2023 CONSTRUCTION TECH EXPO

2023 CONSTRUCTION TECH EXPO

BY MEG GINSBERG, MANAGER, TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

GBCA was thrilled to welcome members and the public to its sixth annual Construction Technology Expo. Hosted at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, the expo, which is the only one of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic, brought together industry professionals to learn about the latest in construction technology. According to recent survey, the construction industry was ranked the least technologically competent among surveyed industries, falling behind automotive, manufacturing, supply chain and healthcare. Staying on top of the latest trends in construction technology is at the forefront for our membership and the construction industry at large, making the Construction Technology Expo more important than ever.

Drones, Data and Tools Highlight Exhibitor Attendees

A record 300+ people registered to attend the event, providing them front-line access to the latest and greatest technology in the construction industry. As one of only three GBCA sponsored events that is open to the public, the expo treated attendees to a full day of speaker sessions, an exhibit floor and a networking happy hour. Attendees, a mix of members, building trades apprentices and post-secondary students studying construction, had access to live demonstrations, giveaways and hands-on activities. The expo also provided an excellent opportunity for networking and for construction companies to get in front of potential clients.

On the exhibit floor, 25 exhibitors from both the Philadelphia region and across the country presented new technology currently changing the construction industry. Booths such as Microsol Resources, Autodesk and Milwaukee Tool were popular destinations for attendees seeking a dynamic and informational presentations about key industry topics and trends. Several exhibitors hosted giveaways, enticing participants with new Apple Air Pods, gift cards and more.

The AI Revolution Isn’t Coming, It’s Here

The speaker series featured industry leaders and speakers from all over the country. Topics included the latest industry news, trends, problems facing the construction industry and exciting new technology.

Gene Marks, president of The Marks Group PC, and Johnny Maghzal, head of product development at Togal.AI, each discussed how game-changing technologies like ChatGPT and AI will impact the construction industry. A GBCA Technology Committee member noted Mark’s keynote really set the tone for the rest of the day. As AI becomes ultra-prominent in every facet of our world, the construction industry is starting to catch up and realize the importance of adapting to new and improving technologies.

Ryan Rowbottom, incident response manager at PCS discussed how to prevent ransomware and data breaches in construction and steps to recover lost information. Jay Snyder, president at Big Blue Innovations gave a presentation on technology trends within the U.S. construction industry. Jay walked us through the impact of federal monetary policy, industry innovation and market pressures to provide an economic outlook for the GBCA region and the opportunities that will be available to contractors.

The speaker sessions concluded with a panel discussion on the Future of VDC for Philadelphia's Construction Industry, which presented current tech innovations using several different perspectives simultaneously. The panel included GBCA members from Gilbane Building Company, INTECH, Turner Construction Company and Skanska USA Building Inc. The panel also included a representative from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

An Educational Happy Hour

Attendees also had the opportunity to attend the networking happy hour which included drinks and hors d’oeuvres, as well as taping of ZenTek Consultants live podcast.

Following the expo, ZenTek offered a three-part virtual education series focused on Microsoft 365 tools for the construction industry, digital dashboards & facilities controls with Bluebeam Revu and construction analytics presented by James Coppinger.

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, events like Construction Tech Expo will continue to serve an integral role in the growth of the industry.