Level Design Podcast
Episodes
Hidden Profits in Your Backyard: The Real ADU Playbook for Homeowners
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This conversation delves into the complexities of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), exploring the process, regulations, and the importance of design te...
Navigating the Complexities of Wastewater Management & Environmental Protection with Katrina Kessler (P.E.) – Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we delve into the complexities of wastewater management, the role of Pollution Control Agency, and the challenges faced in maintaining water qu...
A Day in 2040: What a Construction Project Looks Like in 15 years (Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Management)
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does the year 2040 look like? Flying cars, robots, an AI doing most of our thinking? What types of jobs will exist and which will go extinct? Wha...
What Germany Can Teach the U.S. About Water and Wastewater Management
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Scott Zurn shares insights from his recent trip to Germany, where he was part of a delegation focused on water and wastewater ma...
What We’re Doing to the Planet and Why
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join host us for a candid conversation about our everyday impact on the planet—how infrastructure, convenience, and culture shape the environment—...
Connecting People through Engineering with Murray McBride
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the importance of connecting people through engineering, the role of education in bridging gaps within the industry, and the need for mento...
The Most Overlooked Skills Engineers Need for a Thriving Career with Kevin Q. Walsh, PhD, PE, SE (Associate Teaching Professor at Notre Dame)
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Kevin Walsh, PhD, PE, SE, shares his journey through academia and the structural engineering industry, offering insights into the cha...
Bridging the Gap: A Bridge Engineer's Journey to Empowering Future Engineers with Luis Duque, PE, M. ASCE, Bridge Engineer @ Jacobs
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we speak with Luis Duque, P.E., M. ASCE, an award-winning bridge engineer with a passion for innovation and empowering future generat...
Building Careers, Not Just Resumes: A Recruiter’s Perspective with Brandon McGill
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re excited to welcome Brandon McGill, an executive recruiter specializing in civil and geotechnical engineering. Brandon is the founder of...
Job vs. Career, Loyalty & Pride in Our Work, The Problem with Billable Hours & the Choice You Need to Make as a Civil Engineer with former ASCE President Dennis D. Truax, Ph.D., P.E.
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Dennis Truax, a true leader and innovator in the field of civil engineering. With a career spanning over four decad...
30 Year Engineering Career, $110k Salary (gov director level) to $450k on His Own, to Building Level Design Partners
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, four of us sit down in Austin Texas to discuss the State of Civil Engineering, Infrastructure, entrepreneurship and the futur...
How Urban Fires Are Reshaping Infrastructure and Design, Fire Recovery, Reimbursement, FEMA, and Rebuilding w/ Jay Blackburn, P.E. & Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Manager Allison James
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This conversation delves into the complexities of community recovery following devastating fires in California, focusing on the emotional toll on muni...
The Biggest Contributor to Global Warming, Who’s Solving it, and What it Means for the Future
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This conversation explores the multifaceted issues surrounding climate change, its impact on migration, and the role of human activity in exacerbating...
Mentorship, Entrepreneurship and Taking Back Control of Your Career with Andrew Dominguez
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Level Design Podcast, we dive into the challenges and opportunities shaping the engineering and architecture fields today. Our ...
A&E: Becoming Irreplaceable (and finding purpose in your work)
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The conversation explores critical themes surrounding structural safety, the commoditization of A&Es, and the historical context of the 1740s in o...
The ADU Challenge & Opportunity
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, we discuss the subtle effect Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) will have on communities, highlighting their potential benefits and...
Your Role in the Design Industry is Changing Forever: Embracing Regenerative Practices and Purpose-Driven Paradigms with Trevanna Frost Grenfell
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, we’re joined by Trevanna Frost Grenfell. Trevanna is faculty at reNourish Studio as well as working with businesses and organi...
A Different Path for Engineers & Architects
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Scott talks about 3 main career options you have as a design professional. He lays out his experience in both the corporate world (private, pub...
The Sustainability Problem No One is Talking About
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, we dive into green infrastructure and sustainable materials, emphasizing the urgent need for eco-friendly practices to combat cl...
The Knowledge Gap and the Need for Mentorship in the Design Industry
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, we explore the growing knowledge gap as well as the critical importance of mentorship for Architects and Engineers. We discuss w...
What’s Under Our Cities?
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The conversation explores the history and challenges of underground infrastructure. From the complexity and challenges it presents today, the transiti...
How Our Roads Work & Which State Has the Best Roads
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many people aren't aware of how roads are designed, funded, or function. Road infrastructure is crucial in our society, connecting communities and...
Minimizing Financial Waste with Whitney Pogue, P.E., Value Engineering & Estimates Coordinator
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Scott talks a lot about how taxpayer dollars are actually being used (or misused) to support our infrastructure. Today, we get an inside look with gue...
The Transportation Bill, The Water Challenge, and Life in the 1680s
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“The bridges and highways we fail to repair today will have to be rebuilt tomorrow – at many times the cost.” - President Ronal Reagan. Our conv...
The Negatives & Positives of Being a Civil Engineer in the 21st Century
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we explore the state of infrastructure in the US, the cost and burden on taxpayers, the economic impact of infrastructure investment, and t...
Future-Proof Your Career: Top Skills for Engineers and Architects
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Miles and Scott explore the technical and non-technical skills that design professionals should focus on, such as keeping up wit...
Scott’s Engineering Journey & Why Level Was Formed
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why are Architects & Engineers leaving the industry in the US while the market is increasing and our country is in dire need of more designers? Sc...
Fixing Existing Infrastructure, The Changing Regulatory Environment, AI, & Are Engineers & Architects Going Extinct?
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Miles and Scott discuss the history of infrastructure in the US in the 1940s, increasing complexity of building regulations, AI’...
How We Got Here & Who's Responsible (We’re Back!)
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After 17 episodes, we took a break to refocus on business. Now we’re back with a completely new format. You can expect 2 episodes a month (Audio + v...
Home inspections – How did we get here?
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scott sits down with Wade Williamson and his team at Axium Inspections. Colorado's #1 inspection company and growing nationally. Over 20 Certified Hom...
Change, disconnect, and responsibility as Architects, Engineers, and Designers
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A lot is changing in our industry. One thing we know won't work is to fight that change. Instead, how do we use technology and model changes to our ad...
Bridge Engineering & Infrastructure Challenges with Ben Kenney, P.E. Owner of Engineering Operations
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
617,000 bridges across the United States. Currently, 42% of all bridges are at least 50 years old, and 46,154, or 7.5% of the nation's bridges, are co...
Wait, but why? (flipping the business model on its head)
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join Scott Zurn and Murray McBride as they discuss: Update on LDPI Flipping the business model on its head Outsourcing and the race to the bottom...
Long-term care of our built environment (most important + least celebrated)
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Scott & Murray discuss: Environmental consciousness Half of our environment impact is just “building stuff” Let’s take...
Are Architects & Engineers going extinct?
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Can we maintain our human conveniences and have less adverse impact on our planet? Are Architects & Engineers going extinct? What do we need to re...
Brilliant Infrastructure of the Indigenous people
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sixty million Indigenous People lived throughout the Americas before European expansion. In a short amount of time, 90% of those people were lost to E...
Our current infrastructure was shaped by deer
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There is an impact to our world for every human convenience. Those conveniences are built around our infrastructure, but it’s not in the public’s ...
Empowering A&E Women with LDPI Owners Anya Zurn & Karen Ashworth (Women’s History month)
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Engineers are traditionally men. Why? 30% of women who have left the engineering profession cite organizational climate as the reason. Only 30% of ...
Engineers are fleeing the industry at record numbers
07 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Engineers are fleeing the industry at record numbers, unhappy with the status quo...so what? Why should we, and everyone else care? The bulk of human ...
How you can keep a bigger piece of the pie
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With a combined 70 years of design experience under their belts, Scott and Murray discuss a few common paths that design professionals have today and ...
We’ve gotten lazy. What we can do moving forward.
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most of our modern human conveniences are designed and produced by a community of brilliant but unseen professionals, and the public doesn’t know it...
The Future of Employment
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I believe we are in an employee and employer revolution. I think we are in a place where there’s disillusionment from both parties about the other. ...
Organizational Change - Restoring Purpose
06 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Innovative business structures are emerging. B-Corporation (For-Benefit) that are legally required to make business decisions based on profit, people,...
Modernizing our industry for the benefit of the Design Professional
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The modernization of the business of A&E is going to happen, and needs to happen. In fact, it is happening as we speak. In this episode we look at...
The Industry Isn’t Going to Increase Your Fair Market Value
24 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How much of your Fair Market Value are you keeping? Based on conversations with architects and engineers across the country of all different discipli...
A&E: Are You A Commodity
21 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In our conversations with architects and engineers across the country of all different disciplines and ages, we have started to hear a common theme. T...