Starting Off:
Last Friday, the ConTechTrio aired episode 61 of the podcast in which James Benham (@JamesmBenham), Rob McKinney (@Conappguru) and Josh Bone (@BIM2theBone) discussed the latest construction tech news. Headliners last week included IrisVR, Tesla’s Autopilot 8.1 software update, big news from Procore’s Groundbreak 2017 and much more! Special guest, Mike Le Fevre, Vice President of Planning and Design Support at Holder Construction, also joined to discuss lessons learned in adoption and implementation.
Tech You Should Try:
IrisVR – IrisVR gives users a sense of depth and space before anything is built and provides the building industry access to instant virtual reality. Check out this simple to use drag and drop system and stay tuned for multi-person virtual reality that is coming soon from IrisVR.
Weekly ConTechTrio Twitter Poll:
Last Week’s Poll: Does your company have written and established construction workflows that work well? The poll resulted in 54% “No” and 46% “Yes.”
This Week’s Poll: “How does your company manage change?” Visit the ConTechTrio Twitter page and choose from the following options, “Top down,” “Bottom up,” “Organic: both top down and bottom up” or “Why change, were perfect.”
Construction Tech News:
Industry Education, Insights & Trends
Construction Zones are Wreaking Havoc on Self Driving Cars
Construction Junkie discusses the safety between self-driving cars and construction zones in this article. Research indicates that self-driving cars are having a hard time navigating through construction zones.
Nation Expected to Loose 30% of Jobs to Automation in 15 Years
This article predicts that the UK will lose 30% of their jobs to automation in the next 15 years. Check out the UK Economic Outlook Video to learn more.
Big News from Procore’s Groundbreak 2017
The ConAppGuru discusses announcements he learned at Groundbreak 2017 in Austin, Texas last week. These announcements include Construction OS, Procore Sync, new stand-alone products, and much more!
Beer Company is Recycling Glass Bottles into a Sand Substitute
The world is in a shortage of sand for construction projects. A New Zealand beer company called, DB Export, has built a glass bottle crushing machine to help save the world’s sand reserves. Watch the video here to learn more about this process.
BIM
Verity: Automatic Point Cloud Analysis
This article explains ClearEdge 3D’s new solution that is a quality control tool for the construction industry. Verity uses an algorithm to compare the model and the point cloud which helps catch mistakes before they occur.
Emerging Technology
Tesla’s 8.1 Update is Officially Out
Tesla’s Autopilot 8.1 software update is now available for both hardware 1.0 and 2.0 vehicles. This update includes a boost in speed with Autosteer, Auto Lane Change, Autopark and much more!
KONE Elevators Talk to Each Other in Real Time
Now elevators can speak their minds! Enabled by IBM, KONE elevators have the ability to connect to the cloud and with each other to monitor speed and give intelligent insights. Listen to the live chat conversations here.
A robotic microscope was developed to test air quality at job sites to protect construction workers from deadly asbestos fibres. This detecting technology will help protect workers from inhaling asbestos fibres that can destroy their lungs.
App Automatically Calculates Tonnage and Volume of On-Site Stock Piles
StockPile Reports can automatically calculate the volume of any stock pile on your job-site through the use of 3D technology.
Japan Turns to Construction Robots
As the workforce dwindles and gets older, Japanese construction sites are turning to construction robots such as a robotic lifting arms and remote-controlled bulldozers to complete projects.
Apple’s Augmented Reality Debut
iPhone users are limited when it comes to augmented and virtual reality. This article explains how analysts predict that Apple’s augmented debut will look more like Pokémon and less like Magic Leap. Apple is currently working on 3D depth sensing cameras rather than AR/VR headsets.
Tesla Will Begin Taking Orders for Solar Roof Shingles
In April 2017, you can start purchasing Tesla solar roof shingles and install them later this year. Tesla Solar Roof looks like a traditional roof shingle, available in four different styles and turns sunlight into energy for immediate use or storage in a Powerwall battery.
[INTERVIEW] Mike Le Fevre, Vice President of Planning and Design Support at Holder Construction, Discusses Lessons Learned in Adoption and Implementation
In the second half of the podcast, Mike Le Fevre, Vice President of Planning and Design Support at Holder Construction joined the ConTechTrio to discuss lessons learned in technology adoption and implementation. Mike earned his bachelors and master’s degree in architecture from The University of Michigan.
At age 14, Mike started designing buildings at a small architectural firm. After working for various tech savvy firms, Mike ended up at Holder Construction and is now working with architects from all around the country and leads the BIM transformation at Holder Construction. [Fun Fact: ConTechTrio Co-host, Josh Bone sold Mike his first piece of BIM software in 2003.]
Mike explains “BIMplementation 101” and the path of how Holder Construction adopted BIM software in the design process earlier than most companies. Mike and the ConTechTrio wrapped up the interview by discussing Holder Construction’s internal programming systems, philosophies for adopting BIM effectively, as well as, how Holder Construction implements a culture of change.
Tune into the ConTechTrio podcast this Friday for Episode 62, featuring Christian Proulx, Customer Success Director at BIM Track, on tracking changes in BIM.
Listen to the Podcast: Spreaker, SoundCloud , YouTube, iTunes
Follow On Twitter: @JBKnowledge, @ConTechTrio
