Sarah Bergstrom— Ensuring Accessibility in Facilities
By Darra Kubera, Director of Communications
October 12, 2022
“It sounds intimidating, but tell me your story?”
It’s admittedly a big, vague question. And even though Sarah Bergstrom and I are states apart, chatting virtually via Teams with Sarah in her home in Denver, CO and me in Buffalo, NY – it’s almost like we can both feel it hang in the air for a second.
“That’s a really boring story,” Sarah says. She pauses, but there’s an animation to her body language that tells me she’s happy to respond.
“I got my start in construction a long time ago. Working for a large production home builder. I was a receptionist that really wanted to go out in the field with the boys.” And she did, working as the company’s first female assistant superintendent. After securing her construction management certificate from Colorado State University, Sarah went on to work in general contracting as a project engineer for a major construction company. “I built a local library, followed by the construction of garages for tanks and other heavy military equipment at Fort Carson.”
From there, Sarah went on to pursue her Master of Architecture at the University of Colorado at Denver, and earned her NCARB Certificate and license in 2017. “During my licensing process, I worked for a boutique Architecture/Engineering firm where I developed my technical acumen, particularly focusing on exterior enclosure systems, building structure, and accessibility compliance. That experience shaped who I am as an architect, and I am truly grateful for my time there.”
Sarah Bergstrom, RA, AIA, NCARB
With her dog Mark momentarily distracting us with his cuteness, Sarah notes that she was excited to accept a position with FOS. The opportunity to gain experience in new building types, such as hospitals and campuses, was particularly interesting because it was also an opportunity to build a new service line for the company that focused on accessibility surveys. “Ensuring accessibility in facilities is so important, not only from a risk management standpoint, but from a human factor’s perspective as well. Although we may not always be aware of it, accessible features and, even better, universal design make the built world a better place for all of us.” This is why Sarah is on a mission to win more accessibility projects for FOS. “Understanding accessibility is hard! FOS has the expertise to identify any compliance issues at a facility or campus, and then guide our clients through the details and challenges of improving access to their buildings.”
I ask Sarah how she has developed her knowledge over the years. The answer, she says, is simple; “I’ve walked millions of square feet of buildings throughout my career. Be it under construction, or on the Historic Register, there is no substitute for walking a building in the field. That’s where the magic happens. That’s where the learning is at.” In her time at FOS, Sarah has observed over 40 million square feet of hospitals, higher education campuses, and municipal buildings; using the new information gained from every project to hone her skills for the next. “I’ve gained a real perspective on how systems perform together, throughout the life of the term, and what consistent issues are out there. Working for FOS has given me an opportunity to learn differently than I ever had before, and it makes me excited for the potential that FOS brings to the industry.”
It's at this point in the conversation I pivot slightly and ask if Sarah has found learning and using our FOScore® facility condition assessment and capital planning software useful. She immediately became animated - “I think our software is amazing! It is so user friendly, and intuitive to learn, and at the same time, profoundly robust, allowing clients infinite ways to mix the data, and understand their facilities in a new light. It’s an incredible product. Whether you’re in the field or at a desk, FOScore® really empowers our internal teams and our clients to take control of their facility condition assessments and future planning.”
Outside of FOS, Sarah is most proud of the time she dug up her entire backyard and built a huge garden and fire pit. “I’m obsessed with building. I am an architect after all. I enjoy building landscapes like my massive fire pit, which is really more than just a fire pit, it’s like an entire room!”
One of her favorite things to do off the clock besides building landscapes, is Nordic skiing. “Growing up in Colorado, you have no choice but to go skiing. I was on skis from the time I was four. The style I do now is called skate skiing, where the heel is able to rise off the ski.” I’m not sure which was more surprising, this fact, or how Sarah continued on by describing the biathlon (a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting).
I’ve been fortunate to get to know my colleagues through recent interviews and exploration of their work. They’ve all been interesting and motivating; Sarah is no exception. I can’t wait to see what this strong and innovative voice does next.
