Are you prepared for what the future has in store for the industry? If you're a business owner, are you confident it's prepared? Back in May, Stone World’s parent company, BNP Media, announced a brand-new trade show, AEC BuildTech, which is structured around seeing and learning about new technologies, methodologies and products -- elements that have the capacity to drastically transform the AEC industry. Technology's potential to transform the industry is made possible by its ability to help make projects and the process of completing them easier and more efficient. AEC BuildTech provides a great opportunity to get up close with new offerings and how to implement them on your next project.

New technology affects the entire project team, and that's why AEC BuildTech is a unique event.  It will provide an opportunity for architects, engineers and contractors to learn about tomorrow’s building processes and construction technologies together. More than 20 of BNP Media's AEC and mechanical system brands are taking part in AEC BuildTech, which is happening from April 30 to May 2, 2019, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.

“This is a hideously uncertain business” said Steve Jones, director of industry insights and research for Dodge Data & Analytics and one of two keynote presenters at this year's AEC BuildTech. He explained that the key to ensuring future success lies in what he calls integrating the “silos of excellence.”

“Look at it more like somebody who makes compo­nentry for airplanes or ships," he said. "They’re delivering an entire component that can get assembled. They aren’t just deliver­ing their one little system, and then everybody else has to work around it. We don’t need silos of excellence. We need a rethought integrated workflow system.”

Integration will be a major point of discussion when Jones delivers his keynote address on Wednesday, May 1. Jones’ address will cover how all of these areas can work together in the modeling environment. “One is connecting upstream into the engineering pro­cess. Another is connecting downstream into fabrication,” he said. “You get the trade contractor working with the engineer. The engineer says what they are trying to achieve and asks how to best do it. Let them work that out togeth­er. You have a much higher chance designing it the way it’s going to get built, which leads to greater certainty. So the more certainty you can bring at any of these juncture points the better it is for everybody.”

AEC BuildTech is the event where architects, engineers, general contractors and tradespeople from the roofing, HVAC, flooring and plumbing industries can interact. The show is offering educational sessions from experts in six tracks: building envelope, roofing, flooring, plumbing, general contracting and mechanical systems/HVACR.

More than 80 percent of the conference sessions at AEC BuildTech offer continuing education units, to provide industry professionals with the credits needed to keep their license/certification. So far, 32 different educational sessions have been approved by various organizations, including The American Institute of Architects (AIA), The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), RCI, Inc., The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD), The American Institute of Constructors (AIC), PDHengineer, and BOMI International. To take advantage of the advanced pricing and for more information about the sessions, click here.

“We are thrilled to partner with leaders in the industry and provide our attendees the professional credits they need insix separate tracks focused on plumbing, HVACR/mechanical systems, flooring, building envelope, roofing and general contracting,” said Scott Wolters, chief events officer of BNP Media. “The editors of our publications have secured an incredible faculty of subject matter experts covering important topics for our attendees to gain the knowledge to leverage tomorrow’s building processes and construction technologies.”  

In the Building Envelope Track, speakers will explore the latest in designing for energy efficiency, as well as ensuring the system performs as specified.LiDAR, BIM, 3D printing and artificial intelligence are some of the technologies that will be discussed in these sessions that have been approved for CEUs:

• Assessing Cold-Formed Steel Enclosures vs. Alternative Enclosures
• LIDAR & Mega Projects
• 3D Construction Printing - What, Where, and How?
• Pulse Air Tracing
• Meeting at the Parapet: It was Transition at First Sight
• Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Explore Better Ways to Build
• Leveraging Building Energy Modeling for Optimized Design Solutions
• Opening Doors to Design Opportunities
• Understanding the Value of Performance Testing of the Exterior Envelope of the Building

In the Flooring Track,speakers will focus on the cutting-edge products that are attractive, environmentally friendly, functional and easy to install. The following sessions covering the latest in product developments, as well as design and installation methods, have been approved for CEUs:

Chemistry of Adhesives Used in the Natural Stone Industry

• Chemistry of Adhesives Used in the Natural Stone Industry
• Self-Leveling Technology for Floor Installations
• Designing for Mindfulness
• Two Reasons to Specify Experience on New and Existing Healthcare Projects

We invite you to visit www.AECBuildTech.com to see the full breakout of sessions, including continuing education opportunities, as well as exhibit hall hours and how to register.