Edward Breed, ENV SP, Project Manager, Skanska USA Civil Northeast
“The ability to integrate constructability, temporary works, and structural systems early in procurement is often the difference between managing risk and inheriting it.”
At Skanska, the phrase “One Skanska” reflects how we deliver work in practice. It is an operating model built around collaboration across business units to manage complexity, evaluate risk from multiple perspectives, and deliver projects across a range of delivery methods.
In the Northeast, this approach is best described as local presence with global strength. Our teams understand the owners, regulatory frameworks, and logistical constraints unique to the region, while also drawing on the technical depth and resources of Skanska’s broader organization.
By integrating capabilities from Civil, Building, Commercial Development (CD), Koch, and Underpinning & Foundation Skanska (UFS), project teams can apply the right expertise at the right time — from early constructability input during procurement through execution of complex field operations.
Distinct Roles, Integrated Execution
Skanska’s business units operate under different contractual structures, but alignment between them consistently strengthens project outcomes.
Civil projects are typically delivered with Skanska acting as General Contractor, directly managing field execution, temporary works, logistics, and construction risk — particularly on infrastructure projects in constrained or active environments.
Building projects are most often executed under a Construction Manager model, with a focus on early trade engagement, cost validation, design-phase constructability, and procurement strategy.
Commercial Development (CD) provides an owner’s perspective when involved, leading project feasibility, entitlement strategy, financial underwriting, and lifecycle planning. CD-led projects are most commonly delivered through a CM-at-Risk structure, with strong integration between development, design, and construction teams.
A key technical advantage within this structure is the integration of Koch and Underpinning & Foundation Skanska (UFS). Koch provides in-house bridge engineering and fabrication expertise, while UFS delivers specialized capabilities in deep foundations, support of excavation, and temporary works. Their early involvement allows project teams to evaluate complex structural and geotechnical challenges during procurement and design development, often leading to more efficient and lower-risk solutions. In practice, this integration often drives the most meaningful gains in constructability, schedule certainty, and overall project efficiency.
When these perspectives are aligned early, teams are able to evaluate constructability, risk allocation, and sequencing with greater clarity.
Delivery Models and Risk Evaluation
Projects are delivered today under a wide range of contractual frameworks, each requiring a different approach to risk allocation and execution. Skanska routinely supports projects across:
- Design-Bid-Build
- CM-at-Risk
- Design-Build
- Public-Private Partnerships (P3)
- Developer-led projects through CD, most commonly under CM-at-Risk with integrated design-assist from construction teams
Under the One Skanska model, teams collaborate early, often during pursuit, to evaluate:
- Risk transfer and contingency strategy
- Procurement and work packaging approaches
- Temporary works and site access constraints
- Interfaces between civil infrastructure and vertical construction
- Opportunities for schedule compression
These early efforts help identify constructability challenges and reduce uncertainty before construction begins, improving both cost reliability and schedule performance.
Procurement and Operational Support Across Business Units
A practical benefit of the One Skanska approach is the use of cross-business procurement task forces to support pursuits. These teams bring together estimators, schedulers, operations staff, and technical specialists to validate assumptions and strengthen proposals.
Recent examples from the New England region include:
- New Balance Boston Landing MBTA Station, where integrated civil and building expertise informed procurement strategy and constructability planning in an active rail environment
- South Coast Rail, primarily a Civil program where Building resources supported procurement of vertical elements and introduced Lean Construction practices during early phases
- Massport’s South Boston Waterfront Transportation Center (SBWTC), where Skanska teams supported both construction management and site work scopes within the constraints of a CM-at-Risk delivery structure
- 121 Seaport Boulevard, a mixed-use life sciences and office development in Boston’s Seaport District, where CD served as owner, Building as CM, and Civil led planning and self-perform execution of below-grade work, including support of excavation and foundation sequencing, integrating value engineering across both substructure and superstructure
- NOAA Marine Operations Center – Atlantic Facility (Newport), a specialized marine operations facility where collaboration across Skanska teams supported procurement planning related to waterfront infrastructure, marine construction, and coordination with ongoing port operations, with Building leading all onshore facility construction.
- MBTA North Station DrawOne Bridge, an upcoming design-build project being delivered by a Skanska Civil/Koch JV, where collaboration with UFS and Building teams supported design development, estimating, and procurement planning, integrating structural, foundation, and constructability considerations early in the design-build process.
This level of coordination allows teams to pressure-test design concepts, validate logistics and sequencing, and apply lessons learned from similar projects across the organization.
Knowledge Transfer Across the Organization
A major advantage of the One Skanska structure is the ability to share technical knowledge across disciplines and project types.
In particular, collaboration between Civil, Koch, and UFS creates a strong feedback loop between design, means and methods, and field execution. Experience gained from bridge construction, deep foundations, support of excavation, and temporary works is continuously applied to new projects.
This allows teams to:
- Apply proven means and methods
- Evaluate design concepts through a construction lens
- Optimize sequencing and access strategies
- Avoid repeating known risks
This type of knowledge transfer is especially valuable on complex infrastructure projects, where early technical decisions have significant downstream impacts.
Developing Engineers Through Responsibility
An equally important part of the One Skanska model is how it supports the development of younger engineers and construction professionals.
Early-career staff are given meaningful responsibility while working alongside experienced mentors and technical specialists. Exposure to multiple business units and delivery models provides a broader understanding of how complex projects are planned and executed.
Through this experience, engineers develop:
- Familiarity with multiple delivery methods and contractual structures
- An understanding of risk from both contractor and owner perspectives
- Experience in preconstruction, procurement, and field operations
- Confidence in making decisions with real cost and schedule implications
This breadth of exposure accelerates professional development and prepares individuals for leadership roles earlier in their careers.
Built for the Future of Infrastructure Delivery
Infrastructure projects continue to increase in complexity, particularly in dense urban environments where construction must be coordinated with active transportation systems, utilities, and adjacent development.
The One Skanska model allows teams to bring together the right expertise early — combining regional knowledge with the technical depth of a global organization.
In practice, it comes down to a simple principle: local presence with global strength. By working across disciplines and business units, Skanska teams are able to manage risk effectively, deliver complex projects, and continue developing the next generation of engineers and builders.