Catherine Tinkler, EBCP, PMP, LEED AP O+M
Capital Strategy Studio Practice Leader
HKS, Inc.
600 Travis, Suite 6300
Houston, TX 77002
United States
713-553-3356
Region:
Honorarium: None
Languages Spoken: English
ctinkler@hksinc.com
Tinkler

Catherine Tinkler serves as the Capital Strategy Studio Practice Leader within the

education planning sector at HKS, Inc., bringing over 25 years of experience in facility

operations, maintenance, and project management. Catherine specializes in developing

strategic master plans and facility improvement strategies that align with institutional

goals. Her expertise in operations and maintenance management, coupled with

certification as an Existing Building Commissioning Professional (EBCP), allows her to

engage collaboratively with engineers, facility owners, and stakeholders to document

deficiencies, benchmark performance, and implement proactive asset renewal programs.

Catherine’s work encompasses campus master plans, central plant renewals, feasibility

studies, sustainment strategies, and operational improvements across diverse market

sectors. Her prior experience as the Director of Strategic Planning and Special Projects for

a higher education institution refined her ability to lead facility-related projects with a clear

focus on adaptability and long-term goals. Additionally, her background as a PK-12

administrator and certified teacher provides her with unique insights into the symbiotic

relationship between facility quality, environmental conditions, and academic outcomes.

Recognizing the growing demand for streamlined, data-driven capital planning systems,

Catherine developed the Facility Quality Initiatives (FQI) framework. By integrating

assessments of facility condition, energy efficiency, resilience, decarbonization, and

programmatic suitability, this model allows for clear prioritization of renewal projects.

Incorporating advanced scoring methodologies and aligning with industry standards, the

FQI framework supports informed decision-making, bridging knowledge gaps to align

planning processes with institutional and sustainability goals.

Catherine is an engaged member of ASHRAE, where she has taken on leadership roles,

including Chair of Technical Committees 7.3 (Operations, Maintenance, and Cost

Management) and Vice-Chair of TC 9.7 (Educational Facilities). She has also served as

Chapter President of the ASHRAE Houston Chapter during the 2023-2024 term. Her client focused perspective, combined with tools like the FQI framework, equips organizations

with actionable strategies tailored to infrastructure challenges and goals for sustainable,

long-term success.

Topic
Is Your Facility Condition Assessment Ready for the Real World? Case Studies from the O&M Perspective
Facility owners and operators require tools to aid in capital improvement planning. They often turn to engineers, program managers, contractors, and specialized FCA providers to perform a Facility Condition Assessment that gathers their deferred maintenance deficiency and backlog lists. But is this data the same quality? Does it lead to projects that consider the changing needs of the owner? And does an FCA accurately capture costs in a challenging economic environment? Incorporating regenerative design principles into FCA practices can elevate the assessment process by introducing a broader perspective that evaluates a facility’s potential to restore environmental, social, and economic systems. Further, regenerative design strategies can enhance infrastructure resilience and longevity by identifying opportunities to align maintenance needs with sustainable practices and resourceregeneration objectives. By reviewing relevant case studies that highlight how an FCA is used to address planning needs, benefits can be demonstrated in the asset’s operation, maintenance, cost management, and ideally leave a net-positive impact.
Recommended Audience: Facility managers, maintenance personnel, engineers, program managers, and capital planners focused on operational e􀆯iciency and improving long-term building performance.
Buzzwords and Bias: Meeting in the Middle Advances the Whole
Climate-related terms such as crisis, global warming, and hoax, along with energy-related terms such as renewable, clean, and dirty, are prominent in both everyday conversations and professional contexts. These terms often carry implicit biases or reflect di􀆯ering ideological perspectives, which can lead to divisions in discussions about critical environmental and social issues. Topics such as the social cost of carbon and environmental justice sometimes conflict with conventional approaches like stewardship or cost-management strategies, highlighting the need for a new way of thinking. This session o􀆯ers an introduction to how regenerative design principles provide a framework for rethinking both challenges and opportunities in addressing environmental and social priorities, o􀆯ering a fresh perspective on these issues. By emphasizing systems that aim to restore, replenish, and regenerate environmental and social resources, regenerative design presents an opportunity to move beyond polarized views and focus instead on shared priorities and long-term value. Attendees will explore how regenerative design reconsiders commonly used terms like “sustainability” and “stewardship” and how these concepts can serve as a starting point for bridging philosophical di􀆯erences. While providing foundational insights into regenerative principles, the session will encourage reflection on how industry language shapes understanding and practice, as well as a deeper awareness of how these principles might inform their thinking and decision-making in the future.
Recommended Audience: Sustainability leaders, development stakeholders, design professionals, and interdisciplinary teams interested in fostering collaboration and developing shared priorities.
From Index to Initiative: Using Assessments to Create Actionable Facility Plans
Facility owners and operators regularly face complex decisions about their existing building portfolios when considering annual operations and maintenance budgets, capital improvement plans, repair or replacement choices for renewal e􀆯orts, and even repurpose, adaptive reuse, or divestment decisions. With 85% of a building’s lifespan occurring while the facility is populated, reframing decision-making through a holistic lens is essential— not only to maintain the functionality of existing structures but also to transition facilities from being resource-intensive to creating a net-positive impact. This session provides an overview of how comprehensive facility assessments, benchmarking performance data, and integrating regenerative design principles can enhance strategic planning. Understanding the full range of available assessments and the types of data that can be collected, benchmarked, and utilized is key to shaping proactive, data-driven, and comprehensive planning e􀆯orts. Participants will explore how these e􀆯orts align asset management strategies with broader sustainability goals, emphasizing the critical importance of creating initiatives that support occupant health, safety, and welfare while actively contributing to organizational sustainability targets. To achieve these objectives, this session highlights practical tools, such as the Facility Quality Initiatives (FQI) framework, which integrates diverse data streams—facility condition, energy e􀆯iciency, resilience, decarbonization, and programmatic suitability— into a cohesive approach. By employing advanced scoring methodologies informed by industry standards, the FQI framework o􀆯ers actionable recommendations, helping organizations prioritize renewal e􀆯orts while achieving measurable, long-term results. This approach ensures project outcomes that align with institutional goals and proactively address aging infrastructure, energy e􀆯iciency, and environmental sustainability challenges.
Recommended Audience: Facility planners, building operators, engineers, architects, and institutional stakeholders responsible for long-term facility and infrastructure planning.