Peggy Smedley Show

Mitchell Smith, president and cofounder, Pike Consulting Group, discusses what goes into implementing and enforcing safety and health compliance plans for residential construction crews. He explains how training from all levels of the workforce can further ensure everyone is operating equipment correctly and using every safety precaution set in place.

Andrew Kahler, product marketing manager, John Deere WorkSight, gives an overview on how telematics used on construction equipment in the past collected data that was not useful and explains how diagnostic solutions are now highlighting machine trends over time. He also previews John Deere's plans for drones in the future and how they will future improve productivity and other processes on the job...

Samuel Ariaratnam, professor and program chair of construction engineering, Arizona State University, explains how current smart cities projects are simply adopting band aide solutions in reaction to failing infrastructure, but they must become more proactive. He discusses using the IoT (Internet of Things) along with sensors and mapping in underground infrastructure to help improve a city's botto...

Peggy Smedley opens the show with a discussion on hiring challenges and economic uncertainties that are hindering the construction industry. She further examines a generational gap that is failing to attract or entice younger workers, a wait-and-see approach currently being done toward infrastructure, and a way for contractors to manage an influx of data on the job.

Jim Kissane, construction industry expert, talks about the level of importance, as well as impact, the Internet of Things is going to have on the jobsites as the desire for smart cities go through the roof. He says with the development of these new technologies, construction must not sit on the sidelines, as they face security issues along with drastic shortages in laborers and programmers.

Jocelyn Knoll, partner, Dorsey & Whitney, talks about the criteria used to determine the current state of American infrastructure. She explains how current plans and investments made toward repairing infrastructure will only increase the country's grade slightly.  

Jori Mendel, director of sales, smart cities, AT&T, breaks down a step-by-step plan to correctly implement smart solutions that adhere to the specific needs of various cities. She discusses how the goal of smart cities must be more than just managing energy and congestion, but aspire to keep citizens and communities safer.

Peggy Smedley explains how the emerging trend of green building is not just limited to the work done on the jobsite, as it can extend all the way to the design and planning processes. She further takes a look at modular building that can lead to more efficient results for smart cites and how telematics is enabling the equipment rental markets to become more transparent.  

Peggy Smedley takes you along for a discussion on the transportation superhighway of the future and how it is proposing a better experience for riders, as well as better safety. She moves from the technology side to construction and discusses how the superhighway will be much more energy efficient, but explains how plans in funding must be solidified before moving forward.

Shawn Chandler, senior member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Navigant Consulting, explains how focusing more on the occupants of buildings, as opposed to building itself, can lead to better approaches in implementing smart solutions. He says this will be supported by the rising influx of realtime user preferences that machines did not have a century ago, leading to constant...

Michael Shenoda, senior lecturer and coordinator of the Construction Engineering Technology Program, University of North Texas , says construction has a long way to go before it can adopt technology that can support connected infrastructure and smarter roadways. He says small implementations of smart technology do not accurately represent their full potential until they are set up in larger networ...

Peggy Smedley says construction is one industry that is leading the adoption of the IoT (Internet of Things). She says BIM (building information modeling) gives stakeholders the ability to visualize every aspect of a project from the beginning. Along with digital collaboration and data analytics, she explains how this will allow them to make more effective decisions about project problems, employe...

Peggy Smedley examines the status of the wearables market and says that although they present great value for processes, they are still too expensive to justify the investment for contractors. She suggests rentable wearables may be another option to get more of them on the jobsite to keep workers safe and improve productivity overall.

Adam Petrovsky, government and education practice leader, Logicalis US, says technology pulls us forward, despite the progress of laws, if we are prepared for them or not. He explains how video is steadily taking the place of sensors in smart cites and freeway systems, yet many cities are having immense trouble handling the influx of information gathered and how to use it.

Pat Jones, executive director and CEO, International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Assn., explains that although the need and emphasis for improved infrastructure is on the rise, additional turmoil in Washington may cause further delays in major plans for renovations. He explains that with the rise of electric cars and other sustainable automobiles will come vehicle mile travel charges that will con...

Peggy Smedley dives into a new roadmap from the Eno Center for Transportation, which suggests that stakeholder working groups oversee the development of laws directly related to autonomous vehicles. She zeroes in on liability concerns, cybersecurity, research investment, certification, insurance, as well as how data responds to vehicle operators.

Peggy Smedley ends the show with a look at how the IoT (Internet of Things) is altering the project lifecycle in construction. She discusses how data will offer companies a new perspective on the design process, as well as prepare for renovations in the future.

Peggy Smedley takes a look at new instances of failing infrastructure that have destroyed homes and communities, forcing thousands of families to relocate. She says that if we fail to act, this is just the beginning, and deteriorating infrastructure will cause further problems for organizations, the economy, and jobs.

Ronan de Renesse, practice leader for consumer technology, Ovum, talks about the changing nature of connectivity in smart homes and explains how network security systems are aiming to become more proactive than reactive. Despite the push towards this different approach, Ronan says it is not a matter of if, but when a major threat occurs and how we will react to it.

Peggy Smedley begins the show with a look at infrastructure and how construction is gearing up to take on smart cities. While many support the need for smarter solutions in cities, she questions: who is going to pay for it. She says whether it comes from public and private partnerships, taxpayers, or both, we cannot sit by before a major hack occurs.

Antony Livingston, president, Livingston Enterprises LLC, talks about the Distracted Driving Device that will be hard wired into the vehicle's starter, and how it prevents the driver from starting the car if the phone is not out of reach or out of sight. He says this will enable drivers of all vehicle types to establish a better way of policing themselves and be accountable on the road once and fo...

Jennifer Kent, director, research quality & product development, Parks Associates, discusses alarming statistics, highlighting the use of mobile devices behind the wheel and points out there is no going back as the auto industry continues to make vehicles that are an extension of our connected lifestyle. She says although a majority of driver disagree with distracted driving, they often do it and...

Lukas Kuhn, CTO, Tourmaline Labs, explains how gathering and assigning driver data that is similar to receiving a credit score will help them fully understand the depths of their strengths and weaknesses behind the road. He says things like driver environment, driving behavior, and even cultural differences can determine a more passive or aggressive driver.

Peggy Smedley starts the show with a look at how the futuristic view of autonomous vehicles will translate into the real world. She questions who will be responsible for an accident if both cars are self-driving, and discusses if the lending of self-driving cars will serve as a new form of ride-sharing for the future.

Peggy takes a look at new start-up innovations that have been working to get off the ground and serve as effective solutions to distracted driving. She talks about smart gloves enabling motorcyclists to shift lanes safety, as well as a dashcam that serves as a lookout for reckless drivers and accidents on the road.