MiAPPA 2025 Breakout Sessions | Infrastructure Planning and Facilities

Breakout sessions provide an opportunity to learn and interact with your colleagues from across Michigan. Return to the MiAPPA Winter Conference page.

THURSDAY 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Marygrove Conservancy: Maintenance and Upgrades Case Study
Room 105 | Jack Roma - RAM Construction Services, Bill VanMarter – RAM Construction Services
Limestone restoration on Marygrove College campus buildings.

Custodial Department Evaluation
Room 103 | David Corker - Forefront Campus Services
Elevating custodial departments through comprehensive evaluation plans to exceed industry standards and optimize resources.

Harmonizing Spaces: Integrating Biophilic, Regenerative, and Universal Design to Promote Belonging
Room 104 | Matthew VanSweden - Progressive Companies
Biophilic design provides a practical framework for understanding the intricate layers of cultural identity and connection to places that shape human experiences.

Energy Efficiency: Where’s the Bang for Your Buck?
Room 106 | Jason Baker - Design Collaborative
Overview of the primary energy consumption drivers in campus facilities and offers practical solutions to help facilities managers drive meaningful change, enhance overall energy efficiency, and maximize energy savings.

THURSDAY 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Bridging Eras: Preserving MSU's Heritage While Building for the Future
Room 105 | Dan Hocker - The Christman Company, Tamara Burns - HopkinsBurns Design Studio
Preserving historic structures at MSU while integrating modern innovations.

ASHRAE 62.1-2019 IAQP Made Simple
Room 103 | Audwin Cash - GPS/Thermalnetics, Cory Petersen - GPS/Thermalnetics
Simplified implementation of ASHRAE 62.1-2019 standards for improved energy and cost savings in university applications.

Designing with Input: Leveraging Stakeholder Feedback for Innovative University Learning Spaces
Room 104 | Cassi Ritchie – TowerPinkster, Carla Koretsky – Western Michigan University
Using stakeholder feedback to guide design decisions in university learning spaces.

Airflow Optimization for Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency
Room 106 | Dan Diehl- Aircuity, Inc., Dave Erickson – Michigan State University
Strategies for optimizing airflow in labs and vivariums to enhance energy efficiency and decarbonization.

THURSDAY 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Reimagining Existing Buildings
Room 105 | Michael Decoster - Stantec Architecture Inc.
Renovating aging buildings to meet current student needs, using Oakland University's South Foundation Hall as a case study.

Michigan MEP Code Updates
Room 103 | Kurt Cunningham – SmithGroup, Dan Yensch - SmithGroup
Key takeaways from the 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code and 2023 National Electrical Code updates.

Leveraging Accreditation and University Alignment to Define Needs
Room 104 | Bill Rapson – Fishbeck, Karen Ingle – Grand Valley State University
Space needs assessment for GVSU's Visual and Media Arts program.

The First Step to Carbon Neutrality: Calculating Your Energy Efficiency
Room 106 | Michael Tremper - Clarkson University
Achieving carbon neutrality through energy audits and tree inventories.

THURSDAY 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Harmonizing Heritage: Redesigning a Historic Music Building for Modern Education
Room 105 | Dave Larson - TMP Architecture, Jeff Human – Kirkegaard
Balancing preservation and innovation in the renovation of MSU's Music Building.

The Old & the New
Room 103 | Maura Donnelly, Kelsey Oosterhoff, Brandon List, Scott Gardner – Michigan State University
Facility owners who are dealing with pressing needs for new space and the often-ignored capital renewal needs of the existing facilities.

WMU's Mass Timber Adventure
Room 104 | Doug Campbell – Hanbury, Barry Olson – Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University's mass timber student housing project, highlighting design and sustainability benefits.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls with Heat Recovery Chiller Applications
Room 106 | Mike Hanson - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Best practices for successful heat recovery chiller applications to support sustainability goals.

FRIDAY 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Campus-Wide Impact: How Innovative Project Delivery Strategies Can Influence Change
Room 103 | Anthony Sikora - Rieth Jones Advisors
Public-Private Partnerships (P3) at Eastern Michigan University for housing and infrastructure improvements.

Leveraging Clear Goals to Enhancing Functionality, Identity, and the Student Experience
Room 104 | Ingy El-Hennway - Fishbeck, Vince Mattina – Fishbeck
Defining clear project objectives aligned with reaccreditation requirements, leveraging spaces for multiple uses to increase utilization, and emphasis on the student experience.

Revitalizing Campus Spaces: The Story of Secchia Piazza
Room 105 | Ned Baxter - Progressive Companies, Jim Van Dokkumburg – Grand Rapids Community College
Transforming an underutilized rooftop into a vibrant, multi-use space at Grand Rapids Community College.

Empowering a Multifaceted Team
Room 106 | Michael Paul Krug - SmithGroup
Latent synergies will be highlighted between skilled trades, design/engineering disciplines, and facility operators, and how they can be leveraged toward shared success.

Tracks

The sessions have be organized into tracks to help attendees select which sessions to attend.
Return to the MiAPPA Winter Conference page.

Track 1: Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Efficiency Room 106

Energy Efficiency: Where’s the Bang for Your Buck?
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Jason Baker - Design Collaborative
Overview of the primary energy consumption drivers in campus facilities and offers practical solutions to help facilities managers drive meaningful change, enhance overall energy efficiency, and maximize energy savings.

Airflow Optimization for Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency
10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Dan Diehl- Aircuity, Inc., Dave Erickson – Michigan State University
Strategies for optimizing airflow in labs and vivariums to enhance energy efficiency and decarbonization.

The First Step to Carbon Neutrality: Calculating Your Energy Efficiency
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | Michael Tremper - Clarkson University
Achieving carbon neutrality through energy audits and tree inventories.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls with Heat Recovery Chiller Applications
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | Mike Hanson - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Best practices for successful heat recovery chiller applications to support sustainability goals.

Track 2: Innovative Campus Design and Planning Room 104

Harmonizing Spaces: Integrating Biophilic, Regenerative, and Universal Design to Promote Belonging
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Matthew VanSweden - Progressive Companies
Biophilic design provides a practical framework for understanding the intricate layers of cultural identity and connection to places that shape human experiences.

Designing with Input: Leveraging Stakeholder Feedback for Innovative University Learning Spaces
10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Cassi Ritchie – TowerPinkster, Carla Koretsky – Western Michigan University
Using stakeholder feedback to guide design decisions in university learning spaces.

Leveraging Accreditation and University Alignment to Define Needs
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | Bill Rapson – Fishbeck, Karen Ingle – Grand Valley State University
Space needs assessment for GVSU's Visual and Media Arts program.

WMU's Mass Timber Adventure
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | Doug Campbell – Hanbury, Barry Olson – Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University's mass timber student housing project, highlighting design and sustainability benefits.

Track 3: Facility Management and Operational Excellence Room 103

Custodial Department Evaluation
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | David Corker - Forefront Campus Services
Elevating custodial departments through comprehensive evaluation plans to exceed industry standards and optimize resources.

ASHRAE 62.1-2019 IAQP Made Simple
10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Audwin Cash and Cory Petersen - GPS/Thermalnetics
Simplified implementation of ASHRAE 62.1-2019 standards for improved energy and cost savings in university applications.

Michigan MEP Code Updates
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | Kurt Cunningham – SmithGroup, Dan Yensch - SmithGroup
Key takeaways from the 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code and 2023 National Electrical Code updates.

The Old & the New
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | Maura Donnelly, Kelsey Oosterhoff, Brandon List, Scott Gardner – Michigan State University
Facility owners who are dealing with pressing needs for new space and the often-ignored capital renewal needs of the existing facilities.

Track 4: Heritage Preservation and Modernization Room 105

Marygrove Conservancy: Maintenance and Upgrades Case Study
9:15am – 10:15am | Jack Roma - RAM Construction Services, Bill VanMarter – RAM Construction Services
Limestone restoration on Marygrove College campus buildings.

Bridging Eras: Preserving MSU's Heritage While Building for the Future
10:45am – 11:45am | Dan Hocker - The Christman Company, Tamara Burns - HopkinsBurns Design Studio
Preserving historic structures at MSU while integrating modern innovations.

Reimagining Existing Buildings
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | Michael Decoster - Stantec Architecture Inc.
Renovating aging buildings to meet current student needs, using Oakland University's South Foundation Hall as a case study.

Harmonizing Heritage: Redesigning a Historic Music Building for Modern Education
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | Dave Larson - TMP Architecture, Jeff Human – Kirkegaard
Balancing preservation and innovation in the renovation of MSU's Music Building.

Track 5: FRIDAY TRACK 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Rooms 103, 104, 105, 106

Return to the MiAPPA Winter Conference page.