Mike Barrett, VP at CRB, discusses the value of prefab in construction despite skepticism. Highlights include innovative prefab strategies for cancer therapy facilities, effective collaboration methods, embracing challenges, and the transformative impact of prefabrication on the industry.

The productization of prefab will be a tricky and incremental process. Can we still bring our creativity to the table when there are so many unknowns? In this episode, Todd Mustard joins us at Advancing Prefabrication 2024 and sparks a discussion about repurposing supply chains, the power of BI dashboards, and growing widespread interest in IBEW Local 48. Todd Mustard is Executive Manager at Oregon Columbia Chapter NECA. He represents over 200 electrical contracting businesses that employ over 6,000 union professionals in northern Oregon and southern Washington. He is passionate about advancing the interests and values of the electrical construction industry.

Depending on how you look at them, AI and prefabrication in construction can be time-saving game changers or tools of disruption. Paul Sweeney joined us at Advancing Prefab 2024 to discuss the substantial shifts in mindset around prefabrication as a whole, how to look at the past to prepare for the future, the positive aspects of newer technology, and new alignments between industries that were once completely disparate. Paul Sweeney is Director of Prefabrication at GE Johnson Construction Company. He has also worked as MEP manager for the same company, and as Project Manager at Haselden Construction. He received his Bachelor of Applied Science, Construction Management from Colorado State University.

A solid management team is foundational to the success of your company. When you come to management with a request or idea, whether they listen or not will inform how you interact with your job as a whole. In this episode from Advancing Prefab 2024, Chris Traugh joins us to discuss the importance of morale, the exciting future of productization, and how to attract and retain new hires in an industry that endures huge labor shortages. Dr. Christopher Traugh is General Manager of Manufacturing at ColonialWebb. He is results-driven with exceptional practical judgment and attention for detail with skills in process improvement, investment controlling, lean manufacturing, and team management. Chris describes himself as a “can do” person with solid organizational, communication, and time management skills, utilizing his skills as a contributor in a growth focused organization.

Transparency is often key to the success of a project. When you bring in something newer, like prefabrication, harmony and communication between teams is essential. Join host Todd and guest Steve Houston as they discuss how to combat inertia, the current inefficiencies of the construction industry, and what “works” compared to what’s “always been done.” Steve Houston is Senior Director of Building Technologies and Vertical Manufacturing at LIFTbuild. Steve leads efforts for strategic transformation of the design and construction process through the LIFTbuild Resource Optimization, Planning and Execution (ROPE ™) delivery approach. He is a results-oriented operations leader who implements solutions with a focus on cross-organizational alignment. He has been successful in building agile organizations dedicated to solving complex challenges and bringing high-value solutions to market.

The great Dave Cooper joined us at Advancing Prefab 2024. He brought plenty of energy and hard facts about the industry. Namely, there is a cool-factor with jobs when you're young. If you can go home and show off the unique things you're doing and building in a career, it's going to be a draw for the next generation. Once you have people on board, how do you keep them there? Culture. Culture. Culture. Tune in to see where the rest of the conversation went. Dave is a a home builder, vlogger and believer in the power of personal brand. He started creating video content to showcase the value of modular construction. Over time, he connected with industry leaders changing the way we build new homes, specifically in the offsite construction marketplace and regularly hosts the show Dave Cooper Live.

Each and every building is indeed one of a kind, but in truth, not everything needs to be that special. UMC's Ryan Hoggatt worked on a project one time that had two almost identical buildings but a bathroom on the bottom floor of each had a different center point. His point with the story here is that the subtle differences between buildings and projects makes it hard to replicate and fabricate. Repeatability and consistency doesn't have to be the death of ingenuity. Ryan Hoggatt is the Director of Manufacturing for UMC. He strives to solve the complex challenges of built environments and their systems. His work on standardization in the industry has consistently reduced energy, operational costs, promoted sustainable building environments and more.

In this episode from Advancing Prefab 2024, we see how often buildings are simply means to an end for bog companies. A pharmaceutical company makes molecules that make people better, and they just happen to need a building to do that. Later we delve into market dynamics, focusing on the data center space, where big manufacturers and clients are pushing for value chain advancement and improved communication with supply chains. The episode also discusses learning from projects in other parts of the world, emphasizing failure as a learning tool. This approach fosters a collaborative, forward-thinking environment in conferences, contrasting the usual showcase of successes without the journey details. Jamie Johnston is the head of global systems at Bryden Wood. He is shaping the future of construction by bringing integrated expertise, innovation, deep experience, open minds and creativity to unravel clients’ complex problems and create exceptional, sustainable design solutions – all for a better built environment. 

Robert Penney, national director of continuous improvement for Skanska, discusses the importance of communication, process improvement, and staying updated on industry best practices to find joy in work again. Topics include prefabrication trends, tech enthusiasm, addressing resistance to change, data integration solutions, digital twins, and the significance of project definition and continuous improvement.

Offsite facilities are opening up everywhere. Everyone wants a shot at getting prefab 'right' and growing the industry into the massive potential that we know is there. Will the backbone of the industry still remain in hardware or are currents shifting towards software? Anthony Montesano is a solution sales manager at StrucSoft. He is a seasoned veteran of the industry - from shipping software on CDs in the early 2000s to connecting teams with the tools to build the Las Vegas sphere and beyond.