Holly St. Clair views technology as a tool for innovation. As the Chief Digital Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, she developed the Digital Service and Data Office and repositioned the state’s website. Now, she is leading a team of 16 architects, programmers, and product developers as Sasaki’s first Chief Technology Officer, responsible for that Boston-based firm’s advancements in technology through the design process.
She brings to her new job 13 years’ experience working for Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council, first with its MetroData Center and then as Director of Data Services. St. Clair was recognized recently by American Business Journals as one of the country’s “100 Influencers to Watch.”
St. Clair tells BD+C that there is a “mentality shift” at Sasaki that prioritizes computational design as well as Virtual and Augmented Reality tools that “add value” to projects.
Ellen Mitchell-Kozack is LEO A DALY's Chief Sustainability Officer, a new position for that firm. Image: LEO A DALY.
LEO A DALY has chosen as its first Chief Sustainability Officer Ellen Mitchell-Kozack, AIA, LEED BD+C, WELL AP, SEED, where she is also a Vice President. Mitchell-Kovack will be based in Dallas.
Previously, Mitchell-Kozack was Senior VP and Director of Sustainability for HKS, where she founded Citizen HKS, an initiative that levered sustainable design to address humanitarian needs. She also managed the certifications of more than 60 LEED projects worldwide.
In 2015, BD+C recognized Mitchell-Kozack as one of its 40 under 40 leaders. Three years later, Boutique Design named her as one of its “Heroes and Mavericks.”
“As designers of the built environment, we have a responsibility to address the environmental and social impacts of our work. LEO A DALY is committed to deepening our commitment to the world’s most pressing environmental and social issues. I’m excited to be involved in leveraging the firm’s integrated design expertise to affect positive change,” she said in a prepared statement.
Related Stories
Museums | Jan 18, 2023
Building memory: Why interpretive centers matter in an era of social change
The last few years have borne witness to some of the most rapid cultural shifts in our nation’s long history. If the experience has taught us anything, it is that we must find a way to keep our history in view, while also putting it in perspective.
ProConnect Events | Jan 17, 2023
3 ProConnect Single Family events for Home Builders and Product Manufacturers set for 2023
SGC Horizon, parent company of ProBuilder, will present 3 ProConnect Single Family Events this year. At ProConnect Single Family, Home Builders meet in confidential 20-minute sessions with Building Product Manufacturers to discuss upcoming projects, learn about new products, and discover practical solutions to technical problems.
University Buildings | Jan 17, 2023
Texas Christian University breaks ground on medical school for Dallas-Fort Worth region
Texas Christian University (TCU) has broken ground on the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine, which aims to help meet the expanding medical needs of the growing Dallas-Fort Worth region.
Green | Jan 17, 2023
Top 10 U.S. states for green building in 2022
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its annual ranking of U.S. states leading the way on green building, with Massachusetts topping the list. The USGBC ranking is based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year.
Libraries | Jan 13, 2023
One of the world’s largest new libraries opens in Shanghai
Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Shanghai Library East covers more than 1.2 million sf, 80% of it dedicated to community activity.
Religious Facilities | Jan 9, 2023
Santiago Calatrava-designed St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church opens in New York
In December, New York saw the reopening of the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine—the only religious structure destroyed on 9/11. Renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava designed St. Nicholas Church to address the traditional Greek Orthodox liturgy while honoring the Church’s connection with the World Trade Center Memorial site.
Government Buildings | Jan 9, 2023
Blackstone, Starwood among real estate giants urging President Biden to repurpose unused federal office space for housing
The Real Estate Roundtable, a group including major real estate firms such as Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, Empire State Realty Trust, Starwood Capital, as well as multiple major banks and CRE professional organizations, recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden on the implications of remote work within the federal government.
Sustainability | Jan 9, 2023
Innovative solutions emerge to address New York’s new greenhouse gas law
New York City’s Local Law 97, an ambitious climate plan that includes fines for owners of large buildings that don’t significantly reduce carbon emissions, has spawned innovations to address the law’s provisions.
Fire and Life Safety | Jan 9, 2023
Why lithium-ion batteries pose fire safety concerns for buildings
Lithium-ion batteries have become the dominant technology in phones, laptops, scooters, electric bikes, electric vehicles, and large-scale battery energy storage facilities. Here’s what you need to know about the fire safety concerns they pose for building owners and occupants.
Market Data | Jan 6, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending rises in November 2022
Spending on nonresidential construction work in the U.S. was up 0.9% in November versus the previous month, and 11.8% versus the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.