Outro

"Universities Are 15 Years Behind, We Don't Need More Degrees"

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Gary Cowan, the head of digital construction at Kane Group and we got to learn about how MEP contractors are becoming technology companies, why the traditional education system is failing construction workers, and the real challenges behind construction automation that nobody talks about.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why breaking down buildings into modular components and prefabricating in factories is changing project delivery across the UK and Ireland

✅ The massive shift from siloed Excel files to cloud-based real-time data systems and what it takes to make that transformation work

✅ Why universities teaching 15-year-old methods are creating a skills gap and why we need more tradespeople who understand technology

✅ The hidden problems with construction robots that sound great in theory but struggle with real-world challenges like consistent finishes and quality control

Watch now to hear Gary break down how traditional contractors are evolving into digital-first service providers.

Our Sponsor:

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Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Sponsors

04:26 Introduction to Digital Construction

07:21 Understanding the Role of Head of Digital Construction

10:12 Challenges in Existing Structures and Digital Verification

13:19 The Importance of Collaboration in Construction

16:13 The Evolution of Technology in Construction

19:25 Prefabrication and Its Integration in Design

22:20 The Digital Tool Tech Stack

25:05 Virtual Reality in Construction

28:19 Augmented Reality and Reality Capture Solutions

33:55 The Rise of XR Technology

34:11 AI: Hype vs. Reality

35:54 Navigating AI Adoption

38:15 The Challenge of Authenticity in Tech

39:44 The Importance of Expertise

43:08 Evaluating Tech Solutions

45:17 Frustrations with Vendor Solutions

47:19 Rolling Out New Technologies

50:07 Aligning Data Across the Business

52:26 Pain Points in Real-Time Data

56:12 Robotics in MEP

1:00:07 Expanding Digital Construction Services

1:02:05 The Future of Digital Construction