Turf Magazine: Design-Build Thrived In 2020. Will It Continue?

With industries and other retail spaces placing more importance on outdoor spaces, in part due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the demand for enhanced outdoor design-builds is rising. Even the increase in residential builds come as no surprise as families are looking to expand their living options to accommodate more time at home.

Tom Donnelly, President of BrightView’s Development Services, was interviewed by Turf Magazine for an article highlighting the increase in demand for design-builds in 2020 and beyond.

Donnelly discusses the overall change in the office building concept with more demand on options like rooftop terraces, open concepts, pop-up spaces, and courtyards.

“I think there’s going to be a more collaborative-type campus environment, with indoor and outdoor amenities,” Donnelly says. “The landscape industry will benefit significantly from the opportunity to get employees outdoors.”

With significant increases in outdoor activity associated with the pandemic, many are looking to also expand their in-home options. Residential builds saw a noteworthy increase in population centers in Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Florida.

While discussing the impact of the pandemic, Donnelly notes that even though the demand for many new projects increased, the need for social distance compliance, hygiene and safety remained a top priority. As an essential service, BrightView remained committed to safety while best caring for customers’ living assets.

“It’s a very significant shift in thinking,” Donnelly says. “And our people had to comply not just with the protocols we’ve established, but also help the general contractor improve his or her protocols. Everyone has to look out for the health of each other.”

The urgency for safer services paired with the increase in landscaping surrounding both commercial and residential projects is not just a short term need. “BrightView remains busy looking at the long-haul—not just 2021, but into 2022 and ’23,” Donnelly says.