SCIF Summit explores growing security needs and best practices

BC&E News | May 14, 2026

*Brian Frels, Partner at Arium A|E, and Dustin Hoffman, Director at DAVIS Construction, address attendees at the companies’ second annual SCIF Summit. Photo courtesy of DAVIS Construction.*

More stringent data security requirements, growing needs to upgrade SCIFs (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities) and the spread of cloud computing and AI prompted DAVIS Construction and Arium A/E to organize a SCIF Summit for the second year running.

“Many of our clients are facing an increasing need to upgrade existing SCIFs and secure facilities to both modernize infrastructure and address evolving threats,” said Dustin Hoffman, Director of Secure Spaces at DAVIS and organizer of the SCIF Summit in March. “By the end of 2028, facilities will be required to meet updated standards, including enhanced protection against physical penetration, sound leakage and RF signal transmission.”

*Dominic Argentieri, President of DAVIS Construction, addresses attendees at the second annual SCIF Summit. Photo courtesy of DAVIS Construction.*

Government officials are also enforcing current security requirements more stringently so “projects must be executed with greater precision and discipline because anything less will not pass final accreditation,” he said.

The growing use of AI, cloud computing and other advanced technologies has also expanded the need for SCIFs and secure facilities to a wider range of private companies, including “standard commercial office build-out situations where you might not traditionally expect that level of security,” Hoffman said.

The SCIF Summit, which featured several experts in secure facilities development, explored key topics in secure design and construction including:

How electrostatic discharge can impact operations in a SCIF;
RF attenuation challenges stemming from different applications and existing conditions;
Tools and methodologies to detect and mitigate RF and electromagnetic threats within secure facilities: and
The need for close collaboration across design, engineering and construction disciplines to successfully create secure environments.