Digital Builder

Younger generation involvement in construction is essential to continue industry-wide expansion and innovation. And today, construction is truly a dynamic industry with more career options to choose from where anyone can apply their individual skillsets and passions.  

In this episode, Eric sits down with Fopefoluwa (Fope) Bademosi, Circular Economy and Construction Researcher at Autodesk, and Evan Reilly, Senior Emerging Technology Engineer at Skanska, inside the Autodesk Technology Center in Boston, MA, to break down the most effective methods for inspiring the next generation, educating them about the opportunities available to them, and some of the biggest industry problems that need innovative thinkers with unique perspectives to solve. 

 We explore: 

• How to resonate with college and pre-college students when presenting about construction 
• How better data capture and purpose-built technology has increased the need for a diverse array of skillsets beyond construction-specific expertise 
• How to promote new ideas through establishing a culture of innovation 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

In another one of our incredible live interviews from Autodesk University, Eric sits down with Matt Abeles, Vice President of Construction Technology and Innovation at Associated Builders and Contractors, to talk about the work the ABC Tech Alliance is doing, strategic principles for  leaders looking to adopt new and innovative technologies, and more. 

 We explore: 

• The ABC Tech Alliance’s mission, values, and how it helps members use technology to be safer, increase revenue, and secure new opportunities 
• Highlights from this year’s ABC Technology Report Why many organizations are missing solutions that will solve 90% of the problem at a fraction of the cost 
• The trend of increasing collaboration between construction technology companies to innovate and solve more complex problems 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Construction often involves complex logistical planning and coordination, but what happens when you add building in one of the harshest environments on earth to the mix? 

In this episode, Eric sits down with David Brand, the Senior Project Manager from the British Antarctic Survey, and Neil Irving, Digital Project Solutions Business Partner at BAM Nuttall, to talk about their work on the British Antarctic Survey Project, how they overcome their project’s unique challenges, and what they’ve learned so far.  

We discuss: 

• How the project brings together digital construction and sustainability while enabling more advanced scientific research in the future 
• Why all project stakeholders need to collaborate thoroughly to ensure no details are missed 
• How prefabrication enables construction in Antarctica’s harsh climate 
• How they are using digital tools to enable successful project management 
• How the onsite team builds community and fosters connection  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

In construction, the decisions leaders make now will largely determine what our industry will look like in a decade. How organizations embrace new technologies has never been more important, because technology and the success of the next generation comes hand in hand. 

Eric sits down with John Fish, Chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction, and Jim Lynch, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Autodesk Construction Solutions for an honest, no-holds barred look at the state of construction today and where the industry is headed tomorrow.  

We discuss: 

• The need for increased collaboration and alignment across all contributing members of a project 
• How AI is unlocking new opportunities for workers and companies to innovate and refine their focus 
• How leaders should invest in recruiting more blue-collar talent and upskilling them with unfamiliar technology and why it’s so important 
• Can data sharing become the most transformative form of collaboration across the industry? 
• How should organizations approach engaging the next generation in construction 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

People are the important thing for any company to remember as they replace legacy technology with innovative, purpose-built tools and processes. That’s why Eric is sitting down with Jon Marks, Former CTO at Swinerton and Principal CEO at Corvus Star Consulting. 

In this episode Jon breaks down the key tactics leaders can implement to ensure they are keeping their people first. 

We discuss: 

• Change management in construction is challenging to lead because there are limited opportunities to deliver change 
• Effective delivery of change involves bite-sized learning and intentional engagement with project teams 
• Flexibility is important for retaining talent and finding the best people for the organization 
• The use of technology and processes is interconnected with the need for mentorship and coaching. 
• Technology and automation in buildings can improve comfort, reduce costs, and benefit the environment. 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

With the growing conversation about how construction is changing because of purpose-built technology like AI, AR technology, and robotics, it’s important to nurture those who will have their careers be the most influenced by it: the next generation of workers. 

That’s why we’ve invited Alan Dillon, Senior Superintendent at Truebeck Construction, for a conversation about leadership, effective mentorship, and why successful relationships are the key to successful projects. 

We discuss: 

• Properly balancing technology and human contributions 
• Why collaboration and providing new opportunities are key to successful mentorship 
• How successful construction projects are built from successful relationships 
• Why curiosity and asking questions help leaders and team members grow, feel valued, and lead to new opportunities 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

The benefits and challenges of digitization are shared by construction companies globally. Construction leaders located around the world are all discovering the best ways to scale digital adoption at their organizations so that processes can become safer, faster, and more efficient. Today we're taking a closer look at how digital adoption is quickly gaining traction in APAC, or the Asia-Pacific region. 

During Autodesk University, Eric sat down with Muhd Khalil Shaiful Bahari, Deputy Director for the Group Technology Office at Boustead Projects Limited, and William Low, Asia-Pacific Regional Sales Manager at Autodesk, to discuss the state of digital adoption in APAC, the main obstacles to scaling digitization, and why it is so necessary for the success of future projects. 

We discuss: 

• The challenges of scaling digital adoption 
• How virtual collaboration has transformed the construction ecosystem in APAC 
• Main obstacles preventing digital adoption 
• How a value-focused digitization strategy prevents “Shiny New Toy Syndrome” 
• The state of data collection, creation, visualization, and implementation in APAC 
• Upcoming technology trends to be excited about  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.  

The adoption of robotics and augmented reality tools at scale is making projects more efficient, workers live safer & easier—all while reducing errors that can cause major problems. 

This and a whole lot more was discussed when Eric sat down with Andrew Cameron, Project Manager at Hensel Phelps. In this episode, we are talking effective technology pilots, tech deployment at scale, and how these tools and new processes are turning Construction into a more attractive industry. 

We discuss: 

• Effective technology pilot strategies  
• Aligning new tech with a company’s core goals and a team’s specific pain points 
• How augmentation improves worker experience & safety 
• Agile software tools versus legacy technology and processes 
• The ROI of robotics deployment at scale  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

It’s no secret that manual labor in construction can take a significant toll on the human body, and high-strain activities can have a long-term health impact for workers. 

That’s where Robotics comes in: By augmenting how workers do their jobs today, robots are helping to relieve them of the burden of many high-strain tasks, freeing workers to do their jobs faster, safer, and more efficiently. 

In this episode recorded live at Autodesk University, Eric sits down with Brooke Gemmell, Emerging Technology Partner at Skanska, to break down the current state of robotics in construction and how it will impact the industry in the coming years. 

We discuss: 

• How robots make manual labor and redundant activities easier 
• The biggest myths about robotics in construction 
• Benefits for adopting robotics & technology 
• Biggest obstacles to widespread adoption and how to mitigate them 
• Best practices for successful adoption 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

As the construction industry continues to digitize, companies are faced with endless possibilities thanks to access to exponentially more and better data, truly digitized workflows, technology like augmented reality, and communication tools that improve speed and efficiency.  

To dive into all of these and more, Matthew Cordova, Director of Construction Technology at Hermanson Company, Matt Lamb, the Chief Information Officer at Rosendin Electric, join Eric Thomas in another live episode of Digital Builder hosted on LinkedIn Live! 

We discuss: 

• Ensuring a balanced workload when integrating new tech into existing processes 
• Properly implementing new tech with different teams in the same organization 
• Security considerations and best practices with new technology and AI tools like ChatGPT 
• How AI and better data availability open new revenue lines 
• How to begin the digitization process in a way that teams can manage 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.