Digital Builder

Innovation, purpose-built tools, and the labor shortage have initiated an unexpected shift in roles across the construction industry, especially when it comes to superintendents. Traditionally, the majority of superintendents have a background in the trades and deeply engrained experience from the field. Now, more than ever, superintendents are entering the role from a variety of backgrounds, creating a unique mix of experiences, perspectives, and approaches to the role. 

 In this episode, we are sitting down with Erin Saiki, who pivoted from her career in Civil Engineering and now has fully embraced the superintendent role at DPR Construction. We explore her career journey and how she sees the superintendent role evolving alongside the construction industry. 

Here’s what we cover: 

• Erin’s unique career path from civil engineer to superintendent 
• The growing variety of experiences and leadership styles among today’s superintendents 
• The superintendent’s role in streamlining and shortening project schedules 
• The rising importance of trade skills for future superintendents 
• How purpose-built tools are bridging the gap for newer superintendents 
• How superintendents can empower the field more effectively 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

A core goal of Digital Builder has always been to highlight innovative approaches to the way companies are designing and making our world, which involves so much more than workflow processes, RFPs, and the often-overhyped threat of AI taking all of our jobs. Some of these innovations are happening at a much more granular level, which is what our friends at BamCore are doing with sustainable building materials like eucalyptus and timber bamboo.  

In this episode, we sit down with two leaders from BamCore, Kate Chilton, the Chief Sustainability Officer, and Zack Zimmerman, Co-founder & Chief Commercial Officer. BamCore is dedicated to developing building solutions that minimize waste and shorten construction timelines with the goal of achieving a “beyond-zero” carbon footprint.  

We discuss: 

• What makes BamCore unique as a green construction startup 
• Common myths around alternative construction materials 
• The advantages of timber bamboo and eucalyptus as construction materials 
• Other, non-material factors that impact sustainability in construction projects 
• Influencing a culture shift in North America that encourages builders and owners to consider new materials  
• How BamCore’s emphasis on climate-smart practices and sustainability address a wide variety of objections 

If you want to hear about more organizations doing work with sustainable building materials, go check out Episode 84 where we talk with Ariana Cohn about mass timber’s growing popularity, as well.  

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

As more and more companies are adopting data strategies and AI into their processes, they are also starting to see other areas of the business that data can empower. Thiago Da Costa, Co-founder & CEO at Toric, believes one of those areas is monetization.  

We sat down with Thiago at Autodesk University to pick his brain on all things data monetization: how proper data implementation can save companies money, how it can empower new revenue streams in project bids, and how that same approach also naturally leads to stronger relationships with project stakeholders. 

 Here’s what we cover: 

• The gaps in data collection and curation in AEC 
• Best practices for data monetization 
• Why data monetization strategies also help companies stay competitive 
• The risks of trying to adopt AI without a robust data strategy already in place 
• How and where to deploy AI tools in your operations 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

When experiencing a period of rapid growth and fast-paced transformation, leaders can get caught up in optimizing processes and finding fast solutions to new problems. This means you may miss opportunities to build deeper connections between your teams and struggle to nurture a strong culture of trust that is ready to adapt to changes on the fly. 

There are already so many important elements of the organization that need to be balanced, so how can leaders effectively navigate these high-growth periods without making their workforce feel like they’ve been left behind? 

We sat down with Tomislav Zigo, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President at Clayco, during AU2023 to talk through these complex processes, how complex companies like Clayco are changing the way they handle tech deployment, and how leaders can properly invest in their teams now to navigate these periods of rapid growth, new technology, and massive workforce culture shifts. 

We discuss: 

• How tech adoption practices have evolved over the last 15 years 
• How Tomislav evaluates new technology for potential adoption 
• How to empower leaders in a fast-scaling model 
• How broad workforce culture shifts are impacting the way organizations scale 
• The need for companies to adopt a strong data strategy to remain competitive 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Intentional investment in raising an organization's data quality, improving its access to information, and creating and implementing robust, purpose-built technology deployments in the field is already proving to be transformative for all stakeholders across construction projects. 

  For leaders like Christy Steffen, Assistant Director of Gaylor University at Gaylor Electric, and Brandon Floyd, Director of Quality at Rosendin, they are already seeing the major upside to upskilling their teams and implementing these tools on site. In this episode, we’ve invited them to share how their teams are approaching the implementation of data-driven tools, team training programs, and more. 

We discuss: 

• Ways to maintain a safe environment within a culture of continuous improvement 
• How Gaylor Electric and Rosendin are approaching data training and implementation 
• How project management technology has advanced over the last 10 years in the AEC industry 
• The biggest challenges facing specialty contractors with project delivery and on-site safety 
• How better data and on-demand access are already making field teams more efficient 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

As new AI tools enter the scene at a rapidly increasing rate, they will transform the way CAD or Computer Aided Design is integrated into our existing workflows. From managing data security and intellectual property to transforming the workflows of workers at all levels of involvement in a project, there is a lot of noise for organ?

That’s why we sat down with Autodesk’s Global VP for Product Management & Development, Marcus O’Brien. In this episode, Marcus shares the history behind CAD, how it originally revolutionized the industry, and cuts through the noise to share the tangible ways that new AI and ML tools are shaping the way we work.  

 We discuss: 

• The history and purpose of both CAD and AutoCAD 
• Which ML & AI tools are making a meaningful impact in AEC workflows 
• How AI tools can avoid becoming another “Clippy” 
• Organizational safety and data security when working with cloud-based AI tools 
• How AI tools can empower better and wiser decision-making when utilized properly 
• How AEC organizations are shifting from communication and documentation tools to collaborative tools 
• How common data environments could affect the future of AEC 

 Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Contractors that are still opting for outdated payment management processes, like paper checks and double entry accounting, are starting to experience trouble in the form of higher subcontractor prices and potentially fewer options of partners to bring into projects. With these problems growing in frequency and severity, there is an urgent need to modernize our financial processes. 

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Milligan, Chief Growth Officer GCPay, an Autodesk Company, to explore the ins and outs of payment systems throughout the AEC ecosystem and make a strong case for why the financial side of our operations should be included in our technology adoption roadmaps. 

 We discuss: 

• How payment systems vary by region whether by culture or regulations 
• The harmful mindset that is holding companies back from digitizing their payment systems 
• How utilizing digital payment solutions builds stronger relationships with sub-contractors 
• The first steps to modernize your company’s payment system 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

One of the most important contributors to meeting project deadlines accurately and safely is having access to the most updated and accurate project information. For many years, issues like distance, storage, and communication methods have been major obstacles to onsite decision-making, project adaptations, and even building trust between on-site and off-site teams. 

Thanks to new technology, federal partnerships, and innovative approaches to these old problems, Departments of Transportation around the United States are seeing major improvements in how quickly they work, how much more they can accomplish, and how much more robust their team operations are.  

During last year’s Autodesk University, we sat down with Andrew Pangallo, Construction Digital Delivery Lead Engineer at The Indiana Department of Transportation, and Kelly Barber, Division Chief for Systems Management at The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to hear more about how they are seeing these innovations are transforming the way their organizations work. 

We discuss: 

• Core functions and goals of DOTs 
• How INDOT and PennDOT are using technology to build trust between field and office workers, enable faster decision-making, and empower onsite leaders 
• How INDOT and PennDOT are interfacing with the FHA’s Digital Construction Program 
• How they are maintaining strict regulatory compliance while adopting new technologies 
• How ongoing federal and industry partnerships are empowering innovation 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) programs are growing in their impact and importance across the entire AEC industry. When implemented correctly, DEIB improves profits, worker productivity and satisfaction, collaboration across business units, and makes companies more attractive to new and upcoming talent.  

We had the chance to sit down with Randi Lucas, former Project Manager at CNY Group (now with Cord Meyer Development Company), and Reana Maglis, BIM VDC Manager at Hansen Yuncken, during Autodesk University to explore how you can create a high-impact, successful DEIB program in your organization. 

In this episode, we explore: 

• Why DEIB Matters in Construction 
• How Diversity in multiple categories improves creative thinking and problem solving 
• A closer look at how Hansen Yuncken and CNY Group are approaching DEIB 
• Current “gaps” in DEIB across the industry 
• Where to start when building a DEIB program 
• How to scale your DEIB program 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.

Construction is a balancing act from start to finish, that includes careful supervision of the finer details of each project like safety, budget, quality, while also managing multiple stakeholders, on and offsite teams, and staying on schedule.  

That’s why improving predictability at all phases of a project is a top priority at companies like DPR Construction. At Autodesk University, we had the chance to sit down with DPR’s CTO Atul Khanzode and Tim Gaylord, DPR’s Corporate Director of Innovation to learn more about how DPR is approaching technology deployment across all levels of the organization, how IPD is transforming collaboration throughout the entire construction process, and how other organizations can benefit from their learnings. 

In this episode, we cover 

• Why consistent predictability is a challenge in construction 
• How to maintain employee confidence when implementing new processes or technology 
• How to win support for IPD 
• DPR’s approach to technology deployment 
• The advantages of specialization and how subject matter experts can bridge the gaps between various business units 

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.