Utah Con-Tech Lunch & Learn Wrap-Up

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Two of the biggest developments in construction technology were on full display at the Utah Con-Tech Lunch & Learn: data sharing and integrations.

The event, sponsored by busybusy, Big-D Construction, APiO, and BuiltWorlds, focused on digital solutions pushing the con-tech space forward, and how contractors and subcontractors can use these products to make their operations quicker and more efficient.

“I’m not a technology guy, I’m a contractor, so if you want to talk about sticks and dirt, I’m fine,” said Alan Bott, one of the event’s attendees. “But when we start talking about technology, I feel like I jumped into the middle of the ocean and don’t know which way to swim.”

Hosted at the Salt Mine Productive Workspace in Sandy, Utah–where both busybusy and APiO have offices–the Lunch & Learn aimed to demonstrate digital solutions used to help create smarter job sites, with specific examples of how these products are being utilized on actual projects.

Tom Lineen, executive vice president and general manager of APiO, a finance technology company that assists GCs and their suppliers and subs by integrating core software systems and providing automated cash flow solutions, spoke about the importance of integrating programs across business functions to avoid working in silos.

“The foundation of APiO is integration with accounting systems,” he said. “Integrating with all core systems together to provide automation and improved performance.”

After Lineen’s presentation, APiO’s CEO, William Borghetti, took to the stage with APiO customer and CEO of Schmitt & Company Construction in Napa Valley. Eric Schmitt, spoke about how APiO is already helping the company deal with cash flow challenges that usually crop up with subcontractors.

“APiO is really something that is going to help us win jobs,” he said. “The innovation provided by APiO is really allowing us to bring in the best subcontractors. Cash flow is a big deal for these guys, and most of them are pretty strapped for cash, so are leaning on us for payment.”

Based out of St. George in Southwestern Utah, construction data analytics platform busybusy was also featured prominently in the event. Troy Guevara, busybusy’s Solutions Engineer & Construction Management Coach spoke about the importance of collecting data from job sites, and how busybusy helps construction companies do that. Guevara cited a PlanGrid study indicating $177 billion is lost in the AEC industry because of “non-optimal” activities, and a lot of this money is lost because of “a gulf” that exists between a business’s office and the employees in the field.

“Data is useless if it’s sitting in a foreman’s book or in the back of an employee’s pickup truck,” he said in his presentation. “The information needs to back to the office.”

Once shared effectively, this data–such as time and equipment tracking, can be used to see daily profit loss, accurate budget numbers, and safety issues. busybusy is also integrated with Procore and a number of accounting programs, so this data can be transferred for many different uses.

busybusy will put this practice to use during the development of Tech Ridge, a new mixed-use tech development that is about to break ground in St. George. The 160-acre development is the result of a partnership between the city government, busybusy, and fellow tech company PrinterLogics. The hope is that their focus on tech business spaces and amenities will  draw a younger demographic to St. George, as opposed to having millennials flee the city for the sake of Silicon Slopes or Silicon Valley.

“What do we do to make a better work culture and environment?” asked Isaac Barlow, the CEO of busybusy and board member of Tech Ridge LLC. “Being the entrepreneurs we are, we said ‘Let’s create one.’”

Tech Ridge’s development will be facilitated by busybusy and its data solutions technology. The entire project will be paperless so that data and information can be shared fluidly and easily.

“The number one enemy of smart data is paper,” Barlow said.

The event was capped off by a presentation by BuiltWorlds’ own Sam Huffman, who spoke about some of the network’s most exciting members operating in the construction tech space.

“This was a great resource for me,” Bott said as the event wrapped up. “Moving forward, I know that I need more technology and a way to implement it.”

This article was brought to you in partnership with busybusy. Learn more about them here. To get more information about Tech Ridge, such as how to submit a proposal to help with the construction of the development, click here.