194th Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

This will be the 194th edition globally and the 1st edition in Atlanta which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

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Speakers & Panelists
Michael Rometo
Principal, Ware Malcomb
Michael Rometo began his career in the engineering industry in 2000 and has extensive experience across structural, MEP, and fire protection systems. As the Principal in charge of MEP and Structural Engineering at Ware Malcomb, he is focused on the...
Matthew Williams
Project Executive, Skanska
Matthew Williams, LEED® AP, Project Executive at Skanska, has been with the company for 19 years, beginning his career as an intern while earning his B.S. in Building Construction from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Over nearly two decades, Matt...
Chris Norris
Principal | Technical Director, BPL Enclosure
Chris Norris is the Technical Director for BPL Enclosure. He is a building scientist and structural engineer with over 25 years of experience providing enclosure expertise for a wide variety of project types throughout North America in all climate zones....
Marilyn Specht
Senior Principal | Director of Sustainability Integration, SmithGroup
Marilyn Specht is a Senior Principal and the Director of Sustainability Integration at SmithGroup. In this role, she works closely with the national multidisciplinary Climate IMPACT team and experts across all disciplines to integrate holistic sustainability and regenerative design, scaling...
Emily Fulton
Building Enclosure Project Manager, SK Collaborative
Emily Fulton is a seasoned building enclosure specialist with dual degrees in Civil Engineering (Georgia Tech) and Mathematics (Georgia Southwestern). She has extensive experience reviewing architectural drawings and specifications for a variety of building types, with an emphasis on building...
Mickey Leso
VP | Building Enclosure Department Manager, Epsten Group, a Salas O'Brien company
Mickey Leso is an expert in building enclosure, roofing, and waterproofing projects. His role includes coordination with internal and external teams, client outreach and support, strategic planning, and business development. He earned an integrated Bachelor/Master of Architectural Engineering degree along...
Patrick Deveau
Vice President, JLL
Patrick Deveau serves as a Vice President in JLL’s Development Management team within the Project and Development Services group in the Atlanta office. In his current role, Patrick provides project leadership for multiple commercial, residential, and large higher education projects...
Joshua R. Gassman
Principal, Sustainable Design Director, Lord Aeck Sargent
For more than 25 years Joshua Gassman has led large, multi-faceted design teams focused on complex projects with challenging design criteria. During his career he has led a broad spectrum of projects, ranging from large research labs for major universities...
Todd McClendon
Sr. Vice President, WSP
Todd brings over 36 years of aviation program and construction management experience on major capital programs. His extensive experience includes management of design, multiple construction delivery methods that include hard bid, design build, progressive design build and construction manager at...
Edmund Ramos
Vice President, WSP
Edmund Ramos brings over two decades of expertise in steering high-profile capital development initiatives, with a robust portfolio in program management. His experience spans strategic planning, program start-up and validation, contracts and commercial management, and successful project delivery. Edmund currently...
Dryden Razook
Design Principal, S9
Dryden Razook is a Principal at S9 Architecture with over 20 years of experience leading complex mixed-use, office, residential, and retail developments. He specializes in large-scale urban projects with a focus on adaptive reuse, placemaking, and integrating architecture with real...
Ross Payton
Principal | Studio Leader, Corgan
Ross has over 30 years of experience in the design, planning, and project management of aviation projects with a focus on complex terminal renovations. As principal and senior project manager, Ross provides project oversight and design guidance for team visioning,...
Mike Burnett
Senior Vice President, Holder Construction
Mike is a Senior Vice President at Holder Construction Company, a national commercial construction services firm founded in 1960, with offices in Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Columbus, Charlotte, San Jose and Washington DC. Mike has been with Holder for 29...
Kelvin Hall
Principal | Assoc. Director of Aviation & Special Projects, GVSA
With nearly three decades of architectural experience, Kelvin Hall brings a depth of knowledge across mission-critical facilities, aviation infrastructure, higher education, government, commercial, and residential projects. His work is defined by a focus on clear communication, technical excellence, and strong,...
Brooke Taylor
Principal, TVS
TVS Principal Brooke Taylor joined TVS in 2000 and has since contributed to a wide variety of projects from concept to completion. His diverse portfolio spans high-rise office towers, multimillion-square-foot convention centers, and intricate adaptive reuse projects, both domestically and...
Dave Brown
Principal, TVS
As a Principal at international architecture and design firm, TVS, Dave Brown is a recognized expert in complex mixed-use project types, in addition to his extensive work in commercial and corporate office developments. He adeptly leads complex teams and stakeholders...
Kevin Heidorn
Studio Leader, Oppenheim Architecture
With over 30 years of architectural experience across the Middle East, China, the Caribbean, and North America, Kevin Heidorn has led diverse projects spanning hospitality, multifamily, custom homes, resorts, commercial, and industrial buildings. Since joining Oppenheim Architecture in 2006, he...
Raj Sundar
Business Manager - Lumiflon® Resins, AGC Chemicals Americas
Raj Sundar is the Business and Sales Manager for the Lumiflon® Resins Portfolio with experiences in the polymers and chemicals industry including coatings and composites, in roles that include sales and business management, business development, product management, product development, sustainability...
Z Smith
Principal | Director of Sustainability & Performance, Eskew Dumez Ripple
Z Smith is Principal and Director of Sustainability and Building Performance at EskewDumezRipple, winner of the AIA Firm Award. His built work includes academic, laboratory and residential buildings earning LEED Gold and Platinum certification, and winners the AIA COTE Top...
Vaughn Schauss
Technical Services Manager - Americas, Kuraray
Vaughn Schauss is the Americas Technical Services Manager for Kuraray’s AIS division. In this role, he works with glass fabricators, architects, specifiers, structural engineers, and façade consultants on the specification, design, and use of laminated glass in buildings, and provides...
Thomas Miller
Global Head of Projects, Forster Profile Systems
Thomas Miller leads the Special Projects and Technical Consulting teams at Forster’s headquarters in Romanshorn, Switzerland. He began his career 25+ years ago as an architect at Siemens AG and later held a role in Business Development at Germany-based Dormakaba....
Eneko Igartua
Regional Façades Sales Manager, Cosentino
Eneko Igartua is the Regional Façades Sales Manager at Cosentino, where he specializes in delivering high-performance architectural solutions using innovative materials. With a strong background in sustainable design and façade systems, he collaborates closely with designers, contractors, and manufacturers to...
Eric Claeys
Founding Partner, Fassada Steel
Eric Claeys holds a degree as Civil Engineer in Construction from KU Leuven, Belgium, a degree in Industrial Engineering in Public Works from KU Leuven, Belgium, and graduated with a Master in Business Administration from the Vlerick Business School, Belgium....
Mark Chiu
Vice President, Thornton Tomasetti
Mark Chiu leads Thornton Tomasetti’s Façade Engineering Practice in Chicago and has more than 16 years of experience in design of all types of exterior envelope systems, with a focus on sustainable design. He has in-depth knowledge and a specialization...
Conference Agenda
  • Contrast and comparison: Establishing an architectural DNA to define a neighborhood
  • Star metals residences: Drawings inspiration from West Midtown’s industrial past
  • Star metal office: Shifting volumes to address an emerging office market
  • Stella at star metals: A kit of parts to create a variety of moments
Speakers:
  • Matching the right design for the right owner
  • Schedule rules, Time is money
  • Risk: Design side, schedule side, maintenance and operations
Speakers:
  • Applied sustainability
  • System supplier vs. local requirements
  • Balancing aesthetics, performance, safety and protection
Speakers:
  • Reviving underutilized buildings as catalysts for neighborhood transformation
  • Adaptive reuse façade design to meet modern demands
  • Evolving the design through construction
Speakers:
  • Optimizing solarshade and glazing systems for arts and lab spaces with critical daylight considerations
  • Developing façade thermal performance for spaces with temperature and humidity sensitivities
  • Enhancing acoustics in recording and performance spaces
Speakers:
  • What are hydrostatic loads?
  • Explore the new ASTM standard
  • Flood loads
Speakers:
  • Circular economy and sustainability
  • Ultracompact stone - What is it?
  • Case studies on ultracompact stone applications
Speakers:
  • A behind-the-scenes look at the architectural vision, and design process that shaped the city’s tallest residential tower
  • In-depth discussion on the complexities of window wall systems in high-rise concrete buildings, including strategies for accommodating axial shortening, creep, and thermal movement
  • Learn how the architectural team balanced elegance and identity at skyline scale, integrating slender proportions, material expression, and resident experience into the tower’s façade
Speakers:
  • Modular Construction Benefits: Learn how modular construction, if used the right way, accelerates project timelines and reduces on-site disruptions during complex airport upgrades
  • Maintaining Operations During Construction: Understand strategies for keeping airport facilities operational while undergoing major construction
  • Integrated Construction Approach: Gain insights into the integration of modular and traditional construction methods to optimize efficiency and minimize impacts

Ross Payton

Speakers:
  • How Georgia Tech set aggressive performance goals for their Tech Square 3 academic tower project—LEED Platinum and EUI<25—but wanted to achieve this on standard budgets
  • Construction speed for projects like these (400,000 SF, 18 stories) favors curtain wall, but high thermal performance curtain walls typically come at a substantial cost premium
  • Working together, the design team, contractor, and regional fabricators were able to achieve high performance visually rich façade while reducing construction time and first cost
Speakers:
  • Hybrid steel curtain walls, the long-waited disruption in the market?
  • Fire resistance, tower infernos belong to the past
  • Drastic reduction of CO2 emission
Speakers:
  • FEVE resins in powder coatings
  • Life cycle (cost analysis)
  • Architectural applications
Speakers:
  • Façade optimization's role in meeting sustainability certifications
  • The façade's role in reaching thermal comfort while not sacrificing daylight
  • Is it possible to have natural ventilation while maintaining a tight envelope

Joshua R. Gassman

Speakers:
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