Matthew Lien

There is a fundamental flaw in how we implement construction tech... Like this poorly generated AI image of a bridge under construction, we completely disregard the foundation and attempt to build top down. Over the last few weeks attending industry events, I've lost track of the amount of times it was said, "we built the plane while we were flying it." I get it, you need to move quickly to avoid a long, expensive implementation, but brute-forcing tech into a constantly moving target creates nothing but headaches and disjointed processes. The end result? Each and every time it was a spreadsheet with dozens of tabs working to amalgamate (word of the day) a story. While many see the spreadsheet as the newest way to make the best decision, it is held together by bailing wire and a prayer as people work behind the scenes to manually update tabs and chewing into any possible ROI. Just like any project you are going to build in the physical world, tech implementations must begin with the foundation. Standardized data, detailed processes and a platform that can enforce quality and integrity. That's how to properly begin a contech implementation, and that's how to set yourself up with a quality system that will last. Kahua, build better. Honestly though, how is that bridge standing? #enablinginnovation #capitalprojects #contech #construction #projectmanagementsoftware

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Dallas-Fort Worth to Gain $3 Billion in Data Centers from Prime Data Centers Exciting developments are underway in Dallas-Fort Worth! Prime Data Centers is set to revolutionize the region's tech landscape with a substantial $3 billion investment. This move will add six cutting-edge data center buildings, significantly bolstering the area’s technological infrastructure and economic growth. **Project Breakdown:** - **Fort Worth Expansion**: Three expansive two-story facilities near Aledo and Chapin School roads. Each will span 267,000 square feet, with a projected cost of over $1.5 billion. Construction starts in September 2024, with completion expected by early 2026. - **Garland Development**: Another set of three facilities located along Arapaho Road. This part of the project will also cover 267,000 square feet per building, costing more than $1.3 billion. Construction begins in July 2024, wrapping up in early 2026. **Why This Matters:** Dallas-Fort Worth already hosts more than 5.6 million square feet of data center space, and this expansion cements its status as a premier data center hub. The strategic location, ample land, and cost-effective environment make it a magnet for tech investments. **Regional Impact:** This expansion is not happening in isolation. Other major players like Aligned Data Centers and QTS Data Centers are also making significant investments in the region, further reinforcing Dallas-Fort Worth's position in the global data center market. For more details, check out the full stories on [The Real Deal](https://lnkd.in/gTXGqFbc), [Yahoo Finance](https://lnkd.in/g9kqcP77), and [Dallas County Press](https://lnkd.in/gB7bHZqM). #TechNews #DataCenters #DallasFortWorth #PrimeDataCenters #Investment #EconomicGrowth

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Texas cities are struggling with limited water supply and rising rates. Here's 3 practical things you can do as a city leader. 1 - Identify Real Water Loss The average Texas city loses 10-12% of the water it pumps out before before it ever hits the meter. Completing a water loss study to quantify losses and potential solutions to mitigate can save money and reduce strain on water supply and rates. 2 - Encourage Conservation Before mandatory restrictions, what can you do to encourage conservation? Consider incentives for smart irrigation controllers and low flow fixtures, community education campaigns, and other initiatives to encourage better use of water. Short term it may cut into W/S revenue, but long term it makes your city a better, more affordable community. 3 - Gather and Analyze Data As more and more cities adopt Advanced Metering Infrastructure, the availability of data on when and where water is being used is increasing exponentially. Understanding this data and how to leverage it to identify areas of water loss, excess usage, etc. will focus improvements on where they have the most impact. As Texas grows, water is going to continue to become a topic of conversation in communities throughout the state. Get ahead of the curve with Holistic Utility Solutions.

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Want to know one of the biggest benefits of #leanconstruction for real estate investors? Predictable project cost and schedule. Here is an example of a developer in Texas. He bought a 90 unit multi-family complex that he needs to renovate. Using Takt, we determined that he needed 5 trades to go into each unit to complete the work. We decided on a 3 day takt for the project. Here is the math of the project. 1) There are 90 zone which represent 90 units. 2) The first unit will be completed in 3 x 5 days (15 work days) 3) After the first unit, one new unit will be completed every 3 days 4) At any given time, the team is only working on 5 units at a time. This leaves the remaining 85 units useable for renting. 5) The total project duration is expected to take 15 + ( 89 x 3 ) = 282 working days. 6) Because the developer knows the turnaround time and how long each unit takes to complete, he has a reliable financial model of his cash flow. He knows exactly how much he will spend each month. 7) The takt model allows him to focus on the transition days. He can do QAQC before the trades move. After 1 month he has a good understanding of the exact date they will be finished. 8) Lean processes allow him to worry less about the project and focus more time and attention on getting more deals. So yes, that is the math for a multi-family developer. Lean Construction, in this case just takt, allows them to have high accuracy in their cost and schedule. They know precisely how long their project will take based on the zones, number of trades, and the takt time. It is all mathematical and efficient. They can make a lot more money with a reliable cash flow model and spend their time getting more deals rather than worry about their construction project. So if you are a real estate developer, why haven't you tried lean design and construction? The math looks very good. Too good to ignore I would say.

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"In order for prefab to work, you need buy-in from the top." This is something I've heard from peers, suppliers, and software vendors. And they're wrong. This belief stems from experience. When a lower-level leader tries to implement change and test new ideas, they sometimes get shut down by upper management. Demoralized, they throw in the towel. Conversely, some have found that when upper management buys in, they can push through until they connect with true believers and finally establish traction. From an organizational standpoint, that statement has merit. But personally, you should not take that as your excuse. Instead, I think the words of Jocko are much more relevant when he says that the job of a leader is to lead up and down the chain of command. Every leader has a bubble of influence around them: their own scope of work coupled with their relationships, charisma, and ability to articulate complex thoughts concisely and impactfully. If you want prefab to work, identify what you can do within your personal abilities, execute that in an impactful manner, and share your experiences with others. Where you are in the chain of command is beside the point. I worked with a guy who was a foreman on a project. He identified possible prefab items, set aside workspace on the job site to execute repeatable work, and tracked efficiency gains. He is now the prefab supervisor at his company. Things didn't change right away, but slowly over time, despite naysayers, by executing well, he made forward progress. Don't wait for your company to magically reorient or for all the dinosaurs to die off. You can make forward progress. *image is AI generated #prefabfriday #construction #bim #prefab #motivation

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Cody Baird, Austin Business Journal. Sansone Group has started a nearly 1.4 million-square-foot industrial development called Austin Hills Commerce Center in East Austin. Located near Tesla's gigafactory, the project spans 134 acres and will be completed in three phases, with the first phase expected by mid-2025. It aims to accommodate various manufacturing and distribution needs. Sansone Group's interest in #Austin is driven by the area's population growth and strong industrial market, especially with suppliers for companies like Tesla and Samsung. #industrialdevelopment #austin #easttexas #sansonegroup #tesla #realestate #construction #austinhillscommercecenter #populationgrowth #manufacturing #distribution #streamrealty #burtonconstruction #principalassetmanagement #coldstorage #industrialmarket #texasbusiness #economicgrowth #teslasuppliers #commercialrealestate

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I used to do estimates for a general contractor- I now work at Bluebeam- here are the 3 things I would have done differently. I had access to Bluebeam,  but I admittedly had no idea what I was doing with it. My main job was VD&C Manager (see last Monday’s post for 3 things I’d do differently in that role) But in the cyclical nature of construction- I wore different hats. Today’s hat - estimator. I’d usually be given 1-3 divisions to tackle- (the easy stuff) Admittedly, this wasn’t my favorite. I also didn’t want to learn a new software. So I would take these tasks as opportunities to figure out how to do things faster within Bluebeam.  And I made some cool progress :) Now this is what I would do differently- and what I felt like an absolute magician doing! Visual Search This will ALWAYS be my favorite feature. FOREVER and ALWAYS You can search for text or for IMAGES (!!!) I’d do this on tags, or specific elements relating to the division I was taking off. You wouldn’t believe the number of times the door schedule and tags didn’t line up correctly. WHAT I WISH I KNEW: You can automatically highlight the count selection (by clicking the thunderbolt) and add a count. -you can also automatically hyperlink to a cut sheet or other sections of the drawings. Custom columns Hear me out-  You’re heads down trying to finish your “quick” estimate-  Someone walks into your office and asks you a question- You just lost your spot. I wish I had created a custom column, that was a checkbox for my own backcheck. (oh yeah and custom columns would have been handy to run a calc within the markups list instead of exporting to Excel a million times) Compare Documents This happened one time- I had completed a signage takeoff…  it was Friday afternoon… and I got a revision. I actually printed one document and  held it next to my screen as I compared the new and old version  (yes I’m embarrassed to share this). What I should have done - run a quick compare documents- Find the updates (if any)  Update the takeoff… Enjoy my weekend! Like this? I’ll be cycling through all my past roles and sharing what I wish I knew that would have saved me a ton of time! Check back next Monday for what I’d do differently within my document management workflows! In the meantime- what should an estimator know within Bluebeam? PS- curious how I pivoted from Construction to Bluebeam? Comment “pivot” below and I’ll send you all the details!

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New engineering rule . . . ALL projects in Hawaii or Puerto Rico REQUIRE an onsite I once froze my butt off outside of Scranton PA in the dead of winter during an inspection and definitely have no interest in repeating that one. Yet, that inspection I went to in San Diego was one I wouldn't have minded staying at for a few more days before and after that actual inspection. You can decide if you want to go to those middle of nowhere or freezing cold places. However, I think we all agree that places with gorgeous beaches and sunshine almost continuously should require an onsite (fully expensed, of course) Considering all of the remote technologies we have today, maybe this is more than just a pipe dream #TheEngineeringMentor #SRENgineringAndConsulting #engineering #engineers #mentoring #engineeringlife #onsite #inspections Btw, I'm an open networker, so don't be shy if you want to reach out to follow/connect

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💎 Austin-based Ironspring Ventures raised $100M to invest in the industrial revolution #Venture 💻 The Austin, Texas-based firm raised $100 million for its second fund to focus on industrial startups. This is a noticeable increase from the firm’s $61 million debut fund that closed in 2021. This latest raise enabled the firm to hire its first principal, Colleen Konetzke, and a head of platform, Stephanie Volk. The firm plans to invest Fund II into 20 startups, backing four to five companies a year. The industries Findley is referring to include: manufacturing, construction, transportation and energy. The firm backed 16 companies in its first fund, including Solvento, a payments infrastructure startup for trucking companies in Mexico; OneRail, a last-mile logistics startup; and Prokeep, a communications platform for distributors, among others. “What we saw back then was as true as we see today,” Ironspring co-founder and general partner, Ty Findley told TechCrunch. “There is a big gap in the venture industry that deeply studies and has genuine GP market fit with these industrial markets and can help them navigate a pretty challenging go-to-market [process]. 💻 “We are seeing more top-tier tech and innovation talent flood into these industries,” Findley said. “Whether they are recirculating from recent tech unicorns, or just other tech talent that simply wants to make a big impact on their career that’s not based on photo sharing or adtech or chasing the next crypto coin, that is what the macro trends are.” 💻 GoodShip is a good example of this. The freight orchestration and procurement platform was started by former operators at Convoy. Ironspring co-led the firm’s 2023 seed round alongside Chicago Ventures and re-upped at the Series A earlier this year. Ironspring being based in Austin is an asset, Findley said, due to where they invest — a narrative that conflicts with how many others in the venture ecosystem view the once emerging tech hub. Findley said that many of the industries the firm is focused on have history in Austin, and with Tesla moving its headquarters there and the recently approved $6.4 billion awarded from the infrastructure act for

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#WorkforceWednesday: 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥 On TikTok, the hashtag #bluecollar drew 500k posts in the first four months of this year, up 64% over the same period in 2023. TikTok says that posts hashtagged #electrician increased 77% over the same time, with #constructionworker and #mechanic posting similar jumps. This trend is not just a social media phenomenon, but a real-world shift. The number of students choosing to pursue vocational education in community colleges has seen a significant rise. In fact, it increased by 16% last year, reaching its highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking such data in 2018. According to ADP data, the pay for new hires in the construction industry now exceeds the pay for new hires in professional services like accounting. Skilled trade influencers are also working to overcome decades of stereotypes where workers in these fields were often viewed as grease monkeys or limited to low-end careers. “There’s this idea that most welders are kinda dirty, like at a muffler shop,” says Chloe Hudson, 31, who works as a welder for Joe Gibbs Manufacturing Solutions in Huntersville, N.C. She adds, "But the reality is far from these stereotypes. Welding delicate skeins of metal into airships, as I do, is a highly skilled and precise job that requires a lot of dedication and expertise." Hudson, whose Instagram posts show her welding with full makeup and mascara, describes her workplace as “the Taj Mahal of welding.” Her goal: Show women it’s OK to be feminine in a male-dominated industry. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e5b94NKg

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Howdy, Nate!🤝 Nate Theodore is a new VDC intern getting exposure to the #ConTech side of our industry! Coming from Texas A&M University, he is excited to gain new experiences and solve something new every day. His favorite quote goes, “You are never too old to set another goal or dream another dream.”💭 #DreamBig #VDC #PolkNationYeti #BestPlacesToWork #ConstructionManagement #ConstructionScience #MechanicalEngineering #Internships #DominateElevateWin #ConstructionInternships #PolkNationCareers #PolkNationInterns #GigEm

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Planning to create distinct zones within your residential models? Walkthrough your floor plan using our LED walkable screen, and visualize Distinct zones for relaxation, entertainment and everyday living! #1to1plans #construction #dallas #texas #floorplans 

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Transportation planners have a new idea about how to take on congestion as Dallas-Fort Worth’s population grows: elevated autonomous cable cars that riders can hail on demand. Five North Texas cities — Dallas, Arlington, Plano, Frisco and DeSoto — are vying to become the first in the U.S. to pilot the novel transportation system known as Whoosh. The system consists of electric vehicles that resemble conventional aerial gondolas but use autonomous technology to move along an elevated network of fixed cables and rails. The concept comes from Swyft Cities, a project that was born at Google but was spun out as an independent business aimed at innovating transit. By Amber Gaudet #Transportation #Dallas #DallasTransportation

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🚀 Just 13 Days Until the C3 Workforce Development Conference – Register Now! 🚀   🛠️ Attention Construction and Education Professionals! Are you ready to bridge the gap between vocational education and the construction industry? Don’t miss Elvia Quintanilla, CEO of Texas Technical Trade School, at the upcoming C3 Workforce Development Conference.   🎥 Session Highlight: "From Classroom to Construction Site: Ensuring a Seamless Transition for Craft Professionals" Join Elvia as she delves into: Navigating Challenges & Opportunities: Understanding the transition from vocational training to real-world construction jobs. Collaborative Strategies: How educational institutions, workforce agencies, and construction companies can work together for success. Focus on Mentorship: The importance of skill alignment and on-the-job training to foster career readiness.   🌟 Why Attend? Industry Insight: Gain valuable perspectives on integrating educational outcomes with industry needs. Network with Peers: Connect with other professionals dedicated to advancing the construction workforce. Actionable Solutions: Learn practical strategies for creating effective partnerships and smooth transitions for new workers.   ⏳ Time is Running Out! Only 13 days left to secure your spot at this essential industry event.   🌐 Don’t Miss Out! Register Now! Click here to join us: https://lnkd.in/gAPx2inW   🔗 Spread the Word: Know someone in the construction or educational field who could benefit from this session? Tag them or share this post. Let’s work together to ensure a successful future for the next generation of craft professionals!   #C3Conference #WorkforceDevelopment #ConstructionEducation #ProfessionalGrowth #ConstructionIndustry

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Are Bentley Systems successful because they were founded by Engineers? 🛠 Did KATERRA fail because their Founders weren't from Construction? 🏠 Bhragan and I have a chat about the differences in personalities, understanding construction nuances, and problems that come with being a non-construction Founder... Link in comments ⬇ #contech #digitalconstruction #aec

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