#367 Nature Based Solutions: The End of Grey Engineering
In this episode, hosts Tim Sheehan and Alex Conacher discuss nature‑based solutions (NBS) as a flexible, hybrid alternative to traditional "grey" engineering for resilient infrastructure. They interview Dr. Laura Lidderman of Atkins Realis, who explains how NBS—such as river restoration, beaver re‑introductions, and upstream water storage—can reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and deliver social and economic benefits. Colleagues Claire Wansbury, Zoe Metcalf, and fluvial geomorphologist Hannah Joyce highlight the shift toward integrated, multi‑disciplinary planning and the recent UK Environment Agency policies that treat nature as a core engineering tool. The conversation underscores the need for engineers to embrace nature’s adaptability while selecting the best solution for each project.
The Data You Share Is the Advantage You Lose
In this episode of Unpacked, host Nick and guest KP discuss how AI is reshaping the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, highlighting the rapid emergence of AI‑driven tools like MCP servers that let software APIs talk to each other...
Pablo Barreiro: Building Preschools and Solving the Childcare Desert Crisis
In this episode, Shanti Ryle talks with Pablo Barreiro, chairman and co‑founder of Fortech, about his niche focus on early‑education real estate—developing preschools and childcare centers to address nationwide “childcare desert” gaps. Barreiro explains how his legal background, multi‑disciplinary education,...
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[PODCAST] Railroaded by the Government of Canada and Alto: Why Has the High-Speed Rail Consultation Gone Off the Rails in...
In this episode, host Erin Durant, a lawyer and resident of the Alto high‑speed rail corridor, details her personal discovery of the project and the chaotic, opaque consultation process affecting rural Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. She critiques the government's...
AI Agents and the Future of Construction Sales
In this episode of AEC Business, host Arne Heiskanen talks with Paul Indinger, Managing Director of Building Radar, about how AI and generative AI are transforming sales in the construction sector. Paul explains the evolution of Building Radar from a...
China Business Uncovered Podcast #4: Inside Vanke and China's Property Reckoning
In this episode, Caixin reporter Chen Bo explains how Vanke, once hailed as the model Chinese developer, fell into a severe liquidity crunch due to aggressive land purchases, maturing debt of over $4 billion in 2024, and a hidden off‑balance‑sheet financing network...
392. Gigawatts & Green Shoots: Data Center 101, Blue Owl's Healthcare Grab, & NYC's Pension Housing Bet
In this episode, Trepwire analysts discuss a "selective stabilization" in commercial real estate, highlighting strong retail sales, modest gains in pending home sales, and the continued affordability squeeze. They examine Blue Owl Capital's $2.4 billion acquisition of Sela Realty Trust, noting...
The Absolute Best Water Reactor: What Happened to the World’s Fastest Constructed Reactor?
In this episode, James Krelnstein and the Decouple team dissect the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR), spotlighting Japan’s record‑breaking construction of Kashiwazaki‑Kariwa Units 6 and 7, which were built in just 38 months and at a third of the cost...
Unlocking Large-Scale Structural Synthesis: High-Performance GPU Topology Optimization For Architectural And Civil Engineering Applications
In this CDFAM symposium talk, PhD candidate Raul Llamas presents his GPU‑accelerated, large‑scale structural topology optimization framework, built in Julia and capable of handling tens of millions of finite‑element cells in just a few hours on a consumer‑grade GPU. He...
Functional AI For 3D Design Automation — From Path Finding To Generative Modeling For Building Construction
In this talk, Richard, a professor at Simon Fraser University and VP of AI at the startup Augmenta, explores the frontier of functional AI for 3D design automation in construction. He reviews his academic work on geometry decomposition, Fermat-spiral path‑filling,...
How AI Turns Construction Documents Into Procurement Intelligence
In this episode of the AEC Business Podcast, Arnie Heiskanen talks with Victor Mugiri of BuildVision about how AI can transform construction procurement by extracting structured data from design documents and matching it to manufacturer catalogs. BuildVision uses industry‑specific AI,...
The Builders Are Stuck in Admin Work, & It Is Killing Construction Productivity with Jennifer Hohman
In this episode, Jennifer Hohman, CTO of Baker Construction, discusses how excessive administrative tasks are dragging down productivity in the construction sector. Drawing on her diverse background in IT, oil & gas, and now concrete construction, she highlights the industry's...
Restoring a 200-Year-Old Suspension Bridge with VolkerLaser
In this episode of the Engineers Collective, host Rob Hakimian and senior reporter Thomas Johnson discuss recent civil engineering news before interviewing Lee Jackson, Senior Project Manager at VolkerLaser, about the restoration of Walton Bridge – the UK’s oldest surviving...
Switzerland’s $2BN Tunnel U-Turn - #183
In this episode, host Fred Mills and guests Luke Bly and Liam Marsh dissect Switzerland’s $2 billion Gotthard road‑tunnel replacement project, explaining its strategic importance for European transport and the technical challenges of building a new tunnel alongside the aging 1980s...
#363 Uncrewed Vessels and Unprecedented Data
During its seventh Allocation Round, the UK held Europe’s largest offshore wind auction, awarding contracts for 8.4 GW of new capacity—enough to power roughly 10 million homes. The upcoming Allocation Round 8 aims to push capacity toward 10 GW, supported by radar system upgrades....