With multi-disciplinary teams delivering design from conception to post-occupancy, we continue to discover new ways to better design outcomes with insights from people and technology. Our planning and design technology experts share important insights on community and data-driven design at the 2026 New York Build Expo, which showcases the latest innovation, services, and professionals in the construction industry.

• Putting People First: Community-Driven Design in Practice
  Wednesday, March 18 | 11 AM
  Principal and Global Planning Leader Yogesh Saoji, AIA, AICP

  Meaningful community engagement can shape more equitable built environments that actually benefit the people using them. Principal and Global Planning Leader Yogesh Saoji, AIA, AICP, will join panelists from leading design firms to will share real-world strategies for embedding people’s voices into the design process to inform better public spaces to civic infrastructure.

• People, Planet, Places: Collaborative Approaches for Sustainability
  Wednesday, March 18 | 12 PM
  Senior Associate and Planning Leader Grace Corsi,  AICP

  This session brings together design professionals and city agency leaders to examine how cross-sector collaboration is advancing sustainable outcomes in New York’s built environment. Senior Associate and Planning Leader Grace Corsi, AICP, will share frameworks that balance environmental goals with community needs across public projects.

• Cracking the Code: How Can Data Shape the Future of the AEC Industry?
  Wednesday, March 18 | 2 PM
  Lead Data Scientist Benjamin Friedman

  Data science, analytics, and digital tools are transforming decision-making across architecture, engineering, and construction. Associate and Lead Data Scientist Benny Friedman will contribute practical applications, from project delivery and performance benchmarking to AI-driven insights, that are reshaping how global design firms like DLR Group operate and compete.