Built Revolution Podcast

The Built Revolution Podcast explores the evolving role of design in prefabrication in a 2-part discussion. Listen in as host Clark Ellis catches up with Zig Rubel, Founder, President, and CEO of Forsight Digital. Zig operates at the leading edge of design technology for new buildings as an architect who has become a technologist for the built environment. Clark and Zig define the parameters of prefabrication and offsite construction, discuss how architects and designers are evolving, and set the stage for Part 2 of their conversation, which focuses on current and future application examples.

In episode 2 of our Energy Evolution Miniseries, Clark Ellis discusses McDermott’s vision for ESG and sustainability with Sabrina Rajan, Director of Sustainability for McDermott. During the discussion, Sabrina provides an overview of McDermott’s emission reduction targets for Scope 1, 2, and 3, as well as touches on how McDermott is working on decarbonizing construction and building pathways to a net-zero carbon future.

Energy is evolving daily. From commercial construction to infrastructure and industrial applications, every sector is putting in place Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria and working toward Net-Zero carbon emissions goals. In this first episode of the Energy Evolution Miniseries, Victaulic’s Elliott Smith sits down with Uday Turaga of ADI Analytics to discuss the energy evolution, emerging trends, and key projects driving the global energy transition.

In this episode, Clark Ellis sits down with longtime industry leader, real estate investor, and developer, Joshua Pollard, to discuss Real Estate development in urban markets and how Healthcare Services are interrelated. Joshua is the founder, CEO, and President of Omicelo, a remarkable company focused on developing sustainable communities using holistic Real Estate investment strategies. Join Clark and Josh as they discuss how Josh’s unique experience and a single question from a colleague inspired and shaped his company where Home, Health, Wealth are the guiding principles.

Change can be hard, especially when there is resistance or misalignment on the approach. Change can also yield big rewards if we work for it. In this podcast, we explore the challenges and benefits of driving real change in a major General Contractor with Rebecca Snelling, National Lean Director for JE Dunn. Join us as we discuss the barriers to change in large organizations, Rebecca’s experience and her biggest lessons learned when implementing Lean, as well as what advice she gives others who are working to drive change within their organization.

As the construction industry explores more collaborative business models (Design-Build, Integrated Project Delivery, Operating System 2.0), while facing an ongoing workforce shortage, The Built Revolution Podcast asks the question: What does industry need from universities? And how can we better prepare the next generation of industry leaders? Barbara Jackson (University of Denver), David Stayshich (University of Houston), and Stephen Mulva (University of Texas at Austin) offer unique perspectives from both the world of academia and the world of industry in this panel discussion with Kelcey Henderson, President of Continuum Advisory Group.

Continuum Advisory Group has had two female presidents, which is pretty unique for any firm in the construction industry. The current and most recent presidents, Kelcey Henderson and Gretchen Gagel, sat down together virtually from across the globe to discuss the history of women in construction. We recently celebrated Women’s History Month, and we enjoyed exploring the role of women in our industry and what’s changing.

Speed to market is a common driver in manufacturing and life sciences projects, requiring some facilities to be completed before the product and manufacturing process have been well defined. Some facilities may need to be reconfigured for multiple uses during their operational lives. This podcast explores the research that provides guidance on which common core building components are dependent upon the manufacturing process, and which can easily be decoupled. It identifies innovative methods that contribute to the development of a flexible facility. Please enjoy our conversation with Keith Molenaar, K. Stanton Lewis Professor of Construction Engineering and Management, Interim Dean, College of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Samar “Summer” Adranly, Senior Vice President, Eichleay. This was recorded at the CII Annual Conference in August of 2019.

Our conversation with Arlen Solochek, FAIA, Consulting Architect, helps owners consider how different project characteristics, market conditions, internal considerations, and participants’ concerns create better (and worse) matches with different project delivery methods. Arlen’s extensive experience on the owner’s side and on the practitioner’s side of capital projects, and his most recent work as Associate Vice Chancellor, Capital Planning and Special Projects for the Maricopa County Community College District gives him a unique perspective on the benefits of selecting the appropriate delivery method for the project situation. 

Can you imagine a major construction site that requires no cranes? Or one that requires no people? Or completely eliminates the permitting process? Check out our conversation with Fernanda Leite, Associate Professor at the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT Austin who is helping to lead the Construction Industry Institute’s (CII) Technology Path to the Future. Fernanda explains the process behind a unique collaborative methodology to solve this initiative exists to inspire organizations within the capital projects industry to successfully transform to new technology paradigms. The industry tends to focus most of its innovation attention and budgets on short term or incremental change. By focusing on what will be required to deliver capital projects three decades in the future, this report illustrates the need for radically different technologies.