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.

How US Builders Are Preparing for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics

Project Management & Efficiency
Frank Kalman

Code to Concrete: How ICON’s Integrated Workflow Is Rewriting Residential Construction

Technology & Innovation
Erin Flynn Jay

America Needs a Greener Energy Grid. What Could That Look Like?

Technology & Innovation
Emily Beyda

A major shift is underway in how Americans create and use power, with significant implications for the construction industry

Women in Construction Week 2022: More Women Are Working in Construction—But Further Progress Is Needed

People & Project Spotlights
Hamish Champ

Women make up just over half of the U.K. population, but fewer than one-fifth work in construction. A week dedicated to highlighting women’s contribution to the sector aims to change long-held bias and outdated perceptions.

How Marty Walsh Went From Construction Laborer to U.S. Labor Secretary

People & Project Spotlights
Scott Van Voorhis

The recently appointed labor secretary and former mayor of Boston started his career as a union laborer building scaffolding and bracing masonry walls along the city’s once-burgeoning waterfront

How The Walsh Group Boosts Civil Jobsite Mobility with Revu for iPad

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

The contractor has discovered significant cost and time savings, as well as enhanced field worker efficiency, by using a variety of Bluebeam tools on tablets as it works to complete a massive civil infrastructure project

COVID-19 Has Restaurants Searching for Ways to Stay Open. Can Construction Help?

Building, Design & Architecture
Peter Dorfman

The pandemic’s winter surge is forcing restaurants in cities with strict indoor-dining restrictions to consider creative construction solutions to make outdoor-only service viable during cold winter months

BUG BUZZ: Introducing New Hampshire Champ Jeff Collins

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

The end of 2020 was highlighted by the launch of a new BUG in New Hampshire led by Jeff Collins: “I promise you’ll learn something new every meeting you attend”

Will The Biden Administration Revive Home Geothermal? This Startup Thinks So.

Sustainability
Peter Dorfman

Support for green energy and cost-saving innovation could revive the heat pump market

11 Revu Tools to Ease the Punch Walk Process

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Troy DeGroot

Streamline field documentation with these steps that will improve data collection and enhance overall construction project efficiency

This Computer Program Can Build Intricate Wooden Joints

Technology & Innovation
David Shultz

A new software program aims to take the joint-creation process virtual, allowing users to design connections digitally before uploading them to a router that brings them to life

Will Builders Embrace Mushroom-Based Bricks?

Sustainability
Emily Beyda

Emerging research on fungi’s unique properties as a highly renewable material points to a possible future in construction

The B1M + Bluebeam: Tackling Atlanta’s Traffic Crisis

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

A recent The B1M-Bluebeam video highlights how a major infrastructure project is emblematic of how technology is helping alleviate one of the industry’s biggest challenges

How to Build in 2030

Sustainability
Hamish Champ

Government environmental targets are reinforcing the need to build more sustainably and efficiently in the next decade. A group of construction sector experts discussed the issue.

Where Are All The Black Architects?

People & Project Spotlights
Katie Morell

Minority representation in the architecture profession is woefully low, with the disparity especially large when it comes to Black Americans

5 Things Welder Lashanna Lintamo Can’t Live Without

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Justin Hearn

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

From Entrepreneur to Construction C-Suite: Amicon’s Adam Mopsick

People & Project Spotlights
Pat Olsen

The co-founder and CEO of the owner representation and construction firm discusses how the industry has changed during his nearly 30-year career

How to Deconstruct a Half-Century-Old Bridge

People & Project Spotlights
Wendy Helfenbaum

A peek behind the scenes with those tasked with dismantling the Champlain Bridge in Montreal, Quebec, offers a glimpse into the complex, 43-month-long project

Can a New, Zero-Cement Solution Thwart Concrete Sewer Pipe Failure?

Sustainability
Diana Kightlinger

Concrete sewer pipes frequently fail in as little as 10 to 20 years. Zero-cement concrete offers a strong, durable, eco-friendly and cost-effective option

These State Ballot Initiatives Carry Big Implications For Construction

Construction & The Economy
Peter Dorfman

The November 2020 election did more than choose a new president. It featured a slew of state ballot measures poised to affect the construction industry

Inside Bluebeam: Product Design Research’s Madolyn Noll

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

How a product research manager brings years of unique experience to the world of construction software development

Mechwest Operates With Millimeter-perfect Precision in Revu

People & Project Spotlights
Frank Kalman

The Australian 3D modelling and steel detailing firm ditched its paper-based process in favor of Bluebeam Revu, streamlining the company’s intra-office collaboration and strengthening its ability to operate with millimeter-perfect precision

A Spooky Trend for Restaurant Builders: The Rise of Ghost Kitchens

Technology & Innovation
Emily Beyda

Delivery-only food-service facilities, known as ghost kitchens, were already gaining traction pre-pandemic, which fast-tracked the concept into the mainstream as more people avoid the risks associated with in-person dining

Why Construction Has an Inevitable Concrete CO2 Emissions Crisis

Sustainability
Erik Sherman

The generation of greenhouse gas in concrete production is a major problem. Changes are needed today—and researchers and engineers are pursuing many possibilities

Can 3D Printing With Local Soils Offer a Low-Carbon Alternative to Concrete? Part 2

Technology & Innovation
Randy B. Hecht

Without the need for long-distance transportation or carbon-intensive production techniques, one research lab is experimenting with local soils that may offer a greener path forward

The 5 Buildings That Epitomize Brisbane Architecture

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Justin Hearn

Once thought of as a ‘big country town,’ Brisbane has become a destination for those wanting to take in its warm climate and beautiful architecture

The Ancient—And Unusual—Building Material Attempting a Comeback: Hemp

Sustainability
Emily Beyda

Hempcrete is a bio-composite material that can serve as an alternative to traditional lime, reducing the carbon impact of the resulting concrete mixture while improving its insulator-like and energy-retaining properties

Can 3D Printing With Local Soils Offer A Low-Carbon Alternative to Concrete? Part 1

Technology & Innovation
David Shultz

Without the need for long-distance transportation or carbon-intensive production techniques, one research lab is experimenting with local soils that may offer a greener path forward

Construction’s Strategy to Increase Minority Representation: Appeal to Kids

People & Project Spotlights
Elisa Silverman

Organizations across the industry are working to improve its minority representation by developing programs that drive awareness at the youngest ages

The Top Built Stories of 2020

Technology & Innovation
Frank Kalman

From exoskeletons to state-of-the-art sports stadiums, these were the top stories of the Built Blog in 2020

The 5 Things Ironworker Jesse Garner Can’t Live Without

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

Construction workers rely on several tools and gadgets to get the job done. Here, one ironworker shares the items he can’t live without on the job

Why We Love Construction

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

Bluebeam employees share why they love working in the industry

From Roadside Waste to Repurposed Flooring

Sustainability
Randy B. Hecht

Where others see a littered landscape, one researcher in Colombia saw resources ready to be put to practical use as part of the ‘circular economy’

Construction Is (Finally) Embracing Tech—And Venture Capital Is Cashing In

Technology & Innovation
Katie Morell

Two venture capitalists share their observations on the industry’s promising emerging construction technology landscape, as well as the areas where they’re investing their money

The Surprising Science Behind How Buildings Shape Human Behavior

Building, Design & Architecture
Emily Beyda

As humans have let their cultural and psychological needs shape the spaces we exist in, those spaces have been shaping humans right back

This Global Initiative Aims to Fix Infrastructure’s Tech Adoption Problem

Technology & Innovation
Peter Dorfman

Contracting for infrastructure projects has stubbornly resisted technology adoption. An initiative born out of the World Economic Forum aims to change that

From Bank Teller to Construction C-Suite: PWCampbell’s Jim Caliendo

People & Project Spotlights
Pat Olsen

The president and CEO of the Pittsburgh-based construction firm discusses how he rose to the top in the industry, the challenges he sees for his company ahead and his favorite parts of the job

The Changing Skyline of London’s Square Mile

Building, Design & Architecture
Hamish Champ

Long known as a center for commerce and finance, London’s Square Mile is witnessing a building renaissance, with a raft of tall new super-efficient buildings redefining its skyline—and making a bold statement of intent regarding its future

Is Solar Farm Construction the Next Big Thing in Infrastructure Building?

Sustainability
Emily Beyda

Facing the urgency of climate change, companies like BP that traditionally invested in the construction of refineries and other oil production resources are pivoting to build in the increasingly profitable solar energy space

New Law Puts Bird-Friendly Design in Flight

Sustainability
Emily Beyda

New York City has become the first major American municipality to pass a law requiring all new construction to be bird safe. Will others follow?

A Document Management Workflow for the Modern Construction Project

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

The Walsh Group’s Pablo Giraldo has established a proven digital document management workflow that organizes and streamlines previous paper-based processes into the modern age

Green Roofs Turn Parking Garages into Public Plazas, Parks

Sustainability
Margaret Buranen

The Columbus Commons development is a prime example of how higher-cost green roof projects are paired with public resources to maximize value.

Government Workflows for Electronic Plan Review

Technology & Innovation
Troy DeGroot

Municipalities carry the stigma of being behind the rest of the industry when it comes to using digital deliverables. Here’s what they need to know to change that perception

Translucent Wood Could Give Architects A New Design Element

Technology & Innovation
Randy B. Hecht

A lab in Stockholm, Sweden, is using nanotechnology to reimagine lighting with a wood composite that’s translucent, load-bearing and an advance in energy efficiency

Three Ways Studio Could Be Used for Scope and Contract Review

Technology & Innovation
Frank Kalman

The paper-intensive workflow largely dependent on in-person meetings could be improved by migrating the process into Studio in Revu

With Remote Work, Why Not Build an Office in Your Backyard?

Technology & Innovation
Robin Chen

With remote work trending toward a more permanent reality for some companies and workers, a few firms are aiming to capitalize by offering prefabricated tiny backyard work pods

History And Innovation: The Changing Skyline of London’s Square Mile

People & Project Spotlights
Hamish Champ

Long known as a centre for commerce and finance, London’s Square Mile is witnessing a building renaissance, with a raft of tall new super-efficient buildings redefining its skyline—and making a bold statement of intent regarding its future

COVID-19’s Uneven Hit—And Rebound—On the U.S. Construction Job Market

Construction & The Economy
David Shultz

The pandemic hit the construction job market hard. While most of the lost jobs have recovered, an expert breaks down how the pandemic affected some construction jobs more than others

Soil Construction: Where—And How—Building With Clay Thrives

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Emily Beyda

As concrete’s prevalence continues to pose a danger to the long-term health of the environment, can clay- and soil-based materials serve as a viable option for builders?