Our team
The people behind Building Science
Behind every Building Science project is a close-knit team of builders, coordinators and project managers who bring years of hands-on experience to your home. The people who plan your project stay close to the people who build it, so integrity, innovation, collaboration and respect show up in every conversation, decision and detail.
Meet the team
Get to know us
Select a photo or “Read Bio” to read each person’s story in their own words.
Owner / RME
Sean McKenzie
Sean leads Building Science and takes ultimate responsibility for every phase of construction, drawing on more than 20 years in building and construction.
Project Manager
Darryl Geren
Darryl takes the proposal and the client’s expectations and carries them through to a finished project, keeping communication open and solving problems along the way.
Project Administrator
Alma Mendoza
Alma supports the business behind the scenes, from bookkeeping, budgets and payroll to paying vendors and subcontractors and keeping project documentation in order.
Construction Coordinator
Addison Sharp
Addison guides clients through the selections process and makes sure the finishes and fixtures they choose will be available within the project timeline.
Assistant Project Manager
Kahi Hirano
Kahi brings a business management and marketing degree and hands-on landscape construction experience, and is growing across all phases of construction with the team.
Lead Carpenter
Kazu Shima
Kazu started his construction career at Building Science and has returned as Lead Carpenter, bringing back skills gained with different companies and contractors.
Full biographies
On the live page, each biography opens in a pop-up from the team grid above. This section is the editable source and the fallback if scripts are unavailable.
Owner / RME
Sean McKenzie
Building Science started with the whole home in mind, especially the people occupying it. It was the culmination of a lifetime of building and construction experience over 20+ years with various companies, always focusing on a different component of the business.
In many ways, Building Science was a return to my first love of working directly with homeowners trying to make their house a home. I grew up in the industry, and things kind of come naturally to me. This belief has been groomed and tested through years of training and learning how to appropriately handle changing markets, technology and personalities.
Our slogan for Building Science is Where the Whole House Matters. One of the most important things that Building Science brings to residential construction is an emphasis on the house as a system. Houses have become increasingly complicated over the years, and so too has the network of specialty trades among which we divvy up construction responsibilities. Our approach is to integrate all the layers, systems and components of a home to work together in harmony. Our platform is the whole house with regard to flow, continuity and performance.
We may be more of a boutique builder because this market takes a personal touch. Often there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
For most in the industry, they don’t get to see the end user, the resident who turns a house into a home! For an owner or buyer, there’s so much emotion involved, and for most, it’s the single largest investment they will ever make. I believe that our clients deserve our time and attention. No single element could ever be planned with absolute perfection. A builder’s position is to meld art and science into one functional result.
I truly believe we are servicing our clients directly. As much as we have been able to be a part of some amazing projects, I really feel like those we serve are family, and when I get that feedback, it’s pretty satisfying.
As Building Science has grown, I feel like I am building men these days, instilling in my team the core values of faith, family, community and, of course, some Aloha. My guys are out on the front lines each day deliberately making a difference as a direct extension of me.
Each new day brings opportunities to hear about new projects and convert ideas into reality. This often deals with initial design and budgeting to develop practical and realistic outlines for success. I am driven by a good challenge to bring the most value to each space we get to create.
My role is to take ultimate responsibility for every phase of construction and the integrity of our projects. There’s a lot to be said for experience and the ability to manage safety, quality and schedules, anticipate problems, and manage expectations, suppliers and subcontractors on and off the jobsite. This level of responsibility also incorporates the understanding of all the legal and compliance factors that govern the building industry and construction standards.
Project Manager
Darryl Geren
Around ten years ago, I grew tired of the hustle and bustle of building cookie-cutter houses for the military. The opportunity came up to work for a small startup company with big dreams. I liked the idea of building something and presenting the finished project to the people who would be living there, rather than a faceless stranger.
Building Science is a general contractor that offers clients services such as remodels, additions or even new home builds. We consider our company to be a little different from your average general contractor by having a more “intimate” experience with our clients. What this means is that there is not a chain of higher-ups that you see only once who then become a phone-call or email-only contact. The people who plan and run your project are the same people, more or less, who are working on your home.
My title at Building Science is Project Manager. This may be my title for official reasons, but on the job and to our clients, I’m simply Darryl. I am the guy who is responsible for taking the proposal from the boss and the expectations of the client and making sure everyone is happy in the end. For some weird reason, I really like this role.
I consider myself to be a people person with the ability to communicate effectively as well as interpret the wants and needs of our clients. I am detail oriented and always consider the finished project and how it will make sense once we are gone. Throughout the project, I am easily approachable and always keep the lines of communication accessible to our clients.
On the team, I’m a problem solver. I have zero reservations claiming that I’m good at dealing with the unexpected. I consider our subs an extension of who we are, and they are part of our family. I think our clients would say the same when they see them show up and exceed expectations.
Building Science is a company where the core values of integrity, innovation, collaboration and respect reside, and I feel that I contribute to these core values 100 percent. I take pride not only in the physical work I perform but also in the daily activities that make this company what it is.
Project Administrator
Alma Mendoza
For 19 years, my field of occupation has mainly been customer service. For the first 8 years, I was a customer care coordinator at Gentry Homes, and then I moved on to corporate-owned FedEx as a lead coordinator. After almost 11 years with FedEx, I missed the feeling, or sense, of team camaraderie and working in an environment that involved genuine “teamwork.” So I began to look for other opportunities, and in a somewhat serendipitous way, I received a call and was offered a position to come and work for Building Science as a project administrator.
My job is mostly, but not limited to, on the back end of the office. I support not only management but the business and the people within it as a whole, like managing or bookkeeping accounts, budgets, payroll and insurance; making sure that invoices, vendors and subcontractors are paid; and collecting, organizing and maintaining necessary documentation so that business can continue to flow. I am still learning as I go, but I am always ready and open to new challenges.
What attracted me most in making the decision to call Building Science “my home” had everything to do with the passion Sean has for this business and how much he wants not only his business to thrive but also the people within it. I missed that in a business. I wanted to work alongside people who are proud and take pride in collective achievements as a team, while experiencing the sense of purpose that accompanies a productive collaboration.
Yes, Building Science is a small general contracting company, but we are personable, engaging and intimate with our clients. In other words, we treat them as we treat each other: like family. In doing so, we uphold ourselves with strong morals and honesty. We take pride in our methods, organization and contributions.
Construction Coordinator
Addison Sharp
I grew up in Laie and later studied Construction Management at BYU in Provo. After gaining experience on the mainland, it’s been great to bring that knowledge back home and be part of the building industry here in Hawaii.
Before joining Building Science, I spent five years working for a custom home builder in Park City. That experience gave me a strong foundation in residential construction and an appreciation for the level of detail that goes into a well-built home. I’ve also worked for a construction management firm on heavy civil projects, which pushed me to become even more detail oriented and organized in how I approach my work.
I work closely with our clients during the selections process, helping them navigate the many decisions that go into a project. From finishes to fixtures, I make sure the products they choose are available—or will be available—within the project timeline so things keep moving without unnecessary delays.
A big part of my role is staying ahead of the curve. I’m constantly familiarizing myself with new, high-quality products so I can help guide clients toward options that not only look good but perform well over time. I am committed to working for the best outcomes and adding the most value to every project we’re involved with. I am great at getting things organized and paying attention to all the details that make a house a home.
At the end of the day, I enjoy being part of the process that turns a client’s vision into something real. Helping keep projects on track and making sure the details come together the way they should is something I take a lot of pride in.
Lead Carpenter
Kazu Shima
I began my construction career ten years ago, straight out of high school. I joined Building Science without any knowledge or understanding of how residential construction works. The team embraced my willingness with opportunities to learn and expand my building skills.
After a while, I left to chase the dream of being a dedicated carpenter. However, I found myself jumping around with different companies, contractors and management styles. Each move along the way, I was able to pick up and retain some diverse and useful skills.
Several years later, I’m back to where it all started. I rejoined Building Science hoping to bring what I’ve learned over my short career back into the company that gave me my start. My boss says I have always been a good fit because my values match the core Building Science company beliefs.
Driven by the pride I take in my work and my commitment to bettering myself every day, I hope to be an asset to Building Science. I look forward to taking part in building quality, long-lasting homes with my team and advancing my career right where I’m at. I love that I have been given the platform to fulfill my aspirations by serving others.
Assistant Project Manager
Kahi Hirano
Growing up, I always had an interest in putting things together and seeing something come together before my eyes. I find satisfaction in seeing a finished, tangible product that you put work into. I graduated with a degree in business management and marketing and went in a totally different direction, back to being that kid with passion and imagination.
After college in Washington, I got a landscape construction job where we built fences, walls, pathways, patios and pergolas, and this is where I started to realize maybe the construction field was for me. However, I didn’t want to join the union, where you specialize in one trade and do the same tasks day after day. When I got to learn more about what Building Science does, I realized it was an opportunity for me to grow. Our team is well rounded, with guys who have the knowledge and experience from many years in the industry across various trades.
My journey in this field has just begun, and I look forward to continuing to learn and grow. This team has a tremendous amount of experience across all phases of construction. They are teaching me the right way to do things, with an emphasis on why we do things the way we do and how we relate to our customers. I take a lot of pride in all that I do, and each day on the job is an opportunity to express that with quality craftsmanship.
How our team works
One team, one standard
As Building Science has grown, Sean has focused on developing a team around shared values, so that the care homeowners experience is consistent from the first conversation to the final walkthrough.
Respect for your home
We remember that our jobsite is your home, and we work like it.
Pride in workmanship
Craftsmanship shows in the details, including the ones you’ll never see.
Clear communication
We keep each other, and you, informed about what’s happening and what comes next.
Careers
Interested in joining us?
We’re always glad to hear from skilled, hard-working people who take pride in their craft and care about the homes and families they build for.
Meet us in person.
The best way to get to know us is to talk about your project.