Bridging the Gap: Insights & Innovations in Construction

A great friend of the show Nathan Wood joined us for a special episode to recap the Construction Progress Coalition's 2023 AEC Integration Summit. The summit serves to connect like-minded AEC Technology professionals from different industry perspectives to solve our biggest interoperability challenges. Todd and Nathan cover hiring, interoperability, brainstorming, future trends and more.

Nathan Wood is the Founder of and Chief Enabling Officer at SpectrumAEC. Nathan helps organizations and project teams successfully adopt change through executive strategy sessions and end user workshops. Nathan continues to support industry progression through conference presentations, academic papers, and as President of the Construction Progress Coalition.

What does the art of negotiation have to do with construction, and what are some tactics to avoid? Additionally, what should we do about AI? Join host Todd and guest Cian Brennan as they discuss the ins and outs of construction subcontracting, how “squeaky bum time” ties in to the end of an arduous project, how to be proactive in the discussion surrounding industry misconceptions, and much more. 

Cian Brennan is the CEO of Quantum Contract Solutions. He spent almost two decades on the client side of construction. Over this time, he saw hundreds and hundreds of construction companies being bullied contractually, losing money, and going out of business. In 2019, after becoming deeply concerned with the state of the industry and having inside knowledge of how the clients manage Contracts, he launched his own company. Cian has won a 40 under 40 award, a Best of Business Innovation Award and outstanding growth and was a finalist for entrepreneur of the year in the CEO Magazine and business news. He is the host of the Construction Secrets podcast.

How do we accomplish interoperability in our industry, and what does that look like on a practical level? Join host Todd and guest Tom Reno as they discuss the biggest trends and opportunities coming up this year, the impact of shifting bottom lines, the future of industrialization, and more.

Tom Reno is the co-founder of Agave. Prior to Agave, Tom worked at Amazon Alexa as a Technical Product Manager, leading 3 engineering teams building tools for data integration and knowledge management. Tom co-developed Alexa’s Knowledge Skills product from pitch to public launch.

The need for more skilled tradesmen is one of the biggest issues facing construction. How do we attract—and retain—new talent? Join host Todd and guest Rob Bonifacio as they discuss the significance of social media in the industry’s future, connecting with likeminded people in the trades, what it truly means to “be an influencer,” and what the younger generation should know about construction before pursuing a career in the industry. Rob Bonifacio is the owner and operator of Bonifabcustom. For the last 8 years, he has been teaching college level trades (machining and welding) as well as sharing trades content to over 250k followers on social media under the handle @bonifabcustom.

Where is the construction industry right now on the road to tech adoption? What steps do we need to take to guarantee successful technology implementation? Join host Todd and guest Russell Haworth as they discuss the mindset that’s needed to move forward with technology, the arc of the industry’s digital transformation journey, how tech can assist us in tackling bigger issues like sustainability and carbon emissions, and more.

Russell Haworth is a technology-focused CEO with a proven track record of growing businesses with new products in new markets. He specializes in optimizing the intersection of data, cloud, and machine learning for SaaS products.

Join host Todd and guest Britta Teller as they discuss the intersection of ecology, statistics, and construction, how we can contextualize sustainability on an individual level, some “green” products that we should start integrating into our workflows, and some hurdles that we’ll face moving into 2023.

Britta Teller is Chief Sustainability Officer and a Co-Founder at Steller Floors. Five years ago, she pivoted away from her PhD-academic career in ecology and statistics to co-found Steller Floors in Tyrone, PA. Today, her team uses their exciting and innovative hardwood floors to make a positive difference in both global climate change and in their rural Pennsylvania area.

When it comes to the many different facets of our industry, what are some ways we could collaborate more effectively? What are some misconceptions that people have about the industry as a whole? Join host Todd and guest Marc Goldman as they take a deep dive into GIS, the biggest hurdles facing data interoperability, how geographical knowledge benefits the construction worker, and more.

Marc Goldman is the Director of AEC Industry Solutions at ESRI. He is recognized as a global industry expert with international experience pushing through digital transformation. He has a unique breadth and depth of technology and product leadership skills throughout AEC, CAD, BIM, and building product manufacturing.

Join host Todd and guest Aviv Leibovici as they discuss an outside perspective on the issues faced by the industry, how technology can fundamentally change construction, an expert’s opinion on AI involvement on projects, and the next steps we should take to make our workflows more modern.

Aviv Leibovici is a co-founders and Chief of Product of Buildots, a company that solves one of the biggest challenges in construction management using an AI-based approach. He comes from a background of data-heavy cyber security systems and leads the company’s product development and relationship with the British construction industry.

Top-level marketers specializing in construction weigh in on the best way to market your construction business. This special episode is in an audiobook format that is a companion to an eBook by the same name. 

Experts in this episode cover: branding, website, blogs, social media, videos, emails, digital advertising, press releases, brochures, creative bids and more.

Every week on Bridging the Gap, I end the show by asking my guest “what does innovation mean to you?”. I have been fascinated with the wide-ranging and thought-provoking responses. This eBook contains an ode to some of those themes. So, what does innovation mean to you? --Todd