The Construction Record Podcast Warren Frey

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey is in San Francisco with AEC Cares at the Lark-Inn blitz build for Larkin Street Youth Services.
Warren spoke with AEC Cares president and ConstructConnect chief product officer Jennifer Johnson about the challenge of renovating an expansive building in the space of a day, from painting murals to upgrading living and social spaces for 18 to 24-year-old young adults transitioning from homelessness, as well as Larkin Street Youth Services executive director Sherilyn Adams on managing the logistics of helping youth while facilitating over 100 volunteers working on site.
Warren also spoke with Nicki Dennis Stephens, the American Institute of Architects California chapter’s executive vice-president and design team lead Abby Jones about the extensive preparation required to design for a unique space that will undergo a one-day transformation, as well as Cara Warren from general contractor Whiting-Turner about the practical realities of building in the space with many volunteers with little or no construction experience.
You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music’s podcast section. Our previous episode featuring interviews from the Canada Green Building Council’s Building Lasting Change conference in Vancouver is here. You can learn more about AEC Cares at aeccares.com and our story about the blitz build is here. Thanks for listening.

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey talks with speakers at the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) Building Lasting Change conference held on June 1 and 2 in downtown Vancouver.
Warren first spoke with CaGBC president Thomas Mueller about returning to an in-person format after going virtual during the pandemic, collaboration with their American and international counterparts and how the green building movement has grown and changed since the CAGBC was established two decades ago. He also pointed to areas where Canada and other G7 countries aren’t meeting their targets. He also pointed out green building is in a transition phase as the world moves towards decarbonization and praised the Canadian government for its leadership in moving to net-zero buildings.
He also spoke to KingSett Capital sustainability and resilience vice-president Kit Milnes about the increased demand from stakeholders for decarbonization, strategies for companies looking for executive buy-in on sustainability initiatives and the launch of a new decarbonization tool from Kingsett Capital which Milne announced at CaGBC.
You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music’s podcast section. Our previous episode featuring ConstructConnect chief product officer and AEC Cares president Jennifer Johnson speaking about the recent #projectsanfrancisco renewal collaboration with Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco is here. Thanks for listening.
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On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Jennifer Johnson, the president of AEC Cares and chief product officer for ConstructConnect about a renovation project for Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco.
Each year since 2011 AEC Cares has engaged the engineering, construction and architecture communities to spend a day volunteering their services to improve facilities and structures for those in need. The day is tied to the annual American Institute of Architects conference, and this year AEC Cares will be renovating a Larkin Street Youth Services facility  in the city’s Tenderloin district which helps homeless youth who have aged out of the foster system.
Johnson said while the maximum number of volunteers has been reached as has donations for the San Francisco project, financial and material donations are welcome for the next project set for next year in Washington, D.C.
You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music’s podcast section. Our previous episode featuring Document Crunch CEO Josh Levy is here. Thanks for listening.
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On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Document Crunch CEO Josh Levy, who has a background in both construction management and law and now leads a technology company that uses artificial intelligence to simplify contracts for the construction industry.  
Levy explained how AI can be used to make contractual language accessible and understandable to anyone in the industry as well as identify areas of risk for all parties, and detailed both the potential uses of AI while cautioning the need remains for humans to oversee computer-generated output.
He added while currently there is considerable hype over the use of AI eventually that will dissipate and a greater understanding will emerge around the capabilities and limitations of this new technology.
You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music’s podcast section. Our previous episode featuring Alberta construction leaders discussing the recent provincial election is here. Thanks for listening.
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The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 272: The 2023 Alberta election
On this episode of The Construction Record podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Progressive Contractors Association president Paul de Jong, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of Alberta president Mike Martens and Calgary Construction Association president Bill Black about what they want to see in terms of construction industry policy whether the United Conservative Party or the Alberta NDP win on May 29.    
Both de Jong and Martens reflected on some of the policies during the NDP’s previous tenure that worked well with the industry, how construction adapted to the UCP’s victory in 2019 and the subsequent uncertainty after Jason Kenney reigned as leader and was replaced by Danielle Smith.
They also expressed what they’d like to see in terms of future policy whether Smith or NDP leader Rachel Notley take the reigns on May 29, what they’re cautious about in terms of both party platforms. Black added no matter who wins the administrative bureaucracy will remain the same and that industry and government have to work together for the betterment of the province. 
You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music’s podcast section. Our previous episode featuring Marty Beard, the co-founder and CEO of AlwaysAI.co is here. Thanks for listening.
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On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Marty Beard, the co-founder and CEO of alwaysAI, an artificial intelligence company that uses computer vision applications to enhance construction safety and productivity.
Beard, who previously spent time in Canada’s technology sector as the Chief Operating Officer of Blackberry, explained how worksites can track PPE compliance, site security, and tracking real-time project progress. The technology is also scalable so it can be used in large-scale projects like mines and military projects as well as for individual contractors needs.
He also pointed to future challenges such as needing to weigh privacy concerns with tracking worker movements for safety purposes and fine-tuning algorithms so they can adapt to different lighting, weather and other conditions.
You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music’s podcast section. Our previous episode featuring Cement Association of Canada president and CEO Adam Auer talking about Concrete Zero, the Canadian cement and concrete industry’s action plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is here. Thanks for listening.
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