GENERATE 2024: Breakout Series 1

Will Babbington, FAIA, PE

Will is a Principal and Façade Design Director at Studio NYL. Will’s passion lies in the leveraging of both high- and low-tech methods to merge high performance and high design.  As both an architect and an engineer, he has designed award-winning and high performance building enclosures on local, national, and international levels.  

Will sits on the Leadership Group of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Building Performance Knowledge Community and serves as an AIA National representative on the ASHRAE’s 90.1 Envelope Subcommittee.  He is a leader and active member in other numerous professional organizations such as: National Institute of Building Science (NIBS) where he is the Past Chair of the Building Enclosure Council National, and American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) where he is a voting member on the E06 Performance of Buildings Committee. Will is also a member of the Facade Tectonics Institute’s Special Advisory Committee and is a developer/trainer for ASTM/NIBS new Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) certificate program.  

Will has worked on many of Studio NYL’s signature enclosure projects both locally in Colorado and around the world.  Notable projects include Portland Art Museum Rothko Addition, Ragon Institute for Infectious Disease, MIT Kendall Square Tower, The Social Security Administration Building and the soon to be completed Whole Health Institute at Crystal Bridges.  His projects have earned dozens of awards including two COTE Top 10 Awards.

Chris O’Hara, PE

Chris is a Founding Principal of Studio NYL. Trained as a Structural Engineer, Chris has a passion for Architecture. This passion has fostered the collaborative approach that is a cornerstone of Studio NYL’s collaborative approach to structures and enclosures. Chris has worked on cutting edge structural and enclosure projects on five continents. Chris’s work with Studio NYL has earned many design awards including two AIA COTE Top 10 Awards. Chris has served as a board member on the AIA National Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Committee as well as AIA Board of Directors (North). Chris has also been a board member of the Native American Sustainable Housing Initiative and participated in lectures with the Carbon Leadership Forum and the BSA’s Embodied Carbon 101 series for both Structure and Façade. 

Although his work with Studio NYL brings him all over the world, home is still Colorado. Chris has worked on projects ranging from houses to highrises all over the state including the Denver Botanic Gardens Science Pyramid, Marquez Hall and Colorado School of Mines, Denver International Airport Concourse B and C Extensions, Denver Performing Arts Center Buell Theater ReClad, Boulder Fire Training Center, and the soon to be completed Populus Hotel.

Peter Ewers, AIA has been focused on sustainable design prior to founding Ewers Architecture in 1998. The 5-person firm designs residential and commercial architecture with the mission of “creating beautiful architecture that respects our natural resources.” The firm has enjoyed designing buildings for non-profit organizations, schools, churches, businesses, and single-family homesfocused on this mission.

Peter enjoys public speaking and being an advocate for all-electric buildings and Net Zero Energy design through presentationsto local organizations as well as national and international conferences. He believes that architects are in a unique position to affect change that can make a difference for our energy and environmental future. He is currently pursuing Passive House designer certification.

In his spare time, Peter enjoys exploring the mountains of Colorado, traveling internationally with his wife, serving in the local community, and hanging out with family, especially his granddaughter Luna.

Elizabeth Gillmor is president and founder of Energetics Consulting Engineers, a boutique energy consulting firm in Denver that specializing in providing pragmatic, cost-effective, and resilient building energy solutions through energy modeling, sustainability consulting, and building performance testing.  As a provider for multiple utility rebate programs and a building electrification proponent, she has been the energy consultant for hundreds of local Colorado buildings of all sorts, and experiences a broad perspective of different project teams’ goals, approaches, and priorities.  Elizabeth is also an expert in energy codes, and has served on the Denver Building Code adoption committee for the last two code cycles, Denver Net Zero Energy Advisory Group, the Denver Green Buildings Ordinance Technical Advisory Committee, and the Colorado Energy Code Board that developed Colorado’s new model energy code.  She is a Professional Engineer in the field of Architectural Engineering.

Trevor Kindell is a Principal and Lead Mechanical Engineer at Given & Associates. Trevor has over 30 years of mechanical design experience.  His early work included projects in the clean-room, biotech, data center, healthcare, and pharmaceutical sectors. During his 18 years with Given & Associates, Trevor has become an expert in MEP design for Multi-Family, Residential, High-Rise, Affordable Housing, Assisted Living, Medical, Office, Retail, Government, Education, and Sustainable Design projects. Trevor has been a driving force in the Low-Income, Multi-Family housing market, working projects with numerous housing authorities in the state of Colorado. Trevor and Given are also at the leading edge of sustainability and electrification in MEP design.

Matt Schlageter, PE, LEED AP

As the current Board Chairman, Director of Civil Engineering Services, and Principal with Martin/Martin, Matt has led and overseen key priorities of the firm and has been afforded the opportunity to engage in a variety of highly innovative and progressive projects.  With project experience on 4 continents and a multitude of highly sustainable and creative project deliveries, his focus remains on progressing the industry and advancing the bold goals and priorities of clients and partners.  His long career has allowed him the ability to provide the master planning and campus design of the National Renewable Energy Campus in Golden, Colorado, leadership and engineering for the first legal water reuse project in a commercial setting with the Denver Water Headquarter Campus, and most recently, design associated with the “backbone of Denver” in the 16^th Street Mall

Bill Vitek, FASLA, PLA – Founding Partner, DIG Studio

Bill is a strategic thinker who tackles complex design and planning problems with creativity and passion. He brings over 40 years of knowledge and strategic thinking in urban design, land planning, and landscape architecture to focus on creating lasting projects and healthy sustainable communities locally as well as globally. Bill leads many of the firm’s large-scale, strategic projects that focus on sustainability, appropriate water use, urban forestry, and public placemaking.  He also has extensive experience with landscapes that work within our arid climate and utilize water wise plant materials and installation techniques to manage appropriate water usage. Some of Bill’s key local Denver area projects include the 16th St Mall Renovation, Central Park (former Stapleton airport) Open Space, Parks and Parkways, Market Street Station, Vermijo Streetscape at the US Olympic Museum, City Park Golf Course Tree Restoration and Protection Program and Canyons South Master Planned Community.

Tim Springer – PCL Construction

Tim has over 20 years of experience in construction management with a focus on heavy civil infrastructure and alternative delivery methods. As the Manager of Civil Infrastructure, he is responsible for the procurement and execution of civil infrastructure projects in PCL’s Denver District. His experience includes managing earthwork, grading, paving, underground, and structures on various public and private projects. He has spent the last twelve years working closely with CDOT, RTD, The City and County of Denver and projects within the CDOT right- of-way and has experience leading partnering and outreach sessions to ensure community involvement.

Molly Veldkamp – City and County of Denver

Molly Veldkamp is an optimistic problem solver at the juncture of people and projects. She works for the City and County of Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Office of Special Projects and Initiatives. Molly’s work is guided by the philosophy that public investments can be thoughtfully implemented to support community goals and prioritize equity. That every project is an opportunity to build a more resilient future and enhance community trust. That engaging diverse stakeholders brings perspective integral to identifying innovative solutions to complex problems. That collaboratively developing and agreeing to goals and performance indicators early in a process will contribute to success throughout the endeavor. That sharing complex data and ideas simply and clearly builds understanding and support with team members, the community, partners, and decision makers. And, that honesty and transparency and critical to lasting success. Molly is currently working on some of the City’s most transformation projects, including the 16th Street Mall Project, East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit, and the Waterway Resiliency Program.

Elena Sabinson, PhD – Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder ENVD

Elena Sabinson is a design researcher whose transdisciplinary work spans environmental design, psychology, and emerging technologies. With a PhD in Human Behavior & Design from Cornell University, Elena’s doctoral research focused on the development of therapeutic soft robotic surfaces designed to enhance emotional well-being through sensory engagement and self-soothing activities. As a neurodivergent researcher, Elena is passionate about the role of neurodiversity in design processes. She directs the neuro D lab at CU Boulder, which investigates how design can foster joyful experiences, accommodate diverse sensory needs, and address environmental barriers, creating spaces that empower individuals across the spectrum of human experience.

Dr. Kati Peditto – Co-Director, DLR Group
As a design psychologist and a woman with autism and ADHD, Dr. Kati Peditto is personally invested in the transformative power of evidence-based design for mental health and well-being. A celebrated expert in health and the built environment, Dr. Peditto earned her PhD in Human Behavior and Design from Cornell University before completing postdoctoral work in the Cornell Department of Human-Centered Design. A New Investigator Award winner from the Center for Health Design, her research has been showcased in the Design Lab with Bon Ku podcast, The Atlantic, and the BBC. Dr. Peditto’s journey is a testament to how neurodiversity can shape and enhance our understanding of the spaces we inhabit.