Starting Off:
Last Friday, the ConTechTrio aired episode 71 of the podcast in which James Benham (@JamesmBenham), Josh Bone (@BIM2theBone) and special guest host Nathan Wood (@Nathancwood) discussed the latest construction tech news. Headliners last week included STACK Construction Technologies, iOS 11, Trimble’s SiteVision prototype, EarthCam’s GigapixelCam X1, and much more! Special guest, Joshua Gloede, Accounting Partner at Accodex, also joined to discuss accounting, finance and tech in the AEC Industry.
Shameless Plug:
Join JBKnowledge on July 13th in Philadelphia for the 2017 ConTech Roadshow. This one day event, featuring the ConTechTrio, is filled with interactive technology, educational sessions, and a chance to network with leading construction technology innovators. CLICK HERE to register today and learn more about the 2017 Philadelphia ConTech Roadshow!
Tech You Should Try:
STACK Construction Technologies is a cloud takeoff available in three versions Basic, Plus, and Pro that increases takeoff speed and reduces errors so users can bid and win more. STACK also works well in a multi-user collaborative environment and is integrated with JBKnowledge’s construction bid software, SmartBid.
Weekly ConTechTrio Twitter Poll:
Last Week’s Poll: Does your company use a virtual reality solution to visualize the job site during construction? The poll resulted in 44% “Yes,” 48% “No,“ and 8% “What’s Virtual Reality?”
This Week’s Poll: “Does your company use a Business Intelligence tool to analyze data from projects?” Visit the ConTechTrio Twitter page and simply answer “Yes” or “No.”
Construction Tech News:
Industry Education, Insights & Trends
2017 CFMA Annual Conference Overview
James Benham provides a rundown of the Construction Financial Management Association Annual Conference last week that was held in Phoenix, Arizona. James had the privilege to give two presentations at the conference, as well as, conduct live interviews with ConTechTrio Co-host, Rob McKinney throughout the show. Watch the live coverage, here!
10 Best Construction Simulator Games
GenieBelt provides a list of the top construction simulator games that teaches users about construction techniques. The list of games include Construction Simulator Pro 2017, SimCity BuildIt, Megapolis, Heavy Excavator Simulator, and much more!
This fall the iOS 11 software release will bring new experiences and features to the iPhone and iPad. These new features include, high quality AR experiences, powerful updates to Siri, professional cameras and phone features, and much more!
Step By Step Guide to Applying Choosing By Advantages (CBA)
This article discusses lean construction and provides infographics on the seven steps of identifying “Choosing by Advantages.” (CBA is a collaborative and transparent decision making system.) Click here to view the infographics and learn more about lean CBA methodology.
Rewriting the Rules of the Digital Age
Deloitte University Press discusses the fourth Industrial Revolution, known as “The Big Shift.” This article explains how the digital age is changing the way humans think, work, and act. Click here to learn more about changes in the world of business.
Construction Process Coalition Presents The Open Integration Summit
On Wednesday, August 2nd 2017, in Denver, Colorado join the Construction Progress Coalition at their Open Integration Summit that is focused on solving the digital RFI dilemma. Sign up today!
Partnerships & Acquisitions
WeWork Has Acquired Venture-Backed Fieldlens
TechCrunch announces big news in this article about WeWork combining forces with Fieldlens to bring connected front line teams to the workspace! Learn more about the details from this acquisition between WeWork, a $1.8 billion dollar company that provides co-working spaces all around the world and Fieldlens, a mobile communication system for the construction industry.
Deere Makes Infrastructure Play With $5.2 Billion Purchase of a German Construction Company
Forbes discusses in this article how the farm equipment giant, John Deere, has purchased Wirtgen Group, a German road construction company for $5.2 billion dollars in cash. This acquisition is planned to grow John Deere’s international presence, as well as, give Deere a larger foothold in the AEC industry.
Dutch Company 3D Prints Drone Research Lab in Dubai
CyBe Construction, a Dutch company that specializes in 3D concrete printing has fabricated a 1,808 square foot drone research and development lab for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. Read this article to also learn about the 25% of all buildings that is expected to be 3D printed by 2030.
Emerging Technology
EarthCam Introduces New Hybrid Construction Camera Technology
EarthCam announces the launch of its GigapixelCam X1, which is EarthCam’s new hybrid construction camera. The GigapixelCam X1 is an autonomous construction camera that broadcasts live video to ultra-high resolution imagery. Learn more about the GigapixelCam X1 and its features here.
Trimble SiteVision Prototype: Accurate Outdoor AR Using GNSS
Last week, Trimble’s Mixed Reality Program announced their SiteVision prototype that has the ability to solve the problem of outdoor positioning for augmented reality. SiteVision would use GNSS to locate mobile devices outdoors within a few centimeters. Watch the video below to learn more about SiteVision!
Hangar Introduces JobSite for Enterprise Software
Hangar Technologies, the world’s first robotics-as-a-service data acquisition platform, introduces their JobSite for Enterprise Software. Hangar’s JobSite product is an aerial data solution for construction that provides scalable deployment, FAA compliant operations, secure cloud processing, and is accessible across teams.
[INTERVIEW] Joshua Gloede, Accounting Partner at Accodex, Discusses Integrating Accounting, Finance and Tech in the AEC Industry
In the second half of the podcast, Joshua Gloede, Accounting Partner at Accodex, joined the ConTechTrio to discuss accounting, finance and tech in the AEC industry. Joshua was born and raised in a remote town in Australia called Alice Springs. Joshua graduated from Flinders University with a bachelor degree in Accounting and Finance.
In the interview, Joshua explains unique qualities and challenges the construction industry faces when it comes to accounting and finances. Joshua and the ConTechTrio discuss how to gather reliable financial data with Xero accounting software, defining business intelligence and how it differs from reporting, as well as, how the trade business will change in the future due to technology.
Tune into the ConTechTrio podcast this Friday for Episode 72, featuring Brian Burke, Owner of Plans4Less, discussing advances in printing technology.
Listen to the Podcast: Spreaker, SoundCloud , YouTube, iTunes
Follow On Twitter: @JBKnowledge, @ConTechTrio
