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.

The Cost of Waiting: Lessons from Germany’s Construction Collapse

Construction & The Economy
Frank Kalman

Unbound Day 2: Innovation Meets Reality on the Jobsite

Project Management & Efficiency, Technology & Innovation
Frank Kalman

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.

The Fascinating History of Building Ventilation, Air Flow and Public Health

Health, Safety, and Compliance
Emily Beyda

When COVID-19 emerged, building operators quickly turned to improving HVAC systems to combat the virus’ spread, but the connection between air flow and disease transmission traces back at least to the last pandemic

Famous Female Engineers—Unsung Heroes?

People & Project Spotlights
Hamish Champ

Women comprise just more than half of the U.K. population but fewer than one in 10 are registered engineers. Organisations like the Women’s Engineering Society seek to promote the female talent pool.

5 Things Architect Gautam Shenoy Can’t Live Without

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

AEC workers rely on several essential tools to get the job done. Here, an architect shares the items he can’t live without on the job

Celebrating The Black Community in AEC This Juneteenth

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

Bluebeam celebrates the achievements of the Black community in AEC on the day honoring emancipation

The Post-Pandemic Office: How Amazon and Salesforce Are Charting Different Courses

Building, Design & Architecture
Claudia Melatini

One company is refashioning its office with an eye toward remote work, while the other is designing its newest headquarters with full-time, in-person work in mind

Contractor. Engineer. Architect. Podcast Host?

Technology & Innovation
Emily Beyda

The world’s fastest-growing media format is inspiring many in the construction industry to jump in with shows of their own. Here’s why one construction podcaster says every contractor should consider the gig

Augmented Reality in Construction: Stepping Into the Future

Technology & Innovation
Hamish Champ

The construction sector has traditionally lagged behind other industries when it comes to using digital technology. But it is finally beginning to catch up with the use of augmented reality

Nuclear Fusion Is on the Horizon—And with It, New Construction Jobs

Technology & Innovation
Scott Van Voorhis

Scientists at MIT are in striking distance of harnessing a clean energy future with nuclear fusion, and the shift promises to demand millions in construction dollars and thousands of new jobs

How to Build a Digital Project Dashboard for Plan Documents

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

Digitizing plan documents is only as effective as your ability to access them as you work. Digital dashboards in Bluebeam Revu make it easy to do both

Construction Drone Regulations Contractors Need to Know

Technology & Innovation
Elisa Silverman

Drone usage on jobsites has grown in recent years, but the industry should monitor constantly evolving regulations at the federal, state and local level

California’s ‘CALGreen’ Legislation Spurs Green Building Framework

Sustainability
Emily Beyda

As green building codes become more common throughout the U.S., many builders may look to California for guidance on navigating the complex world of environmentally responsible construction

Construction’s Latest Pandemic Challenge: Getting Workers Vaccinated

Health, Safety, and Compliance
Katie Morell

The industry, initially deemed “essential” in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now struggling with worker hesitancy to get vaccinated against the virus

The Art of Plastics in Construction

Technology & Innovation
Hamish Champ

While there remain environmental concerns around some plastic products, the material’s light weight and end-use versatility make it ideal for construction

Modular Hotels Are Blossoming. Blame Worker Shortages and COVID-19

Technology & Innovation
Margaret Buranen

The prefabrication building technique is catching on among major hotel brands as construction worker shortages and other trends highlight its advantages

Boston Construction: Tight Spaces, Tiny Jobsites, Historic Considerations

Building, Design & Architecture
Scott Van Voorhis

Beantown’s charm is rooted in the city’s quaint historic places and winding, cobblestone streets—but these same characteristics make building in Boston no easy feat

Is Sustainable Urban Design an Irreversible Trend?

Sustainability
Hamish Champ

With the world’s population set to top 9 billion by 2050 and increasing pressure on global resources, urban design will inevitably steer toward sustainable outcomes as never before

Some Contractors Used the Pandemic to Bolster Existing Tech

Technology & Innovation
Larry Bernstein

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced construction companies to adapt, these firms found ways to make more efficient use of existing technology

How to Ensure and Deliver Quality in Construction

Project Management & Efficiency
Hamish Champ

Stakeholders across the construction industry must have confidence that build quality will be an integral part of any project

How the Pandemic Revived ‘Wine Windows’ for These L.A. Establishments

Building, Design & Architecture
Emily Beyda

Wineries and bars turned to an old Italian design-build concept to serve customers during the pandemic—and its success has convinced some the idea may be here to stay

Intro to Change Management for Construction Leaders

Project Management & Efficiency
Courtney Dvorak

In a world of increasing uncertainty and fast-moving technologies, construction firms would be wise to study the principles of change management

How Digital Transformation Changed Hoffman Building Technologies’ Business

Technology & Innovation
Scott Van Voorhis

The building automation company was stuck managing paper documents and processes, until Bluebeam Revu helped digitize its workflows

Designed for the Nose: The Art of Scent in Architecture

Building, Design & Architecture
Emily Beyda

A building’s value comes from many factors, but what ultimately hits the nose can have a tremendous—and sneaky—influence on how people behave inside a structure as illustrated by scent architecture

The 5 Buildings That Epitomize Boston Architecture

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Justin Hearn

The Massachusetts capital showcases some of the oldest—and most controversial—architecture in the United States

What Contractors Need to Know About Volatile Materials Prices

Construction & The Economy
Diana Kightlinger

The COVID-19 pandemic seemingly spawned a topsy-turvy market for raw construction materials, but this Q&A reveals that pre-pandemic factors are also to blame

How Erin Werkema Is Building a Construction Tech Community in Austin

Technology & Innovation
Frank Kalman

The leader of the Austin Bluebeam User Group shows how virtual meetings have helped bolster the value of building community around the use of construction technology

Are Net Zero Buildings Possible?

Sustainability
Emily Beyda

As the construction industry becomes greener and net zero buildings emerge, one company explores what it would take to create a zero carbon construction future.

5 Things Construction Tech Manager Pablo Giraldo Can’t Live Without

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Andrea Carcovich

Construction workers rely on several essential tools to get the job done. Here, a construction technology manager shares the items he can’t live without on the job

The Bluebeam Stapler—Making Working Life a Little Less Complicated

Technology & Innovation
Hamish Champ

Working on a job that requires numerous PDF files to be collated into one manageable document? It’s easy with Bluebeam Stapler.

Why Converting (or Demolishing) Dead Malls Is Harder Than You Think

Building, Design & Architecture
Emily Beyda

The shopping mall has been on the decline for decades, but recent downturns and transformations in the economy have turned these properties into compelling-yet-complex conversion opportunities

Tour the Top 8 Architecture Stories Featured on Built

Building, Design & Architecture
Frank Kalman

April is Architecture Month on the Built Blog. Celebrate with these top architecture stories featured on the blog in the past year

Spearheading Digital Transformation: HITT Contracting’s Kim Roy

Technology & Innovation
Pat Olsen

The first non-family-member CEO of the 84-year-old contractor shares why she got into construction, the biggest issues facing the industry and the best advice she’s ever received

How ‘Brownfield’ Development Presents A Unique Housing Opportunity

Sustainability
Hamish Champ

The U.K.’s housing shortage requires innovative approaches when it comes to using former industrial sites and small plots of disused land

Laser Scanning Has Never Been Better—But Adoption Is Slow. Why?

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Frank Kalman

The reality capture technology used in pre-construction to model a building has never been more accurate, yet adoption barriers abound

Streaming Wars Surge Demand for Sound Stage Construction

Technology & Innovation
Scott Van Voorhis

The pandemic propelled demand for streaming content as homebound consumers spent more time binge watching their favorite programs. The result: a flood of sound stage construction in places beyond Hollywood

The 5 Buildings That Epitomize Dallas Architecture

Bluebeam Tips and Tricks
Justin Hearn

Texas’ largest metropolitan area features both historic and modern architectural wonders

What Construction Might Look Like Post-Pandemic

Project Management & Efficiency
Erik Sherman

As the world continues to battle COVID-19, construction and design firms must consider what new projects will need for a future where pandemics occur more frequently

Is Your Office Designed for Wellness? Ask This Architect.

Building, Design & Architecture
Diana Kightlinger

Biophilic design emerged prior to COVID-19, but as this expert interview reveals, the pandemic has made a priority of constructing spaces for wellness

October 2021

Tech Adoption Week