Hi,    

I'm excited to share a few enlightening observations on the green building industry and sustainability at large from Sarah Dorner, Sustainability Manager at Holder Construction Company. Sarah reminds us not to lose the spark that started our collective mission to advance green building. We also share a couple of innovations that help lead this effort, including an AI-driven progress tracking of the a construction intelligence tool and a hassle-free resource to help you find local locations to recycle anything anywhere.

Wishing you a great week and hope you enjoy,

- Tommy

Want to be featured in an upcoming 3 Questions email?
We're currently collecting thoughts, inspiration, tips and advice.
Just jump over to this form - it only takes a couple of minutes - and
Submit Your Answers Today!

3 Questions With Sarah Dorner

Insights and ideas from some of the industry's best pros. 

Do you have any tips on practicing sustainability in everyday life??

"Pick your battles - not all of us can be perfect and be everything all the time. While healthy competition is great, set realistic expectations for yourself and try not to compare yourself too much to others. Being a working mom of 2 under 2 has really made me balance hyper-sustainability with not getting burnt out on informed consumer research."

Where did you find inspiration lately?

"I'm just returning from a bit of an extended maternity leave and it's been really great to dive back in to what others in the industry are up to. I've been able to see peers graduate with advanced degrees, new pilot projects kick off, and company CSR reports be released. It's been really inspiring to see that many people really aren't slowing down given the political climate."

What's one piece of advice you would give someone looking to make a career in sustainable construction/design/consulting?

"I have many thoughts on this! Probably the one I return to most frequently is to never lose your spark, or take away someone else's. Sometimes it can feel defeating having the same conversations over and over again - asking for the same piece of documentation, having difficult conversations with industry partners, staring at spreadsheet after spreadsheet. 

It's incredibly important to find the things that remind you of why you're doing what you're doing - the things that get you fired up about your career - and integrate these practices into your daily work as much as reasonably possible. This goes as a reminder for those of us who are hiring those new to the industry as well. Too many times we see bright, excited eyes dimmed by a daunting reality and corporate culture. We as recruiters have to change that narrative. Don’t lose that part of you that wants to change the world. Because chances are, when you are excited and inspired about something, you'll get others around you excited about it too – and that's how we change the world."

Congratulations on your growing family and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and advice!

What's Working

We work with hundreds of teams that are building incredible projects. Here's something worth looking into. 

• BuiltDots – this construction intelligence platform uses an AI-enabled progress tracking and delay forecasting tool to inform the construction industry by sharing insights on operation plans, anticipating risks and delays in the process, and helping you deliver with speed and accuracy.

** If you've recently spec'd out an amazing product, please let us know. ** 

We Think You'll Like This

• Recycle Nation – if recycling still feels like too much of a hastle, check out this great resource for making recycling easy wherever you are. With one of the world's largest recycling databases, this app helps you find the nearest location to responsibly recycle anything.