Q4 Architecture Outlook feat. G70
On April 1st, we launched the G70 Hope Grant which asks our non-profit community to make a proposal that would be transformative, bold, and out of the box.
Q&A with: Charles Kaneshiro,
AIA, LEED AP President & COO,
G7O
What were the challenges your clients overcame this year and how did you help them?
We cannot imagine any greater challenge than the Lahaina Wildfire this summer. It is still hard to comprehend the emotional, societal, property, and spiritual loss that occurred on August 8, 2023. To this day, our hearts are broken when we think about our family, friends and clients who endured through that tragic experience. Obviously, we have not overcome this challenge yet. But we are dedicated and determined to help our clients and the community for as long as it takes to bring healing and restoration.
For immediate assistance, our staff directed G70 Foundation along with our Principal group, donated a total of $90,000 to the HCF Maui Strong fund. For the long term, we are involved in multiple planning efforts aimed at community restoration and affordable housing developments.
What was the most important trend or change impacting your industry and your company in 2023?
Our January 2023 Industry Outlook noted that our construction industry challenges mirrored those of the entire nation.
- Sharp rise in the cost of materials and goods
- Lack of qualified staff and retaining staff
The federal reserve interest rate hikes have slowed the rise in construction costs, but they are still rising… just not as steeply. The commercial baseline cost to build anything new is now $1,000/SF for a no frills, simple building. Just eight years ago, the same baseline was $500/SF. While this cost seems extraordinarily high, it has had limited impact on projects in our commercial sector. However, it has made it very difficult for the non-profit sector which must raise more capital to see their projects to fruition.
Staff recruitment and retention continues to be on everyone’s minds. One of our strategies in this area has been to embrace a hybrid work culture. Our staff has an array of flexibility regarding where and when they work, and while we recommend 2-3 days in the office – it can be any day of their choosing. We also have allowed staff to relocate off-island and out of state. This approach has resulted in a higher retention rate and has attracted new talent.
How did your company and employees support the community in 2023?
On April 1st, we launched the G70 Hope Grant which asks our non-profit community to make a proposal that would be transformative, bold, and out of the box. The award of $200,000 will go to an organization(s) that will develop and implement an initiative that will create hope for Hawai‘i’s future generations. On September 1st, we received 33 outstanding proposals which have been screened and evaluated to a shortlist of 6 finalists who will be interviewed on November 18th. By the time of publication of this report, we would have announced the winner on November 28th “Giving Tuesday”.
111 S. King Street, Suite 170
Honolulu, Hawai’i 96813
(808) 523-5866 | https://g70.design
