Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
NOTABLE SUSTAINABLE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
My Agility & Certifications
Timeline
Generic

Alex Morales, AIA, EDAC

Houston

Summary

Adept, inventive, curious, and award-winning licensed architect and environmental designer bringing 15+ years of training and successful project execution in architecture, construction management, and client relationship strategy with a focus on sustainable design. I leverage my diverse professional background to build consensus and value for cross-functional teams working in the built environment and real estate space.

Overview

16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Project Manager, Development

Cushman & Wakefield
05.2023 - Current
  • Planning, designing, and benchmarking scopes, budgets, and schedules for multiple projects, with current projects totaling over $16M. This includes mechanical, electrical, civil, industrial, and sustainability applications with a focus on ESG strategy
  • Vetting, interviewing, and selecting Architects and Engineering Teams to undertake new project ventures via development of robust and scope-accurate RFP's
  • Manager of project teams totaling over 17 individual contributors, including evaluating progress goals for onboarded architects, engineers, and general contractors
  • Coordinating and meeting with local AHJ's to address permitting comments and deficiencies
  • Collaborating with investors, designers, and real estate brokerage teams to develop schematic designs that define project proformas and determine direction of new project ventures
  • Principal of oversight for assigned projects' performance, including budget management , consultant negotiations, and confirming adherence to environmental regulations
  • Leading weekly Owner, Contractor, Architect (OAC) meetings to ensure successful delivery of project portfolio consisting of 14 concurrent projects all at different stages of deliverable timelines
  • Through LEED Certification, currently serve as in-house SME and resource on sustainable strategy
  • Developing content and engaging in speaking events at AEC and real estate functions to appropriately represent firm's interests and to develop new business prospects
  • Provide detailed project status reports and pitching new project ventures to stakeholders, executive management, and new clients to retain new projects
  • Manage project administrative and budgetary control scopes that entail planning, organizing, and defining of project milestones through team collaboration.

Sr. Structural Steel Specialist

American Institute of Steel Construction
06.2017 - 05.2023
  • Crafted successful construction and feasibility deliverables showing the viability of sustainable steel options by working across organization's departments to meet requests of design and construction teams
  • Liaised with construction and design teams to develop strong regional market presence, including forming strong connections between fabricators and designers to establish steel market relevance with architectural design and to minimize material waste
  • Creator and Program Manager for Forge Prize, a national design competition focused on sustainable architecture that engages innovative and environmentally conscious use of steel materiality in architectural design.
  • Developed and delivered 100+ effective and engaging presentations covering technical content, construction trends, sustainability, ESG topics, and construction markets forecasting related to the steel industry
  • Effectively consulted with project teams to assess and strategize in the creation of viable steel options for prospective projects, resulting on average in 65% successful concrete-to-steel flips to reduce embodied carbon in the Houston market.
  • Developed and executed civic programs, including design charrettes , elevating the profile of sustainable design approaches and developing collaborative, community-focused design approaches to lower carbon emissions in buildings.
  • Grew local market presence by developing and nurturing over 100 client accounts that included architects, engineers, contractors, developers and owners.
  • Appeared in national podcasts, industry panel discussions, and trade magazines to deliver construction subject matter expert content focusing on sustainability and material innovation while representing organization's services and market presence
  • As part of AISC's national programs , led, developed, and launched organizations first science-based targets cohort to serve as a resource for the general steel industry in setting sustainability goals.
  • Engaged with local universities to present on steel-focused seminars and cradle-to-cradle sustainable design, including multiple invitations by faculty as guest lecturer at the University of Houston Downtown.
  • Designed, developed, and deployed creative, tailored, and economical marketing campaigns, with a focus on high ROI, to raise the profile of sustainable design in localized market. This included designing and launching the company's first large-scale marketing campaign branded as Sustained in Steel, achieving participation of over 25 design industry partners.

Project Engineer (Project Manager)

Kiewit Building Group
10.2013 - 06.2017
  • Effectively managed designers, contractors, and consultants to increase project profit margins ranging from 15-35% on average
  • Large scope management, including +150,000 SF federal IDIQ project contracts at Johnson Space Center
  • Achieved efficient project schedules, including completing complex system-critical utility construction overhaul at NASA JSC B13 in 72 hours, 43% faster than original proposal
  • Managed timely acquisition and accuracy of project deliverables by developing precise and efficient project schedules, establishing team accountability, and benchmarking milestones using technical software
  • Delivered 4 concurrent retail finish-out projects ahead of schedule .
  • Championed for design optimization and identifying qualitative and quantitative deficiencies at design and construction phases
  • Coordinated efficient weekly Owner, Architect, and Contractor meetings to confirm project status reports and project contract compliance
  • Advised on and coordinated vendor selection, purchase orders, and scheduling of owner-procured materials to reduce budgets
  • Instituted design-focused solutions and constructability reviews to deliver projects on time and on budget
  • Championed and exercised inclusive and effective foreign language command to eliminate field deficiencies and build confidence with foreign clientele
  • Reviewed, confirmed, and reconciled pay applications, ensuring project contract/budget compliance. Project financials & Month-end reporting and forecasting .

Project Designer & Coordinator

BRW Architects
12.2007 - 10.2013
  • Developed/managed project design deliverables at programming, pre-construction, schematic design, design development, permitting, construction, commissioning and project closeout phases
  • Prepared and managed LEED sustainability performance goals and criteria for individual projects, ensuring certifications for over 13 LEED projects in firm's portfolio
  • Accurately developed and managed proforma and construction documents using AutoCAD, Revit, E-Builder, and related technical software
  • Managed complex scope, including +135,000 SF major community college renovation and addition, with mixed retail
  • Managed robust and detailed field reports , review and prioritization of submittal responses, and timely investigation and response of RFIs
  • Explored and implemented functional, aesthetic, and data-driven solutions to achieve buildings' operational functions and design intent focused on sustainability
  • Coordinated, nurtured, and built relationships with local permitting agencies to optimize construction pipeline process
  • Drafted and developed construction documents that elevated, differentiated and functioned on-brand and on-strategy to meet design objectives
  • Negotiated with vendors on availability, product specifications, distribution, delivery deadlines, and price

Education

MBA - Real Estate

University of Arizona (in Progress)
Tucson, AZ
12.2024

Bachelor of Environmental Design - Architecture

Texas A&M University College of Architecture
College Station, TX
12.2005

Skills

  • Construction management: mixed-use, retail, commercial, tenant improvement, and federal projects Ground-up renovations
  • Architectural design background and expertise in programming, pre-design, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and project close-out
  • Project contract preparation, execution, and administration
  • Reconciling pay applications, change management, and project budgets
  • Project Financials Forecasting and Month-End Reporting
  • Quality control, quality assurance, cost controls
  • Gant and CPM project scheduling and construction sequencing
  • Consultant/vendor coordination, procurement, and contract negotiation
  • Permitting , environmental sustainability, and safety control plan development
  • Managing project teams, identifying improvement areas, and leveraging strengths of team contributors
  • Submittals , life safety, accessibility, and code reviews
  • Robust knowledge in ESG Strategy and Lowering of Embodied Carbon via design
  • Building commissioning and LEED compliance
  • Design and constructability reviews
  • MEP, IT, FF&E Interiors Systems integration
  • Public speaking and representing company interests
  • Spanish, Portuguese, English
  • Computer and Software Skills: PowerPoint, In-Design, AutoCad, PhotoShop, Revit, Excel, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, CRM, SalesForce , E-Builder , SureTrack Scheduling, P6 scheduling
  • Coaching and mentoring

Certification

  • Licensed Architect, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
  • Board of Directors , American Institute of Architects Houston
  • Board of Directors , Building Enclosure Council Houston
  • Developer & Organizer : Deployable Communities, Homelessness Design Solutions
  • 2021 Christopher Kelley Leadership Design Scholar
  • Construction Leadership Council – Houston Associated General Contractors (AGC)
  • 2021 Building Design + Construction 40 Under 40 National Award Recipient
  • 2021 Presidential Citation, American Institute of Architects Houston
  • 2022 Engineering News Record (ENR) Top 20 Under 40 Texas Young Professional Award Recipient
  • 2022 Associate of the Year , American Institute of Architects Houston




  • Published writings in Modern Steel Construction, Young Architect's Connect Journal, Archinect, Houston Chronicle, CoreNet Global CRE The Pulse, and Texas Architect Magazine
  • 2023 Appointee to Public Office by Governor of the State of Texas , Texas Industrialized Building Code Council
  • Selected for Cushman & Wakefield's 2023-24 HOLA Leadership & Mentorship Program

NOTABLE SUSTAINABLE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

  • Houston Community College Central Campus, 135,000 SF New Construction + Renovations, $60M . LEED Gold . Project Designer, BRW Architects
  • USPS North Houston Distribution Center: 687,500 SF Renovations + New Construction, $10M E/Phase (4 Phases). LEED Certified . Project Designer, BRW Architects
  • Texas A&M University Liberal Arts Building: 124,000 SF New Construction, $46M. LEED Platinum . Project Designer & Coordinator, BRW Architects


  • NASA Johnson Space Center Building 45 Healthcare Clinic: 20,000 SF New Construction + Renovations, $9M . LEED Silver . Project Engineer & Project Manager, Kiewit Building Group.
  • NASA Johnson Space Center Structures Testing Laboratory Utility Overhaul: 15,000 SF, S1.2M . Project Manager. Kiewit Building Group. Science Based Targets Institute (SBTI) Pilot Project.

My Agility & Certifications

EDAC Certified (Evidence-Based Design Accreditation & Certification)

LEED Certified

PMP Certified, Project Management Professional

Timeline

Project Manager, Development

Cushman & Wakefield
05.2023 - Current

Sr. Structural Steel Specialist

American Institute of Steel Construction
06.2017 - 05.2023

Project Engineer (Project Manager)

Kiewit Building Group
10.2013 - 06.2017

Project Designer & Coordinator

BRW Architects
12.2007 - 10.2013

MBA - Real Estate

University of Arizona (in Progress)

Bachelor of Environmental Design - Architecture

Texas A&M University College of Architecture

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Alex Morales, AIA, EDAC