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EVs in the Southeast
Peggy looks at a new report that digs into the details of the state of EVs (electric vehicles) in the Southeast. She says electric vehicle sales in the Southeast grew 42%, beating the national average by 37%. She also discusses: The importance of an ecosystem of players in order to ensure success. Growth trends across…
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IBM and Microsoft: A Shared Vision
Peggy Smedley and Chris McGuire, VP and general manager, Global Microsoft Strategic Partnership, IBM Consulting, and Lisa Slim, senior director, global partners, Microsoft, talk about the partnership between the two companies. McGuire says about four years ago the two companies decided to focus deeply on a partnership. Slim says this partnership is grounded in a…
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Building Sustainable
Urban populations are anticipated to increase by 2.5 billion by 2050, causing greater demand for new buildings. Peggy talks about how buildings are playing a huge role in greenhouse gas emissions. She also discusses: The challenge we face building new structures and retrofitting existing one. Examples of two new and unique projects. How to identify…
The opportunities gen AI (artificial intelligence) brings to most industries are significant—dare we say remarkable? But let’s be clear, there are still some challenges. For example, most LLMs (large language models) are trained on publicly available data and the vast majority of enterprise data remains untapped, and much work needs to be done to address this. And again, dare we say address this sooner, rather than later? Enter Granite 3.0, IBM’s third-generation Granite flagship language models, which was announced earlier this week at IBM’s second annual TechXchange event. By combining a small Granite model with enterprise data, especially using the…
We have come a long way with safety. If you journey back to the year 1960 and walked a construction jobsite, you would see very different work conditions than you see today. Hard hats were not mandatory yet and PPE (personal protective equipment) wasn’t the common three-letter jobsite acronym that it is today. Workers would be hanging from the top of buildings, with little gear to protect them. We have certainly come a long way, right? Yes and no. The reality is every year, one in 100 construction workers still get hurt bad enough to need time off work. We…
What's Trending
Located in the eastern area of Nebraska, the City of Fremont has a population of 27,141 and the Dept. of Utilities serves electric, gas, and water service, with a mission to provide safe, reliable, and economical services to the community. The department has found an innovative way to do this with the help of technology. Leveraging the OATI webSmartIoT AMIoT, the staff has a new tool to improve operational tasks. The department wanted a way to present consistent 15-minute meter data reads to enhance monitoring and reporting of voltage levels—and that is exactly what it is finding with this new AMI (advanced metering infrastructure) solution. Here is how this can help in the City of Fremont: Two-way communications for operational control Upgraded outage detection and restoration Remote disconnect and reconnect of residential electric meters Looking to the future, we will see many utilities tap into technology to support realtime utilities quality data analysis. Data is the key to ensuring utilities remain safe, reliable, and economical. What are you seeing in your own…
AI (artificial intelligence) is impacting every industry. Let’s consider the example of beauty solutions today. For instance, Revieve recently launched the Next Gen AI Advisor series, which offers an integrated, comprehensive AI-driven personalization strategy. Here’s how it works. Using Revieve’s BeautyML, Google Cloud’s infrastructure, and Vertex AI platform, these Next Gen AI solutions by Revieve will offer a new customer shopping experience. With the technology, consumers have access to a gen AI conversational assistant and integration with Beauty Fusion, which is the previously launched Shop by Inspiration, powered by Match My Look and Shop the Look. Here is how this can help: Greater personalization by leveraging gen AI capabilities. Tailored advice for skincare, makeup, or hair care. Accessibility for beauty brands. Looking to the future, we will continue to see gen AI proliferate in many industries, and this is simply one example. With gen AI, industries can drive personalization, inform strategy, and stand out among the…
The smart home is getting smarter with the help of kickstarter creations—and the number of innovations for our homes are endless. Let’s consider the recent example of a new AI (artificial intelligence)-powered smart planter. LeafyPod is a new way to care for your plants, set to ship in spring 2025. The solution has an automated watering system, which learns the plant’s behavior and dynamically adjusts its watering routines. Built-in sensors also allow the plants to communicate their needs, such as when they need more light, water, or different humidity levels. The cordless solution is battery operated with a charge that lasts up to three months and a 30-ounce water reservoir keeps plants thriving for weeks, even while you are away. Here is how this can help: Tech monitors and nurtures plants, so homeowners can focus on enjoying their lives. An app provides personalized plant care, keeping both plants and homeowners happy. The product promotes wellness by bringing nature into the homes in an easy way. Research shows plants reduce stress, boost mood, and improve indoor air quality. Looking to the future, we can expect more innovations such as this, especially with CES just around the corner. Our homes are getting smarter. Are we ready to…
What You Missed
IDC says Asia/Pacific edge spending expected to hit $84 billion in 2028.
The digital twin offers big opportunities for the construction industry, and it will change how contractors…
The manufacturing industry is facing a labor shortage—which is expected to have a significant impact on…