SEPTEMBER 2018
Client shows the world they’re ready for the future HIGH TECH SPACES WITH DIRTT
Got our shoes tied tight & backpacks on! BACK TO SCHOOL WITH A LOOK AT LEARNING SPACES
How much faster are we? SPEED TEST WITH DIRTT PARTNER RJE
SEPTEMBER 2018 Diggin’ It
Time, change and what comes next Geoff Krause
This Saturday started like most of my Saturdays in summer. Woke up early, made breakfast and got ready to head out to the golf course. When I stepped outside, I quickly realized fall was coming much faster than I’d anticipated – it was only 7°C, I was woefully underdressed and there were already leaves starting to turn yellow.
When I joined DIRTT nearly three months ago, I knew it was a company deep in the middle of significant change. I think all successful companies go through something like this at one point or another. For DIRTT, it’s part of growing into our bigger, stronger, even more successful self. Kind of like the painfully awkward adolescent years.
Change was definitely in the air. Sigh. Summer changes to fall. Our children grow up and start their own lives. Things that were once new now need repair or replacement. Vinyl gave way to cassettes which gave way to CDs which gave way to streaming. Businesses adapt, people adapt. You get the picture.
For better or worse, my career has brought me into helping companies navigate the inevitable growing pains. Time and again, their ultimate success is dependent on the quality of the company’s core offering and their people’s willingness to embrace and adapt to an ever-changing world. Each of us reacts to change in our
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own way. It depends on the situation, our perspectives and our values. It’s oftentimes uncomfortable at first, and sometimes it’s flat-out difficult. If it were always smooth and easy, everyone would do it. Of all of the companies out there, we should know better than anyone that change is hard. The cliché stems from truth! Every single day we work with clients who fear that doing something differently is too risky. Because it’s uncomfortable. Because what if it doesn’t work out? DIRTT is built on the knowledge that change is a guaranteed constant and we educate our clients that the best way to succeed is with an open mind. Why wouldn’t we ask the same of ourselves? Heck, it’s even in our name. Doing It Right This Time. It implies that last time wasn’t perfect. The last word in our name is also worth considering. Time.
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An unceasing, unstoppable continuum eternally impacting the world we live in. The circumstances we faced yesterday are different than what we face today and those we’ll probably face tomorrow. So, what was “Right” yesterday isn’t necessarily (and often isn’t) “Right” for today or tomorrow. DIRTT is a revolutionary company with extraordinary potential. You already know this, and I know it, too. Our solutions are ultimately disruptive in the market place and they’re second to none. We have a core of creative, energetic and passionate people. We’ve just barely scratched the surface of an incredibly large and underserved market. All of these things work in our favour. And to capture the opportunity and meet the high expectations we set for ourselves (because we know they’re possible), we need to embrace the simple fact that what got us to
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$300-million in sales is likely different than what will get us to $1-billion. And that’s where a guy like me and our eagerly anticipated new CEO come in. It’s our job to work with you as we collectively determine the processes, systems, disciplines, strategies and investments needed to push us to that $1-billion mark. To challenge the status quo. To ask the “what if” questions. To make those uncomfortable inquiries. I admit sometimes it’ll be painful. Other times, it will be invigorating, inspiring and will bring both personal and professional growth. And through all of this, together we can continue building from the foundation of great DIRTT today and into the extraordinary DIRTT of tomorrow.
weather. Anticipate it, embrace it and plan for it, and you will find yourself ready to watch the leaves turn, ready to marvel at the beauty of the fall, and eager for that first powder run of the year. So, instead of spelling it all out, let’s DIRTT, DIR-Next-T and DIR-the-timeafter-that, and see what amazing things we can create together. Thanks for inviting me on your journey.
Geoff Krause
Like my brisk Saturday morning, there will be that recognition that inevitable change is in the air. Ignore it, resist it or try and hide from it, and you end up being woefully underdressed in that 7°C
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Back to school
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. As students venture back to the classroom, it’s a great time to reflect on some of our favourite education projects. And look at the trends affecting learning environments today. New video case study: CAST Tech
An old 1930s trade school in urban San Antonio turns into a hightech learning place. All for high school students pursuing careers in technology. Schedule is short. List of tech requirements is long. A supportive learning environment is paramount. Watch how the general contractor, designer and school staff work to create the best possible outcome for the students. And see how proud the students are. Stay tuned! After the DIRTT logo there’s a hilarious story of just how proud these kids are.
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On the blog: Expanding education pathways
Community colleges and technical programs are changing perspectives and direction. As learning needs change across North America, spaces need to keep up. As a massive shortage in workers is set to ripple across the country, community colleges are preparing to fill the need. Technical education programs are preparing students for so much more than “dirtbeneath-your-fingernails” kind of jobs. And the perception of these schools is changing too. Learn about the trends that are driving this change. See how DIRTT is supporting education institutions who are supporting learning needs of today. READ
On the blog: Shedding a one-sizefits-all mindset Office spaces and learning environments alike have traditionally been built with a one-size-fits-all approach. The same desk for every student. The same cubicle for every worker. But these spaces don’t work for everyone. In a world of hyper-personalization – think apps on your phone or your personalized Adidas shoes – people like to have choice. So, design trends are shifting. Learn how work and education spaces are READ changing and how DIRTT helps MORE organizations keep up.
MORE
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Project profile: University of San Francisco Completed in 2012, the Learning Commons at University of San Francisco is a welcoming space for students on campus. Limited square footage meant every square inch was at a premium. Highly customized DIRTT millwork maximized space. Writable surfaces amp up function. And, it’s standing the test of time.
SEE MORE
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Project profile: Weill Cornell Medical College
An aging facility and a tight deadline. Yikes! Good thing they found DIRTT. DIRTT Power updated the infrastructure. The latest tech in the walls made for collaborative and functional spaces. Even window sills and radiators in the existing building got SEE MORE special attention. And it was all done in under five weeks!
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Ten years ago this month
We used to be a staple at Toronto’s IIDEX/NeoCon Canada show each September. Back in 2008 we finally got the hang of constructing a full-sized display of DIRTT without having to work through the night! But by then our math started to show we were confusing the market by snuggling up with all the furniture manufacturers there.
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Our sales, as a result of participating, were starting to fade compared to the cost of time and money. In 2010 DIRTT stopped exhibiting at these types of venues. Now we just throw our own show at Connext and co-host with our Partner NMG at the Arab Health Show in Dubai.
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Speed test with DIRTT Partner RJE We know DIRTT is fast. And that speed has been put to the test again! This time by AECOM Hunt’s “Studio H” in Indianapolis. Two groups of contractors were challenged to build nearly identical patient rooms. But there was a key difference – one group was building with conventional construction. The other with DIRTT! Guess how it panned out.
DIRTT easily beat out the competition. And all with the quality and future flexibility of DIRTT. The patient rooms were developed with DIRTT Partner RJE Business Interiors in Indianapolis. READ THE FULL STORY
DAYS DIRTT Conventional Construction
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Did you know…
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DIRTT has worked with
Fortune 500 companies to date.
Fortune 500 is a list compiled annually by Fortune magazine that ranks 500 of the largest US corporations by revenue. DIRTT is pleased to be a part of building these companies’ futures.
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There is a better way to build
Danielle Smith, host on News Talk 770 Calgary, stopped by DIRTT in August. It all started when some DIRTTbags heard her talking about construction woes in healthcare on her radio show. She knew there had to be a better way! So we invited her to DIRTT to see how we do it. And she was blown away!
walk around a patient room and make design decisions before it’s built. Now she’s convinced there this is the better way to build.
Danielle spent an afternoon with DIRTTbags and saw how we’re revolutionizing the construction industry. She experienced the virtual reality lab – exploring a space before construction begins. We showed her how doctors, nurses and clinicians can
bit.ly/2PTwV8s
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Watch as DIRTTbag Julie Pithers demonstrates what makes DIRTT so different in this video by CHQR, filmed during their trip to DIRTT:
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Client creates a game-changing experience center with DIRTT Hanging monitors on drywall with hardwired power wouldn’t cut it.
Known as the world leader in supply chain tech, JDA Software decided it was time to make a space that made a proper first impression. Tom Mulherin, VP of business administrative services headed up the mission. He and the team put it all on the line to turn their Scottsdale, AZ headquarters into a high-tech, high-function, jaw-dropping Client Experience Center they’d call “JDX.” Tom “I want it to told the team he wanted it be like a “be like a spaceship.” to spaceship.”
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“In the technology space, it’s always a race to come out with the next big thing,” says Tom. “We have a lot of very talented people in the company, coming up with new products all the time – we needed a space where we’d be able to showcase the technological lead we have over our competition.” JDA worked with design firm Corgan on previous projects and chose them for the JDX project from the start. The team attended JDA’s annual show to get inside the minds of their clients. “We really immersed ourselves into their world to understand what this Experience Centre had to portray to clients,” said Karah Tennyson, a senior associate at Corgan. It was a complex project with high expectations. In addition to exuding 12
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technology and performing as good as it looked, the JDX had to hit these marks: • Elegant integration of technology; • Long-term adaptability; • Flexible power/data installed an existing building already filled with other tenants; • Initial construction in line with budget and schedule; • Flex-space: “It’s got to multipurpose,” said Tom.
“As technology changes, we need to incorporate it at very little cost.” DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS | Diggin’ It | September 2018
The team at Corgan knew it was going to require unconventional construction. Karah Tennyson said, “Something that offered flexibility to change with technology as it changes.” “We started looking at what was out there to solve all our challenges,” said Tom. “And that’s what brought us to DIRTT.” Trip to DIRTT Calgary Tom reached out to the DIRTT Partner in the Scottsdale area: Corporate Interior Systems, or CIS for short. Together, JDA and CIS made the trip to DIRTT’s Calgary for a deeper dive into the how, what and why of DIRTT. 13
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as the whole team had their goggles on, they realized they were inside the model as avatars. They experienced their first views of what the space could look like built with DIRTT and start developing the design together in real-time.
“Tom’s built workspace for a lot of different tech companies over the years,” said Asa Plum, an architect who works with CIS in the role of DIRTT Champion. “He’s a guy who’s hard to impress. He wants to meet the people on the line, the people actually doing the research and development.” And that, he did. Since tech is the exact thing JDA is a leader in, their physical JDX needed to keep up. Tom set out to learn about how DIRTT could meet their building challenges and support JDA’s mission. The Calgary trip included time in one of DIRTT’s virtual reality sessions. It was a chance to explore and modify the initial designs for the JDX. As soon
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Like all virtual reality experiences, the ICE® software at DIRTT gives stakeholders an immersive 3D tour of their design. What’s different about the platform is it contains the data required for simultaneous and precise pricing, engineering, manufacturing and construction. As the team went from room to room as avatars, they made changes to the design and instantly saw the effect on everything from price to constructability. “Not only was the technology superior to anything else that we have seen, but it was the culture I saw at DIRTT. It seemed akin to the culture we have here at JDA,” said Tom. “We’re very collaborative. We’re always trying the next great thing that’s coming around.”
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Start with the tech The decision was set: DIRTT was it, and the Corgan design team agreed. “I knew in my gut from the get-go that DIRTT was right for this project,” said Karah. JDA had also previously worked with Immedia, a company considered the premiere full-service integrated technology company in the southwest. Their expertise is audiovisual and control systems and low voltage appliances such as network connected devices, access control, building and sound systems. Zach Toporek is a sales engineer at Immedia. “What typically happens to us is, the entirety of the project gets designed, and then right before they start building, somebody says, ‘Oh, wait. We need some A/V,’” explains Zach. “The beauty of this project was that it was very concept driven.” Asa at CIS made Immedia the first team he spoke with to find out what they needed to make the project perfect.
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Immedia used DIRTT’s software to test ideas and receive feedback in the moment. “Working with the DIRTT team was great,” said Zach. “It was just as easy as saying, ‘This is the technology we want to apply in these spaces. Here’s the spec sheets. Here’s an elevation.’” As an example, there’s a 165-inch diagonal display in the JDX board room. “It was like, ‘this is going to move,’ or ‘the dimension of that is going to change.’ 15
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Done!” he continued, as he snapped his fingers. “It was happening in real time in these collaboration meetings.” Keeping up without messing up the place Because the speed in which technology advances and becomes out-of-date is breathtaking, DIRTT is designed and engineered to integrate and adapt to any current, legacy and future technologies. “A lot of times, people sell you something and they say it’s plug and play, but it’s not.” says Tom. “When we saw DIRTT in Calgary we made sure it was going to be something we could maintain ourselves afterwards.” In fact, Tom asked to take apart a wall they happened to pass during a tour of the DIRTT factory. He was handed the tool for the job and set to disassembling and rebuilding it by himself.
pleased they won’t have to tear into drywall when their components need maintenance. “With DIRTT, they pull off a pane of glass in front of the display,” said Zach. “I can get in there, service it. They slap the glass back on. It doesn’t get a lot easier than that.” Integrating with other trades The power and data in the new JDX is easily accessible and adaptable, too. The floor below the JDX is home to a trendy retail store with high tenant improvement costs. So JDA wasn’t approved to core for their cabling needs. With conventional construction, this would have been an issue, but DIRTT’s low-profile access floor was the perfect solution. It also wouldn’t affect ceiling heights or the feel of the JDX.
When technology changes, JDA will be able to cleanly and quickly make the upgrades and finish without disrupting the JDX client presentation calendar. The Immedia team is also DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS | Diggin’ It | September 2018
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The access floor now houses JDA’s plug & play infrastructure. “The raised access floor offered us the flexibility for future proofing the space,” said Karah. The general contractor on the project was Jokake, a Contractor of the Year in the southwest. Even with their experience, the Jokake site superintendent knew this build would require a new kind of thinking. “I actually had to gear up my contractors,” said Carl Politico, Jokake’s site-super. “I told them that this could be the way of the future.” Sub-contractors, including the flooring team at Wholesale Floors, were the first to embrace the new method. Once they got their heads around the different timing. As soon as the access floor is down they go to work, laying the floor finish in a wide-open space, rather than coming in at the end to cut around all the walls and floor boxes. “Our crew’s happier,” says Brad Bergen, Wholesale Floors’ director of sales. “There’s not as much detail work involved. They’re much more efficient in their costs. They make more money. We get to keep our schedule shorter. It’s a win-win.”
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The result The high-tech space includes: • large and small meeting rooms; • tiny private rooms for clients to make calls; • a large reception area; • 12 multi-media walls; • two kitchens; and • a 30-person board room with a DIRTT bespoke ceiling JDA says that by using their new space as a business tool, it’s already a boon for the company. They’re seeing deals closing faster and more excitement in the market. Even when they’re inviting C-level people to Scottsdale, Arizona in the summer – when it’s 110 degrees – JDA uses the space to encourage them to come. “If we had tried to do this project with drywall and ceiling tiles it wouldn’t have had a tenth of the effect that it’s had on people,” said Tom. “One of the comments made to me after the opening was ‘this is going to be a game-changer for our sales force.’”
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In the news DIRTT PARTNER ELEMENT’S RE/ MAX PROJECT WAS FEATURED IN AVENUE ONLINE
WEBER SHANDWICK’S OFFICES – DONE IN DIRTT – WERE HIGHLIGHTED BY INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE
bit.ly/2wyxdsE
bit.ly/2wxWRP3
DIRTT’S HEALTHCARE DIRTT GOT A SMALL NOTE SOLUTIONS ARE NOTED IN THIS IN THIS ARTICLE FROM STORY FROM ENGINEERING.COM TREEHUGGER
bit.ly/2N3vsOq bit.ly/2NcL1DL
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Sharing accolades When a project team is thrilled with the process and the result, it makes everything worthwhile. This is from Senior Project Manager Jaimie Ramirez at SCA Architecture on working with Paula Christiansen and DIRTT Partner Designcorp on a recent project in San Diego: When you are working on secure facilities for defense contractors and everything is on an accelerated schedule you need a team you can count on. I can’t say enough about the DIRTT Team. In short they were on top of it from beginning to end and the result is a very happy client. The DIRTT team, represented by Paula Christiansen was very knowledgeable and made us feel very comfortable by knowing we had made the right choice. With help from Chris Jordan (Designcorp) the design met the standards our defense contractor client required as well as the look and feel our interiors team wanted to convey for the project. Installation of the access flooring and DIRTT wall systems went very quickly and smoothly thanks to the project management experience of Paul Luther (Designcorp) and his installation team. Delivery of all material was on time (all 10 semi-truck loads), communications was extraordinary. If there were any questions the whole DIRTT team was there to answer…including late nights and weekends. […] I’ve tried other vendors for similar access floor and wall systems, but they don’t compare…DIRTT is Better, Faster, Quicker. I’m always happy when the direction is to use DIRTT because I know that the job will be done right and finished on schedule”
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New ICEreality experience comes to DIRTT HQ This August, DIRTTbags and ICEcubes were invited to test out the latest version of our ICEreality lab experience at DIRTT HQ. The ICE team introduced this new version at Connext 2018 to stay ahead of the curve in the virtual world. They didn’t disappoint. It’s now the new standard for what we show clients touring DIRTT Calgary. We held this demo so our employees can talk to the new experience and stay up to speed on the advancements that took place. The response was great. “I know it’s virtual but it felt extremely real. It’s really something from the future.” Kais Bitar, Marketing and Communications DIRTTbag What’s new? While the experience is still a tetherless, multiuser, walkabout scenario, there are some exciting new features that take it to the next level. These updates were made DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS | Diggin’ It | September 2018
to improve the overall client experience; to make it even more realistic, immersive and social. Perhaps the most mind-blowing addition is something that’s removed. Barriers of physical space! “Our greatest addition to the lab recently is the connectivity between all of the locations and the collaboration that is now possible,” says Tyler West, ICEreality developer. People no longer need to be in the same city or space to explore an ICE file together. For instance, team members in Chicago and Salt Lake City can walk through the same virtual mockup that participants in Calgary are walking through. At the same time. You 20
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get to explore the future space together while talking and interacting. This will eliminate the need for our clients to be in the same city as each other to have this joint experience. Another difference is that we’re using new headsets with inside-out tracking. They don’t need external sensors. The result is a crisper and more lifelike experience. It’s blurring the lines from what’s real and what isn’t! We are also experimenting with interacting and making changes to your ICE file from within the virtual world. This could include things like opening doors to changing wall finishes. How is this possible? Participants use hand controllers, which also help them feel stable while they’re walking around. We’re doing this to further show the capabilities of our ICE software and how changes can be made in realtime with all the back-end data being calculated simultaneously. While the ice cream cone avatars are still around, host avatars look more like people. They have puck sensors all over their body that track their skeletons. Someone from the ICEreality team will DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS | Diggin’ It | September 2018
always host your clients with these human-like avatars. If you’re a Rep touring clients in Calgary, we may ask you to get “pucked-up” beforehand so you can look like this too. This was introduced so that individuals can better communicate in the file as they can see gestures and read body language. Lastly, this new version of ICEreality allows people from different types of devices to walk through the same 21
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The stamp of approval A testament to the new experience? We’ve already taken representatives from multiple, leading California tech companies through it and they were equally blown away.
space. Someone using an iPad can explore a space together with someone in a headset in one of our labs. This further removes barriers and allows easier collaboration on projects. “It’s exciting to share the power of the lab experience and see people using this technology to make business decisions. We’re working with technology advancing at an incredible speed and are constantly looking for ways to integrate it into the overall ICEreality experience.” Scott Thomson, ICEreality developer.
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“This is the way of the future. It just makes sense,” said an employee from one of these companies as he was walking through ICEreality. That’s a taste of what you can expect with the new lab experience in Calgary. It really is something you have to try to fully understand the leap this takes. A huge shout out to the Ice Edge team that worked around the clock on this version so we are able to provide our clients with an exceptional experience. One that they won’t see anywhere else. We can’t wait for you to explore it in person. That is, of course, if you come before it advances again! Stay tuned…
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HAVE A STORY THAT SHOULD BE FEATURED IN DIGGIN’ IT? MarComm@DIRTT.net
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