Future Construct: Thought Leaders Discuss BIM and Construction Solutions for the AEC Industry

In this week's episode of the Future Construct Podcast (32 min interview), we are excited to feature Sanjay Mistry, Co-Founder of VIM (@vimaec). Sanjay is an experienced Vice President with a demonstrated history of working in the design industry. He is a strong professional, skilled in game design, ZBrush, computer animation, graphics, and MEL.

Founded in 2016 with the goal of providing AEC professionals easy access to BIM (Building Information Model) data in real-time and on as many devices and platforms as possible, VIM is transforming the way that architects, engineers, and construction professionals design and build buildings. By removing the artificial walls between the AEC disciplines, and borrowing innovation from the gaming industry, VIM-equipped teams are delivering and sustaining a building’s design intent, from its originally approved conception to its ongoing operation.
Highlights of Sanjay’s interview with host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR) include:

• Sanjay's journey into the industry of Building Information Modeling and what led him to start VIM
• How the entertainment industry impacted gaming and how game engines can influence smart buildings, smart cities, and IoT
• Operating on a job site without access to internet connections, and making data accessible on personal devices
• His desired gadget of the future that would completely transform his personal life and the automotive industry entirely

SHOW NOTES

0:37 Amy Peck introduces Sanjay Mistry, Co-Founder of VIM.

2:00 "Through your journey, was it a natural progression into the world
of AEC [from computer graphics], or did you start off on more of the creative bend?"

24:12 Sanjay discusses the operating on a work site without internet connections and making data accessible on personal devices.

29:14 If you project yourself 25 years into the future, and you could have any kind of gadget or service or just something that would make you personally happy or make your life better in some way, what would it be and what would it do?

Contact the Future Construct Podcast Produced by BIM Designs, Inc!

• BIM Designs, Inc.: minority-owned, US-based, union-signatory preconstruction technology firm, offering turnkey BIM modeling, laser scanning, coordination management, and other VDC solutions to the AEC industry.
• Schedule a free consultation: [email protected].
• Subscribe to our weekly blog and our Future Construct Podcast
• Suggest a podcast guest

In this week's episode of the Future Construct Podcast (24 min interview), we are excited to feature Amy Bunszel, who is the EVP of AEC Design, Autodesk (@AmyBunszel).

Autodesk is changing how the world is designed and made, their technology spans architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, media, and entertainment, empowering innovators everywhere to solve challenges big and small. From greener buildings to smarter products to more mesmerizing blockbusters, Autodesk software helps its customers to design and make a better world for all.

Some highlights of Amy’s interview with host Amy Peck (@VirtualGirlNY) include:

• Amy’s career path starting as an electrical engineer
• Training new employees in modular construction in a safe, low-waste factory setting
• Autodesk works with schools: K - 12, community colleges, and secondary education
• How exciting high-tech construction is for the next generation while passing the knowledge along from the retiring generation

Show Notes:

00:37 Amy Peck introduces Amy Bunszel, EVP of AEC Design, Autodesk.

06:07 You're in a business that is 3D in nature, and we live in 3D environments, and yet we really have trained ourselves to work in 2D. How has the evolution of moving these sorts of 3D designs and assets into the 3D realm affected workflow, and how difficult is it to manage that end-to-end workflow?

12:38 So we talked about training the next generation who have no construction experience, but on the other side, there is an incredible amount of knowledge within the workforce who may be retiring over the next decade or so. Are there some ways that companies can capture and leverage that knowledge and expertise for this next generation of construction professionals?

16:37 And then with this next-generation workforce, there’s a big challenge in recruiting and showing that these industries are leveraging cutting edge technology and great software, it really does require this kind of marketing effort to show what a day in the life of this future worker might be. And so, are there some examples of that we might be able to share that would be interesting for people listening?

20:05 Yeah. And just looking into the future again, and we talked a little bit about some of the emerging technologies, you know, are there some other things that just, you know, you're really excited about or, or some technologies you've seen or, or uses of technology that really, you know, can, can make a huge difference in, in process and how it improves outcomes?

21:55 So taking us to the future, I'd love to ask you the question that I ask everyone. And that is if you could project yourself 20, 25 years in the future, and you could bring with you any gadget or service that would actually just make your life, you know, on a personal level better, or make you happy, what would it be and what would it do?

Contact the Future Construct Podcast Produced by BIM Designs, Inc!

• BIM Designs, Inc.: minority-owned, US-based, union-signatory preconstruction technology firm, offering turnkey BIM modeling, laser scanning, coordination management, and other VDC solutions to the AEC industry.
• Schedule a free consultation: [email protected].
• Subscribe to our weekly blog and our Future Construct Podcast
• Suggest a podcast guest

In this week's episode of the Future Construct Podcast (37 min interview), we are excited to feature Howard Berger (@bergerhl), Managing Partner, SVP Programs at RealComm (@RealComm). He is responsible for all programming for the Realcomm, IBcon, CoreTech conferences and the CIO Forums globally. Howard has a combined 30 years experience in both the technology as well as real estate industries.
Highlights of Howard’s interview with host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR) include:
- RealComm was one of the first organizations to hold a hybrid conference in response to the pandemic
- Howard’s journey from IT to real estate, to digital transformation in commercial real estate
- The necessity to have someone in an organization with a vision, ultimately driving change
- The gross underutilization of most major office spaces in buildings, whether it’s a classic, urban, or even a suburban office
- Howard's vision to have a device that doesn’t just translate words but translates what the speaker is really thinking, what’s in their heart
SHOW NOTES
00:37 - Amy Peck introduces Howard Berger, Managing Partner, SVP Programs at RealComm.
01:06 - Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to this industry and how you became involved with RealComm?
18:41 - One of the things that I think is remarkable in this industry is that you have those who are out there kind of forging a path but then you have others that are clinging to these arcane systems because it’s what they know. And it's going to be very difficult for them to compel their workforce to embrace the new technology. So, the companies that are getting it right – what is the secret?
22:12 - The way space is going to be utilized is changing because people are home and not necessarily going back to work. How do you think this will impact the use of space and how will technology kind of help us redefine workspaces? What do you see as some of the technologies that are emerging to support this kind of fractious workforce?
34:44 - If you can project yourself 20, 25 years in the future, and you could have a service or a gadget, or just something that makes your personal life better, what would it be and what would it do?

Contact the Future Construct Podcast Produced by BIM Designs, Inc!

• BIM Designs, Inc.: minority-owned, US-based, union-signatory preconstruction technology firm, offering turnkey BIM modeling, laser scanning, coordination management, and other VDC solutions to the AEC industry.
• Schedule a free consultation: [email protected].
• Subscribe to our weekly blog and our Future Construct Podcast
• Suggest a podcast guest

We have some amazing content to celebrate our 1-year anniversary episode for you to check out during the holiday season. Thank you to all of our guests that made this past year an amazing experience for the team at BIM Designs, Inc.!

We are thrilled to bring back our very first Future Construct Podcast (23-min interview) guest, Salla Eckhardt, Director of Transformation Services at Microsoft (@Microsoft).

Salla has been Director of Transformation Services at Microsoft since 2018, bringing with her an impressive background in construction and digital design. Since her last appearance on the show, Salla has been named chair of the National BIM Program Steering Committee by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Salla has established herself as an industry pioneer, and innovative leader in emerging technology and digital transformation. She is committed to building up others and preparing the next generation in the built environment industry. She volunteers with or holds a chair with several construction-related organizations and is a Women in BIM Mentor. Salla specializes in BIM, digital construction, digital twins, extended reality (AR, VR, MR, CAVE), and the Digital Building Lifecycle.

At Microsoft, Salla leads a multi-million-dollar R&D program as well as the Microsoft WW Construction community. She’s also established the Digital Building Lifecycle, resulting in a 50% reduction in design and engineering expenses, 33% reduction in construction budgets with digital program management, and 20% reduction in operational costs with digital twin supported business intelligence; and established the organization-wide BIM, digital construction, and digital twin programs.
Highlights of Salla’s interview with host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR) include:

• Salla talks about adjusting to the pandemic’s effects on the workplace (home)
• How the metaverse might affect the social environment
• Is the metaverse on the radar at Microsoft?
• Salla discusses upcoming technologies she’s most excited about

SHOW NOTES

0:37 Amy Peck introduces Salla Eckhardt, Director of Transformation Services at Microsoft.

02:52 In terms of current trends, how are you thinking about all of this hype around the metaverse and digital twins?

07:00 How do we close the gap between the future vision of how we can do everything in a different and better way, from where we are right now?

13:11 We have this opportunity of actually being able to work with data in 3D environments from the inside out. And I don't think we've quite cracked what that visual language looks like. We're still bringing in these 2D constructs into 3D. Is this something that you've looked at, or have you seen anyone really pushing the envelope in terms of how we can start to parse this data and make completely new and broader inferences?

15:10 Buildings are the anchors of cities and then the built environment in digital twins are really going to be the anchor for smart cities. What does that kind of workflow look like?

22:11 If you could project yourself, you're 20, 25 years into the future, and you could have any kind of gadget or service or just something that would make your life better or make you personally happy, what would it be and what would it do?

Contact the Future Construct Podcast Produced by BIM Designs, Inc!

• BIM Designs, Inc.: minority-owned, US-based, union-signatory preconstruction technology firm, offering turnkey BIM modeling, laser scanning, coordination management, and other VDC solutions to the AEC industry.
• Schedule a free consultation: [email protected].
• Subscribe to our weekly blog and our Future Construct Podcast
• Suggest a podcast guest

Amy Marks (@QueenofPrefab) has over a decade of experience in the construction industry, including her time at Autodesk (@autodesk) as the Head of Industrialized Construction Strategy and Evangelism. 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.
On this episode of the Future Construct Podcast (30 min interview), she joins Amy Peck (@VirtualGirlNY) to candidly discuss how she became the queen of prefabrication, the need to remove constraints so that companies can fully leverage emerging technology, if there is room for an Uber-like behemoth in the construction industry, and the digital transformation of the industry.
Hear Amy Marks also expound on designing buildings for the end user, the unique story behind her red stiletto in her office, as well as several other insightful topics.

Contact the Future Construct Podcast Produced by BIM Designs, Inc!

• BIM Designs, Inc.: minority-owned, US-based, union-signatory preconstruction technology firm, offering turnkey BIM modeling, laser scanning, coordination management, and other VDC solutions to the AEC industry.
• Schedule a free consultation: [email protected].
• Subscribe to our weekly blog and our Future Construct Podcast
• Suggest a podcast guest