This presentation will outline why construction lags behind other industries in adopting technology and how this is changing fast as construction practices advance into the 21st century. Using his own experience developing revolutionary technology platforms for the industry, Thom outlines a few of his “Eureka moments” identifying opportunities to develop better technology, radically improve construction processes and empower stakeholders. Technology is poised to transform the construction industry. This lively presentation will explain how.

Buildings and construction are recognized as a key contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, and yet the industry has broadly failed to innovate at the pace needed to mitigate the climate crisis. This session reviews emerging, panelized high-performance envelope systems and their benefits in scaling solutions to manage energy, carbon and waste from buildings as compared to conventional assemblies. Attendees will:

1. understand emerging net zero policy landscape and standards
2. identify why the construction sector has lagged in meeting these standards
3. understand fundamentals of high-performance building envelope design and
4. recognize the benefits of emerging panelized solutions in meeting today’s design challenges.
   

This session focuses on an overview of the spectrum of prefabrication and how it relates to the continuum of project delivery models. Timing and roles within that matrixed relationship will also be examined. The session will close with some thoughts about getting started on a prefab journey. Attendees will:

1. understand the points on the spectrum of prefabrication
2. understand how various delivery models support prefabrication to varying degrees
3. understand how and when different parties might participate to realize maximum value; and
4. how to get started on a prefab journey.

Nivin Nabeel and Enda McDonagh of Montgomery Sisam Architects Inc. based in Toronto, will present their BIM strategy for developing modular projects, coordinating large teams and working with tight timelines. In this session, we will discuss:

1. Modular approaches through Revit
2. Early Planning and Team Training
3. Work Flows
4. Collaboration

This panel discussion brings together international leaders in the areas of architecture, engineering, manufacturing and construction. The construction industry is on the verge of major disruption which can be attributed to technology and new processes for building our built environment. The discussion will focus on the future of the industry, the role technology will play to industrialize construction, and the barriers to move to offsite construction, both in North America and overseas.