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Last Friday, the #ConTechTrio aired episode 1.19 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 the top Revit apps to implement, the world’s first 3D printed office space, updates to Google’s Project Tango, BIM news and much more! Special guest Andy Jansen, CEO and Founder of @HardHatHub also joined to discuss the challenging role of technology in construction HR.
The show kicked off with a celebratory announcement, Rob McKinney’s website the ConAppGuru, reached a monumental 75,000 views. In JBKnowledge news, James Benham highlighted the “HR Technology Use for Construction” poll running on the JBK Facebook Page. Simply answer the single poll question with “Yes” or “No” to be eligible to win a Tile GPS Tracker! In other tech news, @Google released the world’s most physically customizable phone, with the ability to attach and remove parts with voice commands.
Don’t have an @AmazonEcho (Alexa) and interested in buying one? You now have the capability of testing out the experience inside your web browser. Polystyrene homes are catching on in Kenya, their cool, cheap and green features are optimal for Africa’s harsh environmental conditions. @Futurism reported an amazing breakthrough, the researchers at Southampton University in the UK discovered the ability to store data on slivers of quartz glass for 14 billion years! In regards to BIM, the UK is now looking into requiring builders to meet BIM Level 3 compliance, which will use smart city sensor networks to glean ‘big data’ from infrastructure.
@ConstrJunkie shared another “out of the ordinary” construction video this week, showcasing a deflated blimp making an emergency landing on a construction site. Dubai made headlines again this week with the world’s first 3D-printed office space – a futuristic-looking building with energy-efficient features that only took 17 days to print. @MapwithDJI announced the @Skycatch Commander App will be available for Android users, very soon. James concluded his tech news highlights with a video showcasing what’s new with Google’s Project Tango.
@EarthCam announced it will be providing drone and aerial imagery services called, EarthCam Air, which will combine its webcam tech with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) services and cloud storage for sharing content. A new survey was discussed on the podcast, Pavia Systems’ reported that 60% of DOT respondents using e-Construction tools reported on-time deliveries. Pavegen, the British tech company that specializes in converting footsteps into energy, has now developed electricity-generating floor tiles that power off-grid applications.
Also, in regards to “smart flooring,” Kansas City’s Integrated Roadways acquired a U.S. patent for its “smart pavement” that will convert humdrum roads into the network for the mobile Internet of Things. GDP Architects (GDP), have invested in a 4.4mx2.3m Virtalis ActiveWall and Visionary Render software that will create an immersive virtual world experience. Staying on the VR track, the U.S. cycling team is training for the RIO Olympics with Solos smart cycling glasses that enable the athlete to display critical real-time performance metrics pulled from their bike sensors. For all you “Bimmers” out there, check out the top 10 Revit apps you should be implementing in 2016.
In regards to construction HR, @FortuneMagazine released the 2016 50 Best Workplaces for New College Grads list, and architect @PDRcorp and construction firm @GilbaneBuilding made the list. This exciting industry news, however, was followed by unfortunate industry statistics. Construction Dive reported that construction spending fell 1.8% in April. Finishing on a high note though, the April construction unemployment rates improved in 44 states from 2015!
In the second half of the podcast, @AndyJansen1, CEO and Founder of Hard Hat Hub, joined the #ConTechTrio to discuss the challenging role of technology in construction HR. Andy got his start in construction with Patrick Engineering and fell in love with the technical aspect of the business. After spending nearly a decade hiring employees within the construction industry, Andy came to the realization that the options available to connect with the right companies and employers were severely limited, and thus Hard Hat Hub was born. He later went on to highlight the vision and main capabilities behind the Hard Hat Hub site. Andy and the #ConTechTrio concluded their discussion with the main drivers behind employee shortages within the construction workforce, millenials’ impact on the industry and Hard Hat Hub’s recent partnership with Procore.
Tune into the #ConTechTrio podcast again this Friday for Episode 1.20 with special guest Bob Snyder from Binsky & Snyder Mechanical to discuss the changing role of tech from a construction CEO’s perspective. Until then you can catch up on past episodes of our construction technology podcast and even check out some bonus episodes via the links below!
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on iTunes
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on Spreaker
Download the NEW ConTechTrio Podcast App
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on SoundCloud
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on YouTube
