LHB Spotlight: Phil Waugh, Historic Preservation Specialist

historic barn in field
smiling man
Phil Waugh Managing Principal, IDT

Time with LHB:
Five (5) years

What’s your favorite LHB project you’ve worked on?
Seitaniemi Housebarn Project (shown in the featured image). It was one of the first projects I brought in at LHB. It was strictly preservation and had a great internal team, and selected contractor.

Concisely, why do performance services matter?
As we become more specialized, we don’t always see the impact our choices make on other aspects of a project, performance services help us see and understand that impact.

If you weren’t a Historic Preservation Specialist, what would you be doing?
Designing outerwear. I love the idea of designing something utilitarian that can be clean, graceful and beautiful. Also, outdoor companies, like Patagonia and REI, are at the forefront of sustainability. I am always searching for the perfect jacket that can be used for all the outdoor activities I love: x-country skiing, downhill skiing, biking, and running.

Quick Bio:
I hold a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation and have extensive experience with building investigations, material research and construction methods. The LHB Performance Services and Research group appeals to me for its expertise and commitment to closing the feedback loop, helping designers and architects understand the impact of material and construction choices. I started out in the Performance Group because historic preservation didn’t fit anywhere else at the time. Now, I’m considered more in the Government Group because of my work in facility assessments, but I still consider myself a part of Performance Services. I really appreciate having access to in-house experts such as Maureen Colburn, and Becky Alexander. I lean on their expertise both when I teach a “Sustainable Design Preservation” course at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, and when I’m managing projects. We are always striving to better integrate performance services into the best design process.

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