A Quarter Century of Leed

A revolutionary green building driver at the time it debuted in 1998, the LEED Rating System remains a force for good in the design of sustainable buildings and is widely credited for helping raise A/E/C industry baseline standards.
By Brad Fullmer

It's been more than three decades—1993, to be exact—since the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was co-founded by S. Richard (Rick) Fedrizzi, David Gottfried, and Michael Italiano, which ultimately spawned the revolutionary Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 1998, a points-based rating system that offered legitimate third-party verification of green buildings.

The goal of the fledgling association was simple: Increase overall sustainability of new construction projects including improved energy efficiency and creating a better, healthier environment for building occupants—all with the goal of reducing construction's carbon footprint.

At the time, it was considered a bold initiative, with significant potential real-world benefits to the A/E/C industry. It took several years for the LEED initiative to get off the ground, but by the turn of the 21st Century, the phenomenon started taking root in the design community. 

"When LEED began in the late 90s/early 2000s, it was an incredible ambition to transform the building industry and to bring sustainability into the conversation," said Whitney Ward, Principal with Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and one of the firm's leading sustainable design experts. "[USGBC] had some big hurdles to overcome, including a general lack of knowledge about or mistrust of global warming and climate change." 

Ward said the U.S. Green Building Council and the LEED rating system had an immediate and profound effect on:
—Creating more transparency in material manufacturing and getting manufacturers to care more about developing more sustainable/greener materials (carpet, flooring, paint, textiles, etc.) 
—Highlighting the true value of sustainable buildings through "incredible marketing efforts" and spurring owner demand.
—Becoming the "go-to" third party certification agency for sustainable buildings. 

"The environmental consciousness of designers, builders, and owners [...] has really evolved to (where we say) 'we're going to do the best we can'," said Ward. 
"LEED has been an incredible tool in reshaping the industry and helping manufacturers, contractors, architects, and other industry partners understand the impact that their decisions have on the environment and on energy use," said Peter McBride, Principal with Salt Lake-based Architectural Nexus. "The conversation 20-30 years ago used to be 'how much does this cost?' or 'what is the percent increase cost in doing (LEED) vs. the baseline?' As each version of LEED established itself as an industry standard, the answer has been that LEED Certified or LEED Silver costs no more—or slightly more—than a baseline design. With each subsequent version release, LEED continues to push the boundary—sustainable design is now the baseline."

"LEED has increased awareness for sustainability and energy conservation in buildings," added Chris Cox, Building Performance Program Manager for the State of Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM). "As far as the biggest pro, LEED brought the integrated design process to the forefront—user groups, owners, maintenance teams, architects, engineers, and builders work together in achieving the best outcomes."

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The Noelle E. Cockett Life Sciences Building at Utah State University in Logan  was completed in 2018 and achieved LEED Gold certification. (photo courtesy VCBO Architecture) 

Evolution of LEED and Sustainability in Utah 

It took the USGBC several years to develop and implement its LEED rating system, which focuses on seven main areas: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation in Design Process, Regional Priority. Buildings are awarded "points" based on meeting certain environmental-based criteria. Four levels of certification are offered, depending on how many points are obtained. Initially, 40 points were offered via LEED v1, and 69 points for v2. When LEED v3 was released in 2007 (subsequently updated in 2009), designers could chase 110 points, with 40-49 being Certified and 80 and over being Platinum. 


USGBC included 13 pilot projects nationally in the first wave of buildings to obtain LEED Certified status in March 2000, including a very prominent one in Utah—the Utah Olympic Speed Skating Oval in Kearns, completed in February 2001. Salt Lake-based GSBS Architects was the lead design firm, and it was constructed by Sandy-based Layton Construction, laying the foundation for the green building movement locally. 


While the LEED rating system was an exciting new initiative for designers, hitting the requisite amount of points the first time around offered a significant learning curve.


"The most notable feature of the process was the innovation and collaboration required to move forward," said Garth Shaw, Principal and Director of Sustainability for GSBS, about getting that unique building LEED Certified, once David Brems, a Founding Principal, established it as one of the 13 USGBC pilot projects. 


Shaw often cites low-VOC paint as an example of that initial learning curve, explaining that 25 years ago even major paint manufacturers weren't cognizant of the VOC level in their product, which led to a series of calls to get the right data. 


"Today, low-VOC products are abundant, their negative health impact widely known," said Shaw. "Most interior finish products post their VOC content right on the packaging. In 1998-98, (manufacturers) did not have information readily available about the VOC content of their products."


Another collaborative effort was understanding the reflectivity of standard gray concrete as a way to reduce the heat island effect, which led to working with a transportation engineer who was researching concrete reflectivity for highway barriers. 


"It illustrated the Utah Olympic Organizing Committee's commitment to sustainability, and the spirit of innovation our state likes to project," Shaw added. 

Since the turn of the century, hundreds of projects in Utah have achieved some level of certification (specific numbers were hard to confirm; a search of Utah in USGBC website lists 696 total projects), including LEED for New Construction (NC), LEED for Building Design and Construction (BD+C), LEED for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C), LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) and LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND). Some of these categories are further broken down by market segment.


The USGBC has done a commendable job evolving its rating system over the years, with updates/improvements made every few years. LEED 2.0 quickly surpassed the original version in 2000, LEED 3.0 (called v2009) was released in 2009, LEED 4.0 followed 2013, and LEED 4.1 hit the streets in 2019. LEED 5.0 is nearing completion and in the midst of getting launched, with a public comment period running from April 3-May 20, 2024, on the Beta version, and a launch date of early 2025 targeted. 


According to Charlie Woodruff, Mountain Region Director for the USGBC, LEED 5.0 signifies how "the rating system evolves with the market," he said. "It's hard to please everybody as all markets are different, but this rating system has significant improvements." 


Woodruff mentioned how USGBC "is making it more accessible for owners to do O&M (operations and maintenance) certification based on performance data on things like energy, water, transportation, waste, the human experience. Cushman Wakefield has done a handful of office certifications and it's a new trend the last couple of years." 


The announcement of yet another version of LEED is strategic, said Garth Shaw, Principal and Sustainability Director for GSBS Architects, and a LEED BD+C AP (accredited professional)—a way for USGBC to maintain relevance and keep their place atop the burgeoning list of third-party sustainable ratings groups. 

"The USGBC's goal is market transformation," said Shaw. "That goal dictates that every new version pushes the industry to create ever-more sustainable buildings. In version 4, the USGBC rebalanced credit points to emphasize community connection, material selection, and energy performance.  We understand that version 5 will maintain a focus on these elements of sustainability and add a special focus on reducing embodied carbon and operational carbon emissions."


And while the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to LEED, it isn't the perfect system.


"It is applied as if it were a minimum-standard based code; as such, building teams and owners underestimate its value, but also the rigorous process required to be successful," said Shaw. "This has led to failures and, in many cases, a perception that creating a certified LEED project is about spending money for a plaque on the wall."


Utah has fared pretty well on a national level in getting projects LEED certified, although nowhere near what states with sizeable metro areas like California (L.A., San Francisco) and Washington (Seattle) are doing on a square foot basis per capita. According to the USGBC, Utah ranked No. 10 in 2015 in square footage of LEED projects per capita at 1.63 (31 total projects) and was No. 9 in 2021 at 1.48 (21 projects). The past two years, Utah has slipped to middle-of-the-pack status, a sign of some LEED fatigue from local owners. 


"LEED still has a presence in Utah, but it feels somewhat secondary to a strong sustainability market," said Shaw. "We find when our clients are interested in sustainability there isn't a specific drive to certification systems as much as environmental performance.  We are still making strides on our projects but have fewer LEED certified work in the current market."


Shaw said GSBS only designed one LEED certified project (v4.0 Gold), Lindquist Hall at Weber State University since 2019, but noted an uptick of current projects aiming for LEED, including a v4.1 Commercial Interiors certification for the firm's recent office renovation, and several notable projects for higher education and ski industry clients, which will aim for certification in the next 12-18 months upon completion. 

Daybreak Library in Herriman was completed in 2022 and achieved LEED Gold certification. Architectural Nexus’ Salt Lake Office (below) achieved LEED Platinum certification. (photos courtesy Architectural Nexus) 

Public Owners Often Drive LEED 

Public and municipal owners, particularly ones like Federal behemoth, General Services Administration (GSA), have been advocates of LEED and drivers of requiring certification for new and renovated projects. The GSA started requiring all of its federal projects to achieve basic LEED Certified status in 2003; which evolved to LEED Silver in 2007, and LEED Gold in 2010. 


Locally, Salt Lake City Corp. initially passed an executive order in 2006 stating that all new and renovated projects would aim for LEED Silver certification. The City then drafted a comprehensive Energy Management executive order in 2015 along with an Elevate Buildings program in 2016—designed with the intent to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency. 


The State of Utah's Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) is the largest single owner in the Beehive State, with nearly 3,800 total buildings totaling $12 billion in value to look after. According to Cox, sustainability has always been a high priority for DFCM, which devised and released its own rating system—the High-Performance Building Standard (HPBS)—in 2006. 


Cox said this version was "LEED-like" with a setup that had most of the requirements for a formal certification process. Over the next two years, many institutions of higher education nationwide signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and pushed for the adoption of a formal LEED standard, which by 2009 was revised to require LEED Silver certification. 


In 2011, DFCM began implementing enclosure performance measures like the whole building air test (WBAT) and standardizing systems commissioning procedures. 


"DFCM wants predictable, reliable, efficient, and durable systems that promote healthy and productive workspaces," Cox surmised. "While covered in LEED, it was clear to us that requiring more in-depth design reviews under the premise that everything would be field tested produced better outcomes. This translates to fewer roof leaks, improved access to natural light, ventilation systems that are field tested to meet our requirements, and at the same time, reduce the overall cost of ownership." 


DFCM revised its performance metrics even further, with a revision of HPBS in 2014 that removes the LEED certification requirement from major universities, while still offering optimum sustainability.


"Knowing our big Universities would continue to pursue LEED, the revisions made [in 2014] complimented LEED and delivered LEED Silver or better performance," Cox added. "In short, LEED heavily influenced the HPBS."


Cox shared an example of 2013 LEED Certified technical college to a similar non-certified technical college completed in 2015. The 2015 project included in-depth design reviews and enhanced field testing. The "outcome-based approach" yielded nearly 50% energy cost savings and cut O&M costs by 37% vs. the 2013 project, which Cox said translates into over $10 million saved over the life of the building. 


The Salt Lake City Department of Airports is also pro-LEED, with the first phase of the overall four-phase, $5.1 billion "New SLC" airport redevelopment earning LEED Gold status in September 2021. 


Other notable LEED projects in Utah include: 

—175,000 SF Daybreak Corporate Center in South Jordan, the first LEED Platinum certified project in 2010.

—Alta Stone at the Gateway Apartments, the first LEED Platinum Multi-Family project. 

—Architectural Nexus' Salt Lake Office, certified LEED Platinum in 2011. 


Nexus' Salt Lake City 30,000 SF office is a fantastic adaptive reuse of a 1950s-built structure that earned LEED NC v3 (2009) Platinum by earning 80 points—illustrating the firm's initiative to "walk the walk" by investing in the health and well-being of its 90+ employees. 


McBride said the firm's Sacramento office is LEED NC v4 Platinum and Living Certified by the International Living Foundation, while the Salt Lake office is LEED Platinum v3 and also pursuing Petal Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), a far more rigorous level of sustainability compared to LEED, and one of several "green building" rating systems that have popped up in the past 20 years. 



"We see many of our government and civic clients continue to pursue LEED because it is mandated or required by regulation or legislation," McBride said. "Many private owners are either doing it because it is part of their business values or if they are marketing to a demographic that values sustainable design. Even then, many clients are electing to establish their own set of sustainable criteria (rather than using LEED or another third-party rating system) and marketing independent and specific features and initiatives that their project highlights."

The Utah Olympic Speed Skating Oval is Utah’s first LEED Certified building and one of 13 original projects from USGBC’s LEED Pilot program in 2001. (top photo courtesy GSBS Architects; bottom photo by Leo Geis, courtesy VBFA) 

LEED Opinions Vary Among Private Developers

Opinions of LEED among private owners and developers vary widely, often based on a company's philosophy of developing and holding long-term vs. flipping properties within five years. 


"In all honesty, I have a love/hate relationship with LEED," said Daniel Thomas, Regional Partner for St. John Properties (SJP) in Pleasant Grove, an active developer in Utah since 2013 with 1.2 million SF in 30 buildings on four developments. The company is a Top 5 LEED developer in the nation per USGBC, with six million SF of space in just over 100 LEED certified projects, including Valley Grove III in Pleasant Grove as of April 2024. 


Thomas believes LEED has good intentions and offers a good structure for developers, but the process itself has become cumbersome and taxing, particularly the past five years. 


"There is immense value in the true environmental and sustainable intent of LEED," he said, "but as newer versions have come out the benefits are being outpaced by the bureaucracy and costs."


At the ribbon cutting April 19 of the Holcim/Elevate Commercial Roofing Systems & Lining manufacturing and distribution center, a LEED Certified plaque was presented to the owner, Idaho Falls-based Riverbend Management. 


"It makes the property more valuable," said Devin Belnap, Vice President of Real Estate Development for Riverbend. "We are long-term owners; we won't sell this building." 


Belnap said Riverbend projects—which includes the Ancestry.com and Exactware office buildings in Lehi—have some type of sustainability guideline. 

"Most of our projects have long-term sustainable design characteristics, and some of them are LEED certified," he said. "If I'm buying a building and I know it's LEED certified, I know I'm getting a good product."


Brad Holmes, President of Sandy-based Larry H. Miller Real Estate, said his company is committed to developing sustainable projects, but LEED doesn't necessarily fit their overall vision, despite being a notable program.


"We have a desire to build sustainable projects," said Holmes, citing LHM's purchase of Daybreak in April 2021, along with its development of a Downtown Daybreak area that includes the new Salt Lake Bees Ballpark for Utah's Triple-A baseball team. "We look at not just a (specific) building, but rather how walkable a community is [...] or if it is located near transit [...] or how can we recycle water. On all our building projects we'll build to a sustainable metric, but probably not LEED."


The S.J. Quinney College of Law Building at the University of Utah was completed in 2015; it earned LEED Platinum certification, a level most higher education projects don’t pursue. (photos courtesy VCBO Architecture) 

LEED, WELL, LBC: What Makes Sense for Owners Today? 

The USGBC will forever get credit for the being the first organization to create a comprehensive independent rating system for sustainable buildings, which in turn has spawned several other notable groups looking to make their mark on helping reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment. Some of these include the International Living Future Institute's Living Building Challenge and Petal Certification, the WELL rating system that focuses directly on occupant health and wellness, the Energy Star system promoted by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Green Globes, a program run by the Green Building Institute. So many choices can leave owners (and designers) wondering what's best for their project. 


"For firms creating highly sustainable designs, it is a bit of a post-certification world," said Shaw. "Clients and architects have come to understand that a deeply sustainable project does not have to have a label. In fact, labels can divert meaningful alignment of sustainable features with client values by dictating what the team focuses on.”


"That said," Shaw continued, "the WELL rating system offers a fresh set of criteria focusing directly on occupant wellness. While WELL certification criteria veer widely from traditional building design, teams that address these criteria enhance sustainability in ways that LEED-only projects do not."


Shaw said The Living Building Challenge also offers a "framework for clients that want to go beyond LEED and drastically reduce a project's environmental footprint. These rating systems have a meaningful place in today's design and construction world."


Ward remains partial to LEED in many ways and said it still reigns supreme for its brand recognition. 


"The LEED rating system, what it asks you to do, is more par for the course than it's ever been," said Ward. "It's still the best marketing strategy we have for conveying sustainable design. If you say a project is a 'high-performance building', people don't know what that means outside the [A/E/C] industry. If you say it's a LEED Certified building, people know what it means, and that you have done something above and beyond the standard to get that plaque."


Intermountain Healthcare has a baseline design standard of LEED Silver on its projects, including Alta View Hospital in Sandy (top), while Huntsman Cancer Institute Phase IV also earned LEED Silver. (courtesy Architectural Nexus) 

Like a Phoenix Rising

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Residents have access to a wealth of modern, high-class amenities: Check out this open-air rooftop patio with tasteful lighting, pool, and spacious hot tub—it’s party time! (all photos courtesy Kier Construction)

Mission In Progress

By LADD MARSHALL • November 15, 2025
Steve Green is out in McCornick, Utah. Where is that? And what’s near McCornick? “Nothing,” joked Green, the Sr. Vice President for Wheeler Machinery Co. While he may be far from even the smallest of small towns, with Holden and its 492 residents 13 miles away, he’s close to the site of a major development in data center technology. Isolated on the western edge of the Sevier Desert, the Joule Data Center will also be isolated from the grid—by design. Operation Gigawatt Rolls On Green is one of many energy and power professionals hoping to double Utah’s power generation capacity by 2034 as a part of Operation Gigawatt, an initiative launched by Utah Governor Spencer Cox in October 2024. Utah has long been an economic growth leader; Operation Gigawatt aims to make Utah a power player in energy development by increasing transmission capacity, increasing energy production, strengthening policy, and investing in energy innovation. While Governor Cox’s Operation Gigawatt moves forward statewide, out in McCornick, Green said, “We’re doing operation gigawatt and a half off grid.” The Joule Data Center project team will deliver “In-situ power generation”—power not connected to any electrical distribution or transmission system. It starts with Caterpillar G3520K reciprocating generator sets that produce 1.5 gigawatts of electricity. Waste heat and exhaust from the generators then move through an absorption chiller system as part of the overall systems combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) solution, providing much of the water required to cool the data center servers. Beyond the electric power to be generated for the Joule project, there will be 1.5 gigawatts of thermal energy and 1.1 gigawatts of available battery storage to meet the data center's peak electricity needs. Added Green, “And we’re not taxing the local utility grid.” Isolated or Community Power? The massive power capabilities delivered there are impressive, but they reveal a troubling trend in how Utah will double its power generation capabilities. Will it be from well-funded companies looking to power data centers and AI technology separate from the grid? Or will Utah fulfill the mission of Operation Gigawatt by creating power solutions accessible to all? According to Troy Thompson, Chief Operations Officer for Big-D Companies, power generation is about more than supplying data centers. “In my mind, how do we build a billion-dollar hospital downtown that needs ten megawatts of power?” he said, referencing Intermountain Health’s future downtown Salt Lake campus, “let alone the data centers, and manufacturers who we are hoping that will come here?” Ten megawatts of power may pale in comparison to what data centers require, but it is one of many projects seeking regulatory approval to move forward. The Utah Inland Port Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and others continue to drive projects and jobs into Utah—data centers, too. But Thompson said he has heard from many potential clients who are hesitant to bring their energy-intensive projects to the state without firm guarantees of available power. Operation Gigawatt and state leaders have embraced an "all of the above" approach to energy sources, extending the design lifespans of coal plants, embracing new technologies and power sources, and developing new power-generating capabilities. While the industry is willing, the operating environment needs rewiring to meet state goals. Changing for 21st Century Needs “With as hot as the Utah market is,” began Eric Haslem, “there are too many obstacles for us to overcome.” The market may be ready to ramp up production, said Haslem, Chief Operating Officer for Vernal-based utility and heavy civil contractors BHI, “But the current system can’t handle it. We have this massive web of transmission and distribution infrastructure that was not designed or built for the power demands of the 21st century.” “In 1970, they didn’t know what a smartphone was,” Haslem said, “let alone AI.” Transmission projects have been developed. Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway South transmission line—a 416-mile, high-voltage 500-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Mona to Medicine Bow, Wyoming—certainly helped when it went live in 2024. Still, it's just one project amidst a plethora of needs. Haslem stated that Utah's growth over the last 10 years meant a large majority of the transmission line's capacity was accounted for when it went live. .

One-Stop Shop

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."—KJV Matthew 25:40 From a social and community impact standpoint, few projects match the value to disabled and special needs individuals as the new Utah State Development Center (USDC) Comprehensive Therapies Building in American Fork. The $36 million, 65,000-SF facility was designed as a "one-stop shop," said Joe Jacoby, President of Salt Lake-based Jacoby Architects, whose team led the project’s design. It consolidates and modernizes myriad services under one roof, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech, language, and hearing resources, and behavioral health resources. In addition, the new building offers full-service medical and dental clinics, an indoor therapy pool, an Autism treatment wing, and workshops for life skills and vocational training—all geared to helping people live independent, authentic lives, while striving to reach their full potential. "This building was very much about accessibility," Jacoby said, "and putting in many different types of resources for these residents—all in one building." Jacoby's firm has significant recent experience in projects that combine education and healthcare for people with special needs. The firm's design of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence in Utah State University's College of Education and Human Services earned UC+D's 2016 Most Outstanding K-12 Project. Two years later, the firm earned another UC+D award for the C. Mark Openshaw Education Center for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, a project similar to this one in that it contains an array of services, including education and therapy for varying levels of sensory, behavioral, physical, and cognitive abilities. "We've been working on different [design] aspects for many years, starting with a deaf preschool, which led to working with the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind," said Jacoby. "With that came many other sub-specialties, like therapy for behavioral issues, cognitive issues, development disabilities, and even speech, language and hearing clinics. It helps people with a variety of disabilities and serves an underserved population of people."

Built Different

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
On a fall tour of Utah State University's (USU) Carolyn & Kem Gardner Learning & Leadership Building (Gardner Building), students and faculty are hard at work on a late Tuesday afternoon. Getting here, where USU's business school students could thrive, was a long time coming. The University commissioned the Gardner Building to meet a new mission for the school outside the traditional knowledge acquisition and transfer for which USU has excelled since its founding in 1888: Giving students a differentiated experience they cannot get anywhere else. Purpose Revealed Frank Caliendo, Senior Associate Dean of the Huntsman School of Business, said that the new building is the third and final piece of the business complex, "a realization of the longtime vision of Dean Douglas Anderson, the driving force behind the school's transformation, to meet the needs of students for generations to come." Caliendo, a longtime Aggie (USU BS, '98; PhD, '03), said that, even after the opening of the George S. Eccles Business Building and its faculty offices and classrooms in 1970, growth in business courses eventually outpaced the school's capacity. Jon M. Huntsman Hall's 2016 opening broke the campus bottleneck, with classrooms and other spaces dedicated to business school participants. "But we still needed space for our centers and experiential learning programs," Caliendo said, of the importance of collaborative spaces and differentiated experience for the five programs (see page XX) that would call the Gardner Building home. The design intent for this final piece wasn't a re-creation of Huntsman Hall, Caliendo said of the initial message to MHTN Architects, "But it does need to rhyme with Huntsman Hall." Working within a Busy Environment The first order of business was siting the building just east of the other two business school structures. Stan Burke, Project Manager for Jacobsen Construction, said the Gardner Building was part of a trio of projects that included Ridge Point Hall and a parking garage—three Jacobsen-led projects that utilized the same construction corridor as construction commenced from "An active campus is difficult enough," said Burke of the challenges of simultaneous construction, which required constant coordination amongst the three teams, made a tad easier as they shared a job trailer. "We had to stay cognizant of the school's activities and coordinate with them so that everyone was aware of what we were doing." Coordination went from important to critical, with the three teams meeting daily to discuss coordination and scheduling material and equipment deliveries in 15-minute intervals as the respective construction teams worked on each of the three structures.

The Long and Winding Road

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Warren and Jennie Lloyd (above) have built Salt Lake-based Lloyd Architects into a well-rounded, versatile firm capable of excelling in both the commercial and custom residential markets, as evidenced by projects such as Snuck Farm in Pleasant Grove (main photo) and this cozy private Powder Mountain based cabin in Eden (below ).

Power Player

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
The last five years have been a whirlwind for the Larry H. Miller Company (LHM), with the organization selling the majority of its beloved Utah Jazz franchise in October 2020 for a reported $1.66 billion, followed by the sale of its auto dealership empire of more than 70 properties for a reported $3.2 billion a year later. The influx of nearly $5 billion was parlayed into several jaw-dropping real estate and other corporate purchases, including: —1,300 undeveloped acres within the massive 4,100-acre Daybreak development in South Jordan in April 2021. —Advanced Health Care Corp. in January 2021, a transitional health care provider with operations in eight states (primarily in the west) and 3,500 employees. —The purchase of the majority stake in Swig, a leader in the flavored soda craze, in May 2023. — Partnering with Utah Trust Lands Administration to develop 1,200 acres in Saratoga Springs. — The acquisition of over 1,000 acres near Park City and Hideout will include multi-family units, housing, restaurants, and retail. —100+ acre mixed-use development in an area along North Temple being dubbed “The Power District”; the future home of not only Rocky Mountain Power’s new corporate campus but potentially a ballpark for a future Major League Baseball expansion team. —A reported $600 million acquisition of controlling interest in MLS team Real Salt Lake and NWSL team Utah Royals, along with associated infrastructure, including America First Field and Zions Bank Training Center. —The development of Downtown Daybreak, a 200-acre parcel that this year saw its 30-acre Phase I debut with the completion of the Salt Lake Bees' new 8,000 capacity stadium—dubbed The Ballpark at America First Square—in April, followed by a new Megaplex cinema entertainment center in July with luxury theatres, bowling, games and a scratch-made kitchen in addition to an open air plaza. A seven-story, 190-unit multi-family development is currently under construction and rising along the right field bleachers, with views that will look down into the ballpark upon completion next year. And LHM is just getting started, said Brad Holmes, President of Larry H. Miller Real Estate since 2018, calling Downtown Daybreak a "new urban center that is central to where the majority of growth is occurring" and combines a "full spectrum of business and year-round entertainment, culture and connectivity, as well as a wide range of housing options." When LHM executives first conceived of a new home for the Salt Lake Bees, Holmes said they went on a "ballpark tour" of MLB and minor league stadiums, and "really fell in love with a ballpark" in Durham, North Carolina—home of the Durham Bulls—which had buildings that framed in the stadium. So, The Ballpark at America First Square has the multi-family project underway in right field, with a proposed hotel slated to begin next year in left field. "In another two seasons, you'll have this urban setting for the ballpark that frames the mountain views. [The design is] really intentional, and I think it will bring a finished edge to Downtown Daybreak," said Holmes. "It was a process trying to figure out the best location, site plan, traffic, but it's in a great spot. The goal for us was to make it feel like it fit in with the community, almost like having a baseball stadium inside of a park, with an open corridor that connects to a plaza."  Holmes said the seemingly small 8,000-capacity stadium (about half the capacity of the Bees former home at Smith’s Ballpark) aligns with national trends. "It's better to play in front of a sold-out crowd than in a half-empty stadium. Some new MLB stadiums are at 30,000 [capacity]. The trend is smaller, more intimate venues with closer views of the field."

Hogan Construction 80th Anniversary

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
Much has changed about Hogan & Associates Construction since the company's inception 80 years ago. The name may be the most obvious example, the size of the company may be another giveaway, and the difference in markets served might require a double take if the founders could see the company today. But what hasn't changed is the firm's desire to build communities. It has regularly built important, community-focused projects with a similar purpose since the company came to life in 1945.

(De)signed, Sealed, Delivered

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
Imagine this: A company has just begun a meeting with the intent of moving forward with a major investment. One party knows something that will help minimize the investment's risk. Should that party tell everyone, it will save money, time, and everyone involved from future headaches. So when should that party spill the beans? At the beginning of the meeting At the end of the meeting At the right time during the meeting Never Bradley Crocker, Director of Preconstruction for Mollerup Glass, has seen how answering this question correctly—and choosing “A”—brings about successful and profitable investment in commercial construction. “I think that [project teams] need to bring in subcontractors early to help guide budgets in general,” said Crocker, detailing how every trade can bring a similar level of expertise to architects and owners by being involved from the beginning of the “meeting”, while the project is in design. Why? “We can vet cost versus performance and find the best value for the performance, which is essential as meeting or beating the budgets gets the project to construction on time,” said Ben Hiatt, Chief Estimator for Steel Encounters. After all, he said, “Nothing moves if budgets are not met.” Design-assist is a positive step forward, where subcontractors assist in matching design intent with a deep understanding of building envelopes to ensure glazing, roofing, walls, and fenestrations perform at their highest level. Glenn Rainey, Salt Lake City Branch Manager, and Larry Luque, Senior Estimator and Business Developer for Flynn Companies, each said efforts in design-assist fulfill what owners and architects want: buildings that meet the design intent and perform at their highest level for as long as possible. It’s not just architects who benefit from that early involvement. “More GCs realize they need us right up front,” said Luque. With teams whose combined experience totals thousands of hours, building envelope contractors stay up to date on changing codes, materials, and specifications, which is highly beneficial to the project. Their close involvement with vendors can help ensure a variety of solutions that meet each job’s needs and help optimize building envelope performance. Consultant Involvement Other parties are lending their expertise. Brandt Strong said building envelope quality has increased with the arrival of more building envelope consultants in Utah and a greater dedication to the building envelope in general. “We had a time where we could say ‘This is a Vegas project, and we have to have the belt and suspenders,’” said Strong, Director of Operations for Mollerup Glass. On Utah projects, the building envelope used to be an afterthought. But it’s changed for the better over the years. “The Utah teams are as sophisticated as anywhere else.” While the markups on shop drawings can draw some ire, both mentioned how working with consultants has led to better, more efficient projects, potentially reducing the need for future repairs by inspecting every material and transition on the building envelope. Said Crocker, “We cannot discredit the envelope consultants’ role in making us, and the industry as a whole, perform at a higher level.” Hiatt credited each party overseeing the building envelope scope for learning and adapting to create a better building environment, specifically in understanding seismic drift and its relationship to glazing, as well as thermal performance and continuity. Improvements to air-barrier coordination and tie-ins to stop water and air leaks are helping buildings operate at peak efficiency. “The architects, general contractors, consultants, and trades have improved their knowledge over the years,” said Hiatt. “Design and execution of façades are better coordinated and executed.”

Taylor Electric Thriving at 50

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Taylor Electric proved its mettle on the challenging Salt Lake International Airport, Southeast Concourse project, with their portion of work concluding in October 2023. (all photos courtesy Taylor Electric)

Hungry and Ready

By Bradley Fullmer and Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
By Bradley Fullmer It's been a whirlwind 18 months for Adam Del Toro and Nick Pexton, who co-founded Fountain Green-based Reliance Engineering Services in May 2024, a company specializing in full-service telecommunications engineering, including design, project management, permitting, and funding and grant applications. Two years ago, Del Toro was more than a decade into his career as a Research & Development Supervisor for natural gas giant Dominion Energy, while Pexton was working for Nephi-based Rocky Mountain West Telcom (RMWT) as a Sr. Director of Business Development, with just over four years at the company. The two had met a couple of years earlier while collaborating on a potential fiber optic network project in Mona that never happened. Neither was particularly content with their respective positions, so when Del Toro got a random call from Pexton in March 2024, the timing could not have been better. "I was planning on leaving the natural gas industry and start my own firm [...] Nick happened to call the day I was putting in my two weeks [at Dominion],” said Del Toro, 39. "It definitely felt like Providence was helping us." "Somebody was looking after us, because the timing was unbelievable," added Pexton, 35. "It's crazy how things lined up." Del Toro is a native of St. George and earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Utah State University in 2011. After 2.5 years as a USU Graduate Research Assistant, he joined Dominion Energy in January 2013, where he designed major natural gas systems and structures. Del Toro also earned a Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Kentucky) in 2023, and moonlights as a counselor at The Center for Hope in Springville, where he helps clients address life challenges both personally and professionally. Pexton is a native of Nephi and studied at Utah Valley University from 2008 to 2010, and earned the Certified Telecommunications Network Specialist designation from Teracom Training Institute (2013-2014). Pexton joined Nephi-based Mid-State Consultants, a telecommunications engineering firm, in March 2011 and spent more than nine years there. He joined RMWT in June 2020, gaining experience in project management and operations. After that fortuitous phone call from Pexton to Del Toro, the pair met four times from March to May to "make sure we were aligned on what the company would look like," Pexton said. "It was a pretty quick process," added Del Toro. "We got talking about goals, how to build a general company vision. I trusted Nick's background and experience, and his character, as well. It was a big risk, but I'm a sink-or-swim guy. If those are my options, I'm going to swim!" Since teaming up, the pair have been aggressive regarding company growth, having exploded from just the two of them to 30 employees, with revenues expected to more than quintuple from $560,000 in 2024 to nearly $3 million by the end of this year. Both expect the telecommunication market to be a fruitful, busy market given the need for fiber optics to rural America, in addition to the "Internet for All" initiative in May 2022 that was part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) implementation of the infrastructure law that allocated $65 billion to improve high-speed Internet access. Utah, specifically, received $330 million, with the goal of reaching some 40,000 unserved homes and businesses. The firm's location in Sanpete County puts them in the center of the state geographically, and they're committed to working with communities of all sizes to improve their internet capacity. In addition to Utah, Reliance is working in Michigan and Oklahoma, and Del Toro and Pexton expect to land significant future work throughout the Midwest. They want to grow intentionally while ensuring a diversity of revenue streams. "We set some early goals, and we've been able to do really well—we're on track to beat our goals," said Del Toro, crediting the many employees who have joined the firm. "Those individuals took great risks coming on board. We anticipate we'll be even larger next year with the work coming down the pipeline." "Our outlook has been wise," said Pexton. "We've taken into consideration diversification into other sectors—that's a key element. Adam has experience in the natural gas industry, and we want to further our diversification and get into the power side of the industry." Major clients include the federal government (USDA), utility companies, and municipalities, with a focus on rural communities. "We love Sanpete County," said Del Toro. "We value helping the communities we live and work in and providing services that help build up the community and hopefully help the residents." "We depend on repeat work from 18 major clients, and continuously getting work from them," said Pexton. "The minute we stop doing a good job, they can go someplace else. As long as we do a good job, we'll keep getting work." The pair expect Reliance to maintain its explosive growth, perhaps even doubling its employee total in another 12 months. "Next year's [revenue] goal is $4.8 million," said Pexton. "We have confidence in what our workload will be like. We are scaling quite dramatically and want to grow at a healthy pace, where we're not stringing ourselves out too thin. We're in a good position right now."