The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 296: Gensler's Duanne Render on office to residential conversions

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Gensler senior associate and regional associate lead for building transformation and adaptive reuse Duanne Render about the challenges and opportunities of converting office and commercial building stock into residential units. Render explained that much office building stock is simply not suitable for conversion but that some conversions can significantly improve the building and create a positive residential experience. He also said construction challenges are different for conversion than for a standard residential build and that developers also have to keep in mind where the property value ls for a building and whether that balances out with the costs of conversion. Headlines in our news segment include Daily Commercial News staff writer Don Wall's story about how the federal government recently released a document titled Powering Canada Forward promising a clean energy strategy to be released in 2024 but faces industry pushback and staff writer Angela Gismondi profiles the Parliament and Co. project in Toronto. We also have a story about how federal housing minister Sean Fraser saying the federal government should have never got out of the housing business, and Warren Frey has a story about new Vancouver Regional Construction association president Jeannine Martin's goals as she takes the helm of the association. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode's interview with Edmonton Construction Association president David Johnson about why he's optimistic about the construction industry's near-term prospects is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services New government regulations don't 'help us build now': Electricity Canada Parliament & Co. project combines Toronto's old-world charm with modern living Housing minister says federal government should have stayed in housing game VRCA's new president names top issues as her tenure begins The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 240: PCL's Neoma affordable housing office conversion