Tag: panel
SCHRADERGROUP Participates in the GAF Marketing Summit Panel
SCHRADERGROUP’s (SG) Managing Partner David Schrader attended the GAF Marketing Summit at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia on September 14th, 2022. David participated in the “Transforming our Future” Panel Discussion, which was attended by over 120 attendees and considered a highlight of the conference.
This panel engaged GAF leadership in the discussion of what is happening in the building industry today, and what the industry is expecting for tomorrow. The panel was led by a dynamic moderator who engaged both the panel and audience.

To learn more about GAF, please click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP, please click here.
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SCHRADERGROUP Attends A4LE Northeast’s 2022 Annual Regional Conference
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the annual Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) 2022 Northeast Region Conference from April 6th to the 9th in Washington, D.C.

The conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill and was attended by SG Managing Partner David Schrader, Principal Harry Pettoni, Associate Danielle Hoffer, Interior Designer Charlotte Stoudt, and Project Architect Christopher Farmer.
In addition to our firm’s presence at this great event, SG’s own David Schrader and Danie Hoffer presented a special session along with the School District of Springfield Township’s (SDST) Director of Student Affairs, Dr. Catherine Van Vooren.

The session, titled “Enhanced Critical Thinking – For 5 Year Olds?” profiled how SDST and the community worked together to inspire the design of a new K-2 early learning center: the Enfield Elementary School located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The session dove into how SG’s community-based workshop process and the resulting school design promotes critical thinking, student movement, collaboration, socialization, and communication through the principles of project-based learning for these very young and influential minds.

The theme for this year’s conference was “Blossoming Minds… A Time for Renewal and Optimism.” The event gathered school facility managers, architects, educators, school planners, engineers, and maintenance and industry experts to share in new conversations about the need for adapting our learning environments to new levels of mindfulness, as well as personalized comfort found in equality, inclusion, and the community. The conference focused on a strong understanding of the student experience and how designing with empathy allows for school planning to be driven by a focus on the future of learning, while still supporting capital needs, growth, and other logistical considerations of school systems.
The SG team would like to thank the dedicated staff of A4LE for organizing this great event and to all who attended our session, and we look forward to attending another A4LE conference very soon!
The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) is a professional non-profit association dedicated to improving the places where children learn. The A4LE Northeast Region consists of Chapters that service the Northeast Region of the United States as well as nearby Canadian Provinces. To learn more about the A4LE Northeast Region, please click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to design for education, please click here.

SCHRADERGROUP Managing Partner Speaks at Professional Education Seminar
In late October, Managing Partner David Schrader attended and spoke at Pennsylvania State University’s College of Arts and Architecture’s first Professional Education Seminar in State College, PA. The seminar was organized by the Stuckeman School and was chaired by Shwetanc Bothra, a fifth-year student. David and three other panelists, Linda O’Gwynn, President at Purdy O’Gwynn Architects in Philadelphia, Andrew Phillips, Chair of the School of Design at String Theory Schools in Philadelphia, and Carson Parr, Partner at RLPS Architects of Lancaster, PA, served as panelists.

The seminar, the first of an upcoming series of educational seminars geared towards the different aspects and industries of architecture, was focused on the design of educational facilities and museums, and was titled, “How can Architecture Implement Better Learning?”
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’S commitment to design for education, click here.
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SCHRADERGROUP Team Participates in PSU’s Architectural Alumni Group’s Summer Seminar Series Panel
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently participated in a virtual seminar panel for Pennsylvania State University’s College of Arts and Architecture’s Architectural Alumni Group (AAG) and the Stuckeman School of Architecture. The School sponsors several summer seminars each year in order to help architecture students and recent alumni understand all aspects of the business of architecture and profession.
The second installment of this year’s summer seminar series was focused on “The Practice of Architecture.” Managing Partner David Schrader was a panelist for the event, joined by other notable fellow PSU Architecture Alumni. Attendees included our summer interns Dan Pawluczyk and Leah Balderson.

The seminar dealt with topics such as licensure, maintaining a practice, non-traditional career paths, and handling a work/life balance. SG is proud to continue supporting the schools and organizations that helped us become who we are. We are thrilled to have participated in this discussion for rising architects, and we look forward to the next seminar series event.
To learn more about Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School, please click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP, please click here.
Be sure to follow SG on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on all things SCHRADERGROUP!
SCHRADERGROUP Principal Speaks to Arcadia University Doctoral Candidates about Sustainable Learning Environments
SCHRADERGROUP’s Principal, David Schrader, spoke on an expert panel in April about the increasing concerns for our environmental footprint and how academic institutions can participate in sustainability for the future through thoughtful building practices.
Included in that panel was Lorna Rosenburg who currently serves as the Green and Healthy Schools Program manager for US EPA Region 3 Mid-Atlantic and Megan Garner who is the Sustainability Development Manager at the School District of Philadelphia. Ms. Megan Garner provided an in-depth presentation on sustainable design practices currently undertaken by the School District of Philadelphia.
Mr. David Schrader provided a lengthy presentation on the benefits of sustainable design practices for educational facilities. The presentation included descriptions of various techniques for integrating sustainable design as well as the concept of the “School as a Teacher Tool.”
The panel’s presentation was well received. After the presentation, there was open discussion and questions from the Doctoral Candidates about the information provided by the panel.
SCHRADERGROUP has applied many of these sustainability design practices to our projects and approach all new projects with sustainability in mind especially to the degree that the stakeholders would want.
Some examples of sustainable initiatives commonly incorporated includes:
- high efficiency HVAC and control systems including central monitoring and automatic control systems
- ground source heat pumps
- solar hot water heater systems
- optimized energy performance
- gray water systems
- rain gardens (aiding with storm water control)
- storm water quantity/quality control
- reduced impervious coverage
- underground infiltration basins
- stormtech and bioswale recharge system combined with detention basins
- native plant landscaping
- high albedo / reflective roof systems for reduction of heat island effect
- operable windows
- roof monitors (allowing for bilateral daylight within classrooms and greatly reducing the need for artificial lighting)
- interior lighting utilizing automatic controls and occupancy sensors
- night sky-friendly lighting for light pollution reduction
- vegetative roof
- building materials with recycled content
- regional materials
- low emitting materials
- low flow, water saving fixtures
- recycled content materials
- certified wood products
- high insulating values for building envelope
- construction activity pollution protection and waste management
- where appropriate, reuse of existing furniture and equipment
- coordination of building energy commissioning
- acoustical analysis and design
Learn more on some of the projects we have applied sustainability design practices to:
- Bristol Township School District, New Elementary Schools
- Council Rock School District, Middle School Additions and Renovations
- Baltimore City Public Schools, Elementary/Middle School Additions and Renovations
- York Suburban School District, Elementary School New Facility
- State College Area School District, Elementary School Additions and Renovations
- State College Area School District, New Elementary School
- Bucks County Community College, County Campus Expansion and Renovations
- School District of Philadelphia, Engineering and Science High School Additions and Renovations