic.
coast to coast
coast to coast
7
Smith Elementary comes together near Raleigh, N.C.
though, we’ve earned that relationship through good
work. We cannot lose sight of that for a moment.”
Members of the Smith Elementary team sign the topping off beam. The project recently finished right on schedule.
School’s In This Summer
Economic growth is one thing. Population growth is another. The result is that, even in these lean
times, many school districts have no choice but to build or renovate to accommodate an influx of
students. And there’s hope that the stimulus package could help fund more education projects.
Lone Star State
Take $71 million Palmview High School in the border
community of La Joya, Texas. While the community
itself is relatively small, the school district, for a
variety of reasons, is adding roughly 1,000 students
to its rolls every year.
“We delivered the bulk of the project in
November, though we weren’t scheduled to do so
until March,” Senior Project Manager Josue Reyes
explains. “The district came to us and asked if it
could be completed sooner and we were pleased to be
able to deliver it.” In South Texas, that’s no easy task.
“This is one of the largest projects in all of
8
South Texas, but that can be a challenge in a market like this,” Josue
continues. “There are qualified subcontractors, but at the same time,
you have to be careful with overextending qualified resources in the
area. Planning is everything.”
Tight project delivery timelines are the norm in public school
construction, with districts banking on having classroom space available
as scheduled. That’s a major consideration, especially since the market is
so competitive.
Sunshine State
“We’re fortunate to have such a great relationship with the owner,” says Vice
President of Operations Ricardo Santana, who is overseeing the construction
of Heron Heights Elementary School in Parkland, Florida. “The thing is,
coast to coast
Heron Heights, a project for Broward County
Schools, will help relieve crowding in a fastgrowing area. But the timeline has been a top
concern of the district since groundbreaking. By
using efficient methods, such as tilt-up concrete,
the team is working on schedule. The school will be
ready for the fall 2009 school year – only 10 months
after the project started – and includes a variety of
green features.
“While not going for LEED® certification,
we’ve incorporated some efficiency measures that
Broward County is excited about,” Ricardo says.
“The photovoltaic panels on the roof will not only
help power the school, they will also make a small
contribution to the local power grid when school isn’t
in session.”
"The planning has to be
perfect. You have to get the
material at the exact time
that you need it."
Tar Heel State
Even when completely new construction isn’t
feasible, renovations are helping to update facilities
and meet classroom needs. Such is the case with
Smith Elementary School in Garner, North Carolina,
just south of Raleigh.
“We’ve done a lot of work for Wake County
coast to coast
Schools including demolition, new
construction and renovation,” explains
Senior Project Manager Rob Morra.
“This project has all three.”
The $14 million project consists
of 44,300-square-feet of new general
and special programs classrooms,
demolishing 30,400-square-feet
of existing building space and the
renovation of 25,300-square-feet
of classrooms, corridors, toilets,
kitchen, dining areas and support
spaces.
“In an area like this, we can’t deliver
buildings fast enough,” Rob says. “We
work to be as efficient as possible and
keep open communication with the
owner to ensure that the project is
done when it should be. We’re not just
building a new facility; we’re affecting
the quality of life in this community
through a new school.”
Hope for a Stimulus
With the school work under way, it
would be easy to assume that much of
this is driven by the economic stimulus
package. The truth is, says Vice
President of Business Development
Matt Daniel, most public education
stimulus-funded projects are still
months away.
“We’re only beginning to see
how the stimulus will truly affect
education work,” Matt explains. “And
the process is going to be different
state to state. With that said, most
states have a list of potential projects
that just need the funding.”
While the stimulus picture remains
cloudy, Matt thinks certain things can
be predicted.
“When you look at the allocations,
it’s much more likely we’re going to
see a series of small projects instead
of a few large ones,” he explains.
“Politicians will be looking for a
little bit for each of their areas.
That means smaller projects, but
that bodes well for the prospects of
stimulus-funded renovations.” ◆
Top and Center: La Joya High School was needed to
accommodate a fast-growing population.
Bottom: Heron Heights Elementary nears completion
in Parkland, F.L.
9
Skanska ID Seizing Market Opportunities
Riverside Team
Branches Out
Spring and summer have proven to be busy for Skanska ID. The region recently underwent
a merger with its Latin American colleagues, and several projects are moving forward.
USA Civil’s Riverside office is part of a joint-venture
In March, the U.S. region merged with Latin America.
The Americas region now includes oversight, operations
and staff related to the Breitener Energetica and
Autopista Central assets, as well as bid pursuits in
Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
that was awarded a $137 million project in
Fremont, California, for the Bay Area Rapid Transit
(BART). Our share of the contract stands at 45
percent. This job marks a significant milestone for
U.S. Activities
the Riverside team as it is its first foray into the rail
Elizabeth River Crossings, the Skanska-led team
for the $1.7 billion Midtown Tunnel PPP Project
in Hampton Roads, Virginia, is working with the
Virginia Department of Transportation on an Interim
Agreement. The project includes construction of a
marine tunnel, maintenance and safety improvements to
two existing tunnels and improvements to two roadway
interchanges. The team comprises Skanska ID and the
Macquarie Group for equity contribution, with USA
Civil leading the construction joint venture.
“The cohesiveness between ID and Civil
exemplifies the rewards that can come when you share
a common goal and pursue it with vigor,” says Karl
market sector.
This is one of two contracts for the 5.4 mile extension project, which will bring rail
service to Warm Springs in Fremont. The scope of work includes construction
of a cut-and-cover tunnel, the trackway embankment through a city park and
beneath the Union Pacific Rail Road freight track, two ventilation structures,
pump structures cofferdam across a lake and the relocation of a dog park,
basketball courts and parking.
The project will require the team to utilize a significant amount
of materials, including over 70,000 cubic yards of structural
concrete, 338,000 square feet of sheet piling and nearly 7,000,000
pounds of rebar. It also involves over 302,000 cubic yards of
excavation and the erection of a 294,000-square-foot cement deep
soil mix wall for support.
“I couldn’t be happier with the results,” says Ali Catik, EVP of USA
Civil West. “This award will be an important first step in our efforts to
break into the highly competitive rail market.” So competitive, in fact,
that the first five bidders were within less than 3 percent of each other.
However, this project also gives us an opportunity to expand into
Northern California, an area that’s one of our targeted regions for
growth. “Not only will this job let us gain experience on rail projects
and diversify our portfolio of work, but the location will allow us to
acquire a foot-hold in the northern market, which is something we’ve
been after for years,” Ali adds.
Construction is anticipated to begin in August, 2009, and last for
approximately three and a half years. ◆
Reichelt, Executive Vice President of
Skanska ID, Americas. The team looks
forward to late summer for acceptance
and signing of an Interim Agreement.
Also moving forward is the
Ronald Reagan Parkway Extension in
Gwinnett County, Georgia. The Board
of Commissioners approved pursuit of
a Pre-Development Agreement, giving
Skanska the exclusive right to develop
the project. Through this PDA, the
county receives risk sharing on some of
the development costs, an advantage of
this procurement structure.
During the 9 - 12 month PDA phase,
a feasibility study will be conducted
to analyze the technical, financial and
public aspects of this project, which could
include a three-mile toll road for direct
access to Interstate I-85 to Atlanta.
PPPs Seen as Attractive
While still emerging, the U.S. public
private partnership market has
shown strong signs of gaining further
acceptance. A survey published
by Reuters concluded that “U.S.
voters are increasingly supportive of
privatized investment in the country’s
infrastructure, especially in lieu of tax
increases or budget cuts.” The survey
was produced this June by investment
banking firm Lazard.
“It’s an encouraging and exciting time
to be in this business, and we’re seeing
more and more public entities look to the
private sector for help in providing vital
infrastructure,” adds Karl. ◆
For more information about Elizabeth
River Crossings, visit erc-info.com.
Playing It Safe in the Centennial State
The Rocky Mountain District of USA Civil worked an astounding five years without
a recordable or lost-time accident on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Hazardous Waste
Landfill Cap, located near Denver, Colorado, garnering the project Skanska’s muchcoveted Safest Project of Year award. This $25-million undertaking is a shining example
of how our approach to safety can achieve zero accidents.
Safety Director Clark Peterson worked with the client to ensure zero tolerance for
unsafe work practices. “The daily safety meetings are open and non-threatening,” says
the client’s project manager. “Work is continually monitored and adjustments are made
in real time. This is why Skanska has always received the highest rating on our Client’s
Safety Walks and hasn’t had a recordable incident in over 136,000 hours worked.” ◆
Project Manager Ian Lindsay near the jobsite.
10
coast to coast
coast to coast
11
Our Code
of Conduct
The Green Movement
An Editorial by Jamie Bond
Fellow employees:
And the Banner Yet Waves:
Our Green Symbol
Any day now, a new flag will be waving high above several jobsites
across the U.S. The flag features Skanska’s new green symbol,
which illustrates the company’s commitment to being the world’s
leading green project developer and contractor.
Goals of Waving the
Green Symbol Flag
Promoting our leadership
position in the green movement
and commitment to innovation
in finding new green methods.
Publicizing innovative or
interesting green solutions on
and off the project site that can
serve as a model or best practice.
Presenting cohesiveness
and consistency in all of our
home markets to empower
employees as a representation
of the geographic footprint of
our commitment to green.
12
The symbol was designed and conceived by
Carl Johan Hane, the same designer behind our
graphic profile. Carl Johan decided on an easily
recognizable green element - a leaf - and used it
to capture the company’s caring commitment.
This is why, if you look at the white space
around the leaf, you’ll see a pair of hands.
“This symbol has the potential to be very
powerful and visible in the marketplace,” says
Beth Heider, Senior Vice President of Preconstruction. “We are particularly excited about
it because of our commitment to being green.”
Beyond LEED®
Beth says that while LEED work remains
crucial, the green symbol signifies more than
that. “We will not only use it on LEED projects,
but also to highlight other visible steps we’re
taking to be the leading green contractor.”
Examples of other places the symbol might
be used include projects that reuse or contain
contaminated land, or restore ecosystems, or
produce zero net waste going to a landfill.
“Being a leader means pushing the
industry even further. That’s what we aim
to do,” she concludes. ◆
The green movement is upon us and only those
As you may be aware,
Skanska recently updated
the Code of Conduct, a
document which governs
employee behavior on
every Skanska project
and office worldwide.
The new version will be
sent to all employees
along with the
Compliance Guideline
explaining the Code of
Conduct in further detail.
You will notice that the
global whistle blower’s
program listed in the
guideline is under
development. Please
continue to use the
same phone numbers
that have always been
available in your region
as they continue to be
operational.
All employees will
be required to read
and acknowledge
receipt of the Code of
Conduct so check your
mail at home in the
coming weeks for these
important documents.
who aspire to become leaders will stay in the
competitive circle.
"Skanska has an
immense
opportunity
to be on the
leading edge
green
construction."
of
Thank you,
George Fadool
Chief Compliance
Officer
coast to coast
coast to coast
As my passion for sustainability grew throughout college, my hunt
for the greenest contractor began. I never heard of Skanska until the
company appeared at the Associated Schools of Construction Student
Competition in 2007. My interest and friendship with those employees
at the event sparked immediately. Skanska seemed like a perfect fit,
if I could convince management that they needed a sustainability
engineer. After quite a few meetings, the Seattle office hired me to take
on this role.
After moving all the way from sunny Southern California last June,
I began my new career in Seattle. Within the first month, I taught my
first LEED® training class. To my surprise, the course skyrocketed
in popularity and turned into seven months of back-to-back LEED
instruction. The schooling also spilled over into a global LEED training
session for our employees across the pond.
However teaching was not my only task. With Mechanical Preconstruction Director Bill Fouty at my side, we began looking at LEED
consulting opportunities. Again, surprisingly, many owners and clients
were very interested. By the end of the year, we were the LEED
consultant on four major projects. Owners saw a great
advantage in having a green consultant tied directly
to their contractor. Bill, having vast experience
in mechanical systems, and my knowledge
of LEED implementation, create a great
in-house resource.
Skanska has an immense
opportunity to be on the leading edge
of green construction. Our strength
lies with our people. Education in
green construction is one thing,
but believing in it is another. We
have the ability to not only train
our employees, owners and clients
but to help them understand the link
between knowing and doing.
The green movement isn’t going away.
Some try to ignore it or stick their heads
in the sand, but Skanska has the training and
expertise to fix what others shy away from. ◆
13
Green Team collected and recycled 1,300 bags with the March Waste Water
Treatment Facility team contributing the most bags.
“Our participation in Earth Day teaches workers how even the
smallest changes in our lives, even for one day, have an effect on the
world forever,” explains Wendy Harris, Director of Health, Safety and
Environmental. “The California District’s goal was to provide employees
with information they can use at home to impact our environment.” "Even the smallest
changes in
our lives, even for one day, have
an effect on the world forever.”
Our Seattle office kicked off its Adopt-a-Street program with
volunteers performing a 1.2-mile clean-up of the neighborhood
around the office. It’s the start of a two-year commitment to Seattle
Public Utilities to perform quarterly clean-ups of the selected routes.
Additionally, employees were asked to observe one day as National
Alternative Transportation Day for which the office calculated its
carbon savings.
Earth Day the Right Way
On April 22, our offices around the
country celebrated Earth Day. In
addition to company-wide initiatives,
such as the distribution of ecoresponsible, canvas shopping bags
and daily progressive green quizzes,
local offices pitched in with some
creative programs to make their local
cities greener and cleaner.
“Earth Day continues to be an important
date for one main reason – we know
we can still do better,” says Myrrh
Caplan, Program Manager of Green
Construction and LEED® AP. “For
Skanska, our efforts to make those
improvements are apparent through our
actions. This year we saw the Cell Phones
for Soldiers and Nike Recycle-a-Shoe
campaigns, a community garden, added
composting and dozens of other green
tactics put in place in each office.”
Down South
In Atlanta and Nashville, our teams turned
Earth Day into Earth Week by holding
a week-long series of events designed to
raise awareness and make a difference.
Employees in Atlanta visited a landfill (and
watched Wall-E to get in the spirit) and
spent Saturday performing a clean-up along
the city’s Beltline.
The Nashville office began every
morning with green tool box talks with
topics ranging from “what happens to
plastic grocery bags” to “learning more
about wind power.” The marketing team
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Up North
got into the spirit by hosting a “green” eggs
and ham breakfast. Employees also spent
an afternoon at the Cumberland River
Compact making rain barrels, which will be
used for residential rain collection.
The Heartland
The team in Philadelphia also had a week of activities scheduled. Among
the highlights were a daily progressive green quiz, a sustainability tree – a
bare tree in the lobby where employees could share a green idea on a leaf to
fill out our tree – and a spring cleaning program to benefit Goodwill. The
office also performed a stream clean-up.
Our Rockville employees conducted a collective power shut down
from for 30 minutes Wednesday morning. Additionally, the office held a
lunchtime Earth Day trivia contest. ◆
The Portage office began a two-year
project to adopt a local highway. A team
of 20 members, broken into four-person
crews, spent one day cleaning up the
stretch of I-94 between mile markers 70
and 72. In keeping with our IFE culture, all
participants had to attend safety training
before the project began.
Their Michigan counterparts in
Southfield hosted Lunch-n-Learns on
carbon footprints and building energy
modeling, a seminar on climate change
with Glen LeRoy and held a carpool day
that saved 271 driving miles.
USA Civil's Green Team: Recycling Pays
Karen Welch, a member of
USA Civil’s Green Team, has
proven that recycling does
pay. In 2008, Karen received
a total of $272.15 back from
simply recycling her empty
cans, plastic and bottles.
The recycling of household
glass and plastic is one of
the easiest environmental
practices; it’s something
everyone can do. By
reprocessing her items,
Karen helped protect
habitats and biodiversity.
The Wild West
In Riverside, our employees enjoyed a
potluck lunch. The jobsites and main office
also brought in plastic bags from home to
be recycled by the Green Team. Overall the
coast to coast
Our teams in Portage and Seattle perform clean-ups in their local neighborhoods.
coast to coast
15
(BCM) set the stage for children to learn about
Cape Charles, V.A.: Blood drive draws big numbers
Bayshore Concrete employees donated 35 pints
of blood in a semi-annual drive held at the office,
surpassing their goal by 16.5 percent.
communities and futures, the event, which was
Philadelphia, P.A.:
Cooking for a cause
Employees volunteered
as guest chefs at the
Philadelphia Ronald
McDonald House.
the first of its kind, went off without a hitch.
the exciting possibilities of green construction,
solar energy and what it took to build the
museum. With the objective of building minds,
Children learned about civil
construction by working
to build bridges out of gum drops
And what would a day of construction related activities be without
the opportunity for attendees to get their hands dirty? Children learned
about civil construction by working to build bridges out of gum drops
and coffee stirrers. They also had a chance to decorate hard hats to take
home as souvenirs that will not only keep construction on top of their
heads, but in the back of their minds.
As part of the event, the BCM project team held a speaking
engagement to explain to attendees their jobs, the work that was done
on the museum and its green features.
Skanska Day took place in conjunction with our national tour
sponsorship of BCM’s latest traveling exhibit Building Brainstorm, an
interactive architectural studio that encourages kids to investigate how
and why buildings are made by putting them in the role of architect,
engineer and builder.
Beginning this summer, the exhibit will set up shop in children’s
museums in Boston, Massachusetts; Memphis, Tennessee; Houston,
Texas; Fort Worth, Texas; San Jose, California; Sausalito, California;
St. Paul Minnesota; and Quebec, Canada, on a three-year tour before
returning to New York. ◆
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coast to coast
Brooklyn, N.Y.: Tending to
the garden
Members of the Brooklyn Bridge
Park team helped transform
a vacant lot into a flower and
vegetable garden at the Transitional
Living Community.
Seattle, W.A./Kalamazoo,
M.I.: Cleaning up the streets
The Seattle office pledged two
years to the city’s Adopt-AStreet program, which includes
quarterly clean-ups of 1.2 miles
of streets surrounding the
office. In Kalamazoo, our team
adopted a two-mile stretch of
I-94, committing three work
days to cleaning the roadway.
New Port Richey, F.L.:
Catch and release
Skanska hosted the
third annual “PHCC
Catch and Release
Fishing Tournament,”
which raised $41,839 for
the Pasco-Hernando
Community College
Foundation. Tampa, F.L.: Giving back
The office and surrounding
jobsites collected 36 bags
of clothing and shoes, one
large box of clothes and two
suits for the Society of St.
Vincent DePaul.
Dayton, O.H.: Taking
baby steps
Our team at the Miami
Valley Hospital project
participated in the March of
Dimes “March for Babies”
walk, raising around $1,300
for the organization.
coast to coast
Philadelphia, P.A.:
Beautiful day in the
neighborhood
The office participated in the
annual “Philadelphia Cares
about Fairmount Park Day,”
where employees planted
trees, painted benches and
picked up trash. Gainesville, F.L.: The picture of health
Our team at the Shands Cancer Hospital
held a skeet shooting tournament, which
raised over $31,000 for the Shands
Healthcare Foundation.
Nashville, T.N.: Moosic city dash
Employees volunteered at the
Moosic City Dairy Dash 5K/10K,
which raised donations for the
Ronald McDonald House of
Middle Tennessee.
Oakland, C.A./Boston, M.A.: Rebuilding together
Employees participated in Rebuilding Together’s annual
workday for which our teams helped renovate a youth
center and the home of a single mother.
MAY
Children kicked off the day at our welcome station where they received
a Skanska-branded drawstring backpack and permit card to take along
on their “work day.” They were also invited to enter a raffle to win a tour
of the New Meadowlands Stadium project.
But the fun didn’t end there. From hardhats to vests and glasses
to gloves, kids were able to try on real-life construction gear at the
dress-up station as well as learn about recycling by sorting plastic,
paper, metal and construction materials at our green construction
post. Our very own Mission Critical Team even provided working
models of solar-energy, wind-energy and fuel-cell systems to
demonstrate how alternate energy sources make a difference in our
homes, lives and environment.
MARCH
Skanska Day at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Our Community Timeline
APRIL
Welcome to the
World of Skanska
Tampa, F.L.: Keeping the
community clean
Our Tampa Community Outreach
Committee partnered with the mayor’s
Beautification Program to help remove
invasive plants from Picnic Island Park.
Lakeland, T.N.: Teeing up
The Le Bonheur Children's
Medical Center project team
recently hosted the first
annual Raymond E. Wade Sr.
Memorial Golf Tournament,
raising over $37,000 for
the Le Bonheur Children's
Medical Center foundation.
17
The Skanska Top 10
USA Civil won Business Unit
of the Year for being the most
profitable, safest and wellmanaged business unit
within Skanska.
The Houston office was
awarded a $49 million
construction management
contract for the expansion of
The Pfizer Pegasus
project, which involved
a team representing 10
countries including the U.S.,
was honored with Skanska’s
Project of the Year in
the Building category. Our office in the Empire
State Building has achieved
LEED® Platinum certification.
Texas A&M University.
USA Civil West signed
contracts for two road
projects in Southern
California totaling $6.7 million
from Caltrans.
Our Philadelphia-metro office
was awarded three hospital
project contracts: the $178
million expansion of Wilmington
Hospital and two contracts
totaling $235.6 million for the
replacement and expansion of
Capital Health’s hospital.
USA Civil’s Dey Street
Concourse Structural
Box project was recognized
as Skanska’s Project of the
Year in the Civil category.
coast tocoast
The Employee Magazine for Skanska in the U.S.
Brian Murray, Account
Manager in USA Building’s
Atlanta office, was honored
with Skanska’s Golden
Hard Hat award in the
Project Manager category.
Our Florida team signed
a contract worth an
estimated $220 million
to provide construction
manager at-risk services
to build Nemours
Children’s Hospital.
Our Orlando office
achieved LEED Gold
certification – the first
in the city to achieve
this high level of
certification.