Introduction
Mike Muoio, Regional Director for the Carolinas and Tennessee at View, Inc., joins Jack Ossa on The Power of Design Podcast to talk about selling disruptive technology in the construction industry. Mike has spent more than 20 years in sales, first in office furniture and modular interiors and now with View, a company that makes electrochromic smart glass.
Their conversation covers why building budgets keep going wrong, how smart glass works, and which forces will change commercial real estate over the next few years.
About the Episode
Jack opens by asking Mike for the most common mistake designers and owners make when selecting building components. Mike answers that projects tend to start with a schematic design and a budget, then come in a million dollars or more over a year or two later, and that value engineering then removes anything that adds cost. He wishes every material were tested against one question: what measurable, third-party reviewed value does it add to the project?
Mike then tells his own story. He grew up on Grand Island in western New York, moved to North Carolina when his wife went to graduate school, and worked at an office furniture dealership, at SMED International and at DIRTT before joining View almost five years ago. He says curiosity, humility and honesty are what he relies on in sales, and that a good sale starts by finding out whether a need and a solution fit.
The second half is about View itself and the three trends he sees ahead: technology, COVID-19 and ESG. Jack adds that architecture is static by nature and that putting technology into a material found in every building opens new possibilities.
Key Takeaways
- Question the starting budget: projects that begin with a schematic design and an early estimate often end up over budget before construction starts.
- Ask what value a material adds: Mike wants measurable, third-party reviewed benefits for health, wellness, productivity and net operating income to drive material choices.
- Fit matters more than volume: the glass suits developers who want to pioneer new amenities and understand the return on investment.
- Smart glass replaces blinds: it tints ahead of the sun to keep views, manage glare and bring in daylight.
- Buildings are becoming connected: sensors, IoT, 5G and WiFi can run through the building perimeter and track conditions such as indoor air quality.
- Tenants will demand more: Mike expects healthier, more transparent buildings, and imagines a review app for spaces.
- ESG is arriving fast: supply-chain pressure from large companies is pushing sustainability down to their suppliers.
Highlights from the Conversation
I wish there was a process where we can challenge and put every single material choice through this equation that says what value are you adding to the project.
Mike Muoio
Ours is electrochromic technology meaning we tint it in advance of the sun's arrival.
Mike Muoio
Real estate is the slowest evolving industry.
Mike Muoio
Topics Discussed
- Budgets, schematic design and value engineering
- Choosing materials by measurable occupant benefit
- How electrochromic smart glass works
- Connected buildings, sensors and indoor air quality
- Selling by finding the right client fit
- COVID-19 and the demand for healthier buildings
- ESG reporting and investing in real estate
- Why construction adopts new technology slowly
Why This Conversation Matters
Mike's point that material and system decisions should be tied to proven value, not only first cost, is one every owner and design team faces. It applies to architecture and to interior architecture work where daylight, views and occupant comfort are part of the brief. Projects such as the Coliseum Drive building repositioning and the Liberty Plaza repositioning show how an existing office building can be updated to attract tenants who expect better spaces.
About the Guest
Mike Muoio is the Regional Director for the Carolinas and Tennessee at View, Inc., which makes smart glass for commercial buildings. He has sold disruptive building technologies for more than 20 years, with earlier roles at an office furniture dealership, SMED International and DIRTT. He holds a general contractor license and a real estate license. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn or visit the View website.
