Author: Peggy Smedley
New data suggests the construction industry is adding new workers, but at a rather modest pace that may not be enough to fill in the gap left behind by a retiring workforce and those who left the industry during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Will it be enough? And how will we fill in the gap? I recently had a roundtable conversation that will help us answer some of these questions. First, let’s look at some hard numbers. Total construction employment moved up by only 1,000 employees to 7,721,000 in October, an increase of 266,000 or 3.6% from a…
If we are going to reach that elusive net-zero goal, then we need some big companies to take the lead in this journey and so we need some real guidance in how the world is going to get there. Fortunately, this is exactly what we are seeing begin to happen, as a new coalition for innovation and technology toward net zero has officially launched earlier this month. But, first, let’s back up. We often use three-letter acronyms and buzzwords to describe some big effort or tech trend, but I’d rather set the stage, so we are all on the same…
Peggy talks about the importance of partnerships, people, and technology on our journey to net zero. She defines net zero, the ambitious deadlines to reach it, and the progress that is being made, saying for countries and cities to go net zero this will require significant changes to lifestyles and businesses. She also discusses: A new partnership for net zero that is dedicated to helping countries meet decarbonization and climate change goals. Why innovation and technology are key and how this coalition plans to tackle it. Why we need the right people for these jobs to get to net zero.…
Peggy and Birdie Carpenter, senior researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, talk about the circular economy. She defines the circular economy, saying there are something like 10 Rs now, explaining it is important: to refuse, to rethink, and to reduce. Another category is to think about how to keep products in the economy if possible. The last category is recycle or recover. They also discuss: How plastics have been a product of convenience and bring great value, but also there is a big downside. How do we do things better and how do we make things better. How can we get…
Peggy and Joshua Peschel, assistant professor, Iowa State University, talk about water usage and shortages. He says certainly we can all do things that impact our water footprint, but that we all must do it together to make a larger impact. They also discuss: How legislation might help—and hinder—the water shortages. How technology can help with water shortages, both with the end consumer and businesses. How water shortages are impacting the food supply and other supply-chain shortages. peschelgroup.org (11/22/22 – 798) IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, 5G, cloud, sustainability,…
Small communities are making big leaps, all in the name of connectivity. We know infrastructure is key for all areas of life and business—and perhaps one area this is present is better data communication for data centers. This helps powers our connected, energy-efficient homes and cities. Time to take a closer look at what’s happening in one community where construction has already begun on new fiber duct—and similar efforts are being made elsewhere to connect our towns and homes. Harbor Link Holdings has begun construction on a new fiber-optic infrastructure build connecting Alexandria to Ashburn, Va. The license agreement issued…
The digital twin continues to enable interoperability of infrastructure data for engineering firms and owner operators to use in design, construction, and operations workflows. Add to this the metaverse, and the future is data-driven for construction. This was evident last week, which featured a bevy of announcements at Bentley Systems 2022 Year in Infrastructure Conference. “I will go so far as to say the metaverse will be essential for visualizing construction processes. It is just very natural to use the most immersive environment and to use it in an interoperable way,” says Greg Bentley, CEO, Bentley Systems. This is where…
Part of our sustainability journey is implementing ESG (environmental, social, and governance) best practices into our businesses and leveraging technology to reach new heights. Another part of our sustainability journey is leveraging clean energy and innovation in a variety of industrial applications. We are seeing the rise of hydrogen use, as an option for a clean source of energy in a variety of industrial applications—but now we are also seeing opportunities in residential markets as well, as utilities are exploring delivery solutions to enable their customers to use hydrogen for emission reduction. Consider the example of Southern California Gas, which…
Peggy offers two big solutions to the worker shortage and the way forward. She prefaces the conversation by saying businesses do need competitive benefits in order to attract a younger generation to the workplace. She also discusses: The importance of mentorship and how to help young workers understand that manufacturing is a great career. Examples of apprenticeship programs. How digital transformation will have a big impact on personnel in the future. peggysmedleyshow.com (11/15/22 – 797) 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…
Peggy Smedley and Adam Feinberg, cofounder and CTO, Fluidform and professor, Carnegie Mellon University, talk about the research that is done at his lab. He says what they are trying to do is understand how to engineer or build human tissue to treat disease. They also discuss: How engineers can develop technologies that can develop tissue. A 3D bioprinted heart tube like a conduit with valves that would take over the function of pumping blood to the lungs, restoring normal heart functions. How 3D printing is applied to this research—and how it is applicable. fluidform3d.com (11/15/22 – 797) IoT, Internet…