Author: Peggy Smedley

Here at Constructech, we have been talking about BIM (building information modeling) for roughly two decades. The reality is at the heart of BIM is collaboration—and collaboration is what is so desperately needed to improve productivity, safety, and quality on today’s complex construction projects. If you have been following here for a while then you know BIM isn’t necessarily a piece of technology, but rather a collaborative process enabled by technology to connect time (4D), cost (5D), sustainability (6D), and facilities management (7D). What’s Driving BIM As we know, one of the biggest drivers of BIM is the project owner—and…

Every day we talk about the importance of data—how data is accessed, collected, managed, tracked, monitored, and stored electronically. Databases have quickly evolved. Today, when we are talking about a lot of data, we are literally talking about how businesses are capturing value. They are using this data to track our every movement, in the way we live, work, and play. We are infusing all this information to interpret everything we do and the way we do it. View the full article here.

Sustainability is becoming a much bigger priority across all walks of life, especially in construction. As we all know, buildings are one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. In fact, some suggest buildings are responsible for more than one-third of total U.S. emissions. To all head on the same path toward the same goal, we must have a similar target. But to achieve these objectives we must be smarter and work more efficiently together, if we ever truly want to reach our energy targets. One of the first steps must…

Earlier this month, I shared the truth about gen AI (artificial intelligence), explaining we must realize the rise of AI will have an impact on our workforce. We can’t have one without the other. They are the ying and the yang and how we choose to leverage one will in fact impact the other. Let’s be clear here, to be successful in business, we must consider both in tandem. With that, I also explained there are real, true opportunities to be had with generative AI. The reality is many people—and companies—are already using gen AI. PwC suggests one year after…

The supply chain is only becoming more complex—and every disruption creates a ripple effect that impacts other players. At SAP Sapphire, Christian Klein, CEO, SAP, shined a light on the true challenges the supply chain is facing. Some at the event even suggest up to 97% of our supply chains got disrupted in the last two years. What is needed today more than ever is for supply chains to become more flexible to serve the personalized needs of consumers. Enter generative AI (artificial intelligence). Before we talk about the supply chain, let’s take a closer look at how technology has…

We are at a precipice where we need to rebuild much of our infrastructure, technology is advancing at a rapid rate, and we have a worker shortage that threatens to stall the construction industry—all while the cost of materials and labor do not show signs of slowing any time soon. With all this in mind, it begs the question, is optimism about the economy up or down? A recent report might shed some light into how executives at engineering firms view the economy. First, a primer. The ACEC Research Institute survey of 650 engineering firm executives looks at current and…

Every day my inbox is flooded with news and reports about gen AI (artificial intelligence). Some of it is interesting, some of it is innovative, some of it is inspiring, and some of it sounds far-fetched. Let’s look at some of the recent research. An interesting statistic passed my desk in May. It states nearly two out of three small business employees say AI can increase or retain headcount. Cox Business surveyed small business owners and employees on their view of the technology. The study found 52% of small business owners said AI enables them to increase or retain employees,…

Construction projects—specifically infrastructure projects—are becoming more complex than ever before. As Julien Moutte, CTO, Bentley Systems, recently told me on The Peggy Smedley Show, the demand on infrastructure has never been so high for many reasons, which he explains on the podcast. Here at Constructech, we have been talking about failing infrastructure around the world and in the United States, the need for greater resiliency and sustainability, and the need for greater security of our infrastructure systems. With the help of technology, there are opportunities to build infrastructure that is modern, resilient, and sustainable. However, building these projects is easier…

We live in a world where there is a rise in extreme weather events, cost of energy is soaring, energy companies have a lack of skilled workers, and we have a responsibility to improve our carbon footprint. All of this points to the need for greater connectivity at the grid—which is something we have seen steadily rising in recent years. The U.S. Dept. of Energy suggests the U.S. electric grid has more than 9,200 electric generating units, having more than 1 million megawatts of generating capacity connected to more than 600,000 miles of transmission lines. But it also states the…

Here at Constructech, Connected World, and The Peggy Smedley Show, I have been sounding the alarm for years about the dangers of distracted driving. Awareness is particularly important in the construction industry, where work zone safety is a top priority for many. The hard reality is that work zones are still not a safe place, according to recent numbers from the AGC (Associated General Contractors of America). In fact, the organization’s recent survey found nearly two-thirds of firms working on highway upgrades experienced vehicles crashing into work zones during the past year. What’s more, 24% of respondents report experiencing five…