The Green Building Matters Podcast with Charlie Cichetti: The Great Shift From Mechanical Engineering to Green Building with Chad Dorgan

The Great Shift From Mechanical Engineering to Green Building with Chad Dorgan

Oct 15, 2019

About the Episode

In this episode, we are humbled to have the Vice President of Quality and Sustainability at McCarthy, Chad Dorgan. Chad started out as a mechanical engineer and served the Air Force for four years. Chad shares with us how he transitioned from mechanical engineering to green building and much more.

Listen and learn from Chad.

Key Talking Points

Chad’s introduction
From mechanical engineering to Green building
Chad’s mentors
Building commissioning
From commissioning to McCarthy
Chad’s proudest moments
What’s the future for green building?
Chad’s gift
Decision making tips
Words of wisdom from Chad

Key Milestones of the Episode

[00:37] Getting to know Chad

[03:19] Chad’s mentors

[05:40] From the Air Force to building commissioning

[10:59] The vast shift to McCarthy

[14:52] Chad’s proudest moments

[18:32] What’s the future of the green building industry?

[21:42] Chad’s Gift

[22:31] How does Chad make decisions?

[24:54] Sneak peek on scrum

[30:02] Words of wisdom from Chad

Key Quotes from the Episode

“Use everything that you come across as tools and guides, but make sure you’re actually understanding what people want and use there.”
“We spend a lot of years trying to get a rating or getting a certification, and we sometimes miss the conversation that we should have.”
“You have to set time aside or put on the calendar for key things you need to do.”
“I spent a lot of time on that front end and make sure I’m going to where I need to go before I go.”
“There’s a lot of failures out there, but ultimately it’s, it’s going to be better, cheaper, and faster.”
“We live where we build.”
“In the end, it’s getting everyone engaged and collaborating that we got success.”
“Commissioning is helping an owner understand and document their requirements.”

Key Resources

Learn more about Chad Dorgan

Chad Dorgan is Vice President - Quality and Sustainability for McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., a 100% employee-owned national construction company specializing in complex, high technology facilities such as hospitals, research laboratories, and industrial plants. In this role, he is responsible for the development and implementation of McCarthy’s innovative Quality without Question Program and oversees McCarthy’s Virtual Design and Construction efforts, both focused upon consistently building the best buildings in America for the firm’s clients and industry partners. Chad is also responsible for McCarthy’s Sustainability Initiatives and is the Corporate Leader of McCarthy’s Green Steering Committee.

Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES

Charlie on LinkedIn

Green Building Educational Services

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