No, the latest UK import can't carry a tune, but it canhelp building managers make decisions. The Design Quality Indicator (DQI) is already an established building evaluation tool in Britain (and now New York), but we met its first full-time Chicago employee, Marc Salette, at his home office in the South Loop.

The tool scores buildings on more than 100 factors based on a questionnaire taken by the stakeholders, as well as people who work in and visit a building. Marc brought it to the US when he went to the UK to do research after grad school. (We can't imagine what he brought back after Spring Break.) Building, portfolio, and asset managers across the pond have been using it for over a decade.

DQI factors can be divided into three categories:impact, build quality, and functionality. Marc says impact often gets overlooked in assessments because it's hard to  quantify the benefits of good architecture and interior design; but, by compiling all these factors into one assessment, managers have the chance to get renovations right the first time, so they don't lose tenants and have to renovate again. He's offering a five-hour DQI certification training session  at the RealComm Conference on June 22.