AEC Business

In this interview with Dr. Ken Dooley, we discuss digital twins in the built environment and the recently released report Building Digital Twins by Granlund. Ken Dooley is the Chief Strategy Officer, Empathic Building, at Haltian. During the podcast interview, he talks about these aspects of digital twins: What they areWhat are the common misconceptions about themWhat the four levels of twins areW...

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning will eventually change the way we work in the AEC industry. In this podcast interview, Ricardo Farinha, Director of Technology at Sweco, talks about his and Sweco's journey into AI. In the podcast, we discuss the following topics: What got Ricardo interested in AI and machine learningHow the Design Recommendation System project has paved the way for fur...

The AEC Hackathon at BLOXHUB in Copenhagen engaged 154 attendees from 33 countries to work on interesting urban challenges over a February weekend. The two WDBE Talks guests were there but in different roles. Alejandro Mata, Automation Manager at Ramboll Denmark, was in one of the hack teams. He talks about the experience of his first AEC Hackathon and how his team won the 1st prize. Helle Stendor...

What's the future of 3D printing in construction? I discussed this and other related topics with 3D visionary Janne Kyttanen in this podcast episode. Kyttanen, the CEO of What the Future Venture Capital, is a Finnish conceptual artist and designer who is best known for his work in design for 3D printing. He is the founder of Freedom of Creation and the former Creative Director of 3D Systems, an Am...

This WDBE Talks podcast episode is a prelude to the pitchfest, WWF Life EconomisE KIRA-challenge, that takes place on May 19, 2020, in Helsinki and online. It's a WDBE 2020 Pre-event, in which WWF is partnering with KIRAHub and RAKLI to find cutting-edge solutions that can support institutional investors and real estate owners in future-proofing their investment portfolios. Aarni Heiskanen's guest...

In this podcast episode, Aarni discusses with Francesca Noardo and Rick Klooster who gave presentations at this year’s first WDBE pre-event which took place in Tallinn, Estonia. The event was about BIM-based Building Permit Process Automation.

Volumetric modular construction is on the rise. I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the leading experts on the subject, Henry Mickleburgh. About Henry This is how Henry describes himself: "Narrowly avoiding a lucrative career in the burgeoning telecommunications industry of the late 80s, I was convinced, by a friend, to join him at University for the world of Civil Engineering. Years of 'nor...

Conventional business wisdom tells us that entrepreneurs are society’s main source of innovation. Young founders leave college with a big idea, get to work in a garage, and build something that changes the world. Typical corporate employees, strangled by slow-moving bureaucracy, are blocked from making transformative discoveries. In this podcast, strategist and advisor Kaihan Krippendorff, will sh...

David Malott, the Founder and CEO of AI SpaceFactory, is my guest on the AEC Business podcast. We discuss the new robotized 3D printing technology that can make living and working on Mars possible but also help us build more sustainably on our planet. AI SpaceFactory was founded in 2017 by David Malott to create technologies for long-term missions to the Moon and Mars, with the goal of revolutioni...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Rita McGrath about pivotal changes in business environments. That's the topic of her latest book Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen. I was interested in hearing what an inflection point could be in the construction industry. In the interview, we discuss the following topics: What are inflection pointsAre we going t...

Artificial Intelligence is finding its way into construction planning and simulation. I interviewed René Morkos, the founder and CEO of ALICE Technologies. ALICE combines a first-of-its-kind construction planning platform with a powerful AI engine and promises big savings on construction projects. In the interview, we discuss, among others, the following topics: René's professional experience and...

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation requires extensive computational power. Cloud-based services allow architects and engineers to do simulations without investing in high-end hardware. In this podcast interview, David Heiny, the CEO and Co-Founder of SimScale, explains how AEC firms can run simulations in a web browser. David Heiny David is Co-Founder and CEO of SimScale. SimScale is a...

What's the state of robotic construction today and how will it develop in the future? Lauren Vasey shares her views in this podcast interview. Lauren Vasey Lauren Vasey is a researcher, educator, and designer investigating robotics and automation within architecture and construction. Since 2014, she has been a Research Associate at the Institute for Computational Design and Construction at the Uni...

In the podcast interview with Jamiee Williams, Architectural Lead at SPACE10, we discuss the recently announced Urban Village Project. The project rethinks how we design, build, finance and share our future homes, neighborhoods, and cities. SPACE10 is IKEA’s global research and design lab. SPACE10 is on a mission to respond to the major societal changes expected to affect people and our planet in...

In this podcast interview with Shajay Bhooshan, Senior Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects, we discuss computational design, digital fabrication, and AI. The topics include: Parametric, algorithmic, and generative design –are these all the same? How much computational design have Zaha Hadid Architects used in their most recent projectsHow computational/parametric design differs from a more traditio...

In this episode of the AEC Business Podcast, Jaan Saar tells us about his work as Head of Digital Construction and why he thinks the public sector has a key role in the digitalization of the construction industry. Jaan has managed processes and IT in the construction industry for over 15 years. He joined the public sector in 2018 with the goal to digitally transform construction in Estonia. Jaan i...

In this podcast interview with Ulrik Branner of LetsBuild, we discuss how technology is changing the construction sector and what it means to those working in and entering the industry. Ulrik Branner is Executive and Board Member at LetsBuild - an end-to-end digital solution covering the construction phase with on-site planning, progress communication, and on-site follow-up communication. Ulrik is...

I had the pleasure of interviewing architect Angela Spadoni, the director of residential architecture at Skender. On this podcast episode, we discuss how the company is taking the industry forward with modular construction. Skender is one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019”. Last year, the Chicago-based construction, design and manufacturing firm launched Skender Manufac...

In this interview with Ken Dooley of Granlund, we discuss sustainability from a user's point of view and how technology will help cities become more citizen-centric. Dr. Ken Dooley is a Technology Director at Granlund in Helsinki. He has over 15 years’ experience as a consultant in the built environment and has worked in London, Sydney, Dublin and Helsinki. His current role in the innovation and d...

In this interview with Cristina Savian, we discuss the present and future of digital twins in the construction industry. Cristina Savian is the founder and managing director at BE-WISE, a London based consultancy firm specialized in helping start-ups and SMEs to scale-up and bring new technologies into the construction market. Cristina has over twenty years' experience in the civil engineering and...

Marilyn Grabowski leads Atlantic Infrared with a mission to protect and improve infrastructure. In this interview, we discuss her professional background, the technologies that her team uses, and why more women should consider construction as a career. Marilyn Grabowski, known as “The Lady in Red”, and her team Atlantic Infra employees dubbed “The Red Crew” have been seamlessly filling potholes ac...

In this interview, Roger Nickells, Partner at BuroHappold Engineering, talks about the challenges and emerging opportunities of the built environment design and engineering. Roger is a serial engineer, and until recently CEO of the global engineering partnership, BuroHappold. He led the firm beyond the design of structures to the design of performance environments. “Engineering” at BuroHappold is...

Kojamo is the biggest housing investor and rental services provider in Finland. Teemu Suila is the Chief Development Officer leading the strategic development and digitalization of the company.  Kojamo’s mission is to create better urban living. They want to be a forerunner in urban housing and the number one choice of the customers.  The company provides their services under the LUMO brand. In th...

Duke Long is a world-renowned PropTech promoter, commercial real estate broker and owner of the Duke Long Agency. In this interview, he talks about why Proptech is a huge opportunity and how to seize it. If you’re considering creating new solutions for the real estate and construction industry, you should definitely listen to Duke. Likewise, if you’re an investor looking for growth in a huge, glob...

In this interview, Brett Young talks about the future of BIM in the AEC industry. Brett Young is the CEO and Founder of BuildingSP, Inc. This is the second startup for Brett, having previously founded and managed Modulus Consulting, a BIM consulting firm with multimillion-dollar annual revenues. He has a background in the management of large, commercial construction projects from nine years of wor...