As the struggle for more environmentally-friendly buildings and building processes continues, building technology innovation and the use of building technology has come more squarely into the spotlight in the construction industry. It is no longer solely the architect's choice to use sustainable materials or solely the engineer's choice to use efficient systems. Rather, it is now at the direction of many Owners that all involved parties must work in unison to achieve certain sustainability targets. This now means designers and builders must work together in unison to explore technology that allows projects to achieve low / no-carbon emissions in material procurement, the construction phase, and the asset management phase.
In addition to Owner requirements for sustainable solutions, government grants and subsidies have also and will continue to play a key role in technology innovation. With initiatives coming out of things like the Paris Agreement, COP27, and other similar events, the leaders of the world have a vested interested in the advancement of green technology solutions. As the built environment accounts for roughly 40% of all global emissions, there is no better industry place to invest in technology that can help facilitate carbon reduction.
Understanding this need, built world investors are seeking to capitalize on the many opportunities available in building technology at this time. In a recent report, McKinsey noted that 50% of the technology required for carbon neutrality by 2050 doesn't even exist yet. Understanding the massive technology revolution still required, alongside the growing appetite for users, this space is truly ripe with opportunities for success.
In this panel titled "Climate Tech: The Regulatory Impact on the Built World," we will hear a wide variety of perspectives on the growing building technology market. Aaron, who led a significant portion of starting up Swinerton's sustainability programs in recent years, will provide the contractors perspective on how he and his project teams view sustainability requirements. Guillaume and Mayra can provide perspectives from the investor perspective and how they view the landscape for the tech companies they work with. Finally, Kathleen and Susan can provide perspectives on what it's like running a building tech company, how they have and will navigate the current markets, and what the future holds for them.
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Meet the Panel
Aaron Anderson - Director of Innovation, Swinerton
As the Director of Innovation with Swinerton, Aaron is largely responsible for leading people, process, and technology changes in order to improve the construction process. Aaron was historically in the field, managing projects with Swinerton as well as prior to that during his time with Alexander Nicholson and other builders.
Additionally, Aaron played a large role in gathering and understanding data related to sustainability efforts, ensuring Swinerton was and will continue to be a leader in these efforts.
Kathleen Egan - CEO & Founder, Ecomedes
As the CEO and Founder of Ecomedes for the last 4 and a half years, Kathleen has been busy building a business intended to reduce the cost and impact of our buildings. Kathleen is also a founding fellow at On Deck as well as the Chairman of the Board at The 5 Gyres Institute, a non-profit organization which empowers action against the global health crisis.
With an extensive background in consulting, project/program management, and sustainability, Kathleen continues her efforts to improve our built world.
Susan Stone - CEO, Ubiquitous Energy
The intersection of construction and technology has long been a place Chris has considered home. Through his early pursuits with Builders Plus Construction, Chris developed a thorough understanding of the industry, and began to understand how technology could really make a difference. After experiencing the tech side of the industry with ViaTechnik, Chris went on to be founder & CEO of Grit, a company geared towards providing a 4D solution for procurement, schedules, and work plans.
At his current pursuit, Chris is the current Founder & CEO of Plot, an 18 month old startup aimed at creating a digital workspace to better manage the jobsite.
Mayra Soto - Associate, Building Ventures
Guillaume Bazouin - Head of Startup & Intrapreneurship Programs, Leonard by VINCI
Coming from an extensive background in the construction industry, Mayra is currently an Associate with the Building Ventures team. In addition to her full-time role, Mayra is also involved as a Regional lead for San Francisco City of Women in Construction Tech and a member of Global Women in VC organizations.
Prior to her time with Building Ventures, Mayra was a project engineer and APM with Grupo Grana y Montero, led product at HoloBuilder, and led strategy with Stanley X.
In his current role, Guillaume leads partnerships between Leonard, VINCI's innovation arm, and the startup world. Prior to his 4 and a half years with Leonard, Guillaume was the Director of Product and Innovation at BONE Structure, and a Project Coordinator with The Solutions Project
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