Five Things You’ll Learn at the Chicago Projects Conference

Get ready to take a deep dive into tech topics such as drones, modular fabrication, machine learning and discover how these innovations are being used on job sites today.

On Thursday, BuiltWorlds’ Chicago Projects Conference will illustrate the way technology is changing the landscape of the building industry by highlighting case studies of technology adoption on well-known Chicago job sites, including McDonald’s new West Loop headquarters, the renovation of the Old Chicago Post Office, and the construction of the massive four-level Starbucks on Michigan Avenue.

An impressive lineup of speakers – including Kevin Bredeson, the CTO of Skendar, and Sean Conlon, the president and co-found of Conlon & Co. – are set to discuss a variety of topics stretching from safety to modular construction. Below are five key insights the conference’s attendees can expect to see at the conference:

Skender and ManufactOn Collaboration  

Skender’s chief design officer Tim Swanson and chief technology officer Kevin Bredeson will be joined by ManufactOn founderRaghi Iyengar to discuss a new vertically-integrated, manufacturing-minded project the two companies are currently collaborating on. This will be the first time the two companies will discuss this initiative. If you are a developer, a designer, a contractor, or really any other player in the industry, you won’t want to miss this rare and early opportunity to hear what it is all about.  

Modular Fabrication 

Skender has made a big bet on technology-enabled, design-led modular fabrication with some big publicity and even high profile hires. What do all these changes actually mean? This may be the industry’s first opportunity to find out, firsthand, from the folks in charge.

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Scheduling and Inspections 

Avvir is one of a number of emerging players that offers the ability to scan projects as they are happening and catch mistakes as they happen. It is pretty amazing that we can walk a project with a scanning device and compare that information with a model to expose any installation mistakes, figure out if a job is behind schedule, or make changes on the spot. As alluring as this prospect is, machines still struggle with identifying items, and we also struggle with creating models with enough detail to make the systems work. Similarly, OnTarget is one of a breed of emerging players in project scheduling claiming to leverage AI and predictive analytics as well as easier and better reporting and assigning of tasks. We’ll talk with Avvir CEO Raffi Holzer and OnTarget CEO Niran Shrest and help attendees figure out where we are today with this technology and how smart the artificial intelligence behind actually is.

Smart Hard Hats and Head Sets 

We have been hearing a lot about smart hard hats and smart eyewear for years now. XOi, GuardHat, and NextDimension are three of the leaders in the field, and members of their upper management are coming together for a comprehensive discussion about wearable technologies and their influence on jobsite safety.

Drones, Drones, Drones 

We all love drones, even if we are still figuring out how to use them for more scanning of sites and marketing videos. We’ll hear from the leading drone manufacturer, two of the industry’s leading software makers, and one of the construction industry’s most aggressive investors in digital technology about where the state of the art is in this technology today and where it is going.


Don’t want to miss out on these great panels and the insights they’ll provide? Then click here to purchase tickets to the Chicago Projects Conference and see the event’s full itinerary.