Feeling the pressure of 9 straight quarters with a decline in total revenue, Caterpillar has acquired the equipment sharing startup, Yard Club, to get help dig themselves out of the dirt. Their most recent quarter was the company’s first positive revenue quarter since November of 2012.
Read moreExoskeleton Suits Promise Lower Fatigue, Higher Productivity for Construction Workers
I’m a firm believer that before robots start taking over construction jobs, we’ll first be working with robotics to make workers more efficient and our job sites more functional. Instead of using 3D printing robots to build an entire project, why not use them first to create intricate details and bring character back to buildings? Instead of pushing human labor out of the way, why not use robotics to enhance the abilities of our workers, to improve their health and productivity? With rise in development commercial exoskeletons, workers will soon be able to harness additional strength by just slipping on a suit.
Read moreYou Can Now Pre-order Tesla’s Solar Roof Tiles and Calculate the Total Cost
Last year, Tesla announced a new disruptive product to the market in the form of solar roof shingles. Unlike traditional solar roof panels, these shingles mimic the look of traditional terra cotta, clay, and slate tiles, creating a more aesthetically pleasing look. This week, the company began taking pre-orders for the roof shingles and also released a cost calculator.
Read morePlace Your Vote for the Best Construction Podcast of 2017
The nominations have been received and now it’s time for podcast fans to submit their vote for the Best Construction Podcast of 2017. All 4 of this year’s nominees are worthy contestants and offer uniquely different perspective and great information. To view previous winners, check out our 2015 and 2016 results!
Why do we have such an interest in construction podcasts? Podcasts link people with specific interests. You no longer have to settle for the same news, traffic, and weather segments over and over again. You don’t have to worry about large corporations controlling content behind the scenes. It's all substance and, chances are, you can find a podcast that completely fits your interests. Another great thing about podcasts is that they're on demand, so you can listen when you can and not miss half of a show because you weren't in your car at the right time. Simply download them and listen on your phone or tablet whenever you feel like it.
Check out the 4 finalists below and submit your vote before June 1st at 11:59:59pm PST! As a reminder, a full year ad placement on our website is up for grabs, so your vote can help these podcasts grow their fanbase!
The Finalists
ConTechTrio
The 2016 Best Construction Podcast contest champion is back for round two. Since the “Trio,” which is comprised of Rob McKinney (@conappguru), James Benham (@JamesMBenham), and Josh Bone (@BIM2theBone), first started their podcast in early 2016, they made an immediate impact on the platform. All 3 hosts are part of the JB Knowledge team, which created products like Smart Bid Net, Smart Compliance, Smart Reality, and Smart Insight.
Each episode features discussion around latest construction and technology news stories, as well as a special guest from around the industry, including many from construction technology companies, like Procore, Autodesk, and PlanGrid.
You can catch new episodes of the ConTechTrio podcast on a weekly basis by visiting their page on Spreaker. Each episode typically runs between 45 minutes to an hour.
The Lien Zone Podcast, hosted by Miami Construction Lawyer Alex Barthet (@thelienzone), is making its second appearance in the contest. Each episode, Barthet gives great legal tips for contractors in order to help them get paid and create better construction documents. Recent topics have included “Does Your Contract Need to Be in Writing to be Enforceable?” and “Claims, Bonds, Insurance – What You Need to Know.” Recent episodes have been around 10 minutes in length, so you can gain some valuable legal insight without making a large commitment. To listen to The Lien Zone podcast and view all the past episodes, click here.
Barthet also runs a great blog on The Lien Zone’s website and has contributed several guest posts on Construction Junkie.
After a hiatus from last year’s contest, Anthony Booths’ The Contracting Coachcast (@anthonybooth) is back in this year’s contest. Now up to a whopping 700+ episodes, this 5 episode per week podcast features a large variety of topics to help contractors’ build their businesses. Recent episodes have covered insurance requirements, safety, communication, and leadership.
Each episode is around 15 minutes and can be found directly on the Contracting Coach’s website.
This year’s newcomer to the contest and our only mini-series is Andrew Weinrich’s Predicting Our Future (@andrewsroadmaps). In this series, Weinrich, a self-described “Serial Entrepreneur,” dives deep into the latest innovations of single and multi-family residential construction. Less of a talk show and more of a scripted and edited feature on each topic, each of the six episodes of Predicting Our Future includes audio clips from industry experts on each topic.
Each episode runs for around 30 minutes and can be found on iTunes and directly on the podcast’s website. Weinrich has also been selected as the keynote speaker for the 2017 Professional Builder’s Housing Giants Conference, which takes place on October 18th and 19th in Paradise Valley, AZ.
Submit Your Vote for Best Construction Podcast 2016!
The voting booth will be open until 6/1/17 at 11:59:59pm PST, so cast your vote and share with your friends to help your favorite podcast get some great notoriety!
Featured
[VIDEO] MIT Shows Off 3D Printer That Can Print a Structure in 14 Hours
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is constantly researching ways to improve construction process and materials, like this material 10 times the strength of steel, or this solar cell that’s lighter than a soap bubble, or this “reversible concrete.” This time the Institute is showing off its autonomous robot that can spit out building structures on site within hours.
Read moreWashington DC Contractors Add RFID Tags to Worker’s Hard Hats to Track Whereabouts
Tracking employees instantaneously is a dream scenario for employers. It gives them tons of data to analyze to determine where money can be saved and where resources can be placed to be most efficient. The struggle is convincing the employees that tracking their every move is not going to get them in trouble or fired. There’s a balance in there somewhere and that’s the challenge facing both employers and tech companies right now.
Read moreCool Tools: Cordless Hard Hat 360 Degree Light Attachment
Two of the most critical concepts of construction safety are the ability to see what you’re doing and to also be seen by others around you. Construction workers rely heavily on their employer providing lighting systems when working in low light conditions, but those systems are not always adequate.
Read more6 Ways to Convince Construction Field Staff to Embrace New Technology
There’s no doubt that the construction industry is behind when it comes to technology, but things are beginning to change. In the past few years, our industry has seen millions of dollars poured into new technology, including smartphone apps, advanced construction materials, and advanced safety equipment. One of the struggles –and perhaps the main struggle- with introducing new technology to the field staff is that many of them have been managing their jobs the same way for a long time. It can be difficult to convince them to change, especially if they have been successful with their current process.
Read moreNominate Your Favorite Construction Podcast for Best of 2017!
It’s that time again to begin Construction Junkie’s annual search for the best construction podcast! Last year, newcomer to the scene ConTechTrio took home the crown for best podcast and they’re continuing to make waves on the platform, with interviews with heavy hitter guests from the world of construction each episode. 2015’s winner was Cesar Abeid’s Construction Industry Podcast, but unfortunately there have not been any new shows released since August of 2015.
read on to nominate your favorite podcast
Read moreWorld’s First Modular Plastic Bridge Debuts in UK
One of the most challenging issues with modular construction, of any kind, is the sheer size and weight of many of the components that need to be transported and lifted in place once onsite. That presents a specifically tough situation for jobsites that are not easy to get to. Arup, a design, engineering, and consulting team in the United Kingdom, has developed and successfully implemented what they say is the “world’s first modular glass-fiber, reinforced polymer bridge.” You may remember Arup from their testing of a “living wall” scaffolding cover that we wrote about last year.
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