Construction
Rob McManamy
DEWALT shifts to solve jobsite WiFi woes

Yesterday, DEWALT, accompanied by Procore, announced their new WiFi Mesh, which promises to increase wireless connectivity on the jobsite. We talked to two DEWALT executives about the new product — here's what they had to say.

DEWALT shifts to solve jobsite WiFi woes
Architecture + Design
Rob McManamy
Data-driven design propelling collaboration

"Data-driven design" suggests an impersonal, robotic process that replaces human creativity with cold numbers. But at our latest BuildIdeas Breakfast, we learned from IBM Watson and Detroit Mercy Hospital that it can mean greater customer satisfaction.

Data-driven design propelling collaboration
Business
Rob McManamy
Hawaii, Vermont, RI see clean energy surge

Despite wavering venture investment, the clean energy market is still growing from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Here, the annual Clean Energy Trust Challenge gives us a welcome opportunity to check in on multiple, vibrant efforts to implement power innovation.

Hawaii, Vermont, RI see clean energy surge
Cities
Rob McManamy
Cities, data drive BW Summit conversations

If cities will yield the richest data upon which tomorrow's most consequential decisions will be based, then it is no surprise they were a recurring topic at last week's BuiltWorlds Summit. To see some of the actionable insights that were shared, read on.

Cities, data drive BW Summit conversations
Architecture + Design
Rob McManamy
Obamas unveil Presidential Center design

Just days after the former First Lady urged architects not to neglect inner cities, she and her husband came home to Chicago this week to reveal their vision for a $500-million community hub that they hope will reinvigorate a long-struggling community.   

Obamas unveil Presidential Center design
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WATCH: The Internet of Things Connects our Smart Home

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WATCH: The Internet of Things Connects our Smart Home

When BuiltWorlds held the second installment in our Tech in Real Estate series, we further learned that the future is deeply rooted in the Internet of Things. Plus, Gimbal even gave out free beacons to everyone in our audience! See the presentation from that night here, for the first time. 

No-Stick Jam: 3d Printed Stone and String Structure Rocks Biennial

No-Stick Jam: 3d Printed Stone and String Structure Rocks Biennial

U.S. and Swiss designers claim to have created an architectural structure built without any adhesive, just rocks and thread. Now on display in Chicago, Rock Print came together via a robotic arm-like, powder-based 3-D printer.

Up in the Cloud and Into the Wild, Zebra Unleashes Zatar

Up in the Cloud and Into the Wild, Zebra Unleashes Zatar

What a big week for Zebra. On Tuesday, the publicly traded provider of tracking and other remote technology solutions announced third-quarter sales of $916 million, more than triple its results for the same period in 2014. Yesterday, Zebra also released its new platform Zatar, an IoT cloud service with a dedicated web portal. 

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Dodge Data, isqft square off in federal antitrust suit

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Dodge Data, isqft square off in federal antitrust suit

From the Bible and Darwin to Shakespeare and The Lion King, the story of young cubs angling to take down the aging patriarch is as familiar on stage and screen as it is in corner offices and courtrooms. And now, industry eyes are on Ohio.

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Vertical Forest Near Complete and Always Chic in Milan

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Vertical Forest Near Complete and Always Chic in Milan

On the edge of the fashionable Milan, Italy, will soon rest two skyscrapers that have more concrete than timber right now. Over time, that ratio will change. Bosco Verticale, or “vertical forest”, a concept led by Italian architecture firm Stefano Boeri Studio, combines residential living inside a metropolis with natural elements to create a lush microclimate for its inhabitants.

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Eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a feat remembered

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Eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a feat remembered

On this Veterans Day, our own Rob McManamy recounts a 23-year-old story about feverish repairs on Chicago's Michigan Ave. Bridge and how massive political pressure then could not deter engineers from honoring the day.

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Is our industry stuck in the sixties?

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Is our industry stuck in the sixties?

The question might raise eyebrows, but it is definitely worth answering. Construction is a massive industry, representing $8.5 trillion worth of work worldwide every year. Imagine if it had better field communications, writes Fieldwire's CEO.

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WATCH: IoT Connects Tech to our Real Estate

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WATCH: IoT Connects Tech to our Real Estate

At Tech in Real Estate II we learned all about what the future of our properties. What everyone kept talking about that night were the connected devices as part of the IoT. From beacon tracking to a Nest™ in our nest, the number of tasks now at our fingertips seems to multiply each day. Watch the highlights from TIRE II here and stay tuned for the full presentations.

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Cutting the Cord: Cable-Free Elevators near reality

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Cutting the Cord: Cable-Free Elevators near reality

The seemingly predictable, up-and-down world of elevators has thrown us a curveball. This month, ThyssenKrupp announced it will begin testing cordless elevators next year that can travel horizontally, as well. Stay tuned. 

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World Building of The Year Is...

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World Building of The Year Is...

As the World Architecture Festival concluded in Singapore’s, over 2,000 architects from around the globe waited with bated breath to hear where the top prize was headed. Finally, it was revealed that The Interlace brought home the crown as WAF’s 2015 “Building of the Year”.

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Environmental Awareness Not Just a Week at CannonDesign

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Environmental Awareness Not Just a Week at CannonDesign

For 13 years, CannonDesign has held an internal, firm-wide Environmental Awareness Week, drawing on outside experts to educate and reenergize staff and leadership re environmental stewardship. Other firms are paying attention. 

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Public Design: Is There Still the Will to Build Great Spaces?

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Public Design: Is There Still the Will to Build Great Spaces?

Public money for public projects doesn't have to mean low-bid, low quality design. Daniel Patrick Moynihan made that point 50+ years ago, and last week, the Chicago Architecture Biennial took up the topic. BW was there.

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8 steps to a brilliant, Connected city

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8 steps to a brilliant, Connected city

Cities have never been more important, nor the competition between them more intense. Those positioned to excel through this time of global change are pursuing broad, integrated strategies. AECOM's Stephen Engblom looks at eight. 

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how to Make Lean Planning even Leaner

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how to Make Lean Planning even Leaner

Attendance at the Lean Construction Institute's annual meeting last month was three times what it was in 2012. So, what's up? We recently asked Newforma VP Dan Conery about that growth, as well as the new LeanPlanner tool.

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Hype no more, Hyperloop to break ground in California

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Hype no more, Hyperloop to break ground in California

"Beam me up, Scotty?" Transporters? Teleportation? If HTT's Gresta & Ahlborn are to be believed, the mythic Hyperloop will soon come to life. Yes, the game is afoot, teams have formed, and now work on a test track is about to start.

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