Claire Rutkowski

By: Claire Rutkowski, SVP and CIO Champion

Our world runs on data. The advent of BIM and the proliferation of IoT-sensing devices have driven a veritable deluge of data. We are drowning in it. But surprisingly, we are not using it.  A report by FMI Corporation,, a consultancy firm, stated that 96% of the data generated by infrastructure projects specifically is never reused. You could argue that a certain portion of that data should not be reused because it is project-specific, but certainly not 96% of it.

One of the reasons we are unable to leverage data in the infrastructure sector is that every time we hand a deliverable off from one firm to another or from one phase of the asset lifecycle to another (e.g., the handoff from project design and delivery to construction or construction to commissioning), we lose data. Perhaps the tools or systems being used in each phase do not talk to one another, or the data being generated in one phase is incompatible with the structure of the data in the next phase. As a result, we lose a lot of the hard work performed in one phase and in many ways start over in the next phase – with less fidelity and detail.

(more…)

Kat Lord-Levins,
Chief Success Officer and SVP
Bentley Systems

When you compare any of the engineering and construction labor statistics from Deloitte, the Associated Builders and Contractors, or AEC Advisors to the workforce requirements of current and future infrastructure needs, the numbers do not add up. There are more projects than people to get the work done, leaving many engineering, architecture, and construction (AEC) firms to turn down projects because of the global shortage of professionals. Unfortunately, as an industry, we are partly to blame for the predicament that we are in.

For the last 30 to 40 years, college was touted as the path to financial and personal freedom in the United States. Younger generations were encouraged to attend university and earn a degree. However, the students that attended universities chose business administration, healthcare, and social sciences as fields of study rather than engineering. During that same period, another cohort did not attend universities for whatever reason. But this same group did not attend vocational or technical training programs either. While enrollment for vocational and technical training programs has grown significantly in recent years, there is still a sizeable labor shortage of skilled tradespeople.

As an industry, we relied on universities to provide architects and engineers. We depended on vocational programs to supply skilled trades, such as masons, welders, and electricians. However, that did not happen. As we face these talent challenges together, we must collectively ask ourselves, “What can we proactively do to solve this problem?”

(more…)

If any of these 10 indicators ring true for your AEC firm, it could be time to modernize

By Lucas Hayden

Legacy technology reminds me a lot of the aging but still reliable car that has faithfully carried me and my family around for the better part of two decades. Much like legacy software, that car reliably gets us from Point A to Point B — usually, at least — it has features that were ahead of their time when they were first released, many of which still work, and although it’s way out of warranty and has its obvious limitations, it does the things it was built to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

Because it still runs well enough, it’s familiar, has that vintage feel, and carries some sentimental value, an item like this, whether it’s a car or a software product, can be difficult to say goodbye to. Yet in the case of my trusty old car, I can’t help but wonder what I’ve been missing and what I stand to gain by replacing it with something more modern — the elevated features, capabilities and amenities others are enjoying while I loyally stick with the status quo.

(more…)

The global healthcare crisis has changed the world of work, perhaps forever. Organizations are facing sweeping changes to business continuity planning/disaster recovery requirements, remote working policies, software and hardware investment, data center management, and employee engagement as the world battles COVID-19. This so-called Black Swan Event is the very definition of disruption.

But this disruption varies from industry to sector, to organization. The construction industry sits with empty, non-essential job sites and canceled jobs; architecture and engineering firms are scrambling to find a way of moving into the virtual office; and the hardbound on-prem organization is suddenly rethinking its infrastructure to cope with virtualized working. Even those organizations that have made the cloud and digital investments are facing unexpected stress tests of IT infrastructure and capability.

Andy Knauf, CIO of Mead and Hunt, spoke to AECCafe Voice about how the business managed the disruptive impact of the coronavirus just weeks after completing an IT solution and workstation migration that was capable of handling it.
(more…)

By Jane Wilson, Architect and Owner at E. Jane Wilson, Architect

When I was younger, I thought about becoming an architect. However, sexism in the industry steered me away. After beginning my career in two other male-dominated fields by teaching rock climbing and then working in corporate IT, I thankfully made my way back to architecture, focusing on projects including apartment complexes, educational institutions, offices, to name a few.

I’d like to share advice from what I’ve learned along the way — for women in particular — on how to be successful in the field. It’s time for this tired question to be put to rest: Why aren’t there more female architects?

Embrace the Uncommon Career Path

It’s never too late to join the party. When I was in IT, I was fortunate enough to work in Eastern Europe to develop new offices, companies and factories. When I moved back to the states, I realized what I missed was the actual design part of my job — creating something.

So, I returned to school and graduated from Temple University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a degree in architecture in 2005. I began working in architecture the moment that I started at Temple and, being an older student, I could manage my time much better at this stage in my life. Soon after, I started my own business in 2010 in Pennsylvania before later moving it to Ontario, Canada in 2016.

The point is: it’s ok to have a unique career path and to make a pivot at any time.

(more…)

In A&E, your people are not only your greatest asset, but also your competitive advantage in the marketplace. But, does your firm have what it takes to attract and retain the best and brightest in the industry?

The annual Deltek Clarity A&E Industry report can help. Clarity is an informative snapshot of today’s A&E landscape, with more than 250 participating firms of every shape and size throughout the United States and Canada.

This year, the 37th Deltek Clarity A&E Industry report features a focus on talent management and highlights several challenges faced by A&E firms. One red flag? Employee turnover continues to increase at firms of all types and sizes, with this year’s rate at 13.3%.

(more…)

There are many professions that require fact-based decision-making rather than a gut feeling.

Think about it for a minute. Would you go to a doctor who sent you into surgery but didn’t bother to first run tests to confirm the diagnosis? Do you want a pilot who guesses the best place or time to land? Or a mechanic who takes apart your car before first identifying the problem?

All three of these professions rely on facts to make decisions about how to move forward – and Architecture & Engineering (A&E) firms should as well.

Yet, A&E leaders often make quick decisions based on intuition. If you do the same, you could be putting your business at risk. Decisions based on a gut feeling are simply not viable in today’s competitive and highly data-driven marketplace.

Here are three quick questions to help determine whether your plans are based on fact versus gut.
(more…)