Author: Peggy Smedley
Resiliency is perhaps one of the greatest priorities of the builders of our time. The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information says 2022 tied for the third highest number of billion-dollar disasters in the United States. 2022 was also third highest in total costs, with a whopping cost of at least $165 billion. Both natural and manmade disasters are causing havoc, necessitating homes, buildings, and infrastructure that can stand the test of the elements. While the construction industry can’t completely stop the storm, so to speak, construction professionals can build infrastructure that is more sustainable and resilient. The ASCE (American…
We are in the midst of a blog series focused on our experiences in the Living Lab, which is a home that aims to leverage advanced products and systems to demonstrate and educate both industry and consumers alike. Last week, we took a look at the three big benefits of motorized shades. Today, let’s look at a home energy monitoring system. The residential sector accounts for about 21% of the total U.S. energy consumption, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Of the energy used in U.S. homes in 2015, 55% of it was used for heating and cooling. Water…
Sustainability is becoming a greater priority for many countries all around the world. For today’s blog, let’s look at the trends unfolding in Canada, and how technology and data can help meet sustainability goals anywhere. Jamie Dinsmore, energy and resources industry lead, Microsoft Canada, recently chatted with me about the state of energy and sustainability in Canada, saying Canada is rich in resources. I enjoyed this conversation very much, as it reminded me of my days in the oil and gas industry. “It is a resource-based economy,” he says. “It is a diverse mix of sources. We have the third…
Last week, I kicked of a blog series focused on our experiences in the Living Lab, a home that aims to leverage advanced products and systems from leading manufacturers and technology companies to demonstrate and educate both industry and consumers. Today, let’s look at the shades used in the home. First, a little bit of background about the shades that we chose for the project and the company that provides them. PowerShades was founded in 2017 to provide motorized shades to enhance the quality of life with products such as PoE (Power over Ethernet) shades. Some options, like PoE, require…
From urban sprawl, to aging infrastructure, to the rise of electrification, we are seeing increasing challenges for infrastructure professionals. Digital twin, metaverse, and BIM (building information modeling) have the potential to completely transform the way the construction industry does business—and we are seeing some big announcements and advancements that will make an impact. Consider the example of iTwin Activate. Bentley Systems has launched the 20-week codevelopment program to accelerate early-stage startups in infrastructure engineering software. The company engaged with many startups in the past couple years and saw the need for an organized way to support early-stage startups that were…
In the past decade, the rental car industry has evolved exponentially. We have seen the rise of EVs (electric vehicles), AVs (autonomous vehicles), and consolidation and strategic alliances in the marketplace. What’s more, we have reached the inflection point where legacy systems are no longer an option, as digital transformation and MaaS (mobility-as-a-service) are taking hold in an era of hyper personalization and high customer expectations. This was a conversation I had recently with Julie Shainock, managing director, travel, transport & logistics, Microsoft, who says, “There are these evolving customer expectations out there. They really want a more frictionless, touchless…
Peggy Smedley talks all about sustainability and what comes next for businesses. She recently had an opportunity to attend a sustainability session and shares her key takeaways from that on the first segment. She also discusses: How many dollars will be invested into sustainability annually. One company that is taking big steps to help others reach sustainability goals. Specific examples of how technology can help in three different vertical markets. peggysmedleyshow.com (6/27/23 – 828) IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, 5G, cloud, sustainability, future of work, podcast This episode is…
Peggy Smedley and Jamie Dinsmore, energy and resources industry lead, Microsoft Canada, talk about the state of energy and sustainability in Canada. He says Canada is rich in resources, detailing some examples. They also discuss: Energy tax credits and government funding in Canada. How we can get to a net-zero emission economy. How data and artificial intelligence enter the equation. Learn about the future of energy with our “Top Trends in Energy” video series. Sign up to receive news and updates about new Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability capabilities. (6/27/23 – 828) IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine…
Peggy Smedley and Jeff Winter, senior director, industry strategy, manufacturing, Hitachi Solutions America, talk about how business leaders should be thinking about generative AI (artificial intelligence). He says artificial intelligence, in general, can be thought of as a technology to help augment or automate decisions. They also discuss: Three groups of people who will benefit from ChatGPT. How many employees are currently using ChatGPT for work-related tasks—and how many told their bosses. The three main areas where companies should have policies and strategies for ChatGPT. global.hitachi-solutions.com (6/27/23 – 828) IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big…
From the street, the Living Lab will look just like many other homes in the neighborhood, but when you walk inside you will discover it is intentionally designed to be a model for sustainable, resilient, and efficient residential homebuilding practices. Roughly two years ago I embarked on a journey with my husband David to build a Living Lab with the help of partners to encourage ecofriendly and green living. This individual project incorporates advanced products and systems from leading manufacturers and technology companies to demonstrate and educate both industry and consumers alike about how we can create a sustainable, clean,…