2025 FutureTech Agenda

Digital Transformation: AI to Increase Efficiency

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is an infrastructure giant in terms of annual construction spend and the high value of the many multi-year projects it launches every year. Its innovations help set the course for the industry. The newly established Digital Transformation Unit leads the transformation within the Engineering Department and through this session, the team will present how the Digital Transformation Program and Framework can be scalable and adaptable to any organizations while sharing a series of case studies, showcasing AI-driven solutions the Port Authority has so far implemented within its Digital Transformation program. This should help bidders understand the Port Authority's project-related digital goals and ambitions, so bidders can better address them in their proposals.

Sadia Janjua
Chief of Digital Transformation
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Sadia Janjua is the Chief of Digital Transformation for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she spearheads efforts to modernize the construction landscape through digital strategies. With over 20 years in transportation and infrastructure, Sadia is an expert in Program/Project Controls, Planning & Scheduling, VDC, and Digital Transformation. Her experience spans collaborations with leading firms like Bechtel and AECOM across ownership, contracting, and construction management roles.

An adjunct professor at both Columbia University and Pratt Institute, Sadia holds a Master’s degree in Construction Administration from Columbia and a Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering from UC Berkeley. As a respected figure in industry circles, she has presented at numerous conferences and earned prestigious recognitions, including ENR’s Top 20 under 40 award in 2024. Additionally, she has expanded her expertise by completing Wharton’s Senior Executive Education Program for Digital Transformation.

Dimitra Karachaliou
Associate Vice President/Digital Transformation Advisory
AECOM

Dimitra Karachaliou is an Associate Vice President at AECOM, where she provides advisory services to clients, specializing in Project Controls and Digital Transformation Program Management. Dimitra spearheads the design and execution of department-wide digital strategies, leverages innovative technologies to streamline project workflows, and promotes data-driven insights to optimize operational performance and deliver client value.
Dimitra has more than 12 years of experience in the AEC industry and holds a Structural Engineering diploma (master’s equivalent) from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a master’s in Construction Management from Columbia University, and a senior executive certificate in Digital Transformation from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a certified Agile Practitioner (PMI-ACP). In addition, she has extensive teaching and mentorship experience, including Columbia University’s Industry Field Studies Course and Center of Buildings Infrastructure and Public Spaces, Professional Women in Construction, and ACE Mentorship New York.

Technology for the Care and Feeding of Digital Twins

Owners are increasingly interested in the real-time digital status information about their facilities, which designers and contractors are collecting for preconstruction planning, scheduling, construction monitoring and risk mitigation, and now -- significantly -- to also support the collection of post occupancy performance and design validation metrics. Stantec Consulting, with its proprietary Stanbot data collection robot, is now working with owners to capture real-time performance data of occupied facilities for better informed operational decisions and improving future designs. As building information models evolve into faithful representations of the day-to-day reality on the site and the facility, keeping the model alive and accurate will take tools, techniques and standards that parenting constructors must master and deliver. Stantec Consulting is on the case and will bring its digital-twin hometeam to ENR FutureTech for a report.

Fusion Energy: There's a New Game in Town

Longview Fusion Energy Systems is pulling together the financing and the design and construction teams to commercialize what looks like the next technology for distributed electric utility generation. Since Longview is prescribing the construction tech foundation for this now, we want to quiz them on the choices being made. This is the future and represents an owner creating something brand new that will need the best-in-class construction tech support, and that's what this owner is scoping now.

Valerie Roberts
Chief Operating Officer
Longview Fusion Energy Systems

Valerie Roberts is the Chief Business Officer/Chief Operating Officer of Longview Fusion Energy Systems, which is focused on making cost-effective laser fusion energy a reality for the grid within the next decade. Longview is differentiated by its proven fusion physics, designs developed in collaboration with major utilities, and robust intellectual property portfolio.
With more than three decades of experience in engineering, project management, business leadership, and corporate management, Roberts has been a key figure in several multi-billion dollar, first-of-its-kind projects delivered successfully around the globe.
Roberts was one of the Project Managers for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, delivering over $800m of scope. With her leadership contribution, NIF is the world's largest and most energetic laser, achieving fusion burn with gain, groundbreaking scientific advancement, and the path to commercial fusion energy. She also contributed to the Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (LIFE) Program, driving the development of a preliminary design for a commercially viable fusion power plant in collaboration with leading electric power utilities.
Roberts has a diverse background in high technology project delivery, having served as the Delivery Director at the UK's Atomic Weapons Establishment, which is responsible for delivering a $6B portfolio of first-of-kind, civil Nuclear Regulated facilities. She also has significant business leadership experience as a Senior Vice President at Jacobs Solutions. Her business experience runs the gamut from running an Oil & Gas Field Services business with a $1.2B annual turnover, and the M&A of more than $5B in deals, to Business Transformation of the Government Services arm of Jacobs, which demonstrated double-digit top-line growth over three years and expansion of the bottom line by more than 150 basis points.
Throughout her career, Roberts has been known for her highly collaborative, mission-driven, inclusive, and value-driven style. Her work spans various end markets, including oil and gas, national/ international security, space, environmental remediation, and, most recently, fusion energy.
Roberts is a member of the National Academy of Construction and the Fusion Industry Association. She serves as a Board Member for the Project Leadership Institute. She has won several prestigious awards, including the NAWIC Outstanding Woman in Construction, Del E. Webb School of Construction Distinguished Graduate, and the Project Management Institute's Project of the Year.

Sound Transit Rethinks Capital Planning With Asset-centric project management

With owners increasingly in the driver's seat on large projects, new tools offer capital project managers to think more holistically about their assets. Learn how Sound Transit and other large owners have been using asset-centric project management to ensure valuable data is collected through the construction process to be delivered to owners at the handover.

Cari Stieglitz
Founder
Kaivolve

Cari Stieglitz is co-founder of consultant Kaivolve and brings global experience with program management start up and governance for large and small programs. She has helped private and public organizations organize project, program and portfolio management processes to support the lifecycle view of capital, small and operational projects, including adaptation of PMI, ISO 21500 and other standards to meet the needs of organizations.

Closing the Change Order Money Pit

The development of advanced 3D design solutions has made project delivery more fluid than ever, a peak of progress, but it has also led to an onslaught of project changes, deepening the change order money pit. General contractors and specialty contractors all have project financial software, yet many still rely on email, Excel, and paper to align stakeholders on what change order risk is outstanding. Webcor Builders set out to break through this inefficient process, reevaluating how it handles change orders and using the Clearstory network to help improve how change orders are tracked and delivered, eliminating onerous manual workflows.

Is It Time to Say Goodbye to the RFI?

Possibilities: Bluesky Island

This session will preview some intriguing new construction technologies still in development. One comes from a Japanese company with a solid record for creating and deploying collaborative robots on job sites. Ken Robotech's next invention is to be a rebar-tying robot for vertical and overhead surfaces in tunnel construction. The company is developing the robot with a Japanese partner and plans commercial launch within the next three years, with field tests planned first in Japan and global locations to follow. The developers' goal is to keep the device simple, lightweight, energy-efficient and low cost. Kohichi Matsui, COO, will tell us where the project stands.
We will also get a status report from Hamzah Shanbari, Haskell's Director of Innovation, where a funded development program, now in its second year, is seeking to process signal interference patterns that show up in ambient WiFi mesh blanketing job sites, when the coverage is degraded by interference with new obstructions. Shanbari's work seeks to use WiFi signal analysis to relate new sources of interference to objects in the project model, and track construction progress by using the arrival of new sources of interference to register when those model objects are put in place. The project is based on Shanbari's beautiful blue-sky idea. We will get a report and stand by for the next couple of years to see if he can pull it off.

Mentoring Meets AI

This session explores how new configurations of tools like AI, machine learning and predictive analytics can change the dynamics of generational knowledge transfer through an ability to "push" context-appropriate company knowledge to users, as planning and execution challenges arise. Modern systems are creating digital mentors of vast experience, whispering proprietary tips and guidance into the next generation professional's ear, based on troves of past project data. Rich Scopelliti, Project Manager at Consigli, will share how his company's approach to using such tools is helping ensure Consigli's next leaders will continue building on the company's intelligence foundations, and end the cycle of data silo creation that otherwise only grows more impregnable with time.

Steve Dell'Orto
Founder
ConCntric

Steve Dell’Orto is a construction industry veteran with more than 26 years of experience. He is the Founder and CEO of ConCntric, which bills itself as the industry's first holistic preconstruction management platform. His mission is to address the future for preconstruction by unifying data, streamlining processes, and empowering teams to make informed decisions. Previously, Dell’Orto was an Executive Officer at Clark Construction, where he identified the need for a centralized platform to address inefficiencies in preconstruction. Beyond ConCntric, Dell’Orto is a Venture Partner at Builders VC and Argonautic Ventures, as well as an advisor to several contech startups. In 2024, he was named to the Maverick 50 list by Builtworlds, showcasing his commitment to innovation, dedication to advancing the field, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

Untangling the Supply Chain With a Bit of AI

The supply chain remains one of the most underinvested segments in construction technology, despite the mission critical role it serves. Unpredictable fluctuations and drifting lead times can upend even the most carefully planned project. Suffolk Technologies will show how working with Kaya AI has allowed them to use artificial intelligence to untangle the web of dependencies that can make achieving supply chain efficiency so daunting. This session will seek to answer if AI is up to the challenge of tackling one of the most notorious sources of delay and costs in construction.

Parker Mundt
Vice President
Suffolk Technologies

Parker Mundt is partner, head of platform at Suffolk Technologies, a venture capital platform funding the next generation of companies solving build environment challenges. Mundt leverages his industry experience and connections to support entrepreneurs’ development and scaling efforts. He also manages BOOST, Suffolk Technologies’ eight-week accelerator program for early-stage companies. Mundt previously held operations and executive management roles at Suffolk Construction, working to standardize operational excellence. He holds a BS in Earth and Oceanographic Science from Bowdoin College.

Window-integrated Envelopes for Affordable Net Zero NOW

Mark Isaacs' company, GS Research LLC, has been developing and testing window-and-wall assembly designs for achieving net-zero-energy results in tiny and micro homes, whose state-funded support Isaacs believes can support a testbed and path-to-market for rapid prototyping of wall and window designs for more ambitious construction, while helping to address acute housing shortages and affordability at the same time.

The rapid prototyping of structures of 120 sq ft or smaller can speed the learning curve for producing affordable, panelized Net-Zero buildings of larger sizes, as permitting and inspection requirements for micro homes are likely to be minimal, freeing innovation, while still addressing occupant health, safety and welfare as prime concerns.

Isaacs' work builds on multi-layer window designs validated by a CalTestBed-funded FLEXLAB installation at Berkeley Labs, as well as DOE-funded Cooperative R&D with Oak Ridge National Labs and Mississippi State University, which produced Near- and Net-Zero Energy CAD and energy models for Accessory Dwelling Units, multifamily stacked flats, townhomes and 4-story hotels to demonstrate how window-integrated envelopes apply to a wide range of Green Template buildings.

Picking Up the Pace of Today's Reality Capture Technology

Rudolph & Sletten and Stantec Architecture are prioritizing on tools that reduce the cost and time it takes to bring high quality reality capture data to customers and the workforce for preconstruction planning, risk mitigation, progress documentation and lifecycle operations. Those efforts are leading -- and succeeding -- in many directions, say VDC leaders at both firms; Ryan Shilling at Rudolph & Sletten at R&S, and Brian Beck, at Stantec. Beck says the growing attraction of digital twins is building pressure to pick up the cadence, improve the quality and reduce the cost of reality capture data acquisition. Stan Khievner, co-founder of R&S's reality capture service provider, Remote Optix will explain how one new technology, "gaussian splat" modeling, may offer a piece of the puzzle.

Deliver This: Transportation Infrastructure Owners Converge on Construction Tech

The Delaware Dept. of Transportation is the lead agency on a multi-year, federally-supported, four-state project to rationalize and coordinate the construction technology requirements of public transportation network owners to ensure that they are getting the data and technology support they all need from the construction industry, today and tomorrow. Now in its second year, the program's results are starting to gel. DelDOT's Construction Resource Engineer Cassidy Blowers is at the heart of it and will tell us where things stand -- and what project bidders need to know.

Private Eyes: Training a Proprietary AI Detective for Your Data Only

Large enterprises in sectors such as engineering, construction, and real estate often possess a wealth of historical data, much of it already in digital form, that can be leveraged to train powerful AI solutions. At the same time, these companies are hesitant to share this valuable data with AI-based startups due to concerns around confidentiality, intellectual property, and competitive advantage., these companies are well positioned to capitalize on this data with increasingly powerful and accessible AI development tools by building in-house AI capabilities. This allows them to maintain full control over their data while developing proprietary solutions tailored to their specific needs. This panel will present three perspectives on this opportunity: Ray Levitt of Blackhorn Ventures, an early-stage Construction Tech VC investor, plus two leaders of DPR Construction, which has made initial investments applying AI to its own data: Eric Lamb, DPR Board Member and Partner in WND Ventures (DPR’s CVC); and Atul Khanzode, DPR CTO.

Eric Lamb
Board Member, DPR Construction
President, WND Ventures

Eric Lamb has had a 40 year career in Building Construction, studying Civil Engineering at University of Virginia before his passion for building steered him towards a master's degree in Construction Management at Stanford University. During his career in construction and engineering, he has combined the best of both worlds. Eric has been instrumental in setting up preconstruction processes and operation systems that continue to serve as a foundation for DPR Construction today. A founding member of DPR's Management Committee for 28 years, he now serves on the firm's Board of Directors. In addition, he is Managing Director of WND Ventures, a Corporate Venture Capital firm for DPR Construction. He is also an active LP in the Blackhorn Ventures and Building Ventures funds.

The Dodge Perspective

Dodge Construction Network is a recognized leader in forecasting the construction economy and conducting cutting-edge research on the adoption, value and challenges of technology usage by contractors, owners and designers. Steve Jones, Senior Director of Industry Insights Research for Dodge will share highlights of Dodge's forecasts for the construction economy and recent research findings on the digital transformation of the industry.

Steve Jones
Senior Director, Industry Insights Research
Dodge Construction Network

At Dodge, Steve Jones focuses on how emerging economic, practice and technology trends are transforming the global design and construction industry. In addition to hundreds of global speaking engagements and numerous articles in industry publications, Steve produces Dodge Data & Analytics’ SmartMarket Reports on key industry trends, which are frequently cited as authoritative references. He has a track record of active leadership in many industry initiatives and serves as a judge for numerous industry awards. Steve received his MBA from Wharton and his BA from Johns Hopkins. Before joining Dodge, Steve was Vice President of Primavera Systems — now part of Oracle. Prior to that, Steve spent 19 years in creative and management roles with top architectural/engineering firms, most recently as a Principal and Board of Directors member with Burt Hill, one of the largest A/E firms in the U.S. — now merged with Stantec.

Field Forward: Driving Vital Data to the Workforce on the Jobsite

The Weitz Company has been adopting and implementing advanced construction technologies for many years. Recently, it has redirected its tech focus to concentrate on pushing out tools and systems that deliver vital project data directly into the hands of field personnel, improving crew performance and reducing costly jobsite conflicts.

Brian Owens
VDC Engineer
The Weitz Co.

Brian Owens is a VDC Engineer at The Weitz Company, where he specializes in managing field solutions to bridge the gap between technology and construction project teams. His deep understanding of the vast array of technology tools available for construction today helps Owens act as a crucial link, identifying the needs of project teams and implementing the most effective technologies to meet them.
Owens holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from BYU-Idaho, where his love for innovation and technology led him to explore mechatronics -- the design and analysis of mechanical systems, such as sensors, actuators, and mechanical structures, which can include anything from robotic arms and automated machinery to consumer products like cameras with auto-focus mechanisms, and, drones. His passion for technology and problem-solving naturally has transitioned into his current role, where he champions the use of advanced tools such as laser scanning and robotics, including Dusty Robotic’s FieldPrinter, which he has implemented on numerous projects. His perspective comes from experience in both mechanical engineering and the practical realities of construction. He understands the challenges superintendents and project managers face and speaks their language, enabling him to effectively advocate for, and implement game-changing technologies in the construction industry.

Tessa Lau
Founder and CEO
Dusty Robotics

Dr. Tessa Lau is an award-winning roboticist who is the founder and CEO of Dusty Robotics. Dusty is revolutionizing the construction industry as the best solution to ensure design integrity in the field through automated layout and a streamlined BIM-to-field process. Prior to Dusty Robotics, Dr. Lau was co-founder, CTO, and Chief Robot Whisperer at Savioke (Relay) Robotics, where she automated hotel delivery and orchestrated the global distribution and management of consumer-facing robots. Dr. Lau was also a member of Willow Garage, the legendary research lab and technology incubator known as one of the most influential forces in modern robotics. Willow Garage is responsible for the creation of an open-source robot operating system that's still being used by academics, engineers, and hobbyists around the world today. Dr. Lau is a frequent speaker at business, technology, and construction conferences and has received numerous awards, including 2023 Construction Dive's Up and Coming Women in Construction, Silicon Valley Business Journal's Women of Influence, SVR's Innovation Award, and the Award for Excellence from the Association of Computer Machinery. Currently living in Silicon Valley, Dr. Lau holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Washington.

Steve Jones
Senior Director, Industry Insights Research
Dodge Construction Network

At Dodge, Steve Jones focuses on how emerging economic, practice and technology trends are transforming the global design and construction industry. In addition to hundreds of global speaking engagements and numerous articles in industry publications, Steve produces Dodge Data & Analytics’ SmartMarket Reports on key industry trends, which are frequently cited as authoritative references. He has a track record of active leadership in many industry initiatives and serves as a judge for numerous industry awards. Steve received his MBA from Wharton and his BA from Johns Hopkins. Before joining Dodge, Steve was Vice President of Primavera Systems — now part of Oracle. Prior to that, Steve spent 19 years in creative and management roles with top architectural/engineering firms, most recently as a Principal and Board of Directors member with Burt Hill, one of the largest A/E firms in the U.S. — now merged with Stantec.

It's Time for an RFP Reset: The Owner's Perspective

Is there anything more misunderstood and yet more ubiquitous in construction than the Request for Proposals? The industry runs on RFPs. Nothing happens without them; Yet there are countless misconceptions and miscommunication between the owners issuing RFPs and the contractors and tradespeople interpreting and responding to them.

It’s time to press re-set on RFPs so that the two sides of our industry understand each other better. It’s also time for our industry to fully understand and take advantage of RFPs as a powerful tool for driving positive change in the industry, in terms of innovation, sustainability, diversity and much more. Owners have tremendous power to drive positive changes, and RFPs are the key to accomplishing that. And by demystifying RFPs, contractors and tradespeople will be able to more successfully align with owners, win more business and become invaluable partners.

AI-Aided Design Review Transforms One Public Agency's Processes

Sound Transit, the Seattle metropolitan area public transit authority, is overseeing a $100-billion, 120-mile expansion over the next three decades. But without funds to hire more people, the staff was falling behind in a design review workload of 4,500 as-built drawings every two weeks. So the agency brought in an AI-based data retrieval system to speed the process. The system can quickly evaluate and collate data for a first pass call on whether designs are within preset constraints, helping the chief engineer make quick "go" or "no go" decisions to release the ready ones for use. Justin Lopez, Design Technology Manager at Sound Transit, says the system has greatly sped up the process, and projects that it will lead to the avoidance of billions of dollars in rework. Lopez and Luke Reeve, principal solutions architect at the AI vendor, TwinKnowledge, will present this case study of how AI is accelerating the authority's design reviews.

Justin Lopez
Manager of Design Technology
Sound Transit

Justin Lopez is a Design Technology Manager with 20 years of experience implementing BIM and 3D workflows on major infrastructure projects. At Sound Transit, he has led the development of BIM standards for $53.8B of light rail expansion and is currently leading their AI integration efforts. His expertise spans the complete project lifecycle, from hands-on modeling to strategic consulting, with a particular focus on creating collaborative team environments and maximizing BIM's potential for large organizations.

A Structured Approach to Construction Innovation

Innovation in architectural, engineering and construction organizations is often haphazard, leaving technology decisions to ad hoc committees or scattered departments. This session will explain how Wesgroup Construction has established a formal innovation function that provides structure and accountability, with a mandate to experiment thoughtfully towards quantifiable goals. Zahnan will explain how the company identifies the most impactful operational challenges— those ugly pain points on the jobsite that impede productivity, reduce certainty, or create unnecessary complexity—and matches them with fit-for-purpose solutions that deliver measurable impacts and improve performance for everyone. This session also explains how Wesgroup is scaling successes across multiple projects with quantifiable metrics, and ultimately transforming company culture to embed a spirit of continuous improvement into daily operations, so innovation becomes part of the organizational DNA.