Case Studies Region: West

Before a neurosciences center can be built, the organization behind it must become qualified to provide such advanced care. Sharp Grossmont Hospital, located in East San Diego County, got the green light in early 2020 when it received accreditation as a comprehensive stroke center. Now, after weathering the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital […]

Different as these two places are, they’re among those where market-rate residential properties are most in demand. Sacramento, California, and the Island of Hawaii—commonly referred to as the Big Island—each are experiencing a housing crisis. Well, the grounds for making a difference are literally being laid in both locales. Market-rate, of course, is a relative […]

It can be a riskier workplace than might be realized by those who don’t earn their livelihood at hospitals. Aside from being in proximity to ill and infectious patients, there’s the very real possibility of being assaulted by patients whose conditions might be aggravated by substance abuse. Or the hospital itself might be under threat. […]

She hasn’t quite been on the job for three years but already Kim Alpert can divide into distinct thirds her time overseeing global properties for Udemy Inc. Hired in October 2019, she spent the first six or seven months learning the ways of this San Francisco-based MOOC—massive open online course provider—whose platform is accessed by […]

A few years ago, if a light went out or a sink was leaking at Clark County School District, it could take days, or even weeks, before someone could get there to fix it. Now, facilities issues like this are resolved within hours. That’s because, in 2019, the Nevada district started a pilot building engineer […]

Magicians may be able pull rabbits out of hats, but Hugo Ojeda has a more impressive trick. For two decades, he’s been turning drawings into buildings. “I’ve always enjoyed the construction and facilities operations of high-tech companies,” says Ojeda, who started his career at IBM. “Each time I pass a building I helped create, I’m […]

In Southern California, some public schools are overcrowded, leading to a lack of individualized attention for students with the most need. These students often struggle to keep up their grades and confidence. “In many Southern California communities, students don’t have access to high quality public schools, so to be able to offer them a charter […]

As part of efforts to imagine patient care of the future, John Ellis helped Intermountain Healthcare develop two rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including advanced telemetry, real-time location services, in-room diagnostic equipment and electrically tinted glass. However, Ellis, the corporate director of facilities management, says conversations are now more about the patients of the future […]

Gardens and vegetation are, ironically, not the best way to go green on college campuses. The water consumption alone can be drastic, especially in places like Los Angeles, California, which is in the third year of a historic drought. That’s why Garrett Solomon worked with a design team to plant eco-friendly greenery. In 2015, Scripps […]

When Scott Bailey’s truck was totaled, it was a blessing in disguise, says his wife, Beverly Bailey. Scott, a traveling electrician, was tired of being on the road. Beverly was on maternity leave and dreaded returning to her job as a loan officer. So, the pair used the money from the insurance settlement to launch […]