October 2021

Tech
Adoption
Week

#TechAdoptionWeek

Welcome to Tech Adoption Week 2021

Welcome to the first annual Tech Adoption Week! Over the next few days, we’ll be exploring fresh ways to help you navigate change and ease tech adoption at your organization.

Check back here every day for new stories and follow Bluebeam on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for the latest updates.

Shanen Aranmor Built Weld Like a Girl to Open a Door She Never Had

People & Project Spotlights
Elisa Silverman

Construction Isn’t Slow. It’s Out of Room.

Project Management & Efficiency, Technology & Innovation
Frank Kalman

Veterans in Construction: Jeremy Goodwin

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

The project manager started his career as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps rebuilding communities in the Middle East before thriving stateside in construction

A Guide to Construction Waste Management in Australia [with checklist]

Sustainability
Tracie Sanim

Construction is one of the fastest-growing industries in Australia and one of the biggest sources of managed waste. This five-step Waste Management Checklist helps all members of the building sector to play their part in a more sustainable future.

Recycled Plastic Roads: Putting Waste to Good Use

Sustainability
Hamish Champ

Companies have discovered that when waste plastic is reprocessed, it makes a great ingredient for roads, creating stretches of highway that are more robust and long-lasting than those made using traditional materials

The Art of Biomimicry in Architecture: How It Helps Construction and Other Sectors

Building, Design & Architecture
Hamish Champ

The world is awash with modern technology, but engineers and designers aren’t averse to referring to the natural world for inspiration, using biomimicry to make construction and other sectors more efficient and sustainable

6 Ways to Address Mental Health in the Construction Industry

Health, Safety, and Compliance
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Employees’ mental well-being has been increasingly linked to productivity and satisfaction, prompting more construction firms to take action on the issue

Is Zero Waste in Construction Possible?

Sustainability
Diana Kightlinger

Here’s why the construction industry needs to examine waste management practices across the entire lifecycle of materials

How ‘Change Agility’ Is the Secret Ingredient to Effective Tech Adoption

Project Management & Efficiency
Courtney Dvorak

Change agility determines how quickly someone can adjust and adapt to new challenges. Here’s why it’s a useful tool when it comes to adopting technology in construction

How to Use Spaces in Bluebeam Revu

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Troy DeGroot

Spaces can help design and construction professionals to designate named parts of drawings on an invisible layer, enabling more efficient jobsite operations

How Construction Leaders Can Give Workers Feedback—Good and Bad

Project Management & Efficiency
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

It can be difficult for leaders to give feedback to workers about their short-term performance and long-term career goals. Here are some things to make it easier

Why Construction May Be the Perfect Career for Military Veterans

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Domonic Diaz-Weston

The construction industry may provide the perfect career for military veterans transitioning into the next chapter of their lives

Inside Bluebeam: Behind XCON Anywhere with Tracy Schuster

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

Bluebeam’s annual user conference is going 100% virtual this year. Watch Tracy Schuster explain why XCON Anywhere is poised to be special.

Construction Leaders’ Role in Managing Change in Tech Adoption

Project Management & Efficiency
Courtney Dvorak

Leaders and managers have a specific, hands-on role to play when it comes to managing change, especially with new technology adoption

Introducing XCON Anywhere

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

The virtual event, adapted from Bluebeam’s in-person annual user conference, takes place Sept. 28-29 and will include presentations and panel discussions featuring some of the industry’s leading influencers

The Hybrid Workplace Is Here. Will Construction Embrace It?

Project Management & Efficiency
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

The COVID-19 pandemic spawned a rush to remote work, and now more workers in the industry say they prefer the work style

How to Use Revu to Create Successful Bids

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Mike Landers

Quantity takeoffs, accuracy and standardization are crucial to bid success (From 2020)

Meet the Designer Lighting Up Construction

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

Caroline Andrew creates spectacular built space experiences with one of the industry’s most unheralded elements: light

Go Inside Duquesne University’s Newly Renovated UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse

Building, Design & Architecture
Hilary Daninhirsch

The Pittsburgh university’s state-of-the-art athletic facility features an enhanced design and construction that aims to amplify the close-knit school’s sense of civic duty

The Essential Guide to Construction Industry Events 2021-22

Construction & The Economy
Tracie Sanim

As the construction sector navigates a global pandemic, industry events are as critical as ever in facilitating opportunities to upskill and build connections. Here’s a list of upcoming events in Australia that are not-to-be-missed.

Why Having a ‘Sponsor’ Is Important When Managing Change in Construction

Project Management & Efficiency
Courtney Dvorak

A sponsor is someone who supports and promotes a change initiative, and the difference between a good and a bad one can make or break a company’s success

Wooden Buildings: Trees Converted into Habitats for Humans

Sustainability
Hamish Champ

Concern around climate change and a desire to construct more sustainable buildings is driving the construction industry to deliver a built environment that has less impact on the world around it. The increased use of timber in tall buildings is part of this process.

How Sets in Revu Simplifies Document Management

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Rob Dunn

Constantly organizing and tracking large volumes of digital construction documents can be challenging, which is why Sets in Bluebeam Revu are invaluable for builders

5 Things Structural Engineer Liz Larsen Can’t Live Without

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Justin Hearn

Construction workers rely on several essential tools to get the job done. Here, a structural engineer shares the items she can’t live without on the job

The Sand Shortage 2021: Is The World Running Out of Sand?

Construction & The Economy
Hamish Champ

A two-year-old United Nations report warned that the world needed to act to maintain its reserves of sand, with supplies already under pressure from extensive building programs. As construction activity continues after COVID-19, is the industry likely to see a shortage of one of the most essential building materials?

Can Building Backyard Homes Fix the Housing Shortage?

Project Management & Efficiency
Emily Beyda

One Los Angeles-based builder wants to use a modular building process to construct affordable housing in people’s backyards

Digital Signatures, Document Certifications and Electronic Signatures: What’s the Difference?

Technology & Innovation
Rob Dunn

As construction professionals increasingly use digital certifications to approve official project documents, there are important distinctions between signature types they need to keep in mind

How Does the Construction Industry Get to ‘Net-Zero Building’?

Sustainability
Hamish Champ

The U.K. government wants net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But can the country’s construction industry—which currently produces a whopping 40% of those emissions—overhaul the way it works to help achieve this?

Here’s How Construction Leaders Can Inspire Technology Adoption

Project Management & Efficiency
Courtney Dvorak

Getting workers to adopt new technology or change a process or behavior is never easy, but construction leaders can make it easier with this model

Paving the Way for Hispanic Engineers: Precision 2000’s Guiomar Obregon

People & Project Spotlights
Pat Olsen

The civil engineer is showing other aspiring Hispanic engineers why construction is a fulfilling career

Deployable Structures Turn to New Inspiration: Origami

Technology & Innovation
David Shultz

Inflatable structures are paramount in construction. Can origami offer such deployable components new inspiration?

Architects Using Virtual Reality: A Gamechanger?

Technology & Innovation
Hamish Champ

Once the preserve of computer game designers, virtual reality technology enables architects—and their clients—get up front and personal with a building far in advance of its completion.

The Root of Architect Liz Diller’s Unique Style

Building, Design & Architecture
Emily Beyda

Diller didn’t initially set out to be an architect, but her designs have become some of the most celebrated in the industry

These Two Tradeswomen Are Breaking Barriers to Succeed

People & Project Spotlights
Katie Morell

The construction trades remain largely male-dominated, but these two tradeswomen offer an inspiring example of how to persevere despite lingering challenges

How Tyler Jones Is Building a Construction Tech Community in Dallas

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

The head of the Dallas Bluebeam User Group shows how leading the tight-knit community has helped deepen his use of Revu and other industry technology

Veterans in Construction: John Forsberg

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

John Forsberg spent five years in the U.S. Navy during one of the most notable military conflicts in recent memory before transitioning into a fulfilling career in construction

Once Sky High, Lumber Prices Tumble. Here’s Why.

Construction & The Economy
Diana Kightlinger

Lumber prices today are falling fast after becoming a scarce commodity during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's why lumber prices are dropping.

This Young Project Engineer Is Inspiring Women to Join Construction

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

An earthquake motivated Chimaelle Goureige to dedicate a career to building, but the young project engineer is now giving back by encouraging young women hesitant about joining the industry

8 Ways Layers Create Clarity in Revu

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Troy DeGroot

The powerful tool in Revu helps contractors and other users communicate complicated markups more clearly

What Makes the PDF Standard in Construction?

Technology & Innovation
Frank Kalman

The PDF file type is ubiquitous in construction—but what exactly is it?

Why Mentorship Programs Are Worth Contractors’ Time

People & Project Spotlights
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Relationships are critical in every profession, but having a formal mentorship program is one way construction companies can level-up their workforces

Keep Austin Weird: The Building and Regulatory Challenges Complicating the City’s Growth

Construction & The Economy
Emily Beyda

The once-sleepy city off the Colorado River can’t stop growing, but one expert says the Texas capital’s urban planning history and culture are making expansion difficult

The 5 Buildings That Epitomize Munich Architecture

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Domonic Diaz-Weston

The Bavarian capital showcases some of the most extravagant architecture in the world, from structures built in the Middle Ages to modern buildings emblematic of the German city’s rich culture

What Does It Mean to ‘Flatten’ a Document in Bluebeam Revu?

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Troy DeGroot

Making data permanent in a PDF document is essential in construction—and flattening in Revu is the primary method

5G in Construction Could Be a Game Changer—But Barriers Abound

Technology & Innovation
Diana Kightlinger

The technology could offer endless advantages to construction firms—if it can overcome critical obstacles

Veterans in Construction: Sean Garcia

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

Sean Garcia spent nearly a decade in one of the military’s most prestigious construction battalions before launching a promising career as a superintendent

Adopting Digital Workflows for Construction

Technology & Innovation
Shanoc Halliday

Construction is one of the least digitised industries with the most to gain from adopting simple digital workflows.

Bluebeam and Graphisoft Integration: Linking Design and Collaboration for Architects

Technology & Innovation
James Chambers

As an architect, one of the essential things to consider when buying new software is how it will integrate with your existing systems and processes

How ‘Soft Skills’ Can Transform Leadership in Construction

Project Management & Efficiency
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Here’s why more and more construction leaders find that managing with a kinder, empathetic approach makes jobsites more successful

The Magic of Stained Glass Restoration

Building, Design & Architecture
Emily Beyda

Find out why this venerable decorative form has lately been experiencing a renaissance.

October 2021

Tech Adoption Week