2020 Women in Construction: Kate Starr, Project Manager at Commodore Builders

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? I had the honor of building the first Passive House residence hall in MA at Wheaton College. I was so intrigued with the Passive House philosophy that I decided to become Passive House certified, which was a benefit while working on this project. You have one chance to get it right, so every element of construction has to be mapped out – right down to drill hole placement. If the exterior seal is compromised in anyway then the project will not pass a critical blower door test and not become certified. I am happy to say the building became officially Passive House certified a few days ago. That is a major achievement for me. 

What are you doing differently in 2020 that has had a positive impact on your career? I’m really not doing anything different. I’ve always loved a challenge and am always pushing myself to learn more. I feel things are always evolving and changing organically and I need to embrace it and continuously learn as much as possible.

Who or what inspired you to join the construction industry? I’ve always loved construction! It may have been because I grew up in a construction family – my dad owned a construction company. My siblings and I were always playing on the equipment. I even worked with my dad for a summer. However, he made it clear he wanted us to explore other opportunities and not work for him. I decided to go to school for engineering and quickly realized it wasn’t for me and then made the switch to construction management. The rest is history in making.