Podcasts about Prefabrication

Send us a textIn this episode of the Real Estate Development Insights Podcast, we welcome architect Matt Bolen, who has been a pioneering force in the field of  prefabrication & mass timber construction. Matt discusses his extensive experience and passion for innovative building technologies, focusing on sustainable design and prefabricated methods. We delve into the definition of sustainability, the challenges of incorporating mass timber, and the potential of prefabrication in modern construction. Additionally, Matt shares insightful thoughts about the benefits of single stair exits in mid-rise buildings and the importance of focusing on the ultimate goal of constructing efficient, community-centric buildings. Join us for an engaging conversation that spans practical approaches to overcoming conventional construction challenges and future-focused strategies for sustainable development.What is Sustainability in Architectural Design?Practical Tips for Sustainable DesignChallenges and Opportunities in Mass Timber ConstructionPros & Cons of Prefabrication and Modular DesignThe Importance of Commitment and InnovationHistorical Context and Industry ExamplesThe importance of Prototyping and Real-World ApplicationsRequired Changes to Industry RegulationsFor more information, please refer to RealEstateDevelopmentInsights.Com.

In our final Lumber Slingers episode from the International Mass Timber Conference, we sit down with Dean Lewis, Skanska's Director of Mass Timber & Prefabrication, to unpack the buzz around mass timber. Dean shares how to decide if mass timber's right for your project, from cost to carbon wins, and breaks down East vs. West Coast trends. We dive into Skanska's game-changing projects: Portland Airport's stunning nine-acre timber roof, CDHY's inclusive campus expansion, Kendeda's net-positive Living Building, and Governor's Island's cutting-edge New York Climate Exchange. Get the inside scoop on why timber's taking over! #InternationalMassTimberConference #MassTimberMovement #Masstimber #LumberSlingers #SustainableBuilding #TimberConstruction #Skanska #PortlandAirport #CDHYCampus #KendedaBuilding #NYClimateExchange #GreenConstruction #MassTimberConference #WoodArchitecture #CarbonNeutral #TimberTrends #ConstructionInnovation

In episode 16 of Constructing with Care, we dig into how prefabrication is driving tangible financial benefits, improving safety, and accelerating speed to market for healthcare construction projects. Industry leaders join the conversation to break down the power of standardization, long-term operational savings, and the importance of reducing variation in care environments. Hear real-world examples from healthcare systems and learn how cash flows and standardizing processes can support both the bottom line and community care. Guest: Sean Ashcroft, Healthcare Core Market Leader, DPR Construction   Guest: Jeff Schroder, AVP Planning, Design and Construction, Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health   Guest: Sarah Francis - Enterprise Assistant Vice President, Standards & Activation-Planning, Design & Construction, Advocate Health   Key Takeaways [5:20] – Setting the Stage: Financial Pressures + Tech Investments Host Leslie kicks off the conversation by exploring how prefab can address rising financial pressures for healthcare systems while supporting aggressive tech investments. [6:20] – Two Big Wins from Prefab (Sean) Sean highlights the long-term flexibility and operational uptime of prefab systems, plus how prefab impacts critical path scheduling to generate revenue faster. [7:12] – Hospital Perspective: Managing Cashflow at Scale (Jeff) Jeff dives into Atrium Health's approach to managing billions in active projects, explaining how prefab helps front-load purchases and reduce variation and risk from supply chain disruptions and tariffs. [9:17] – Standardization at the Enterprise Level (Sarah) Sarah underscores the importance of minimizing variation across builds, enabling process improvement and better data insights. Standardization is key to long-term efficiency. [10:12] – Compounding Effects of Eliminating Variation Sean expands on how standardization and prefab eliminate variation early—helping avoid rework and driving downstream time and cost savings.   Quotes Jeff Schroder, AVP Planning, Design and Construction, Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health   "Prefabrication helps us mitigate unpredictable factors like weather, labor shortages, and tariffs." Sarah Francis, Enterprise Assistant Vice President, Standards & Activation-Planning, Design & Construction, Advocate Health   "To ensure long-term efficiency we need to focus on minimizing variation, keeping a standardized approach that also allows us to measure and have data."  Sean Ashcroft, Healthcare Core Market Leader, DPR Construction   "There's a necessity for early engagement and ensuring the whole team understands the logic behind prefabrication to avoid gaps in execution."   

In this episode, straight from Advancing Prefabrication 2025, Todd welcomes back Amy Marks, the Queen of Prefab, for an insightful discussion on the evolving landscape of industrialized construction. Amy shares how prefabrication is becoming the norm, the critical role of strategic partnerships, and why culture fit is key to success in the industry.

In this episode, we sit down with Bianca Medina-Leal, Program Director at AECOM, to discuss the challenges and triumphs of managing multi-billion dollar school construction projects.00:57 – Meet BiancaBianca introduces her role at AECOM and how her team helps Austin ISD manage massive school construction projects.02:31 – The $2.4 Billion BondAustin voters approved a $2.4 billion bond to modernize over 130 school facilities. Bianca's team oversees more than $1 billion of the work.03:41 – The Challenge of Aging SchoolsMany Austin ISD buildings are over 50 years old. Deciding whether to renovate or rebuild is a complex process driven by facility assessments and community needs.09:00 – Race Against the ClockWith Austin's rapid growth, the district must move fast. Their aggressive five-year timeline puts pressure on every phase of construction.09:52 – Competing with Mega ProjectsTesla's Gigafactory and Samsung's plant are pulling contractors away. Bianca shares how Austin ISD retains labor despite the competition. 14:05 – Navigating Construction During COVIDCOVID disrupted timelines, but school projects were deemed essential. Bianca details how her team adapted to keep things moving.20:37 – Scaling Up: The Current State of the ProgramFour new schools are opening soon, with more in design and construction. Managing this level of activity requires constant coordination. 21:17 – Why Owners Push Fast ConstructionDelays mean rising costs. With a fixed budget, Austin ISD must act quickly or risk cutting projects due to inflation.26:03 – Choosing the Right Delivery MethodBianca explains why Design-Build and CMAR are the preferred models, emphasizing the importance of strong contractor-architect relationships. 33:20 – Community Engagement in School DesignNo two schools look the same—community input ensures designs reflect local culture and student needs.36:41 – Prefabrication & InnovationPrefab construction offers speed and cost savings, but not every site is a good fit. Lessons learned from past projects guide future decisions.39:20 – The Data DilemmaManaging a $2.4 billion program requires massive data tracking. Despite advanced tools, Excel remains a critical part of the workflow. Bianca's wish? Seamless tech integration and better alignment between school construction and district-wide operations.55:00 – The Megaphone QuestionHer message to the industry: Trust, collaboration, and communication are the foundation of every successful project. Construction is about more than just buildings—it's about people.58:48 – Closing ThoughtsBianca reflects on the impact of building schools and why it's all worth it. If you're in construction, take pride in the work you do—it shapes the future.Go build something awesome! -----CHECK OUT THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE OUR SHOW POSSIBLE: https://www.brospodcast.com/partnersFIND US ONLINE:-Our website: https://www.brospodcast.com-LinkedIn: / constructionbrospodcast-Instagram: / constructionbrospodcast-TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@constructionbrothers?lang=en-Eddie on LinkedIn: / eddie-c-057b3b11-Tyler on LinkedIn: / tylerscottcampbellIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Prefabrication can get a bad wrap in the sustainable building world but when used in the right way, it can be a powerful tool for building sustainable and affordable homes. We recently sat down with prefabrication pioneers Chris Gilbert and Kaia McCarty Smith to discuss how it can support a better building future. Chris is the co-founder of Candour, a prefabrication company that aims to address the challenges faced by builders and architects. Unlike typical prefab companies, Candour doesn't focus on volumetric prefabs but rather on a panelised fabrication with a significant emphasis on software development. This means they aren't just building physical structures; they're also building digital solutions that help bridge the gap between architects and fabricators.Their unique software ties seamlessly into common architectural tools like Archicad, providing real-time pricing and fabrication limits. This ensures architects design structures within practical and budget-friendly bounds, ultimately reducing costs and improving efficiencies from the start.On the other hand, Kaia shared his experience using prefabs as a builder and the force behind Wilderness Building Co. He explained that prefabrication offers a streamlined, efficient, and precise way to construct, with benefits in controlling quality and reducing on-site errors. These advantages are crucial, especially when considering issues like labour costs and the need for quicker building timelines.As builders, we've always been aware of the resistance to change in our industry. Australians, by nature, are wary of deviating from traditional building norms. But is it time to embrace prefabrication fully? Chris believes that while prefab isn't the silver bullet, it's certainly part of the solution. Matt also brought up the rising costs of labour, and the difficulties that causes in the Australian market. Automating processes, as prefabrication allows, might be a great solution. However, it's also about ensuring buildings remain affordable and comfortable for everyone, which continues to be a complex balancing act.So, whether you're an architect, builder, or part of the wider construction community, it's time to consider prefabrication. It might not be the complete answer, but it could be a big step towards a sustainable future for construction. LINKS:Connect with Chris Gilbert: www.candour.ccConnect with Kaia McCarty Smith: www.wildernessbuilding.comConnect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpodConnect with Hamish:Instagram: @sanctumhomesWebsite: www.yoursanctum.com.au/Connect with Matt: Instagram: @carlandconstructionsWebsite: www.carlandconstructions.com/

Steve Trudeau, Owner of TruDesign Company Inc., joins Nick, Tyler, and Jeff Sweenor to talk about preparing for opportunity, catching your big break, growing their businesses, managing labor costs, and adopting innovative technologies like prefabrication and componentization to improve efficiency and profitability. https://trudesignco.com   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Velux NAHB International Builders' Show Expo Pass   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media Tyler's Top Blogs: How I Started My Business Books that Build Site Protection Principles My Preconstruction Process: Part 1 Becoming Proficient in Multiple Trades

As the industry forges toward more and more tech adoption, how do we keep track of these new goalposts, tools, and processes? In another live episode from Autodesk University 2024, Benny Baltrosky joins the podcast (in his second appearance) to discuss the oncoming adoption of prefab and offsite construction, the very recent transformation of DeWalt into a technology company, and how MSUITE plays into improving productivity for MEP contractors—even when brand-new tech is on the scene. Benny Baltrosky is COO of MSUITE. He is a B2B Sales as a Service (SaaS) leader driving sales and growth. He is also VP of Partnerships and Go To Market at Stanley Black & Decker, Board Member & Cofounder of Construction Progress Coalition. TODD TAKES Offsite Construction and Prefabrication are on the Rise: A major trend in construction is the growing move toward offsite construction and prefabrication, which brings greater speed, safety, and efficiency to projects. By preparing components in controlled environments, teams can avoid on-site delays and reduce overall project risks. With labor shortages affecting both field and design teams, this shift to offsite work is becoming essential for meeting tight schedules and maintaining quality standards. The Trades Are Leading the Way in Tech Adoption: MEP contractors and tradespeople are embracing technology faster than ever, transforming how they work on complex projects. They're integrating digital models, automated processes, and data-driven tools to streamline workflows, improve safety, and boost productivity. This proactive adoption is positioning the trades as leaders in the construction industry's tech evolution, quietly driving innovation from the ground up. Collaboration Across Tools and Technology is Essential for Success: Bringing together different tools and technology into a single, unified workflow is making a big impact on construction projects. By integrating processes, teams can reduce inefficiencies, improve communication, and ensure every phase—from design to field work—runs smoothly. This approach of centralizing technology and collaboration helps construction teams manage their projects more strategically, making it easier to achieve goals on time and within budget. Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow up our social accounts. Bridging the Gap Website Bridging the Gap LinkedIn Bridging the Gap Instagram Bridging the Gap YouTube Todd's LinkedIn   Thank you to our sponsors! Applied Software Applied Software LinkedIn   Other Relevant Links: Benny's LinkedIn MSUITE  

In this episode of Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski welcomes Dean Lewis, Director of Mass Timber for the U.S. market at Skanska. Dean shares his journey from a construction-focused upbringing to leading mass timber innovations at Skanska, including his work on groundbreaking projects and involvement with Sidewalk Labs. The conversation highlights the rapid growth of mass timber, its sustainability benefits, and the industry's challenges, such as supply chain issues and code adoption. Dean discusses Skanska's approach to navigating these challenges and expanding mass timber projects across the U.S., focusing on responsibly sourced timber and the potential for reusing building materials. Joe and Dean explore why mass timber is gaining popularity among developers and architects for its biophilic and environmental qualities. Tune in for insights into the evolving world of mass timber construction and Skanska's dedication to sustainable practices that benefit communities. About Dean Lewis Dean Lewis is the Director of Mass Timber and Prefabrication at Skanska USA, a position he was hired for in March 2023. Lewis is based in Seattle and is responsible for overseeing mass timber and prefabrication projects across the United States. Before joining Skanska, Lewis was with Alphabet-funded Sidewalk Labs for two years, working on new construction technologies in the mass timber space. He has also worked for Swinerton Mass Timber (Timberlab) (2019-2021), DCI Engineers (2010-2019) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (2009-2010). During his career, Lewis has overseen multiple mass timber construction projects including office buildings, campus dorms, multi-family developments, and hotels. He has an extensive experience with design and fabrication, project management and delivery, logistics, and procurement, among other aspects of the construction process. He has also been part of published research projects within the mass timber space. Lewis graduated from Washington State University (WSU) where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering. At WSU, he studied under Dr. J. Daniel Dolan, P.E., a premier figure in the mass timber industry, who inspired him to pursue a career in the field. Lewis is following a similar career path to his father, who worked in construction, and his grandfather, an architect. CONTACT: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-lewis-96362445/ https://www.usa.skanska.com/who-we-are/contact-us/contacts/media/dean-lewis/  Where To Find Us: https://bbfhpod.advancedglazings.com/ www.advancedglazings.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-buildings-for-humans-podcast www.linkedin.com/in/advanced-glazings-ltd-848b4625 https://twitter.com/bbfhpod https://twitter.com/Solera_Daylight https://www.instagram.com/bbfhpod/ https://www.instagram.com/advancedglazingsltd https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedGlazingsltd

In this episode we dive into prefabrication. The Challenge You've been brought in to establish a prefabrication program, how do you do it? We're joined this week by Andrew Xue the COO of Offsight - Driving Modular & Prefabrication. Continue Learning The Critical Path Career: How to Advance in Planning and Scheduling Subscribe to the Beyond Deadlines Email Newsletter Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin Newsletter ⁠⁠Check Out Our YouTube Channel⁠⁠. Connect Follow ⁠⁠⁠Micah⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Greg⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠⁠ on LinkedIn. Beyond Deadline It's time to raise your career to new heights with Beyond Deadlines, the ultimate destination for construction planners and schedulers. Our podcast is designed to be your go-to guide whether you're starting out in this dynamic field, transitioning from another sector, or you're a seasoned professional. Through our cutting-edge content, practical advice, and innovative tools, we help you succeed in today's fast-evolving construction planning and scheduling landscape without relying on expensive certifications and traditional educational paths. Join us on Beyond Deadlines, where we empower you to shape the future of construction planning and scheduling, making it more efficient, effective, and accessible than ever before. About Micah Micah, an Intel project leader and Google alumnus, champions next-gen planning and scheduling at both tech giants. Co-founder of Google's Computer Vision in Construction Team, he's saved projects millions via tech advancements. He writes two construction planning and scheduling newsletters and mentors the next generation of construction planners. He holds a Master of Science in Project Management, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. About Greg Greg, an Astrophysicist turned project guru, managed £100M+ defense programs at BAE Systems (UK) and advised on international strategy. Now CEO at ⁠⁠Nodes and Links⁠⁠, he's revolutionizing projects with pioneering AI Project Controls in Construction. Experience groundbreaking strategies with Greg's expertise. Topics We Cover change management, communication, construction planning, construction, construction scheduling, creating teams, critical path method, cpm, culture, KPI, microsoft project, milestone tracking, oracle, p6, project planning, planning, planning engineer, pmp, portfolio management, predictability, presenting, primavera p6, project acceleration, project budgeting, project controls, project management, project planning, program management, resource allocation, risk management, schedule acceleration, scheduling, scope management, task sequencing, construction, construction reporting, prefabrication, preconstruction, modular construction, modularization, automation --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beyonddeadlines/support

Dagan Koffler discusses the evolution and structure of his multi-faceted design-build company, which includes interior design, construction, landscaping and an import furniture business. He shares the challenges of managing overhead, leveraging his team, and navigating the complexities of permitting and construction in the coastal California market. https://dagandesignconstruction.com/ Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Velux The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media Tyler's Top Blogs: How I Started My Business Books that Build Site Protection Principles My Preconstruction Process: Part 1 Becoming Proficient in Multiple Trades

With many expected to double the amount of work being done via prefabrication methods, you can't afford to just wing it. It's critical to have a long-term strategy and operationally efficient processes to get the most out of these efforts.In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, we sit down with Tyler Paré, head of our performance consulting practice. Tyler unpacks Part 2 of FMI's Labor Productivity Study and shares insights on prefabrication and the opportunities and challenges that come with it.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Blair, a seasoned civil engineer, shares his journey from tech to the construction industry, focusing on the significance of building facades. The discussion covers the importance of facades, the evolution of building codes, challenges in the construction process, and the role of sustainability and waste management. Blair also delves into the trends in mid-rise building projects, offering valuable advice for developers on optimizing facade systems for better performance and aesthetics. Join us for an in-depth conversation on how facades contribute to the functionality, branding, and longevity of modern buildings. Why are Facades important?Defining Facade TermsImportant Decisions for Real Estate DevelopersExploring Facade OptionsBuilding Codes and PerformanceChoosing the Right Facade for Toronto's ClimateThe Importance of Flexibility in Wall SolutionsThermal Bridges and Slab Exposure IssuesChallenges with High-Rise Glass Buildings in TorontoBalconies and Thermal Bridging ConcernsTrends and Opportunities in Mid-Rise ConstructionThe Role of Prefabrication in Modern ConstructionSustainability and Environmental ImpactResources for Learning More About FacadesFor more information, please refer to RealEstateDevelopmentInsights.Com.

In this episode we dive into Prefabrication. The Challenge You've been assigned to an owner's program and the owner has typically only done stick-built type construction. They have begun to dip their toes into the prefabrication space. You've been tasked you with setting up a program. How do you go about doing that? We are joined this episode by Blake Roskelley from Clark Pacific. Continue Learning US Resiliency Council Subscribe to the Beyond Deadlines Email Newsletter Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linkedin Newsletter ⁠⁠Check Out Our YouTube Channel⁠⁠. Connect Follow ⁠⁠⁠Micah⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Greg⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Beyond Deadlines⁠⁠ on LinkedIn. Beyond Deadline It's time to raise your career to new heights with Beyond Deadlines, the ultimate destination for construction planners and schedulers. Our podcast is designed to be your go-to guide whether you're starting out in this dynamic field, transitioning from another sector, or you're a seasoned professional. Through our cutting-edge content, practical advice, and innovative tools, we help you succeed in today's fast-evolving construction planning and scheduling landscape without relying on expensive certifications and traditional educational paths. Join us on Beyond Deadlines, where we empower you to shape the future of construction planning and scheduling, making it more efficient, effective, and accessible than ever before. About Micah Micah, an Intel project leader and Google alumnus, champions next-gen planning and scheduling at both tech giants. Co-founder of Google's Computer Vision in Construction Team, he's saved projects millions via tech advancements. He writes two construction planning and scheduling newsletters and mentors the next generation of construction planners. He holds a Master of Science in Project Management, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. About Greg Greg, an Astrophysicist turned project guru, managed £100M+ defense programs at BAE Systems (UK) and advised on international strategy. Now CEO at ⁠⁠Nodes and Links⁠⁠, he's revolutionizing projects with pioneering AI Project Controls in Construction. Experience groundbreaking strategies with Greg's expertise. Topics We Cover change management, communication, construction planning, construction, construction scheduling, creating teams, critical path method, cpm, culture, KPI, microsoft project, milestone tracking, oracle, p6, project planning, planning, planning engineer, pmp, portfolio management, predictability, presenting, primavera p6, project acceleration, project budgeting, project controls, project management, project planning, program management, resource allocation, risk management, schedule acceleration, scheduling, scope management, task sequencing, construction, construction reporting, prefabrication, preconstruction, modular construction, modularization, --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beyonddeadlines/support

Join Ian Peterman on the Conscious Design podcast as he sits down with Todd Beyreuther, Director of Product at Mercer Mass Timber. They dive into the revolutionary world of mass timber, exploring its role in sustainable construction and the innovative approaches Mercer is taking to redefine the industry. Todd shares insights into the company's origins, its strategic expansions, and the impact of their products on reducing carbon footprints. The conversation also covers the challenges and future of mass timber in the architectural and construction landscapes, offering a glimpse into the potential for more sustainable urban development. Link mentioned: Tallest Full-scale Building Ever Constructed - https://today.ucsd.edu/story/engineers-shake-tallest-full-scale-building-ever-constructed-on-uc-san-diego-earthquake-simulator  Notable Moments: 00:44 The Origins and Expansion of Mercer Mass Timber 01:59 Sustainable Product Development 04:04 Exploring the Future of Prefabrication and Modular Construction 06:32 Navigating Standards and Regulations in Timber Construction 09:25 Innovating with Mass Timber: From Design to Implementation 14:56 The Role of Mass Timber in Urban Development and Housing 27:31 The Future of Mass Timber and Sustainable Construction About Todd Beyreuther Todd Beyreuther has been with Mercer Mass Timber as its Director of Product for two years. Todd has 23+ years of experience in structural engineering practice, academic research, and mass timber product development. He is an Adjunct Research Professor at WSU Composite Materials and Engineering Center. About Mercer Mass Timber Mercer Mass Timber (MMT) is a low-carbon advanced manufacturer of bio-based building materials that empowers communities worldwide to build beautiful, zero-carbon timber buildings. As the largest manufacturer of mass timber in North America, MMT's people, resources, and technology combine to create built environments that inspire and enable builders, developers, and designers to forge greener, more equitable communities. MMT is backed by Mercer International, one of the world's largest market pulp producers. Learn more about Todd Beyreuther and Mercer Mass Timber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddbeyreuther/  https://mercermasstimber.com/  Download chapter 1 free: https://www.petermanfirm.com/conscious-design-chapter-1-free-download/ Want to be a guest? Visit: https://bit.ly/3BetCkf Want to work with us? Connect with Peterman Firm: https://www.petermanfirm.com/connect/ Find us online: YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/3sG7VEi Blog: https://bit.ly/3kltV6s Conscious Design Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KNMN9BT Join our Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2U8IlMS Hosted by: Ian Peterman Creative Director: Sara Clark Social Media: Jacqueline Sagun Visit our website: https://www.petermanfirm.com/ We created this content so creative entrepreneurs like you can integrate social and environmental responsibility into your brand's DNA through Conscious Design. Ian Peterman, a leading expert in Conscious Design, hosts the Conscious Design podcast and is the co-author of the book Conscious Design. If you enjoy our content, please support us by subscribing and sharing our episodes!

Last year the federal government set a goal of building 1.2million new homes in the next five years. This doesn't count renovations or extensions, it's just brand-new construction projects. Breaking it down that means 180 thousand homes each year, about 60 thousand more than the current output. It's a huge ask considering the construction industry is already struggling to keep up with demand, but it could be possible with the right strategy and mindset. We don't have all the answers but we want to share our thoughts on this, our concerns, and our predictions for how things will play out. Prefabrication as the Solution:Our number one strategy for tackling this challenge is to embrace prefabrication, as it can be a lot quicker and more consistent. Prefabrication involves creating components of a building off-site in a factory and then assembling them on-site. This method not only speeds up the construction process but also ensures quality, precision, and durability in the final built structures. For this to happen though, the government will need to invest heavily into the factories that produce these homes and upskilling tradies for this approach.Growing the Workforce: Whatever strategy we use, we won't be able to meet this increased demand if we don't have enough boots on the ground, so it's crucial for us to encourage more people into the industry. There are a lot of different ways to do this and it's best to do multiple at once, so we go over some of our favourite: 1. Overhaul apprenticeships: The current structure of apprenticeships is outdated, and they don't properly equip people for the modern construction industry. The low pay of apprenticeships is another barrier, so we need to make apprenticeships more flexible. Why not have part-time apprenticeships or offer more online learning?2. Diversify the workforce: Currently only 2% of people working on construction sites are women. This is a huge untapped potential and something that needs to be fixed. Not only does this increase the workforce but it brings fresh, unique perspectives to the field.3. Defeat the Stigma: Breaking the stigma associated with trades being less intellectually demanding and promoting them as professional and rewarding career pathways is essential for attracting more talent into the industry.Overcoming Regulatory Hurdles: The final hurdle we talk about is the planning department. Outdated regulations and bureaucracy are responsible for so much time lost in construction. There is no way we can construct 180,000 homes annually without significant efforts to remove red tape and streamline the process.Building 180 thousand homes a year is a daunting task but it's one our industry can achieve if we stay open to change and innovation. Most importantly, we must avoid short-term thinking and quick fixes that will set us up for more problems in the future. We'd love to hear what you think about our points in this episode, or if you have any different ideas on how to tackle things. LINKS:Sanctum Homes: www.yoursanctum.com.au/Carland Constructions: www.carlandconstructions.com/

Kraus-Anderson's Building Information Modeling (BIM) Department joins this episode of "Build Me Up." From drones to 360-degree cameras to Digital Twin, Andrea, Michelle, and Micah sit down to discuss the various tools utilized to help aid the construction process. The team chats about clash detections, as well as the benefits of involving their department before, during, and after the building process.

In this conversation, Sean and Catherine discuss their week, including the rainy weather and an earthquake. They then shift to talking about Premier's plans to build a new headquarters on his property. After considering a pole barn, Sean decides to go with a prefab option. He explains that the building will be designed and prefabricated off-site, with panels and roof trusses delivered to the site for assembly. This method is expected to save time and make the construction process more efficient. They also briefly discuss Home Depot's acquisition of SRS distributors and the future of construction. The conversation explores the changing landscape of the construction industry, with a focus on the rise of prefabrication and the acquisition of SRS Distribution by Home Depot. The hosts discuss the benefits and drawbacks of prefabrication, including increased efficiency and reduced waste, but also concerns about craftsmanship and quality. They also speculate on Home Depot's strategy and the potential for monopolies in the industry. The conversation concludes with a lighthearted discussion about playing Monopoly and the importance of embracing change and seizing opportunities.

I met Philippe Block while studying historic masonry structures in Spain last summer. He presented his work and I was blown away. He is a pioneering structural engineer who, as part of his research group Block Research Group, is inventing the future of sustainable construction by blending old knowledge and precedent with new technology, materials and innovation. He's BUILDING off of thousands of years of architectural innovation and deepening our knowledge of how structures really work, with stunning results. And what makes it so impressive is he isn't just doing this in a research lab somewhere--though that is where the ideas are refined--he's implementing them in the real world. Not only is that very difficult to do, overcoming all the obstacles, it also takes a tremendous amount of courage. When I say "the building industry is broken," as I often do, what Phillipe is doing is part of the solution--he's part of pioneering and inventing the future that doesn't exist yet. Enjoy! Sign up for my bimonthly newsletter ⁠here⁠ to learn more! PHILLIPE'S BIO Philippe Block is a full professor of Architecture and Structures and head of the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA) at ETH Zurich, where he co-leads the Block Research Group (BRG) with Dr. Tom Van Mele. He studied architecture and structural engineering at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, where he earned his PhD in 2009. The BRG develops sustainable and circular construction solutions through the advancement of computational structural design and innovation in digital fabrication and construction. Specific expertise includes computational form finding, discrete masonry, graphic statics, architectural and structural geometry, digital fabrication and construction, and open-source computation. Philippe and Tom translate their research into practice, with the consultancy Foreign Engineering and the ETH spin-off VAULTED. Most significant is the development of the Rippmann Floor System (RFS), a low-carbon-footprint, fully circular prefabricated concrete floor solution CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Problem Statement 03:10 Three Tenets: Strength through Geometry, Material Effectiveness, and Circular Construction 09:02 Comparison of Concrete and Steel Floor Systems 17:36 The Rippman Floor System 27:29 Combining Architecture and Engineering 32:19 Thinness and Prefabrication of the Rippman Floor System 38:59 Rediscovering Structural Form and Graphic Statics 50:24 Opportunities to Learn Graphic Statics 51:28 Integration of Graphic Statics in Projects 52:21 Opportunities for Self-Education 52:48 New Master of Advanced Studies in Structural Computation 53:17 Focus on Outreach and Education 54:34 The Importance of Open Source and Collaboration 56:29 Graphic Statics as a Tool for Engineering 59:19 The Maturity of Tools for Arch Structures 01:01:16 Challenges in Accepting New Approaches 01:04:07 The Urgency of Innovation in Construction 01:06:35 The Excitement of Discovering and Learning 01:07:47 Following Philippe Block's Work RESOURCESBlock Research GroupVaulted Unreinforced Concrete Floor SystemBRG Githup Compass ResourcesBook on Graphic Statics: Form and Forces: Designing Efficient, Expressive Structures. Book on Guastavino Vaulting by John Ochsendorf MIT's Morningside Academy For Design w/ John Ochsendorf: Phillipe Block Lecture - ETH Zurich, Block Research Group Phillipe Block Lecture - Stone Skins: New Masonry Shells Armadillo Vault Phillipe Block on Linked InCONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE https://www.buildingculture.com/ https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/ https://twitter.com/build_culture https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/ CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/ https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell

Depending on how you look at them, AI and prefabrication in construction can be time-saving game changers or tools of disruption. Paul Sweeney joined us at Advancing Prefab 2024 to discuss the substantial shifts in mindset around prefabrication as a whole, how to look at the past to prepare for the future, the positive aspects of newer technology, and new alignments between industries that were once completely disparate. Paul Sweeney is Director of Prefabrication at GE Johnson Construction Company. He has also worked as MEP manager for the same company, and as Project Manager at Haselden Construction. He received his Bachelor of Applied Science, Construction Management from Colorado State University.

Do you want to learn about a luxury yet more efficient way of converting distressed office spaces into residential housing? Deep dive into our conversation with another incredible guest, Douglas Hayden!Doug talks about how they're revolutionizing the housing industry by converting unused office spaces through fabricated construction and how it impacts a community, and he goes deeper into what sets them apart from other companies doing this strategy. Be sure to listen until the end of this episode to know how you can participate in resolving the housing crisis through his end-to-end solution!Key Points & Relevant TopicsDouglas' background from the tech industry to commercial-residential real estate conversion in Calgary, ABHow Douglas got involved in converting offices to residential propertiesThe process of converting unused office spaces and acquiring permission from the cityFactors to consider when looking for ideal buildings and office spaces to convertWhat makes office parks and buildings great for conversionAdvantages of prefabrication over conventional property conversionWhat does the process of transporting prefabricated materials for conversion look like?Maintenance and sustainability of prefabricated materials after the property conversionWhy it's preferable to partner with a bank when converting distressed assetsThe greater impact of the office-residential conversion on communitiesResources & LinksApartment Syndication Due Diligence Checklist for Passive InvestorAbout Douglas HaydenDouglas Hayden boasts an impressive track record spanning over 40 years in both the Real Estate and tech sectors. Alongside his team, Hayden has successfully executed more than 1,600 transactions, building a reputation for diligence, innovation, and client satisfaction. Before delving into real estate, Douglas sharpened his skills in the realm of business development. He held prominent roles at multiple tech startups, all of which were later acquired by industry giants such as Apple, IBM, and British Telecom. Doug's knack for identifying potential and strategically positioning businesses for success was further cemented during his tenure at SMED, an office solutions provider. Here, Douglas steered the company towards integration with tech platforms like Cisco Systems & Northern Telecom, focusing on enhancing office environments with technology-infused Office solutions. He was part of the pioneering team that established EXP Realty in Canada, and In honor of his Community service and impact, he has been awarded the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Citizenship Medal and the Alberta Centennial Medal. Get in Touch with DouglasWebsite: https://arthroto.com/ LinkedIn: Douglas (Doug) HaydenYouTube: ArthrotoTo Connect With UsPlease visit our website www.bonavestcapital.com and click here to leave a rating and written review!

Many architects agree that there are advantages to building in mass timber. Trees bind carbon, wooden buildings have shorter construction time, and timber offers superior insulation. So what's impeding the material's widespread adoption? In this episode we explore if mass timber can be a game changer for the industry. We speak with Andrew Waugh from Waugh Thistleton Architects, UK, whose projects have included Murray Grove, the world's first all- timber residential tower. Andrew is an architect specializing in mass timber, and is working on projects all over the world. We also talk to Dean Lewis, Director of Mass Timber and Prefabrication with Skanska in the USA. Dean is responsible for the company's work on prefabrication and mass timber projects across the USA, and he speaks warmly about our work on Portland International Airport's innovative curved timber roof using locally sourced materials . This episode's guests:     Andrew Waugh, a founding director of the British firm Waugh Thistleton Architects, UK. Dean Lewis, Director of Mass Timber and Prefabrication, Skanska, Seattle, USA.

In the latest installment of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin conclude their field trip series with a visit to Novinger's in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Accompanied by Jim Novinger, the owner of Novinger's, the hosts delve into the company's evolution and extensive expertise in panelization dating back to the 1920s. Jim shares captivating insights into Novinger's history, emphasizing its shift to panelization in the 1970s and its unwavering commitment to quality and innovation.The conversation takes an intriguing turn as the hosts recount a chance encounter with a building featuring Novinger's panels near Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Jim elaborates on the unique architectural challenges they've embraced, such as a building shaped like a question mark with curved panels, showcasing the company's dedication to realizing architects' imaginative visions.The episode further explores Novinger's national footprint, spanning projects from New Jersey to Arizona, and delves into the complexities and strategies associated with managing projects across diverse geographical locations.Join Jon, Chris, and Jim for a compelling discussion on Novinger's rich history, diverse projects, and innovative solutions within the realm of exterior panels.

Blach Construction is rewriting the blueprint of Silicon Valley, marrying design-build expertise with prefab innovation to redefine how we build our future. In this episode, we sit down with Dan Rogers, President of Blach Construction, a pioneering force in the world of design-build and prefab innovation. Dan is here to reveal the secrets behind Blach Construction's meteoric rise and its commitment to revolutionizing the construction landscape. From the fusion of design-build and prefab innovation to adapting to industry trends, Dan covers everything relevant about Blach Construction in this evolving world of technology. More than that, Dan also shares the shift of focus to solution-making, ensuring the right cultural fit when hiring, and a unique approach to leadership that might make all the difference. Join us in exploring the transformation and innovation of Silicon Valley and stay ahead in the game.

Prefab is a topic so thoroughly discussed over the last 10 years that many start to tune it out when mentioned. After talking with Todd Grossweiler, Executive Vice President at Allison Smith Company about their approach to prefab, I wonder if we should start thinking of prefab not just as another process to complete projects, but as a vehicle to improve company culture.To build a great prefab process you should involve the entire team which increases employee buy-in and engagement.If done well, it can improve the working conditions of employees, which can improve job satisfaction.It can help the company run more efficiently which can help the bottom line and help the company win more business which helps the overall health of the enterprise for all involved. Todd Grossweiler has been with the Allison-Smith Company for the past 22 years. Todd graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering. He continues to seek out ways to innovate through processes, technology, and people. Maintaining good relationships with both his internal team and external customers is the foundation for his success.Todd believes that if you surround yourself with good people, then good things will happen. I sat down with Todd on the NECA convention showroom floor and our conversation energized me. Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review our show on your favorite app.To get a hold of us here at Keepin' The Lights On, please email: podcast@graybar.comTo reach Todd on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddgrossweiler/Find the latest from Allison Smith: https://allisonsmith.com/Waffle House: https://www.wafflehouse.com/Muss and Turners: https://www.mussandturners.com/ YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/e0voQI8UDu8

The myriad of problems facing the housing industry can sometimes feel insurmountable. The push towards high performance, the need for affordability, and the continuing rise of inflation and costs for business owners might leave you feeling like you're getting left behind. The truth is, the answers are out there, and our guest today is here to share real examples of the direction other countries have taken, and where we might be headed next. Sam Rashkin, founder and author of  Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry joins us to share revelations from his newest book, Housing 2.0. Show highlights include:   2:30 Sam's start in the industry 4:45 The upcoming housing industry disruption 8:50 How to look at the industry and solutions differently 11:20 How important is user experience in the industry? 15:30 Does the industry have to move towards off-site prefabrication? 20:30 How to translate the experience to the customer and provide value 24:45 The future of housing and examples around the world 28:45 Landscaping and architecture 31:45 Digitization in the industry's future 37:45 New players in the industry 43:55 What can builders do to get ahead of the disruptions? 49:00 Where will AI come in? 49:42 What should builders prioritize? 57:40 How does the industry prepare the builder to prepare to the new level? 1:03 What's coming up next and how to get in touch You can learn more about Sam at https://srashkin.com/ or email him at sam@truhomefacts.com. If you're interested to learn more about Housing 2.0 visit here.     Social media: LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-rashkin Or hit us up through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.  

Do you want to create cattle handling facilities that are efficient and minimize stress for your herd? Today, our guest, Jake Schubert, will be sharing invaluable insights on designing cattle handling facilities that will ensure maximum efficiency and a stress-free environment for your cattle. Get ready to transform your facilities and achieve the desired outcome you've been longing for. In this episode, you will be able to: Increase efficiency and reduce stress by designing thoughtful cattle handling facilities that prioritize animal welfare and ease of operation. Plan for long-term growth and success by considering the future needs of your cattle operation when designing your handling facilities. Maximize your investment by choosing to build new corrals instead of repairing old facilities, ensuring a more reliable and efficient operation. Boost productivity and reduce labor costs with preferred materials and components that are designed specifically for efficient cattle handling. Improve animal welfare and increase profitability by implementing low-stress handling techniques in your cattle operation, leading to healthier and calmer animals. My special guest is Jake Schubert Jake Schubert is a highly experienced and knowledgeable professional in the field of cattle handling facility design. Originally from the Sand Hills of Nebraska, Jake has an extensive background in ranching and has built corrals all across the United States. With over 15 years of experience, he specializes in using 3D modeling to help cattle producers visualize and plan their facilities before construction begins. Jake's expertise in low-stress cattle handling and his dedication to creating efficient and practical designs have made him a sought-after consultant in the industry. Currently residing in Russia, Jake brings a unique perspective to facility design and has worked with clients from various parts of the world. His passion for helping ranchers improve their operations and create stress-free environments for their herds sets him apart as a trusted advisor in the field. The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:02 - Introduction, 00:02:38 - Jake's Background and Move to Russia, 00:06:50 - Passion for Cattle Handling Facilities, 00:08:08 - Long-Term Planning for Facilities, 00:11:14 - Updating Older Facilities, 00:16:09 - Importance of Planning Loading Docks and Chutes, 00:18:11 - Increased Investment in Efficient Facilities, 00:20:21 - Prefabrication in Global Designs, 00:24:00 - Considerations for Environmental Factors, 00:26:24 - Design Considerations for Footwork vs. Horseback, Links: Learn more about Valcor: https://www.zoetisus.com/products/cattle/valcor-makes-it-easy-to-be-tough-on-tough-worms Jake's website: https://www.aurochsconsulting.net/ Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes  Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources  • The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! https://landtrust.pxf.io/c/4809275/1796544/20081 Take Your Ranch to the Next Level Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic! Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events  Connect with me on Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/ Podcast Coaching Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot. Book a one-time coaching call using this link: https://calendly.com/cattleconvos/podcast-coaching  Interested in a coaching package? Email Shaye at casualcattleconversations@gmail.com and tell her about the podcast you want to start!

In this episode, Cherise is joined by Heather Salisbury, Director of Operations and Steve Droll, Principal at Valerio Dewalt Train, with offices in Chicago, Denver, Palo Alto, and San Francisco. They discuss The Broadview at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.You can see the project here as you listen along.The Broadview is a remarkable student housing complex for the graduate students at Vanderbilt University. This architectural masterpiece was meticulously designed to cultivate a vibrant and collaborative community.We highlight unique building features, how the Prescient system - a cutting-edge prefabricated construction method - was utilized to accelerate the building's construction while maintaining exceptional quality, challenges they encountered during the project's development, and the pursuit of LEED Gold accreditation. Like all projects, this one also had unique challenges and opportunities: Dealing with complex site conditions, including Nashville's bedrock,Managing an aggressive construction schedule while maintaining high-quality standards,Utilizing the Prescient system as an innovative and efficient construction method, and much more!If you enjoy this episode, visit arcat.com/podcast for more. If you're a frequent listener of Detailed, you might enjoy similar content at Gābl Media.

The ICC Pulse Podcast is back with a whole season of 5 episodes ready to listen! This is one of the five. In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we break down what off-site construction is, the history of off-site construction and how this type of construction is gaining popularity as a form of construction to help solve the affordable housing crisis. We'll also hear perspectives from owners of modular construction companies on the benefits and pain points of off-site, highlighting how adopting standards and working together in the industry helps solve off-site's growing pains. Guests on the Show: Ryan Colker, Vice President of Innovation, International Code Council Professor Ryan E. Smith, Professor of Architecture, University of Arizona Wanona Satcher, CEO and Founder of Mākhers Studio Justin Stewart CEO, Synergy Modular   Links to related and referenced topics in this episode: The Code Council's Off-site Construction Resource: https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/safety-toolkits/offsite-construction/ Off-site Construction standards ·       ICC/MBI Standard 1200: https://shop.iccsafe.org/icc-mbi-1200-2021-standard-for-off-site-construction-planning-design-fabrication-and-assembly.html ·       ICC/MBI Standard 1205: https://shop.iccsafe.org/icc-mbi-1205-2021-standard-for-off-site-construction-inspection-and-regulatory-compliance.html ·       Learn more about Code Council standards in off-site construction: https://www.iccsafe.org/products-and-services/standards/is-osmc/ FAQs on Off-site construction: https://www.iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/20-19332_GR_Offsite_Construction_FAQs_FLR_FINAL1_HIRES.pdf How off-site construction can contribute to a more diverse workforce: https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-technical/how-off-site-construction-can-contribute-to-a-more-diverse-workforce/ Reaping the benefits of offsite construction: https://www.bdcnetwork.com/video/reaping-benefits-offsite-construction-iccs-ryan-colker Three trends in off-site construction to watch for in 2023: https://www.forconstructionpros.com/business/article/22684232/international-code-council-three-trends-in-offsite-construction-to-watch-for-in-2023

Tim & John set sail for Ireland as they talk to Seán Kearney, managing director for the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWSH) Foundation. While at the ISH Show in Germany, Tim and John covered the Plumbing Champions event where 12 plumbers/apprentices from eight different countries came together to prefab bathroom fixtures (toilets, urinals, sinks) on the show floor and then moved them to a local Frankfurt sports facility. Get Ready for the Workday with CINTAS at www.cintas.comSubscribe to the Appetite for Construction podcast at any of your favorite streaming channels and don't forget about the other ways to interact with the Mechanical Hub Team! Follow Plumbing Perspective IG @plumbing_perspective Follow Mechanical Hub IG @mechanicalhub Sign up for our newsletter at www.mechanical-hub.com/enewsletter Visit our websites at www.mechanical-hub.com and www.plumbingperspective.com

Well, it looks like prefabrication IS here to stay. It's been over a year since we aired this podcast and supply chain issues continue to remain a headache for the construction industry.This podcast is worth another listen. Why? Because there are some great tips and stories of how prefabricated products are solving problems and helping to get jobs done without delay. Original Content - Jim Gabriel, president of MODLOGIQ shed light on why prefabrication is trending across the construction industry. Owners, general contractors, designers, and architects are turning to modular construction for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that the world is changing. Gabriel speaks openly about the pandemic and how modular construction has helped contractors and projects continue to move ahead even when job sites are shut down. This is due in part, to 80% of modular construction being constructed off-site. When MODLOGIQ finishes a project, it's set and ready to be shipped and installed without the headache of on-site construction. We also will put to rest some of the myths about modular construction and prefabrication. The perception is that modular construction is cheaper. Gabriel comments, “it's not cheaper, it provides more cost certainty for their clients and helps reduce cost escalation.” You'll also hear more about the unique ways modular construction is being used. Gabriel talks about “pushing the envelope” in their industry. Prefabrication and modularization are pushing to do more than just affordable housing or single-family homes. MODLOGIQ is trying to bring their business up to standards that designers and owners expect from traditional builds. We know our listeners always want to hear the take on safety as it relates to our topics. We asked Gabriel how prefabrication translates to a safer job site. He shares his thoughts, insights, and more in this next episode of the Building PA Podcast. 

In this special 'In Short' edition of Built Environment Matters, Head of Global Systems, Jaimie Johnston MBE gives us a sub-ten-minute lowdown on the benefits of 'Reference Design.' By creating a centralised and highly optimised core design, we are able to streamline the process of designing and building structures for our clients. Through thoughtful localisation and adaptation, we can customise our designs to specific sites and conditions, ensuring that they meet the unique needs of each project. This approach is particularly appealing to our major repeat clients, who have a national or global presence and require efficient, repeatable solutions. Listen in to learn more...To learn more about Bryden Wood's Design to Value philosophy, visit www.brydenwood.com. You can also follow Bryden Wood on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Amy Marks joins Jaimie Johnston MBE to talk about Advancing Prefab, which is taking place in Phoenix from 14th-17th March. Now in its seventh year, it's fast becoming the world's biggest conference on industrialized construction. Listen in to learn more about why everyone in this space, particularly architects and designers, should attend.To learn more about Bryden Wood's Design to Value philosophy, visit www.brydenwood.com. You can also follow Bryden Wood on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Our host, Gareth McGlynn, talked with Adam Schneider who is an Executive Director of Preconstruction at Snyder Langston. He graduated at The Ohio State University in 2007 with a Construction Management degree. He was a Project Manager at MATT Construction for almost seven and a half years. Started with Snyder Langston as a Sr. Project Manager for 4 years then as Director of Preconstruction for another 4 years and now as Executive Director of Preconstruction since Sept 2022. Discussion on this episode is all about collaboration including these topics: - Luxury apartment building in 2022 - 2023 - The importance of preconstruction technology in multifamily construction - Prefabrication and modular construction within multifamily - The building method of design-build - High density multifamily construction in 2023 - 2024 See Adam via his Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-schneider-b8406245/ Stay tuned for more exciting episodes on The Preconstruction Podcast!

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Craig Mitchell, the founder and principal of Blackbox Offsite Solutions Ltd. about his recent Buildex Vancouver presentation about prefabrication in Canada. Mitchell said while the public is aware of the role of wood construction in prefabricated structures the industry has matured into mass timber, panelization and volumetric modular construction, and that these practices can help address a growing labour shortage. He added prefabricated structures also help address decarbonization by not only using sustainable materials but reducing the amount of necessary movement necessary for people and materials, and added Canada could help address a continued housing crisis with more prefabricated structures. you can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode featuring Altus Group's Daryl Keleher speaking about the CHBA 2022 Municipal Benchmarking Report here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services

Gareth McGlynn our host was delighted when Wes Palmisano agreed to come on The Preconstruction podcast. There was so much to cover, including: - The Palmisano family history, of which he is the third generation of Master Builders - Starting Impetus in 2013 with a high-growth strategy to get to $100M as fast as possible - How focusing on Preconstruction Services was one of the best decisions he ever made - The reason behind Impetus, challenges with growing so fast, success stories, lessons learned, and what the future holds - Getting paid market rate for Preconstruction services - Preconstruction Technology and the future of Preconstruction Technology - The Renegade Academy - the current education system and its failings to provide qualified candidates for the construction space - Prefabrication and its importance to help deal with the capacity deficit As always Wes is always available to help anyone in a similar position or anyone with questions please reach out to him on LinkedIn via: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesley-j-palmisano-317681a/ Or visit the Impetus website at https://buildimpetus.com/ Enjoy!

Paul Grahovac joins the podcast this week to discuss benefits of passive house, how to market passive houses and how both passive house and prefabrication can save you time and money. Paul holds degrees in Economics and Law from the University of Kansas. He has been active in the construction industry for 30 years -- first as a construction defects trial lawyer and later as corporate counsel and an expert in Passive House prefabricated wall and window assemblies and in air barrier technology. He  spent ten years in technology development and licensing at a U.S Department of Energy Research & Development Laboratory. He is active in the Air Barrier Association of America and the Passive House Alliance US. Paul works for Build SMART, LLC and PROSOCO, Inc. where he holds positions handling legal, marketing, risk management, and codes, standards, testing and field support. 2:00 Intro into Construction  3:39 Law School 5:29 Building Defects  7:20  Build Smart Products  21:50 Marketing Tactics  27:00 Benefits of Passive house  30:50 Financial Case for Passive House  For more from Paul and Build Smart:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/build-smart-north-america/ https://twitter.com/BuildSmartNA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfWa3bcP5eIKMBi_JkhR4Mg https://www.instagram.com/build_smartna/ MORE FROM THE CONSCIOUS BUILDER: Academy: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com Website: https://www.theconsciousbuilder.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_conscious_builder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theconsciousbuilder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-conscious-builder  

In this episode, Mike Merrill interviews Cameron Cranford, the Director of Technology at BakerTriangle, an ENR Top 10 wall and ceiling company with a division specializing in a panelized, prefab approach to construction.  Mike and Cameron discuss prefab, the technology behind it, and why it is so important for construction. Cranford explains that Baker Triangle is a successful company because of its culture and its commitment to its employees.

Brian Potter is the author of the excellent Construction Physics blog, where he discusses why the construction industry has been slow to industrialize and innovate.He explains why:* Construction isn't getting cheaper and faster,* We should have mile-high buildings and multi-layer non-intersecting roads,* “Ugly” modern buildings are simply the result of better architecture,* China is so great at building things,* Saudi Arabia's Line is a waste of resources,* Environmental review makes new construction expensive and delayed,* and much much more!Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Read the full transcript here.Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes.More really cool guests coming up; subscribe to find out about future episodes!You may also enjoy my interviews with Tyler Cowen (about talent, collapse, & pessimism of sex). Charles Mann (about the Americas before Columbus & scientific wizardry), and Austin Vernon about (Energy Superabundance, Starship Missiles, & Finding Alpha).If you end up enjoying this episode, I would be super grateful if you share it, post it on Twitter, send it to your friends & group chats, and throw it up wherever else people might find it. Can't exaggerate how much it helps a small podcast like mine.A huge thanks to Graham Bessellieu for editing this podcast and Mia Aiyana for producing its transcript.Timestamps(0:00) - Why Saudi Arabia's Line is Insane, Unrealistic, and Never going to Exist (06:54) - Designer Clothes & eBay Arbitrage Adventures (10:10) - Unique Woes of The Construction Industry  (19:28) - The Problems of Prefabrication (26:27) - If Building Regulations didn't exist… (32:20) - China's Real Estate Bubble, Unbound Technocrats, & Japan(44:45) - Automation and Revolutionary Future Technologies (1:00:51) - 3D Printer Pessimism & The Rising Cost of Labour(1:08:02) - AI's Impact on Construction Productivity(1:17:53) - Brian Dreams of Building a Mile High Skyscraper(1:23:43) - Deep Dive into Environmentalism and NEPA(1:42:04) - Software is Stealing Talent from Physical Engineering(1:47:13) - Gaps in the Blog Marketplace of Ideas(1:50:56) - Why is Modern Architecture So Ugly?(2:19:58) - Advice for Aspiring Architects and Young Construction PhysicistsTranscriptWhy Saudi Arabia's Line is Insane, Unrealistic, and Never going to Exist Dwarkesh Patel Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Brian Potter, who is an engineer and the author of the excellent Construction Physics blog, where he writes about how the construction industry works and why it has been slow to industrialize and innovate. It's one of my favorite blogs on the internet, and I highly, highly recommend that people check it out. Brian, my first question is about The Line project in Saudi Arabia. What are your opinions? Brian Potter It's interesting how Saudi Arabia and countries in the Middle East, in general, are willing to do these big, crazy, ambitious building projects and pour huge amounts of money into constructing this infrastructure in a way that you don't see a huge amount in the modern world. China obviously does this too in huge amounts, some other minor places do as well, but in general, you don't see a whole lot of countries building these big, massive, incredibly ambitious projects. So on that level, it's interesting, and it's like, “Yes, I'm glad to see that you're doing this,” but the actual project is clearly insane and makes no sense. Look at the physical arrangement layout–– there's a reason cities grow in two dimensions. A one-dimensional city is the worst possible arrangement for transportation. It's the maximum amount of distance between any two points. So just from that perspective, it's clearly crazy, and there's no real benefit to it other than perhaps some weird hypothetical transportation situation where you had really fast point-to-point transportation. It would probably be some weird bullet train setup; maybe that would make sense. But in general, there's no reason to build a city like that. Even if you wanted to build an entirely enclosed thing (which again doesn't make a huge amount of sense), you would save so much material and effort if you just made it a cube. I would be more interested in the cube than the line. [laughs] But yeah, those are my initial thoughts on it. I will be surprised if it ever gets built. Dwarkesh Patel Are you talking about the cube from the meme about how you can put all the humans in the world in a cube the size of Manhattan? Brian Potter Something like that. If you're just going to build this big, giant megastructure, at least take advantage of what that gets you, which is minimum surface area to volume ratio.Dwarkesh Patel Why is that important? Would it be important for temperature or perhaps other features? Brian Potter This is actually interesting because I'm actually not sure how sure it would work with a giant single city. In general, a lot of economies of scale come from geometric effects. When something gets bigger, your volume increases a lot faster than your surface area does. So for something enclosed, like a tank or a pipe, the cost goes down per thing of unit you're transporting because you can carry a larger amount or a smaller amount of material. It applies to some extent with buildings and construction because the exterior wall assembly is a really burdensome, complicated, and expensive assembly. A building with a really big floor plate, for instance, can get more area per unit, per amount of exterior wall. I'm not sure how that actually works with a single giant enclosed structure because, theoretically, on a small level, it would apply the same way. Your climate control is a function of your exterior surface, at some level, and you get more efficient climate control if you have a larger volume and less area that it can escape from. But for a giant city, I actually don't know if that works, and it may be worse because you're generating so much heat that it's now harder to pump out. For examples like the urban heat island effect, where these cities generate massive amounts of waste heat, I don't know if that would work if it didn't apply the same way. I'm trying to reach back to my physics classes in college, so I'm not sure about the actual mechanics of that. Generally though, that's why you'd want to perhaps build something of this size and shape. Dwarkesh Patel What was the thought process behind designing this thing? Because Scott Alexander had a good blog post about The Line where he said, presumably, that The Line is designed to take up less space and to use less fuel because you can just use the same transportation across. But the only thing that Saudi Arabia has is space and fuel. So what is the thought process behind this construction project? Brian PotterI get the sense that a lot of committees have some amount of success in building big, impressive, physical construction projects that are an attraction just by virtue of their size and impressiveness. A huge amount of stuff in Dubai is something in this category, and they have that giant clock tower in Jeddah, the biggest giant clock building and one of the biggest buildings in the world, or something like that. I think, on some level, they're expecting that you would just see a return from building something that's really impressive or “the biggest thing on some particular axis”. So to some extent, I think they're just optimizing for big and impressive and maybe not diving into it more than that. There's this theory that I think about every so often. It's called the garbage can theory of organizational decision-making, which basically talks about how the choices that organizations make are not the result of any particular recent process. They are the result of how, whenever a problem comes up, people reach into the garbage can of potential solutions. Then whatever they pull out of the garbage can, that's the decision that they end up going with, regardless of how much sense it makes. It was a theory that was invented by academics to describe decision-making in academia. I think about that a lot, especially with reference to big bureaucracies and governments. You can just imagine the draining process of how these decisions evolve. Any random decision can be made, especially when there's such a disconnect between the decision-makers and technical knowledge.Designer Clothes & eBay Arbitrage Adventures Dwarkesh PatelTell me about your eBay arbitrage with designer clothes. Brian Potter Oh man, you really did dive deep. Yeah, so this was a small business that I ran seven or eight years ago at this point. A hobby of mine was high-end men's fashion for a while, which is a very strange hobby for an engineer to have, but there you go. That hobby centers around finding cheap designer stuff, because buying new can be overwhelmingly expensive. However, a lot of times, you can get clothes for a very cheap price if you're even a little bit motivated. Either it shows up on eBay, or it shows up in thrift stores if you know what to look for. A lot of these clothes can last because they're well-made. They last a super, super, super long time–– even if somebody wore it for 10 years or something, it could be fine. So a lot of this hobby centered around finding ways to get really nice clothes cheaply. Majority of it was based around eBay, but it was really tedious to find really nice stuff on eBay. You had to manually search for a bunch of different brands, filter out the obviously bad ones, search for typos in brands, put in titles, and stuff like that. I was in the process of doing this, and I thought, “Oh, this is really annoying. I should figure out a way to automate this process.” So I made a very simple web app where when you searched for shoes or something, it would automatically search the very nice brands of shoes and all the typos of the brand name. Then it would just filter out all the junk and let you search through the good stuff. I set up an affiliate system, basically. So anybody else that used it, I would get a kick of the sales. While I was interested in that hobby, I ran this website for a few years, and it was reasonably successful. It was one of the first things I did that got any real traction on the internet, but it was never successful in proportion to how much effort it took to maintain and update it. So as I moved away from the hobby, I eventually stopped putting time and effort into maintaining the website. I'm curious as to how you even dug that up. Dwarkesh Patel I have a friend who was with you at the Oxford Refugees Conference, Connor Tabarrok. I don't know if you remember him. Brian Potter Nice. Dwarkesh Patel Yeah. Finding other information about you on the internet was quite difficult actually. You've somehow managed to maintain your anonymity. If you're willing to reveal, what was the P&L of this project? Brian Potter Oh, it made maybe a few hundred dollars a month for a few years, but I only ever ran it as a side hobby business, basically. So in terms of time per my effort or whatever, I'm sure it was very low. Pennies to an hour or something like that. Unique Woes of The Construction Industry   Dwarkesh Patel A broad theme that I've gotten from your post is that the construction industry is plagued with these lossy feedback loops, a lack of strong economies of scale, regulation, and mistakes being very costly. Do you think that this is a general characteristic of many industries in our world today, or is there something unique about construction? Brian Potter Interesting question. One thing you think of is that there are a lot of individual factors that are not unique at all. Construction is highly regulated, but it's not necessarily more regulated than medical devices or jet travel, or even probably cars, to some extent, which have a whole vat of performance criteria they need to hit. With a couple of things like land use, for example, people say, “Oh, the land requirements, could you build it on-site,” explaining how those kinds of things make it difficult. But there is a lot that falls into this category that doesn't really share the same structure of how the construction industry works.I think it's the interaction of all those effects. One thing that I think is perhaps underappreciated is that the systems of a building are really highly coupled in a way that a lot of other things are. If you're manufacturing a computer, the hard drive is somewhat independent from the display and somewhat independent from the power supply. These things are coupled, but they can be built by independent people who don't necessarily even talk to each other before being assembled into one structured thing. A building is not really like that at all. Every single part affects every single other part. In some ways, it's like biology. So it's very hard to change something that doesn't end up disrupting something else. Part of that is because a job's building is to create a controlled interior environment, meaning, every single system has to run through and around the surfaces that are creating that controlled interior. Everything is touching each other. Again, that's not unique. Anything really highly engineered, like a plane or an iPhone, share those characteristics to some extent. In terms of the size of it and the relatively small amount you're paying in terms of unit size or unit mass, however, it's quite low. Dwarkesh Patel Is transportation cost the fundamental reason you can't have as much specialization and modularity?Brian Potter Yeah, I think it's really more about just the way a building is. An example of this would be how for the electrical system of your house, you can't have a separate box where if you needed to replace the electrical system, you could take the whole box out and put the new box in. The electrical system runs through the entire house. Same with plumbing. Same with the insulation. Same with the interior finishes and stuff like that. There's not a lot of modularity in a physical sense. Dwarkesh Patel Gotcha. Ben Kuhn  had this interesting comment on your article where he pointed out that many of the reasons you give for why it's hard to innovate in construction, like sequential dependencies and the highly variable delivery timelines are also common in software where Ben Koon works. So why do you think that the same sort of stagnation has not hit other industries that have superficially similar characteristics, like software? Brian Potter How I think about that is that you kind of see a similar structure in anything that's project-based or anything where there's an element of figuring out what you're doing while you're doing it. Compared to a large-scale manufacturing option where you spend a lot of time figuring out what exactly it is that you're building. You spend a lot of time designing it to be built and do your first number of runs through it, then you tweak your process to make it more efficient. There's always an element of tweaking it to make it better, but to some extent, the process of figuring out what you're doing is largely separate from the actual doing of it yourself. For a project-based industry, it's not quite like that. You have to build your process on the fly. Of course, there are best practices that shape it, right? For somebody writing a new software project or anything project-based, like making a movie, they have a rough idea for how it's going to go together. But there's going to be a lot of unforeseen things that kind of come up like that. The biggest difference is that either those things can often scale in a way that you can't with a building. Once you're done with the software project, you can deploy it to 1,000 or 100,000, or 1 million people, right? Once you finish making a movie, 100 million people can watch it or whatever. It doesn't quite look the same with a building. You don't really have the ability to spend a lot of time upfront figuring out how this thing needs to go. You kind of need to figure out a way to get this thing together without spending a huge amount of time that would be justified by the sheer size of it. I was able to dig up a few references for software projects and how often they just have these big, long tails. Sometimes they just go massively, massively over budget. A lot of times, they just don't get completed at all, which is shocking, but because of how many people it can then be deployed to after it's done, the economics of it are slightly different. Dwarkesh Patel I see, yeah. There's a famous law in software that says that a project will take longer than you expect even after you recount for the fact that it will take longer than you expect. Brian Potter Yeah. Hofstadter's law or something like that is what I think it is. Dwarkesh Patel Yeah. I'm curious about what the lack of skill in construction implies for startups. Famously, in software, the fact that there's zero marginal cost to scaling to the next customer is a huge boon to a startup, right? The entire point of which is scaling exponentially. Does that fundamentally constrain the size and quantity of startups you can have in construction if the same scaling is not available?Brian Potter Yeah, that's a really good question. The obvious first part of the answer is that for software, obviously, if you have a construction software company, you can scale it just like any other software business. For physical things, it is a lot more difficult. This lack of zero marginal cost has tended to fight a lot of startups, not just construction ones. But yeah, it's definitely a thing. Construction is particularly brutal because the margins are so low. The empirical fact is that trying what would be a more efficient method of building doesn't actually allow you to do it cheaper and get better margins. The startup that I used to work at, Katerra, their whole business model was basically predicated on that. “Oh, we'll just build all our buildings in these big factories, get huge economies of scale, reduce our costs, and then recoup the billions of dollars that we're pumping into this industry or business.” The math just does not work out. You can't build. In general, you can't build cheap enough to kind of recoup those giant upfront costs. A lot of businesses have been burned that way. The most success you see in prefabrication type of stuff is on the higher end of things where you can get higher margins. A lot of these prefab companies and stuff like that tend to target the higher end of the market, and you see a few different premiums for that. Obviously, if you're targeting the higher end, you're more likely to have higher margins. If you're building to a higher level of quality, that's easier to do in a factory environment. So the delta is a lot different, less enormous than it would be. Building a high level of quality is easier to do in a factory than it is in the field, so a lot of buildings or houses that are built to a really high level of energy performance, for instance, need a really, really high level of air sealing to minimize how much energy this house uses. You tend to see a lot more houses like that built out of prefab construction and other factory-built methods because it's just physically more difficult to achieve that on-site. The Problems of Prefabrication Dwarkesh Patel Can you say more about why you can't use prefabrication in a factory to get economies of scale? Is it just that the transportation costs will eat away any gains you get? What is going on? Brian PotterThere's a combination of effects. I haven't worked through all this, we'll have to save this for the next time. I'll figure it out more by then. At a high level, it's that basically the savings that you get from like using less labor or whatever is not quite enough to offset your increased transportation costs. One thing about construction, especially single-family home construction, is that a huge percentage of your costs are just the materials that you're using, right? A single-family home is roughly 50% labor and 50% materials for the construction costs. Then you have development costs, land costs, and things like that. So a big chunk of that, you just can't move to the factory at all, right?  You can't really build a foundation in a factory. You could prefab the foundation, but it doesn't gain you anything. Your excavation still has to be done on-site, obviously. So a big chunk can't move to the factory at all. For ones that can, you still basically have to pay the same amount for materials. Theoretically, if you're building truly huge volume, you could get material volume discounts, but even then, it's probably not looking at things like asset savings. So you can cut out a big chunk of your labor costs, and you do see that in factory-built construction, right? These prefab companies are like mobile home companies. They have a small fraction of labor as their costs, which is typical of a factory in general, but then they take out all that labor cost while they still have their high material costs, and then they have overhead costs of whatever the factory has cost them. Then you have your additional overhead cost of just transporting it to site, which is pretty limited. The math does not really work out in favor of prefab, in terms of being able to make the cost of building dramatically cheaper. You can obviously build a building in a prefab using prefab-free methods and build a successful construction business, right? Many people do. But in terms of dramatically lowering your costs, you don't really see that. Dwarkesh Patel Yeah, yeah. Austin Vernon has an interesting blog post about why there's not more prefabricated homes. The two things he points out were transportation costs, and the other one was that people prefer to have homes that have unique designs or unique features. When I was reading it, it actually occurred to me that maybe they're actually both the result of the same phenomenon. I don't know if I'm pronouncing it correctly, but have you heard of the Alchian-Allen theorem in economics? Brian Potter Maybe, but I don't think so. Dwarkesh Patel Basically, it's the idea that if you increase the cost of some category of goods in a fixed way––let's say you tax oranges and added a $1 tax to all oranges, or transportation for oranges gets $1 more expensive for all oranges––people will shift consumption towards the higher grade variety because now, the ratio of the cost between the higher, the more expensive orange and the less expensive orange has decreased because of the increase in fixed costs. It seems like you could use that argument to also explain why people have strong preferences for uniqueness and all kinds of design in manufactured houses. Since transportation costs are so high, that's basically a fixed cost, and that fixed cost has the effect of making people shift consumption towards higher-grade options. I definitely think that's true. Brian PotterI would maybe phrase this as, “The construction industry makes it relatively comparatively cheap to deliver a highly customized option compared to a really repetitive option.” So yeah, the ratio between a highly customized one and just a commodity one is relatively small. So you see a kind of industry built around delivering somewhat more customized options. I do think that this is a pretty broad intuition that people just desire too much customization from their homes. That really prevents you from having a mass-produced offering. I do think that is true to some extent. One example is the Levittown houses, which were originally built in huge numbers–– exactly the same model over and over again. Eventually, they had to change their business model to be able to deliver more customized options because the market shipped it. I do think that the effect of that is basically pretty overstated. Empirically, you see that in practice, home builders and developers will deliver fairly repetitive housing. They don't seem to have a really hard time doing that. As an example, I'm living in a new housing development that is just like three or four different houses copy-pasted over and over again in a group of 50. The developer is building a whole bunch of other developments that are very similar in this area. My in-laws live in a very similar development in a whole different state. If you just look like multi-family or apartment housing, it's identical apartments, you know, copy-pasted over and over again in the same building or a bunch of different buildings in the same development. You're not seeing huge amounts of uniqueness in these things. People are clearly willing to just live in these basically copy-pasted apartments. It's also quite possible to get a pretty high amount of product variety using a relatively small number of factors that you vary, right? I mean, the car industry is like this, where there are enough customization options. I was reading this book a while ago that was basically pushing back against the idea that the car industry pre-fifties and sixties we just offering a very uniform product. They basically did the math, and the number of customization options on their car was more than the atoms in the universe. Basically just, there are so many different options. All the permutations, you know, leather seats and this type of stereo and this type of engine, if you add it all up, there's just a huge, massive number of different combinations. Yeah, you can obviously customize the house a huge amount, just by the appliances that you have and the finishes that are in there and the paint colors that you choose and the fixtures and stuff like that. It would not really theoretically change the underlying way the building comes together. So regarding the idea that the fundamental demand for variety is a major obstruction, I don't think there's a whole lot of evidence for that in the construction industry. If Construction Regulation Vanished… Dwarkesh Patel I asked Twitter about what I should ask you, and usually, I don't get interesting responses but the quality of the people and the audience that knows who you are was so high that actually, all the questions I got were fascinating. So I'm going to ask you some questions from Twitter. Brian Potter Okay. Dwarkesh Patel 0:26:45Connor Tabarrok asks, “What is the most unique thing that would or should get built in the absence of construction regulation?”Brian Potter Unique is an interesting qualifier. There are a lot of things that just like should get built, right? Massive amounts of additional housing and creating more lands in these really dense urban environments where we need it, in places like San Francisco–– just fill in a big chunk of that bay. It's basically just mud flat and we should put more housing on it. “Unique thing” is more tricky. One idea that I really like (I read this in the book, The Book Where's My Flying Car),  is that it's basically crazy that our cities are designed with roads that all intersect with each other. That's an insane way to structure a material flow problem. Any sane city would be built with multiple layers of like transportation where each one went in a different direction so your flows would just be massively, massively improved. That just seems like a very obvious one.If you're building your cities from scratch and had your druthers, you would clearly want to build them and know how big they were gonna get, right? So you could plan very long-term in a way that so these transportation systems didn't intersect with each other, which, again, almost no cities did. You'd have the space to scale them or run as much throughput through them as you need without bringing the whole system to a halt. There's a lot of evidence saying that cities tend to scale based on how much you can move from point A to point B through them. I do wonder whether if you changed the way they went together, you could unlock massively different cities. Even if you didn't unlock massive ones, you could perhaps change the agglomeration effects that you see in cities if people could move from point A to point B much quicker than they currently can. Dwarkesh Patel Yeah, I did an episode about the book, where's my flying car with Rohit Krishnan. I don't know if we discussed this, but an interesting part of the book is where he talks about transistor design. If you design transistors this way, can you imagine how slow they would be? [laughs] Okay, so Simon Grimm asks, “What countries are the best at building things?”Brian Potter This is a good question. I'm going to sort of cheat a little bit and do it in terms of space and time, because I think most countries that are doing a good job at building massive amounts of stuff are not ones that are basically doing it currently.The current answer is like China, where they just keep building–– more concrete was used in the last 20 years or so than the entire world used in the time before that, right? They've accomplished massive amounts of urbanization, and built a lot of really interesting buildings and construction. In terms of like raw output, I would also put Japan in the late 20th century on there. At the peak of the concern and wonder of “Is Japan gonna take over the world?”, they were really interested in building stuff quite quickly. They spent a lot of time and effort trying to use their robotics expertise to try to figure out how to build buildings a lot more quickly. They had these like really interesting factories that were designed to basically extrude an entire skyscraper just going up vertically.All these big giant companies and many different factories were trying to develop and trying to do this with robotics. It was a really interesting system that did not end up ever making economic sense, but it is very cool. I think big industrial policy organs of the government basically encouraged a lot of these industrial companies to basically develop prefabricated housing systems. So you see a lot of really interesting systems developed from these sort of industrial companies in a way that you don't see in a lot of other places. From 1850 to maybe 1970 (like a hundred years or something), the US was building huge massive amounts of stuff in a way that lifted up huge parts of the economy, right? I don't know how many thousands of miles of railroad track the US built between like 1850 and 1900, but it was many, many, many thousands of miles of it. Ofcourse, needing to lay all this track and build all these locomotives really sort of forced the development of the machine tool industry, which then led to the development of like better manufacturing methods and interchangeable parts, which of course then led to the development of the automotive industry. Then ofcourse, that explosion just led to even more big giant construction projects. So you really see that this ability to build just big massive amounts of stuff in this virtuous cycle with the US really advanced a lot of technology to raise the standard of development for a super long period of time. So those are my three answers. China's Real Estate Bubble, Unbound Technocrats, and JapanDwarkesh Patel Those three bring up three additional questions, one for each of them! That's really interesting. Have you read The Power Broker, the book about Robert Moses? Brian Potter I think I got a 10th of the way through it. Dwarkesh Patel That's basically a whole book in itself, a 10th of the way. [laughs] I'm a half of the way through, and so far it's basically about the story of how this one guy built a startup within the New York state government that was just so much more effective at building things, didn't have the same corruption and clientelism incompetence. Maybe it turns into tragedy in the second half, but so far it's it seems like we need this guy. Where do we get a second Robert Moses? Do you think that if you had more people like that in government or in construction industries, public works would be more effectively built or is the stagnation there just a result of like other bigger factors? Brian Potter That's an interesting question. I remember reading this article a while ago that was complaining about how horrible Penn Station is in New York. They're basically saying, “Yeah, it would be nice to return to the era of like the sort of unbound technocrat” when these technical experts in high positions of power in government could essentially do whatever they wanted to some extent. If they thought something should be built somewhere, they basically had the power to do it. It's a facet of this problem of how it's really, really hard to get stuff built in the US currently. I'm sure that a part of it is that you don't see these really talented technocrats occupy high positions of government where they can get stuff done. But it's not super obvious to me whether that's the limiting factor. I kind of get the sense that they would end up being bottlenecked by some other part of the process. The whole sort of interlocking set of institutions has just become so risk averse that they would end up just being blocked in a way that they wouldn't when they were operating in the 1950s or 1960s.Dwarkesh Patel Yeah, yeah, that's interesting. All right, so speaking of Japan, I just recently learned about the construction there and how they just keep tearing stuff down every 30 to 40 years and rebuilding it. So you have an interesting series of posts on how you would go about building a house or a building that lasts for a thousand years. But I'm curious, how would you build a house or a building that only lasts for 30 or 40 years? If you're building in Japan and you know they're gonna tear it down soon, what changes about the construction process? Brian Potter Yeah, that's interesting. I mean, I'm not an expert on Japanese construction, but I think like a lot of their interior walls are basically just paper and stuff like that. I actually think it's kind of surprising that last time I looked, for a lot of their homes, they use a surprising post and beam construction method, which is actually somewhat labor-intensive to do. The US in the early 1800s used a pretty similar method. Then once we started mass producing conventional lumber, we stopped doing that because it was much cheaper to build out of two-by-fours than it was to build big heavy posts. I think the boring answer to that question is that we'd build like how we build mobile homes–– essentially just using pretty thin walls, pretty low-end materials that are put together in a minimal way. This ends up not being that different from the actual construction method that single-family homes use. It just even further economizes and tightens the use of materials–– where a single-family home might use a half inch plywood, they might try to use three-sixteenths or even an eighth inch plywood or something like that. So we'd probably build a pretty similar way to the way most single-family homes and multi-family homes are built currently, but just with even tighter use of materials which perhaps is something that's not super nice about the way that you guys build your homes. But... [laughs]Dwarkesh Patel Okay, so China is the third one here. There's been a lot of talk about a potential real estate bubble in China because they're building housing in places where people don't really need it. Of course, maybe the demographics aren't there to support the demand. What do you think of all this talk? I don't know if you're familiar with it, but is there a real estate bubble that's created by all this competence in building? Brian PotterOh, gosh, yeah, I have no idea. Like you, I've definitely heard talk of it and I've seen the little YouTube clips of them knocking down all these towers that it turns out they didn't need or the developer couldn't, finish or whatever. I don't know a huge amount about that. In general, I wish I knew a lot more about how things are built in China, but the information is in general, so opaque. I generally kind of assume that any particular piece of data that comes out of China has giant error bars on it as to whether it's true or not or what the context surrounding it is. So in general, I do not have a hard opinion about that. Dwarkesh Patel This is the second part of Simon's question, does greater competence and being able to build stuff translate into other good outcomes for these countries like higher GDP or lower rents or other kinds of foreign outcomes? Brian Potter That's a good question. Japan is an interesting place where basically people point to it as an example of, “Here's a country that builds huge amounts of housing and they don't have housing cost increases.” In general, we should expect that dynamic to be true. Right? There's no reason to not think that housing costs are essentially a supply-demand problem where if you built as much as people wanted, the cost would drop. I have no reason to not think that's true. There is a little bit of evidence that sort of suggests that it's impossible to build housing enough to overcome this sort of mechanical obstacle where the cost of it tends to match and rise to whatever people's income level are. The peak and the sort of flattening of housing costs in Japan also parallel when people basically stopped getting raises and income stopped rising in Japan. So I don't have a good sense of, if it ends up being just more driven by some sort of other factors. Generally though I expect the very basic answer of “If you build a lot more houses, the housing will become cheaper.”Dwarkesh PatelRight. Speaking of how the land keeps gaining value as people's income go up, what is your opinion on Georgism? Does that kind of try and make you think that housing is a special asset that needs to be more heavily taxed because you're not inherently doing something productive just by owning land the way you would be if you like built a company or something similar?Brian Potter I don't have any special deep knowledge of Georgism. It's on my list of topics to read more deeply about. I do think in general, taxing encourages you to produce less of something for something that you can't produce less of. It's a good avenue for something to tax more heavily. And yeah, obviously if you had a really high land value tax in these places that have a lot of single-family homes in dense urban areas, like Seattle or San Francisco, that would probably encourage people to use the land a lot more efficiently. So it makes sense to me, but I don't have a ton of special knowledge about it. Dwarkesh Patel All right, Ben Kuhn asked on Twitter, “What construction-related advice would you give to somebody building a new charter city?”Brian Potter That is interesting. I mean, just off the top of my head, I would be interested in whether you could really figure out a way to build using a method that had really high upfront costs. I think it could otherwise be justified, but if you're gonna build 10,000 buildings or whatever all at once, you could really take advantage of that. One kind of thing that you see in the sort of post-World War II era is that we're building huge massive amounts of housing, and a lot of times we're building them all in one place, right? A lot of town builders were building thousands and thousands of houses in one big development all at once. In California, it's the same thing, you just built like 6 or 10 or 15,000 houses in one big massive development. You end up seeing something like that where they basically build this like little factory on their construction site, and then use that to like fabricate all these things. Then you have something that's almost like a reverse assembly line where a crew will go to one house and install the walls or whatever, and then go to the next house and do the same thing. Following right behind them would be the guys doing the electrical system, plumbing, and stuff like that. So this reverse assembly line system would allow you to sort of get these things up really, really fast, in 30 days or something like that. Then you could have a whole house or just thousands and thousands of houses at once. You would want to be able to do something similar where you could just not do the instruction the way that the normal construction is done, but that's hard, right? Centrally planned cities or top-down planned cities never seem to do particularly well, right? For example, the city of Brasilia, the one that was supposed to be a planned city— the age it goes back to the unfettered technocrat who can sort of build whatever he wants. A lot of times, what you want is something that will respond at a low level and organically sort out the factories as they develop. You don't want something that's totally planned from the top-down, that's disconnected from all the sorts of cases on the ground. A lot of the opposition to Robert Moses ended up being that in a certain form, right? He's bulldozing through these cities that are these buildings and neighborhoods that he's not paying attention to at all. So I think, just to go back to the question, trying to plan your city from the top down doesn't have a super, super great track record. In general, you want your city to develop a little bit more organically. I guess I would think to have a good sort of land-use rules that are really thought through well and encourage the things that you want to encourage and not discourage the things that you don't want to discourage. Don't have equity in zoning and allow a lot of mixed-use construction and stuff like that. I guess that's a somewhat boring answer, but I'd probably do something along those lines. Dwarkesh Patel Interesting, interesting. I guess that implies that there would be high upfront costs to building a city because if you need to build 10,000 homes at once to achieve these economies of scale, then you would need to raise like tens of billions of dollars before you could build a charter city. Brian Potter Yeah, if you were trying to lower your costs of construction, but again, if you have the setup to do that, you wouldn't necessarily need to raise it. These other big developments were built by developers that essentially saw an opportunity. They didn't require public funding to do it. They did in the form of loan guarantees for veterans and things like that, but they didn't have the government go and buy the land. Automation and Revolutionary Future Technologies Dwarkesh Patel Right, okay, so the next question is from Austin Vernon. To be honest, I don't understand the question, you two are too smart for me, but hopefully, you'll be able to explain the question and then also answer it. What are your power rankings for technologies that can tighten construction tolerances? Then he gives examples like ARVR, CNC cutting, and synthetic wood products. Brian Potter Yeah, so this is a very interesting question. Basically, because buildings are built manually on site by hand, there's just a lot of variation in what ends up being built, right? There's only so accurately that a person can put something in place if they don't have any sort of age or stuff like that. Just the placement itself of materials tends to have a lot of variation in it and the materials themselves also have a lot of variation in them. The obvious example is wood, right? Where one two by four is not gonna be exactly the same as another two by four. It may be warped, it may have knots in it, it may be split or something like that. Then also because these materials are sitting just outside in the elements, they sort of end up getting a lot of distortion, they either absorb moisture and sort of expand and contract, or they grow and shrink because of the heat. So there's just a lot of variation that goes into putting a building up.To some extent, it probably constrains what you are able to build and how effectively you're able to build it. I kind of gave an example before of really energy efficient buildings and they're really hard to build on-site using conventional methods because the air ceiling is quite difficult to do. You have to build it in a much more precise way than what is typically done and is really easily achieved on-site. So I guess in terms of examples of things that would make that easier, he gives some good ones like engineered lumber, which is where you take lumber and then grind it up into strands or chips or whatever and basically glue them back together–– which does a couple of things. It spreads all the knots and the defects out so they are concentrated and everything tends to be a lot more uniform when it's made like that. So that's a very obvious one that's already in widespread use. I don't really see that making a substantial change.I guess the one exception to that would be this engineered lumber product called mass timber elements, CLT, which is like a super plywood. Plywood is made from tiny little sheet thin strips of wood, right? But CLT is made from two-by-four-dimensional lumber glued across laminated layers. So instead of a 4 by 9 sheet of plywood, you have a 12 by 40 sheet of dimensional lumber glued together. You end up with a lot of the properties of engineered material where it's really dimensionally stable. It can be produced very, very accurately. It's actually funny that a lot of times, the CLT is the most accurate part of the building. So if you're building a building with it, you tend to run into problems where the rest of the building is not accurate enough for it. So even with something like steel, if you're building a steel building, the steel is not gonna be like dead-on accurate, it's gonna be an inch or so off in terms of where any given component is. The CLT, which is built much more accurately, actually tends to show all these errors that have to be corrected. So in some sense, accuracy or precision is a little bit of like a tricky thing because you can't just make one part of the process more precise. In some ways that actually makes things more difficult because if one part is really precise, then a lot of the time, it means that you can't make adjustments to it easily. So if you have this one really precise thing, it usually means you have to go and compensate for something else that is not built quite as precisely. It actually makes advancing precision quite a bit more complicated. AR VR, is something I'm very bullish on. A big caveat of that is assuming that they can just get the basic technology working. The basic intuition there is that right now the way that pieces are, when a building is put together on site, somebody is looking at a set of paper plans, or an iPad or something that tells them where everything needs to go. So they figure that out and then they take a tape measure or use some other method and go figure out where that's marked on the ground. There's all this set-up time that is really quite time consuming and error prone. Again, there's only so much accuracy that a guy dragging a tape 40 feet across site being held by another guy can attain, there's a limit to how accurate that process can be. It's very easy for me to imagine that AR would just project exactly where the components of your building need to go. That would A, allow you a much higher level of accuracy that you can easily get using manual methods. And then B, just reduce all that time it takes to manually measure things. I can imagine it being much, much, much faster as well, so I'm quite bullish on that. At a high level and a slightly lower level, it's not obvious to me if they will be able to get to the level where it just projects it with perfect accuracy right in front of you. It may be the case that a person moving their head around and constantly changing their point of view wont ever be able to project these things with millimeter precision––it's always gonna be a little bit jumpy or you're gonna end up with some sort of hard limit in terms of like how precisely you can project it. My sense is that locator technology will get good enough, but I don't have any principle reason believing that. The other thing is that being able to take advantage of that technology would require you to have a really, really accurate model of your building that locates where every single element is precisely and exactly what its tolerances are. Right now, buildings aren't designed like that, they are built using a comparatively sparse set of drawings that leaves a lot to sort of be interpreted by the people on site doing the work and efforts that have tried to make these models really, really, really precise, have not really paid off a lot of times. You can get returns on it if you're building something really, really complex where there's a much higher premium to being able to make sure you don't make any error, but for like a simple building like a house, the returns just aren't there. So you see really comparatively sparse drawings. Whether it's gonna be able to work worth this upfront cost of developing this really complex, very precise model of where exactly every component is still has to be determined. There's some interesting companies that are trying to move in this direction where they're making it a lot easier to draw these things really, really precisely and whave every single component exactly where it is. So I'm optimistic about that as well, but it's a little bit TBD. Dwarkesh Patel This raises a question that I actually wanted to ask you, which is in your post about why there aren't automatic brick layers. It was a really interesting post. Somebody left in an interesting comment saying that bricks were designed to be handled and assembled by humans. Then you left a response to that, which I thought was really interesting. You said, “The example I always reach for is with steam power and electricity, where replacing a steam engine with an electric motor in your factory didn't do much for productivity. Improving factory output required totally redesigning the factory around the capabilities of electric motors.” So I was kind of curious about if you apply that analogy to construction, then what does that look like for construction? What is a house building process or building building process that takes automation and these other kinds of tools into account? How would that change how buildings are built and how they end up looking in the end? Brian Potter I think that's a good question. One big component of the lack of construction productivity is everything was designed and has evolved over 100 years or 200 years to be easy for a guy or person on the site to manipulate by hand. Bricks are roughly the size and shape and weight that a person can move it easily around. Dimensional lumber is the same. It's the size and shape and weight that a person can move around easily. And all construction materials are like this and the way that they attach together and stuff is the same. It's all designed so that a person on site can sort of put it all together with as comparatively little effort as possible. But what is easy for a person to do is usually not what is easy for a machine or a robot to do, right? You typically need to redesign and think about what your end goal is and then redesign the mechanism for accomplishing that in terms of what is easy to get to make a machine to do. The obvious example here is how it's way easier to build a wagon or a cart that pulls than it is to build a mechanical set of legs that mimics a human's movement. That's just way, way, way easier. I do think that a big part of advancing construction productivity is to basically figure out how to redesign these building elements in a way that is really easy for a machine to produce and a machine to put together. One reason that we haven't seen it is that a lot of the mechanization you see is people trying to mechanize exactly what a person does. You'd need a really expensive industrial robot that can move exactly the way that a human moves more or less. What that might look like is basically something that can be really easily extruded by a machine in a continuous process that wouldn't require a lot of finicky mechanical movements. A good example of this technology is technology that's called insulated metal panels, which is perhaps one of the cheapest and easiest ways to build an exterior wall. What it is, is it's just like a thin layer of steel. Then on top of that is a layer of insulation. Then on top of that is another layer of steel. Then at the end, the steel is extruded in such a way that it can like these inner panels can like lock together as they go. It's basically the simplest possible method of constructing a wall that you can imagine. But that has the structural system and the water barrier, air barrier, and insulation all in this one really simple assembly. Then when you put it together on site, it just locks together. Of course there are a lot of limitations to this. Like if you want to do anything on top of like add windows, all of a sudden it starts to look quite a bit less good. I think things that are really easy for a machine to do can be put together without a lot of persistent measurement or stuff like that in-field. They can just kind of snap together and actually want to fit together. I think that's kind of what it looks like. 3D Printer Pessimism & The Rising Cost of LabourDwarkesh Patel What would the houses or the buildings that are built using this physically look like? Maybe in 50 to 100 years, we'll look back on the houses we have today and say, “Oh, look at that artisanal creation made by humans.” What is a machine that is like designed for robots first or for automation first? In more interesting ways, would it differ from today's buildings? Brian Potter That's a good question. I'm not especially bullish on 3D building printing in general, but this is another example of a building using an extrusion process that is relatively easy to mechanize. What's interesting there is that when you start doing that, a lot of these other bottlenecks become unlocked a little bit. It's very difficult to build a building using a lot of curved exterior surfaces using conventional methods. You can do it, it's quite expensive to do, but there's a relatively straightforward way for a 3D-printed building to do that. They can build that as easily as if it was a straight wall. So you see a lot of interesting curved architecture on these creations and in a few other areas. There's a company that can build this cool undulating facade that people kind of like. So yeah, it unlocks a lot of options. Machines are more constrained in some things that they can do, but they don't have a lot of the other constraints that you would otherwise see. So I think you'll kind of see a larger variety of aesthetic things like that. That said, at the end of the day, I think a lot of the ways a house goes together is pretty well shaped to just the way that a person living inside it would like to use. I think Stewart Brand makes this point in––Dwarkesh Patel Oh, How Buildings Learn. Brian Potter There we go. He basically makes the point that a lot of people try to use dome-shaped houses or octagon-shaped houses, which are good because, again, going back to surface area volume, they include lots of space using the least amount of material possible. So in some theoretical sense, they're quite efficient, but it's actually quite inconvenient to live inside of a building with a really curved wall, right? Furniture doesn't fit up against it nicely, and pictures are hard to hang on a really curved wall. So I think you would see less variation than maybe you might expect. Dwarkesh Patel Interesting. So why are you pessimistic about 3D printers? For construction, I mean. Brian Potter Yeah, for construction. Oh God, so many reasons. Not pessimistic, but just there's a lot of other interesting questions. I mean, so the big obvious one is like right now a 3D printer can basically print the walls of a building. That is a pretty small amount of the value in a building, right? It's maybe 7% or 8%, something like that. Probably not more than 10% of the value in a building. Because you're not printing the foundation, you're not printing like the overhead vertical, or the overhead spanning structure of the building. You're basically just printing the walls. You're not even really printing the second story walls that you have in multiple stories. I don't think they've quite figured that out yet. So it's a pretty small amount of value added to the building. It's frankly a task that is relatively easy to do by manual labor. It's really pretty easy for a crew to basically put up the structure of a house. This is kind of a recurring theme in mechanization or it goes back to what I was talking about to our previous lead. Where it takes a lot of mechanization and a lot of expensive equipment to replace what basically like two or three guys can do in a day or something like that. The economics of it are pretty brutal. So right now it produces a pretty small value. I think that the value of 3D printing is basically entirely predicated on how successful they are at figuring out how to like deliver more components of the building using their system. There are companies that are trying to do this. There's one that got funded not too long ago called Black Diamond, where they have this crazy system that is like a series of 3D printers that would act simultaneously, like each one building a separate house. Then as you progress, you switch out the print head for like a robot arm. Cause a 3D printer is basically like a robot arm with just a particular manipulator at the end, right?So they switch out their print head for like a robot arm, and the robot arm goes and installs different other systems like the windows or the mechanical systems. So you can figure out how to do that reliably where your print head or your printing system is installing a large fraction of the value of the building. It's not clear to me that it's gonna be economic, but it obviously needs to reach that point. It's not obvious to me that they have gotten there yet. It's really quite hard to get a robot to do a lot of these tasks. For a lot of these players, it seems like they're actually moving away from that. I think in ICON is the biggest construction 3D printer company in the US, as far as I know. And as far as I know, they've moved away from trying to install lots of systems in their walls as they get printed. They've kind of moved on to having that installed separately, which I think has made their job a little bit easier, but again, not quite, it's hard to see how the 3D printer can fulfill its promises if it can't do anything just beyond the vertical elements, whichare really, for most construction, quite cheap and simple to build. Dwarkesh Patel Now, if you take a step back and talk how expensive construction is overall, how much of it can just be explained by the Baumol cost effect? As in labor costs are increasing because labor is more productive than other industries and therefore construction is getting more expensive. Brian Potter I think that's a huge, huge chunk of it. The labor fraction hasn't changed appreciably enough. I haven't actually verified that and I need to, but I remember somebody that said that they used to be much different. You sent me some literature related to it. So let's add a slight asterisk on that. But in general the labor cost has remained a huge fraction of the overall cost of the building. Reliably seeing their costs continue to rise, I think there's no reason to believe that that's not a big part of it. Dwarkesh Patel Now, I know this sounds like a question with an obvious answer, but in your post comparing the prices of construction in different countries, you mentioned how the cost of labor and the cost of materials is not as big a determiner of how expensive it is to construct in different places. But what does matter? Is it the amount of government involvement and administrative overhead? I'm curious why those things (government involvement and administrative overhead) have such a high consequence on the cost of construction. Brian Potter Yeah, that's a good question. I don't actually know if I have a unified theory for that. I mean, basically with any heavily regulated thing, any particular task that you're doing takes longer and is less reliable than it would be if it was not done right. You can't just do it as fast as on your own schedule, right? You end up being bottlenecked by government processes and it reduces and narrows your options. So yeah, in general, I would expect that to kind of be the case, but I actually don't know if I have a unified theory of how that works beyond just, it's a bunch of additional steps at any given part of the process, each of which adds cost. Dwarkesh Patel Yeah. Now, one interesting trend we have in the United States with construction is that a lot of it is done by Latino workers and especially by undocumented Latino workers. What is the effect of this on the price and the quality of construction? If you have a bunch of hardworking undocumented workers who are working for below-market rates in the US, will this dampen the cost of construction over time? What do you think is going to happen? Brian Potter I suspect that's probably one of the reasons why the US has comparatively low construction costs compared to other parts of the world. Well, I'll caveat that. Residential construction, which is single-family homes and multi-family apartment buildings all built in the US and have light framed wood and are put together, like you said, by a lot of like immigrant workers. Because of that, it would not surprise me if those wages are a lot lower than the equivalent wage for like a carpenter in Germany or something like that. I suspect that's a factor in why our cost of residential construction are quite low. AI's Impact on Construction ProductivityDwarkesh Patel Overall, it seems from your blog post that you're kind of pessimistic, or you don't think that different improvements in industrialization have transferred over to construction yet. But what do you think is a prospect of future advances in AI having a big impact on construction? With computer vision and with advances in robotics, do you think we'll finally see some carry-over into construction productivity or is it gonna be more of the same? Brian Potter Yeah, I think there's definitely gonna be progress on that axis. If you can wire up your computer vision systems, robotic systems, and your AI in such a way that your capabilities for a robot system are more expanded, then I kind of foresee robotics being able to take a larger and larger fraction of the tasks done on a typical construction site. I kind of see it being kind of done in narrow avenues that gradually expand outward. You're starting to see a lot of companies that have some robotic system that can do one particular task, but do that task quite well. There's a couple of different robot companies that have these little robots for like drawing wall layouts on like concrete slabs or whatever. So you know exactly where to build your walls, which you would think would not be like a difficult problem in construction, but it turns out that a lot of times people put the walls in the wrong spot and then you have to go back and move them later or just basically deal with it. So yeah, it's basically a little Roomba type device that just draws the wall layout to the concrete slab and all the other systems as well–– for example, where the lines need to run through the slab and things like that. I suspect that you're just gonna start to see robotics and systems like that take a larger and larger share of the tasks on the construction site over time. Dwarkesh Patel Yeah, it's still very far away. It's still very far away. What do you think of Flow? That's Adam Neumann's newest startup and backed with $350 million from Andreeseen Horowitz.Brian Potter I do not have any strong opinions about that other than, “Wow, they've really given him another 350M”. I do not have any particularly strong opinions about this. They made a lot they make a lot of investments that don't make sense to me, but I'm out of venture capital. So there's no reason that my judgment would be any good in this situation–– so I'm just presuming they know something I do not. Dwarkesh Patel I'm going to be interviewing Andreeseen later this month, and I'm hoping I can ask him about that.Brian Potter You know, it may be as simple as he “sees all” about really high variance bets. There's nobody higher variance in the engine than Adam Neumann so, maybe just on those terms, it makes sense. Dwarkesh Patel You had an interesting post about like how a bunch of a lot of the knowledge in the construction industry is informal and contained within best practices or between relationships and expectations that are not articulated all the time. It seems to me that this is also true of software in many cases but software seems much more legible and open source than these other physical disciplines like construction despite having a lot of th

Co-host: Erik Sanford Director of VDC at Dellbrook JKS In this episode of the Mass Construction Show Mike speaks with us about Durapods. Durapods is a multi-trade prefabrication company that produces a number of building components, up to and including full rooms for install themselves or for install by others. Their ability to improve a number of internal metrics as well as break into new markets by shipping pods is great news for the future of safety, waste reduction, cost and schedules in construction. If you're a true believer in pre-fab then this episode's for you! Today's Show is brought to you by Central, commercial carpenters and supporters of our conversations. Enjoy the show! Follow the Mass Construction Show here: Linkedin Instagram Twitter Facebook TikTok --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/support

A few months ago, Larch Lab was contacted to start discussions of an ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) focused on climate adaptive urbanism, influenced by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.With the effects of climate change becoming more frequent and intense than anticipated – we can no longer wait ten to twenty years to adapt to this new normal. Larch Lab believes we need an ARPA-esque project to facilitate the research and development necessary to rapidly roll out high performance, decarbonized buildings, ecodistricts, and cities. This episode of the Livable Low-Carbon City is a download of themes and topics that we will be discussing in detail over the coming months...Further reading...Car-light Ecodistricts:The 5 coolest trends in urbanism ... in Europe, Michael Eliason's guest op ed in Dave Roberts Volts Substack. Let's Build a Dense, Climate-Resilient EcoDistrict in Seattle's Interbay, Michael Eliason's op-ed in the Urbanist. Passivhaus:What is a Passivhaus, the Passivhaus Trust's intro to the standard that should be the baseline of all buildings. Seattle Must Require Public Buildings Meet Passivhaus Standards to Lead on Climate, Michael Eliason's op ed in the Urbanist. Zoning reform:The Impact of Upzoning on Housing Construction in Auckland, Ryan Freenaway-McGrevy and Peter C.B. Phillips paper on upzoning effects. Upzone the Side Streets!, Henry Grabar's Slate piece on effects of focusing housing on arterials. Building Code reform:Unlocking livable, resilient, decarbonized housingwith Point Access Blocks, Larch Lab's report on Point Access Blocks for the City of Vancouver. Beyond Zoning: Building Circulation Reform and Infill Housing, UCLA Lewis Center's roundtable on unit access and code reform. Active Solar Protection/Climate Adaptive Buildings:Throwing Shade at How Buildings Must Adapt to the Climate Crisis, Michael Eliason's in Treehugger on climate adaptive buildings. Prefabrication & Robotics:Energiesprong, the Dutch retrofit masters utilizing prefabricated exterior panels. New forms of Collective Urban Housing:Larch Lab's page on Baugruppen, self-developed urban multifamily housing. Bring On the Clusterwohnungen, Michael Eliason's op-ed on cluster apartments.Productive Cities:Radical mix of uses incorporating production and industry in cities (Europan).Sponge City/Blue Green Infrastructure: ACEEE's report: Cool Policies for Cool Cities: Best Practices for Mitigating Urban Heat Islands in North

Want to build a home faster, better, and more sustainably? Prefabrication is the key. Today's guest is Garrett Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of Agorus, offering prefab offsite solutions that can transform how we build homes. He joins host Eric Anderton to explain prefabrication and clear up some misconceptions. Garret dives deep into the positive impact of the new tech on labor, cost, and time for contractors, developers, and homeowners. Listen as they discuss why leaning into this technology can also help issues surrounding housing and the environment. Stay tuned!

Christoph Gröner ist zum dritten Mal Gast im Immobiléros-Podcast – und hat damit das Prädikat STAMMGAST verdient!! Und in der Tat, mit Christoph Gröner macht es immer wieder Spaß, sich zu unterhalten. Ja, er polarisiert die Öffentlichkeit und die Branche – aber, er kommt aus der Deckung, er redet Klartext und zweitens gehört er zu denjenigen Marktteilnehmern, die wirklich über die Immobilienwirtschaft hinausdenken - und das ist in Zeiten, wo die Gegner der Redefreiheit und der Immobilienwirtschaft viel zu viel Raum gewinnen, ein Wert an sich. Ich spreche mit Christoph Gröner über: - die aktuelle Situation am Markt, - gibt es tatsächlich so massive Materialpreissteigerungen oder steckt noch etwas anderes dahinter, - gib es eine Kreditklemme oder nicht, wer bekommt Geld und warum sind Mezzaninkredite Teufelszeug, - was steckt hinter dem Adler-Desaster und wird Adler fallen, - wie weit ist CG Elementum mit Digitalisierung und Prefabrication und vieles mehr. Ein cooler Ritt durch die aktuellen Branchenthemen mit einem echten Torero. Attacke!

What were the Top 3 takeaways from the Advancing Prefab 2022 event in Phoenix?  How can people connect more easily at in-person events?  Carolina and Tim share commentary on these PLUS... what shocked Tim the most. His answers might surprise you.

The beachside Aqui y Ahora cafe in Cozumel is where Tim goes to connect in person with like-minded locals and expats. Advancing Prefabrication in Phoenix April 26-29 is where he is going to connect in-person to learn and ideate with the vibrant, diverse, tech-agnostic prefabricated construction community.  Save 10% ($200 savings) with the Build Perspectives coupon code BP10 at checkout https://www.advancing-prefabrication.com/take-part/register/

Offsite construction is still in its infancy and is currently in the process of scaling up. The benefits in terms of speed on productivity are well known, however, there are benefits that come far beyond that. Mirvac, one of Australia's largest builders is leading the way in this space, and today we get to speak with David Haller the National Operations Manager about: The journey of Mirvac into offsite construction The balance of prefabrication and architectural intent And where the industry is heading in the medium-long term If you want to learn more about designing or building with timber, I recommend you go to the WoodSolutions Website and download the Technical Design Guides: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/publications I recommend watching the WoodSolutions weekly webinars. Previous recordings can be found on the WoodSolutions website: https://woodsolutions.com.au/

General Superintendents need to step up their game or they will ruin the position. In this podcast we cover: What a General Super should be What they have become What will happen if we do not change If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 

In this episode, our host sits down with Sam Hamilton, Director of Prefabrication and Virtual Construction Encore Electric to introduce disJointed and our host to the problems facing leading trade contractors in the built environment.

Bernie and I dive deep into Modular, Prefabrication and Lean processes in Design and Construction. Over Bernie's 40 years in the industry his focus has lead him to large and complex Healthcare Projects, Preconstruction & Prefabrication Initiatives. An Indianapolis native & Marine Corps veteran with 40 years of construction experience starting in the field as a superintendent in the Texas construction market in the early 80's before being elevated to a project manager. Returned home to Indianapolis in 1990. Led the charge for AECOM Hunt at the San Antonio Military Medical Center in 2008 as the onsite preconstruction manager at the new $800m hospital expansion project. Next move was to Dallas in 2010 as the preconstruction manager on the new $500m University of Texas Southwestern Hospital (UTSW) project, and subsequently assumed an onsite operations role through 2014. Became the onsite preconstruction manager & project executive at the new $250m Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio before being charged with the expansion of the Hunt healthcare portfolio. Next up was executive oversight of the preconstruction services at the new $1b McNair Hospital project for CHI Baylor St. Luke's at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Most recently tasked with helping pull together the deliverable for the conceptual phase of the new $2.7b IU Health Medical Center in Indianapolis and later charged with supporting the development of the modular & prefabrication practices for the IU Health Program.In conjunction with his preconstruction role, Bernie oversaw the development and implementation of the prefabrication plans for the multi-trade utility tunnel MEP racks, patient room bathroom pods, headwalls, and several other single-trade prefabrication operations at the UTSW project in Dallas. The CHI Baylor St. Luke's and Mount Carmel projects mentioned above had similar initiatives but added multi-trade corridor racking to the list of items prefabricated.The Indiana Society of Healthcare Engineering (ISHE) will be touring Studio Ho on March 17th, 2022. Find more information here: www.isheweb.org/about-ishe/calendar/Bernie's Favorite book is on Chuck Yeager named; Yeager: An Autobiography by Chuck Yeager.Bernie's Contact information:Bernie SubletteVice PresidentAECOM HuntBernie.sublette@aecom.comShow sponsor is A Perfect Promotion. For all of your brand apparel reach out to Liz Schwab at lschwab@aperfectpromotion.com. Check out their website at www.aperfectpromotion.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bernie and I dive deep into Modular, Prefabrication and Lean processes in Design and Construction. Over Bernie's 40 years in the industry his focus has lead him to large and complex Healthcare Projects, Preconstruction & Prefabrication Initiatives. An Indianapolis native & Marine Corps veteran with 40 years of construction experience starting in the field as a superintendent in the Texas construction market in the early 80's before being elevated to a project manager. Returned home to Indianapolis in 1990. Led the charge for AECOM Hunt at the San Antonio Military Medical Center in 2008 as the onsite preconstruction manager at the new $800m hospital expansion project. Next move was to Dallas in 2010 as the preconstruction manager on the new $500m University of Texas Southwestern Hospital (UTSW) project, and subsequently assumed an onsite operations role through 2014. Became the onsite preconstruction manager & project executive at the new $250m Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio before being charged with the expansion of the Hunt healthcare portfolio. Next up was executive oversight of the preconstruction services at the new $1b McNair Hospital project for CHI Baylor St. Luke's at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Most recently tasked with helping pull together the deliverable for the conceptual phase of the new $2.7b IU Health Medical Center in Indianapolis and later charged with supporting the development of the modular & prefabrication practices for the IU Health Program.In conjunction with his preconstruction role, Bernie oversaw the development and implementation of the prefabrication plans for the multi-trade utility tunnel MEP racks, patient room bathroom pods, headwalls, and several other single-trade prefabrication operations at the UTSW project in Dallas. The CHI Baylor St. Luke's and Mount Carmel projects mentioned above had similar initiatives but added multi-trade corridor racking to the list of items prefabricated.Come back next week for episode two where we will dive deeper into the modular, prefabrication and lean process and how and when to partner with suppliers and vendors.Bernie's Contact information:Bernie SubletteVice PresidentAECOM HuntBernie.sublette@aecom.comShow sponsor is A Perfect Promotion. For all of your brand apparel reach out to Liz Schwab at lschwab@aperfectpromotion.com. Check out their website at www.aperfectpromotion.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Gabriel, president of MODLOGIQ shed light on why prefabrication is trending across the construction industry. Owners, general contractors, designers, and architects are turning to modular construction for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that the world is changing. Gabriel speaks openly about the pandemic and how modular construction has helped contractors and projects continue to move ahead even when job sites are shut down. This is due in part, to 80% of modular construction being constructed off-site. When MODLOGIQ finishes a project, it's set and ready to be shipped and installed without the headache of on-site construction. We also will put to rest some of the myths about modular construction and prefabrication. The perception is that modular construction is cheaper. Gabriel comments, “it's not cheaper, it provides more cost certainty for their clients and helps reduce cost escalation.” You'll also hear more about the unique ways modular construction is being used. Gabriel talks about “pushing the envelope” in their industry. Prefabrication and modularization are pushing to do more than just affordable housing or single-family homes. MODLOGIQ is trying to bring their business up to standards that designers and owners expect from traditional builds. We know our listeners always want to hear the take on safety as it relates to our topics. We asked Gabriel how prefabrication translates to a safer job site. He shares his thoughts, insights, and more in this next episode of the Building PA Podcast. 

Gareth our host caught up with Angel Dizon (MD) & Menzies Wilson (Director of Cost) who oversee $20 billion worth of projects at the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations for the US. In their own words "We are the best within the State" Angel discusses: - Innovation within the Bureau - The impact and responsibility the state has when it comes to climate change - Prefabrication and AI as well as much much more Menzies discusses: - Building logistics & labor - Challenges of building in poorly developed countries - What it's like to have a project in Preconstruction for 2+ years - The secret to getting within single digits of huge projects across the world - The military operation of supplying a remote location - Preconstruction Technology Feel free to connect with Angel or Menzies via the links below: Angel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-a-dizon-iii-2a121a188/ Menzies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menzies-wilson-08a72515/ Please if you enjoy this video please like, subscribe, and share it with your friends, peers, or colleagues. If you know any Preconstruction professionals that would be interested in coming onto the Preconstruction Podcast please reach out to us directly at info@nichessp.com Enjoy! Preconstruction DATA Estimator Estimating Construction Preconstruction Building Information Modelling BIM VDC Virtual Design Construction Commercial Construction Estimators Preconstruction Managers Design & Build Washington, DC Niche Specialist Staffing Partners Niche SSP Angel Dizon Menzies Wilson Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Gareth McGlynn

Steve and Chase discuss the affordances of prefabrication and technologies to enable prefabrication --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/con453/message

Brian Perlberg, executive director and senior counsel at ConsensusDocs, joins the podcast to talk about the recent creation of the offsite industry's first standard contract: ConsensusDocs 753 Standard Prefabricated Construction Contract. Created in partnership with MBI, this contract simplifies a formerly-complex and inadequate contracting process and provides greater clarity and well-defined risk allocation for all involved.Brian also explains how 753 came to be and what additional resources the offsite/modular industry can look forward to soon.

There's a common misconception around prefabrication — that it amounts to bland, cookie-cutter boxes rolling off an assembly line. But the truth is that prefabrication techniques can allow design teams to produce beautiful, innovative designs that meet the distinct needs of individual clients. So what exactly is prefabrication and how can it benefit you? Nick Coubray, CEO at Howick Ltd., and Amr Raafat, VP of VDC & Technology at Windover Construction, join the show to break it all down. We discuss: -The benefits behind the technology -The common myths associated with it -Some successful real world examples -Getting started with prefabrication Learn How Windover shed 3 month off schedule by utilizing Modular, Offsite Construction and BIM Technologies https://constructionblog.autodesk.com/windover-construction-modular-construction/ IDEA ™ Innovations for Design, Engineering and Automation https://www.windover.com/how-we-build/the-idea-platform/ Windover's Historic Restoration Project: Collaboration between Windover and Howick – Leading-edge Telescopic manufacturing, BIM and Laser scan Technologies. https://vimeo.com/comptondc/review/507417440/f8e855e0a2 Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk. Hear more episodes like this one by subscribing to Digital Builder on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Can't see the links? Just search for Digital Builder in your favorite podcast player.

In this episode, Dave shares his over 35 of working with prefabricated components as an erector, assembler and now a manufacturer/contractor. You will get great insight into “offsite construction” in general with focus on the building envelope. You will hear firsthand how the business has evolved and as importantly, why is it such a factor in today’s construction means and methods. Dave describes how prefabricated wall panels can add great value to an owner by shrinking the construction schedule. For the contractor, it mitigates the issue like qualified manpower, quality control, safety, and lean building requirements. This episode will empower everyone from owner to intern better understand the dynamics of prefabrication, why the industry has embraced it and good reasons why you should.To learn more about Dave or register for his in person masterminds go to https://adicorp.com/

Listen as Andrew Conley, project superintendent with Alexander Building discusses the impact prefabrication has on project success. Although the trend is not new, implementing the approach created efficiencies along with improved productivity that went beyond project expectations. Conley shares the process and impact of off-site fabrication of bathroom pods on a new construction project. Positive impacts on the project included labor hour reduction and improved fabrication staff management. Hear as Conley also discusses the co-location aspect and impact of lean principles have on the project.

To begin Season 4, we’re going to be doing a best of series for the next 4 weeks. Today, we’ll be looking at the best moments in Timber Talks so far, on the topics of sustainability and wellness. In this episode you’ll hear from:   Davina Rooney the CEO at GBCA on keeping on target mitigating global warming risks Ken Morrison the CEO of The Property Council Aus on the forward trajectory of the construction code to improve base standard construction quality for emissions reductions Andrew Waugh, founder WTA on the impact of material choices Ulrich Dangel Associate Professor at the University of Texas and author of A Turning Point In Timber Construction, on sustainable forest management Stephen Mitchell a Principal Consultant at Thinkstep on the end of life options for timber Kate Nason an Environmental Designer at Atelier Ten on Prefabrication and Passivhaus Jack Noonan VP at the International Well Building Institute on the impact of architecture on health Marie-France Stendahlf, Head Of Business Development at White Architecture Canada on using architecture as medicine Caroline Pidcock, Director at Pidcock Designs on material connection to nature in the biophilic design framework   Links to WoodSolutions EPDs and Biophilic Design research: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/environmental-product-declarations https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/wood-at-work If you’ve got any feedback on the show you can find me on Linkedin: httpwww.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/?originalSubdomain=au  

The construction industry is seeing prefabrication, robotics and automation solutions increase across the board. These new technologies save on costs, increase worker safety and improve quality control. But construction leaders should be proactive in engaging employees early if they're bringing on these solutions. That's because employees may be wary of change and could resist new processes, holding up the implementations and productivity along the way.   In this episode, Christian Burger, president of Burger Consulting, shines a light on how automation benefits workers, whether they're on job sites or in the back office. He explains how construction leaders can engage their employees with new solutions by sharing how they'll provide value, as well as how companies can make the most of the tech they have.

In the podcast we cover: Room Kitting Where it can be applied How prefabrication can be a game-changer If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 

Timber structures are best designed as systems, taking into account structure, acoustics, thermal and fire. A hybrid system can leverage the advantages of different materials to solve the problem in the most effective manner. Today we’re talking with Rob Nestic about utilisation of Timber Concrete Composite Systems. In this episode we discuss: The performance aspects of the TCC system Prefabrication and the nuances around pouring concrete offsite or onsite The supply capacity of Australia for these systems Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood: www.woodsolutions.com.au The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides I recommend downloading Technical Design Guide #30, which looks at the design of Timber Concrete Composite Systems

This episode of the Mass Construction Show is audio from a recent panel discussion with the New England Real Estate Journal. I felt some worthy topics were: What you need to know about force majeure moving forward. Prefabrication approaches and how to contract prefab. Company communication efforts. Data around employee retention. Panelist were: Ron Ciotti of Hinckley Allen, Steven Kelly of Timberline Construction Corp. and Luiza Mills of Interstate Electrical Services Enjoy the show! Follow the Mass Construction Show here: Linkedin Instagram Twitter Facebook Intro music by Sound Revolution --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/support

In this episode of the Mass Construction Show Brian and I discuss his career path from General Contractor to software company engineer and dive into the trends he saw and was brave enough to move on. We go deep into prefabrication process, capabilities of Manufacton, and general construction talk. Enjoy the show! Here's the link to see a bit about the product. Follow the Mass Construction Show here: Linkedin Instagram Twitter Facebook Intro music by Sound Revolution --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/support

Prefabrication is allowing us to build to a high quality with very tight construction tolerances, enabling the achievement of passiv-haus design principles. Passivhaus is reducing the operational energy demands contributing to cost and carbon efficiency of our buildings. In this episode we speak with Kate Nason, an Environmental Designer at Atelier Ten about: Using prefabrication to achieve passiv-haus design How timber can improve operational efficiency for buildings Australia’s journey to carbon neutral construction Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood: www.woodsolutions.com.au Sign up to weekly webinars: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/podcasts/woodsolutions-weekly-webinars-s1

with Ravid LEVY - Founder and Consultant @ RLV-consulting services

 Life is hard, sometimes to the point where trusting God seems impossible. We thought we weren’t going to lose this person so soon, we thought God would prove Himself to us, and we thought we would have accomplished that goal by this age. The list can continue or we can choose to live a life with only one expectation: faith.  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.James 1: 2-3 NIV

The Easier, Better, for Construction Show is where people working to make building easier and better share how. Mike Williams and I explored Lean construction, Scrum, Prefabrication, construction software, Waste, Design Phase Planning, Problem-Solving, Design Fees, and Contracts. If you see your company headed into trouble, this episode will give you actions to skillfully sound the alarm and change course.   Follow Mike on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mspencerwilliams and at https://hmcarchitects.com/   Follow Felipe on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/engineerfelipe and at Twitter @felipe_engineer (https://twitter.com/felipe_engineer)   The audio podcast is at www.theebfcshow.com   Today's episode is sponsored by the Lean Construction Institute. Join me and many others from the Lean design and construction community at their 22nd Annual Congress.  It is being held virtually this year, the week of October 19th. Our theme is the ABC's of Lean...Transformation through Actions, Best Practices, and Coaching.  Learn more at www.lcicongress.org/2020

Let's digest the terminology of prefab, before debating if the reward is worth the risk. When Owners decide that prefabrication is the new gold standard, will you be ready to deliver? Guests: Briana Williams - StructionSite Amy Marks - Autodesk - @queenofprefab Episode Clarification: "Amy noted that since our interview, 'Intelligent Materials' has now been replaced with "Advanced Building Products" Show Note Links: Spearin Gap - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Spearin Boyde C. Paulson - https://medium.com/@vikofnorway/influence-curve-or-inverted-complacency-curve-954aceeb48bf John Macomber - Follow the Money - https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/40671%282003%29129 Autodesk & FMI Report on Trust - https://constructionblog.autodesk.com/autodesk-fmi-study/ Careers at The Walsh Group - http://www.walshgroup.com/careers.html      

Change can be difficult, but if you look at it from a growth perspective you will see that the risks that come with change are nothing compared to what you can gain. Prefabrication is being rapidly adopted across Construction and presents lots of profit opportunities for contractors who are willing to learn and adapt.  In this week’s Construction Genius podcast episode I talk with Amy Marks. She is the Head of Industrialized Construction Strategy and Evangelism at Autodesk, but is better known in the industry as the Queen of Prefab. She gives valuable insights on why there is limited awareness of the prefab revolution that’s happening, the barriers of the adoption of prefabrication, how to overcome the project mindset to move up the learning ladder, and a lot more.  This is an interview that will open your mind to what change in this industry looks like and why you should adapt now.  Here are some of the great takeaways from this episode.  What’s Discussed in This Episode:  How Amy became known as the ‘Queen of Prefab’ [2:45] Amy’s transition from Xsite Modular to Autodesk [3:38] Why there’s a limited awareness of the industrial revolution that’s happening [6:38] How companies struggle to pitch prefab to owners for better understanding [9:16] Barriers of the adoption of prefabrication to the AEC industry [11:18] Educating on how to integrate prefab and how it might affect designs upfront [13:49] Why making money should not get in the way of integrating prefab [15:58] The need to upgrade your skill set to integrate prefabrication [19:12]  Reason why a disruption in the construction industry has not happened yet [20:25] Overcoming the project mindset to move up the learning ladder [22:11] What the industry will look like 5-10 years from now [26:00] How Autodesk is positioned to help those in construction scale [28:03] Where to find the resources to begin educating yourself [35:10] The government’s role in driving prefabrication [39:27] Actions GC’s and SC’s can take to become more part of the AC ecosystem [44:45] About the Guest: Amy Marks is a leader, innovator and changemaker. Before joining Autodesk, she was the CEO of XSite Modular and pioneered a path to become the world’s preeminent prefabrication consultant and is often called the Queen Of Prefab. Literally creating the role as the first prefabrication consultant.  Amy champions the use of optimized prefabrication across many building types including high-tech, healthcare, hospitality, data centers, residential and commercial buildings. She is a unique and outspoken agent for change that is well-respected across many industries and is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and chairperson of conferences on prefabrication.  Resources:  Connect with Amy Marks on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amykulkamarks/)  Visit AutoDesk for more information (https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/architecture-engineering-construction/construction)  Connect and Construct Autodesk University (https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/conference/las-vegas/connect-construct-summit)  Advancing Prefabrication (https://www.advancing-prefabrication.com/)  Beckhard and Harris “Change Formula” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_for_change)  Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Are you looking for a good read? Interested in the subjects of prefabrication and the small house movement? Join us as we sit down with Forbes writer Sheri Koones, whose newest book, Downsize: Living Large in a Small House, has recently debuted. If you’d like more information about Sheri and this podcast, make sure to check out our video at bridgingthegappod.com to watch the interview, see pictures of Sheri’s favorite houses, and buy her books!Sheri has written multiple books about living “off the grid,” and she, in addition to being an author and journalist, is a speaker on Green Construction. Her specialties include home construction, Green issues, and energy efficiency.Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow us on our social accounts.Sign up for newsletter Follow us on LinkedIn Bridging the Gap Podcast WebsiteTodd’s LinkedIn  Thank you to our sponsors!Applied Software Applied Software LinkedInOther Relevant Links:LiveLab Learning Todd’s Thoughts – On Prefabrication, the Small House Movement and SustainabilityGuest Information:Sheri Koones Website Link to purchase book

In this episode James and I cover what a prefabrication manager does and what made OCP a drywall carpentry contractor invest so heavily in the process. There’s also a bit of an overlap with some of our recent conversations around how rapidly our business is changing and what that means for both blue collar and white collar construction professionals. I’m excited to up our pre-fab discussion. Enjoy the Show! Let’s hitch up for the ride! Linkedin Instagram Twitter Facebook Intro music by Sound Revolution --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/joekelly/support

เพื่อเป็นการย้ำเตือนว่าเสาเสาเสาเป็นรายการสถาปัตย์ อีพีนี้เราเลยพาคุณผู้ฟังมาเข้าโหมดการก่อสร้างตึกรามบ้านช่องกันอีกครั้ง ด้วยการทำความรู้จัก "Prefabrication" เทคโนโลยีการก่อสร้างที่ไวเกินเรื่อง กดพรวดๆๆ เหมือนเสกปิ๊งเดียวก็ได้ตึกออกมาแล้ว และเทคโนโลยีใหม่ๆ ที่วงการสถาปัตย์และวิศวกรรมนำมาใช้ในสถานการณ์โรคระบาดที่เมืองอู่ฮั่น ประเทศจีน ฟังแล้วว้าว ตึกอะไร(เสร็จ)ไวจริงๆ

เพื่อเป็นการย้ำเตือนว่าเสาเสาเสาเป็นรายการสถาปัตย์ อีพีนี้เราเลยพาคุณผู้ฟังมาเข้าโหมดการก่อสร้างตึกรามบ้านช่องกันอีกครั้ง ด้วยการทำความรู้จัก "Prefabrication" เทคโนโลยีการก่อสร้างที่ไวเกินเรื่อง กดพรวดๆๆ เหมือนเสกปิ๊งเดียวก็ได้ตึกออกมาแล้ว และเทคโนโลยีใหม่ๆ ที่วงการสถาปัตย์และวิศวกรรมนำมาใช้ในสถานการณ์โรคระบาดที่เมืองอู่ฮั่น ประเทศจีน ฟังแล้วว้าว ตึกอะไร(เสร็จ)ไวจริงๆ

Part 2 of Kraus-Anderson COO Al Gerhardt and APi Group Inc. CEO Russ Becker's discussion of construction industry trends, technology and challenges. Gerhardt and Becker discuss solutions to the workforce shortage, an industry trend that takes their breath away, and get put on the hot seat for a speed round of questions.

Al Gerhardt is the President and COO of Kraus-Anderson Construction Company. Under Al's leadership, Kraus-Anderson has been consistently ranked in the top 50 Construction Management firms at Risk by Engineering News-Record. Russ Becker is the President of CEO of APi Group Inc., one of the largest specialty contractors in North America. APi Group is the parent company to over 40 independently managed life safety, energy, specialty construction and infrastructure companies in over 200 locations worldwide. Gerhardt and Becker have a candid discussion about the issues the construction industry is facing, exciting innovations like modular construction, and how they empower their employees to become leaders. Stay tuned for part two of their discussion, where Gerhardt and Becker discuss the workforce shortage, and get put on the hot seat with a speed round of questions!

Prefabrication is a method which consists of building houses off-site, in a factory, as opposed to on-site, which is the traditional way of doing it, with workers going to a construction site everyday from the very beginning till the end of the project. An example of this trend is the current project deployed in London borough of Croydon in the UK. If you go to 101 George Street in, you’ll see an impressive building made with steel and glass: the world’s tallest towers are being built using modular manufacturing: The two towers will be 38 and 44 storeys high and are expected to contain 546 flats. It’s quite of a performance. Factory-built housing may have had negative associations with mass market, uninspiring and low quality constructions for decades. But this is changing. With new technologies and materials, off-site construction is promising to offer not only affordable houses but also sustainable and aethetically challenging homes. It defenitely has advantages over traditional construction. So, is it the future of housing?Speakers:Elin Sondergard, Strategic Project Leader, Saint-Gobain.Gilles Retsin, London based architect and designer investigating new architectural models that engage with the potential of increased computational power. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Technology is rapidly changing the way we design, manufacture and install our buildings. Eric Karsh is the founding partner of Equilibrium, a Katerra company, who are looking to make major changes the way we build. In this episode we have a forward thinking conversation about costing and designing projects with parametric modelling, optimisation for prefabrication and installation, and utilisation of BIM to improve the design to construction process.   Check out the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood: www.woodsolutions.com.au   The WS Technical Design Guide can be found here: https://www.woodsolutions.com.au/articles/mid-rise-timber-buildings-design-guides   Got a Mid-rise project? The Mid-rise Advisory Team will be able to help. Get in touch with me at: jones@woodsolutions.com.au

BE SURE TO SEE THE SHOWNOTES AND LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE. Eve Picker: Hey, everyone, this is Eve Picker, and if you listen to this podcast series, you're going to learn how to make some change.   Eve Picker: Hi there. Thanks so much for joining me today for the latest episode of Impact Real Estate Investing. My guest today is Jennifer Castenson. Jennifer is the VP of programming at Hanley Wood, a company which serves the construction and design industry through their analytics-driven Construction Industry Database. Based on this information, Jennifer establishes themes and develops content to provide Hanley Wood's audience with up-to-date industry intelligence. As such, Jennifer has her finger on the pulse of innovation in the building industry, and she loves it.   Eve Picker: Be sure to go to Eve Picker.dot com to find out more about Jennifer on the Show Notes page for this episode and be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you can access information about impact real estate investing and get the latest news about the exciting projects on my crowdfunding platform, Small Change.   Eve Picker: Hi, Jennifer. It's really lovely to have you here. You have a fascinating job. I know that you've been on the marketing side of the building industry for at least a dozen years. Is that right?   Jennifer Castenson: Yeah, for a decade.   Eve Picker: A decade? Yeah. Now, as I understand it, you use leading data or research information from the industry to help establish themes and content for Hanley Wood, is that correct?   Jennifer Castenson: That's correct. Yes.   Eve Picker: So, that means that you have your finger on the pulse of innovation in the building industry, which is pretty fabulous.   Jennifer Castenson: It's amazing. It's a really fun job, and it's also very amazing to see the innovators who are behind the scenes and actually doing something to change all of the challenges that are facing the housing industry right now.   Eve Picker: Tell us a little bit more about what you actually do.   Jennifer Castenson: What I do at Hanley Wood is mostly programming for our events. Hanley Wood has a number of different publications and mediums, and we have conferences associated with a lot of those that we call branding conferences. Then we also do custom events where we program for our partners in various capacities.   Jennifer Castenson: For our conferences, we are very focused on creating a theme, and sticking with the theme, and finding experts who can deliver the content in the best way; who can deliver best practices; who can talk about research, innovation within a certain space. I work on the conference program in determining, with our editorial team, what is the right focus. Then I go out, I search for, find the experts, and then work with them to deliver the content at the event.   Jennifer Castenson: I also work on editorial content, working with some of those leaders in the industry to write certain material for our websites. That could be Builder, which focuses on single-family; for Multifamily Executive, for Architect, for Journal of Light Construction, or Remodeling or ProSales. I'm looking very holistically at the industry and then solutions for each one of those verticals within the industry and how we can help the industry leaders move forward strategically into the future.   Eve Picker: I was one of the fortunate ones who was found by you a couple of years ago, right? That's how we [cross talk]   Jennifer Castenson: Yeah. Thank you so much for being part of Hive.   Eve Picker: Yeah, that was great. How did you end up in this role? This is pretty recent, right?   Jennifer Castenson: I'm going on four years that Hanley Wood. Before that, I worked for Organized Living, which is a building products supplier. Like I said, I was there for about a decade doing marketing and sales, and I was working with Hanley Wood. I had been part of the events from a sponsorship and exhibitor standpoint and knew the folks very well, and they recruited me in to be part of the Hanley Wood team.   Eve Picker: Pretty great. Your world intersects, then, with ... You know this podcast is about impact in real estate, and the building industry is part of real estate, so your world intersects pretty squarely with that, as you see innovation emerge. I've seen that you're a prolific speaker, as well as being an organizer, and you actually moderate panels yourself. So, you've touched lots and lots of topics; some of them, really big ones, like power, or affordable housing, or ADUs, or prefabrication. What theme do you think has the loudest drumbeat in the building industry today?   Jennifer Castenson: That's a really good question, and I really have to think that there are two, and they, just like you said, intersect with each other. I think prefabrication/offsite construction and vertical integration are the two that I'm referring to.   Jennifer Castenson: I think modular and offsite are getting more and more attention. They've been around for a very long time. However, in today's age, they are getting the benefit of new and enhanced technology. Then, they are extending the benefit to many different aspects that are really important to today's construction environment. There's more sustainability factors. There are more efficiency to respond to the need for more affordable housing.   Jennifer Castenson: That touches on the less need for less labor, faster construction cycle, less labor, and therefore reducing the time, reducing the costs. That's just really, really critical in today's age that we're pulling together projects faster and at lower cost to put homeownership or rent in the hands of more people. But then, also the sustainability factors. There's less onsite waste. There's less waste altogether.   Jennifer Castenson: The projects can happen in any type of environment, which is also important, because if you look at climate change, we're dealing with a lot of different climate factors, but if you're inside of a factory, then the housing can continue to be built regardless of what the conditions are outside of that factory. Prefabrication/offsite construction just has a lot of different benefits right now.   Eve Picker: I never thought of that last one. That's really interesting. But still, I'm in Pittsburgh. When I talk to some builders here, they still say that stick build is cheaper here than prefab. How much does that have to do with the labor in any particular market or the building conditions in any particular market? Is it really equally efficient everywhere?   Jennifer Castenson: No. Actually, I would say, nationwide, you'll find that stick build, traditional build is very similar in cost to prefabrication. However, the time savings reduces the cost. The hard costs are there, and they're probably the same. Sometimes, prefabrication might cost a little bit more. There are actually markets, right now, where prefabrication is so popular, for a variety of reasons, where the manufacturers are able to then bid up, and it's ... The costs are rising for factory construction. So, all those things are coming together.   Jennifer Castenson: Actually, if you think of labor unions, the costs involved with labor unions, sometimes the offsite construction might help avoid some of the labor unions. It depends on what kind of market you're in and all of those variety of factors - how many offsite manufacturers are there, and what the demand is for that type of construction, along with labor unions, the amount of transportation to site, because that's a huge component of it that will drive up costs. All of those things factor into the cost, but then the time savings is the real savings.   Eve Picker: Interesting. So, someone might argue that you're putting people out of jobs. I'm in a heavy union-labor market in Pittsburgh, so they might not be happy to hear you say that.   Jennifer Castenson: No, I know, and it's actually ... Those jobs are evolving, and it's a real big question right now. I said the second thing, for me, that I see impacting housing the most is vertical integration. There are a lot of organizations, like Katerra, and I'm also working with another one in the multifamily realm that's called Cortland, who are trying to vertically integrate more and more and to take parts of the process that weren't together under one roof and make them seamless under one roof where-   Eve Picker: I'm sorry I interrupted you, but I'm wondering what precisely you mean by vertical integration here? What is all part of that?   Jennifer Castenson: It might be different with different organizations. In the two examples I just gave, it's very different. Katerra, for instance, is bringing in design, and development, and the manufacturing all under one roof. They're bringing in even more than that, because they're manufacturing some of the products that they're using in their projects and some of the software that they're using in the design regard.   Jennifer Castenson: It's making the process- it's making it more seamless and making fewer connections so that it can happen more efficiently and more effectively. They're one of the biggest examples of it, but I was talking about Cortland, as well. They're taking a lot of things under one roof that weren't considered before, in terms of property management. It's happening more and more with more organizations-   Eve Picker: Where do you think all of this is leading?   Jennifer Castenson: I think that it's leading to more affordable housing, for one. That's the aim that most people have; most organizations have, when they start doing vertical integration. That was why and how Katerra kicked off; and creating efficiencies. It will take some time to ramp up, because those, let's say, legacy organizations - the big developers, the big builders - they have relationships that will be very hard to break. If you look at- I'm talking about the top 10 developers, legacy developers have relationships, in all the markets they're building, with general contractors. Once they start saying no to the general contractors and start doing offsite construction or changing the parameters of those relationships, it's going to be really taxing on their business to, one, just to figure out how to do it-   Eve Picker: Yeah.   Jennifer Castenson: -how to restructure their organization. But, two, what will, then, that general contractor do? That general contractor might go from being involved in 50 percent of the project to only having 10 percent of the project. Is he going to ratchet up his pricing? Those dynamics aren't-   Eve Picker: Or is he going to be innovative and figure out how to become part of the industry, himself?   Jennifer Castenson: Exactly. Hopefully. Hopefully, there's innovation behind it.   Eve Picker: Be sure to go to EvePicker.com and sign up for my free educational newsletter about impact real estate investing. You'll be among the first to hear about new projects you can invest in. That's Eve Picker.com. Thanks so much.   Eve Picker: That's absolutely fascinating. The ramifications of one change towards the top can be huge, can't they? Other than these two, which obviously really interest you, are there any other current trends in the building, or the real estate industry, or in cities that interest you the most?   Jennifer Castenson: There's so much that's happening, and I think there's some really big trends in health and well-being from a living standpoint. It's going to be a massive culture shift within the United States. We have been looking at housing as a shelter, but we're going to be ... As homeowners and as renters, we're going to be thinking about our housing needs to be delivering more than that. That's not only from health and well-being; that's the builders and developers thinking about how to integrate technology in order to do that.   Jennifer Castenson: We are going to be able to, as homeowners, walk into our home and think of it as a character in our lives; to be thinking of it as we can have ... Not only can we ask our house to put something on the grocery list, but we can also ask our house to get us ready for bed. That is a whole series of things that will be kicked off by a technology that's behind the walls, and that will literally help us get to sleep and have better sleep during the night and, therefore, better performance during the next day.   Eve Picker: That is so awesome. It brings to mind a show I used to love called The Jetsons.   Jennifer Castenson: Yeah, right? Yes.   Eve Picker: It feels like we'll be entering the life of The Jetsons.   Jennifer Castenson: It is. There's so much. Years ago, I heard somebody talking who was an employee of Disney, and he was saying that we will have characters in our home; characters who speak to us. I feel like we're almost there. Now, there's a whole bunch of hurdles with security issues, and there's also hurdles in terms of integration and what people are willing to pay for these sorts of technologies. However, we are on a fast track because of the way that technology accelerates, so [cross talk]   Eve Picker: -yeah, interesting. But do you think these trends will make for better cities? Are these really important, impactful trends, having [cross talk]   Jennifer Castenson: -I was talking about health and well-being. I think health and well-being, I was focused on it in terms of just one residence. However, more and more people, from an urban planning standpoint, and smart cities development standpoint, are working together. There are more and more collaborations, and more people are understanding, recognizing the benefits of collaboration.   Jennifer Castenson: You'll see more cities are creating- working with developers or leading organizations in order to change the city; in order to mold it to be not only prepared for the smart city infrastructure, but to have a focus on health and well-being and creating a more strategically resilient community, where people can prosper; where they can, not only economically, but healthy- from a health standpoint.   Jennifer Castenson: Putting access to fresh food in walking distance of residences; putting more public transportation options in place. We are a nation that's growing older. So, a lot of folks are starting to think about how are we thinking about accessibility, and how are we making that available for this aging population?   Eve Picker: Yeah, that's really interesting because actually everything you touched on there is part of the Change Index on Small Change. I don't know if you've looked at it lately, but those are the key things - livability for everyone, whether they're three years old, or 85 years old, right?   Jennifer Castenson: Right. Exactly.   Eve Picker: An accessible, healthy place to live where you can move around, and reach good food, and all of those things. I was having a conversation with someone the other day about assisted living and how it needs to evolve. I think there was an article in The New York Times about how broken the system is. Do you see any innovation in assisted living or the way that people are thinking about housing our aging population?   Jennifer Castenson: Oh, for sure. I think there's so much that's going into that. There are new design guides that are going into that and actually being picked up by certain legislations that have to meet-  or building code that are being incorporated into the building code.   Jennifer Castenson: Then, there's so much in terms of technology to help people. I've seen projects where there is technology that can alert a caregiver of somebody who is in a home alone - if they've fallen, if they haven't moved for a certain amount of time; can tell them when to take their medications, can do so much for the aging population, assist them in just living for day to day and [cross talk].    Eve Picker: -help them age in place.    Jennifer Castenson: Exactly. Well, the age place ... That's also, when I was talking about having the access to the public transportation, when people live that- age out of the ability to independently drive their cars, they lose a little bit of independence. So, having access to public transportation or having things within walking distance is really important. That's why so many people are thinking of community design and not just how someone lives within their own residence.   Eve Picker: Yeah, I know everyone's thinking ADUs as a way to deal with affordable housing, but I actually think about it a lot as a way to deal with the aging population, because, when I get old, I'd love one of my kids to have me in an ADU in their backyard. That sounds to me much more appealing than an assisted living community. If there's technology developed that helps keep me safe in that place and able to age like that, that would be amazing, right?    Jennifer Castenson: Yeah, absolutely, and you're right. They are an option for affordability, but it's also being looked at as a second home on property that could house in an older relative. A lot of people are looking at it as that option.   Eve Picker: Or a teenager you don't want to see every day, right?   Jennifer Castenson: Right.    Eve Picker: Okay, so the big question is, really, do you think socially responsible real estate or building methods necessary in today's still development landscape?   Jennifer Castenson: Oh, for sure. It's actually really impressive that we talk about that change in the building industry is very slow. But if you look at change in terms of code, all of it has been socially responsible, right?   Eve Picker: Yes.   Jennifer Castenson: We've actually layered on so much code to be more responsible in terms of environmental impact. Now, we're using codes in projects, and certifications that also - like the Fitwel program - that are focused on health and well-being in our communities and in our homes. Then, we're also taking on codes, and we're involved in another project at Hanley Wood that's focusing on reducing the amount of embodied carbon. Those types of things are the responsibility- are things that builders and developers are owning. They've been evolving quite quickly over the years. They're taking more and more responsibility for providing housing in a way that is socially responsible, environmentally responsible, and then that is comfortable, and also will help people from a perspective of emotionally, psychologically, and mentally growing. It's a lot to combine into a home.   Eve Picker: Maybe eventually we'll become the happiest country on the planet.   Jennifer Castenson: Right.   Eve Picker: We're far from that right now, right? We're sort of gradually catching up on some European standards, which is really pretty fabulous. My big wrap-up question is where do you think the future of real estate impact investing lies?   Jennifer Castenson: I was talking about before that we're working on various conferences, and the one that we had you involved in was called Hive, which stands for Housing Innovation Vision Economics. Through that conference, we do an honors program that's called the Hive 50, which our editors select the top 50 innovations in housing. I would say that a lot of the innovations are around finance.   Jennifer Castenson: Impact investing has had a smaller presence on that list, and I think that there's a lot of opportunity for that to grow. I think that as more cities and their collaborations come into the picture, we'll see more and more of that happening. Tangentially, you see a lot of organizations getting involved in sponsoring, donating, subsidizing affordable housing construction in various areas. That actually has picked up a lot in the last 12 months-   Eve Picker: In fact, there's impact investing, right?   Jennifer Castenson: Yeah, absolutely. And I think we'll see more and more of that, just as we are not able to meet the demand of housing in this country, and we're not actually on a trajectory to meet it anytime soon. So, hopefully we see more of that; more of the money coming in so that we can develop the housing that we need.   Eve Picker: I also have three sign-off questions that I usually ask, because I want to hear everyone's answer on these. The first one is what's the key factor that makes a real estate project impactful to you?   Jennifer Castenson: I think what makes it interesting to me is that it becomes something that teaches the industry, the rest of the industry, and that we can pick up at a volume scale and bring it to more places.   Eve Picker: That sounds like innovation-   Jennifer Castenson: Yeah.   Eve Picker: -really is the most important thing to you. You know I have a crowdfunding platform, right? Do you think there could be other benefits, other than raising money, that could come out of crowdfunding in real estate?   Jennifer Castenson: Oh, for sure. Absolutely. I think you have done such an amazing job bringing crowdfunding to a more visible level in housing, and that means ... I give you all of the kudos in the world, and I hope that you guys keep elevating that. It has done a tremendous job to give visibility to projects that wouldn't have made it otherwise. Those projects are the ones that we need more of, because they're innovative. They're new approaches to what traditionally, or legacy organizations, are not approaching because of their capital streams, so it's ... I think it's amazing.   Eve Picker: Well, thank you. I feel like we're just scratching the surface. There's so much to do, right?   Jennifer Castenson: Right.   Eve Picker: This is a really big question: if you want to improve one thing about the real estate industry in this country, what would that be?   Jennifer Castenson: If I could change one thing, I think it would just be something about regulation, which I wouldn't know how to approach because it's such a complicated web. But I would say that there's something either to policy and regulation that would remove some of the hurdles and allow building to happen in a more efficient way with maybe some of the responsibilities back on ... I'm not sure. There's just so much to do there.   Eve Picker: No, I think you're talking about zoning and building codes all wrapped up together, and that's a lot of stuff to unravel. I know some cities are trying to unravel bits of zoning codes and move things forward in a different way, but, yes, it's a lot. Jennifer, this was just delightful. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with me [cross talk] I'm going to call this Entering the Life of The Jetsons.   Jennifer Castenson: I like it.   Eve Picker: Okay. Have a great day. Bye.   Jennifer Castenson: Thanks, You, too. Bye.   Eve Picker: That was Jennifer Castenson. She gave me lots to think about. First, she thinks that a focus on health and well-being is having massive cultural implications in the building industry. Second, in the future, she believes that housing will need to deliver far more than just shelter. And third, innovations in prefab may well be a major part of the solution to the lack of housing in the U.S..   Eve Picker: You can find out more about impact real estate investing and access the show notes for today's episode at my website, Eve Picker.com. While you're there, sign up for my newsletter to find out more about how to make money in real estate while building better cities. Thank you so much for spending your time with me today, and thank you, Jennifer, for sharing your thoughts with me. We'll talk again soon, but for now, this is Eve Picker signing off to go make some change.

  Michael Marks is the co-founder of Katerra, a vertically integrated company setting up a global supply chain, utilising factories and prefabrication to paving an entirely new construction process with a quantum leap in efficiency. Michael has been named the top 10 CEO's of all time within Silicon Valley, as he grew Flextronics from $93 million revenue to $16 billion, and was previously an interim CEO of Tesla.   The multi-trillion dollar global construction industry is ready for change. Construction companies typically invest less than 1% of revenue into new technologies - lower than every other major industry. Katerra is on a mission to change this by optimising every aspect of building design, materials supply and construction. Early results indicate we can expect an improvement in quality, increase in productivity and a reduction in overall costs.   In the podcast we spoke about Katerra's take off event. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz2NPBeDIssraA3tCX6ikNw   If you've got a question about wood, then you'll find the answer on the WoodSolutions website, the world's biggest website on wood: www.woodsolutions.com.au   If you have any suggestions for guests or feedback on the show, connect with me on Linkedin and let me know: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjoneswoodsolutions/  

Produced by SMACNA, Let’s Talk Shop is hosted by Angie Simon, president of Western Allied Mechanical and SMACNA President-Elect. The first episode features Joseph Lansdell, President of Poynter Sheet Metal, on trends in prefabrication and its impact on the industry. The 20-minute conversation focuses on why and how contractors should get started with prefabrication and what cultural shifts need to happen to make the transition successful. As owners of large and small sheet metal shops, Angie and Joseph talk about the issues they have encountered as well as the benefits.

Modern homebuilders have taken the art of prefabrication to new heights where they can construct entire rooms complete with insulation, plumbing, and electric wiring all within a factory. These rooms, called “modules,” are then transported from the factory to the building site and stacked to form a home in mere days. In the Hamptons, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and a number of other major cities, it’s now possible to build a beautiful modern home modularly for dramatically less than the cost of building with local contractors. Sponsored by: If you’re a startup, apply for DigitalOcean’s Hatch program, where if selected, you’ll have access to their cloud for 12 months, in addition to technical training and mentorship. You can also go to do.co/predictingourfuture and ask the sales team for a free trial. Interviewees Episode Excerpt Modular Homebuilding When it comes to homes built in factories, people use the term “prefabricated” to mean a number of different things. In a history spanning hundreds of years, which I briefly covered in the last podcast episode, people have long assembled house components off-site and then shipped those components to sites along with instruction manuals for assembly. Prefabrication has been used for everything from sending houses from England to Australia via ship in the 1800’s to rapid construction of suburban home developments in post-World War II America. In modern times, home pieces are precisely cut to size in a factory, so a finished building made primarily from these pieces can be accurately called “factory-built.” Once you’ve constructed all the pieces for the home, it’s usually a relatively straightforward proposition to ship them, as they’re designed to fit inside of a container that goes on the back of a flatbed truck. While this prefabricated kit-based approach to homebuilding can provide virtually unlimited flexibility in design, it can still take a while to assemble once the pieces arrive at the building site, especially if the construction crew doesn’t have experience building with that particular type of kit. In the world of factory-built housing, the alternative to a kit build is a modular approach where a box, in the form of four walls, a floor, and a ceiling, also known as a “module,” is constructed inside of a factory and then shipped to the site. There are varying degrees of completion of these boxes in the factory. In some instances, the walls are complete and the plumbing and electrical wiring are already in the walls. These homes can go up in a matter of days, instead of weeks or months. Outside of the United States, this type of construction is called a “volumetric build.” Bill Haney & Blu Homes The most high-profile modular builder in America with venture backing is Blu Homes, the company I spoke with in the last episode that Forbes once described as “The Apple Of Green Prefab Homes.” At one point, Blu Homes was selling nationally, but the company found that it was necessary to work very closely with subcontractors in the field who could pour the foundation and set the home. Bill Haney, the Founder and CEO, made clear that the expansion of those relationships would be a slow and painstaking process. Bill Haney: “In California, we're building enough concentration at present that we know the local subcontractors who dig the foundation or put in the driveway or do the electrical hookups. And in the great state of New York, we know them in some places some of the time, and when we don't know them, the customer or we get hurt. So we just feel like the right answer, the prudent answer, is to grow in stages, and the reality is that the great state of California is going to build 40,000 new houses this year.” Building near your corporate headquarters has advantages, but with California in particular, there’s a sense that Bill is facing the toughest b...

Show Notes: http://bit.ly/2fal3NCThis week's construction tech news with James Benham (@jamesmbenham), Rob McKinney (@conappguru) and Josh Bone (@bim2thebone) Featuring Construction Tech News of the Week including: - Early Bird Registration Open for Our Atlanta ConTech Roadshow- Enter to Win Two Free Passes to Autodesk University 2016- Top 4 Construction Industry Trends for 2017- New Sensing System Spots Weaknesses in Buildings- Microsoft's Windows 10 & Surface Event- SmartBricks- moBack AR Launches First Augmented Reality Platform- DJI & Epson Partner on Drone Piloting in AR-And much more!Interview about the future of prefabrication in construction with guest Britton Langford, Co-Founder of FabPro.Follow @ConTechTrio on social media for more updates and to join the conversation!Listen to the show at http://jbknowledge.com/contechtrio Powered by JBKnowledge. Learn more at http://jbknowledge.com or follow @JBKnowledge on Twitter.

Stanford University students set out to revolutionize home design by entering a solar powered prefab house into the Department of Energy's biennial Solar Decathlon competition.

ZETA Design + Build produce modular buildings inside a factory. I spoke with CEO, Howard Koenig this week to talk about why anyone would want a factory built home. Turns out there are some very compelling reasons. Listen in to find out more. Useful links: http://www.zetabuilt.com/ Michelle Kaufmann PreFab Green: http://amzn.to/12HYjJq http://www.ccanz.org.nz/news-ccanz.aspx?id=210 http://earthship.co.nz/events/ http://www.buildexpo.com.au/

EPISODE 413: The construction industry has been using prefabrication for years, but there's always been a bit of a disconnect.Typically, prefabrication doesn't start until the bid is awarded to the fabricators. But what if there's a way to speed up the process while building a sustainable future? In this week's episode, Nathan Wood and I speak with Michael Gustafson, vice president of strategy and business development at Qnect.As a structural engineer with extensive experience working with big names in the construction tech world like Trimble and Autodesk, Michael saw an opportunity to improve the steel design workflow with Qnect.Qnect offers both software and services for optimizing steel designs, aiming to remove inefficiencies and reduce material and process waste.Today, Michael talks about how integrating AI in construction can automate repetitive tasks and boost productivity. He also shares insights into the global engineering practices and the growing trend of prefabrication, particularly in structural steel, to reduce uncertainties and speed up project delivery, what Qnect brings to the table, and more.Let's dive in!Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00)Michael's transition to the construction tech world (02:25) The importance of steel in construction (04:22)Qnect's core mission and goals (07:46)How Qnect is helping detailers (12:37)Role of AI in enhancing construction processes (14:02) Benefits of using Qnect for owners (22:49)Balancing cost and carbon ion construction design (27:00)What's next for Qnect? (29:54)Keep up with Michael (36:32)Construction technology news of the week (37:07)Additional Resources:Listen to the show at: https://thecontechcrew.com Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecontechcrew — Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gustafson-2047786/Visit Qnect for more information: https://www.qnect.com/— See this week's news articles!