b'78 SFO ENVIRONMENTALPartnering, with a Capital PPlanning and implementing an Energy Management Controlresolution since 2007 with a focus on construction dispute System at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) was aprevention and resolution since 2011. SFO has been a steady complex project that spanned seven years and involved a diverseclient for years and uses his Partnering services on most major group of entities.projects.One factor many stakeholders cited to explain its successOn this project, the airport estimates it saved nearly $2.4 was Partnering, a formal engagement process that requires allmillion due to the benefits of Partnering, and the associated stakeholders to meet regularlyfirst to plan the project in detail,service costs were less than 1% of the total project budget.then to update each other and resolve issues as they makeReaugh acts as neutral consultant, promoting collaboration ongoing progress. between the airport and other stakeholders to ensure teams Suffolk Construction, the design-build contractor for thework well together. The overriding goal is to enhance the delivery project, was one of many key participants. I would call itof construction projects. instrumental, says John McKernan, the firms senior viceBecause the EMCS was so technical in nature and the scope president of Operations. We were on a regular cadence ofhad to pivot a fair amount, we had to adapt the Partnering along facilitated partnering and it just emphasized and underscoredthe way to ensure that everybody really understood what the the importance of communication andproject was and what it wasnt, he says. Partnering offered a understanding what everyones prioritiesforum and a way for the leadership team to steer and to make were. That enabled all of us, especiallysure the core group delivering the project and in the weeds every us [Suffolk], to focus on the priorities andday had the resources or a decision they needed. goals of the project.All project participants initially met every month, later every The process was facilitated by Robother month, and then as needed. The meetings helped create Reaugh, president of OrgMetrics LLC,one set of goals regarding safety, schedule, budget, quality, who has worked in the field of conflictROB REAUGH sustainability and how the teams would work together.Part of the discipline is teasing out what the risks are and what the issues are that are in need of support, Reaugh says. For instance, fire safety components in the InternationalBLUE-SKY THINKING.Terminal Building were a particular focus. In this project in particular, we had to develop a high level of candor and LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES. transparency with the fire marshal, Reaugh explains. So, it was common for the fire marshal to meet regularly with the design/build team to review plans. Because the project pivoted several times, making sure the entire team understood the new scope was an ongoing topic/goal. Representatives from Johnson Controls and Honeywell were part of the team because their building systems were being upgraded. And Partnering allowed the airport to be one of many interested parties rather than the overseer talking at its project partners.Its absolutely intentional and its an important aspectof transparent leadership, Reaugh says. Its kind of aHelping airports thrive. profound act.Airside - Landside - FacilitiesHe considers SFO an industry leader for adapting the system, but his company has also worked with other airports, Explore our website. including Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Diego International, Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport and Kansas City International, among others.The recent project at SFO garnered a John L. Martin Silver Mike DeVoy: mdevoy@chasolutions.com Award, Buildings/Public Infrastructure category, from the Paul Puckli: ppuckli@chasolutions.com International Partnering Institute. Dan Kever: dkever@chasolutions.comJanuary | February 2026AirportImprovement.com'