Digital Construction Podcast

Andrea Ciaffi
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A podcast about digital technologies for the Construction Industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 35 Years in Digital Construction with John Benstead

    4D AGO

    35 Years in Digital Construction with John Benstead

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/35-years-in-digital-construction-with-john-benstead Host: Andrea Ciaffi https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-ciaffi/ Guest: John Benstead https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbenstead/ John Benstead is the Digital Engineering Manager at School Infrastructure New South Wales, the government agency responsible for planning, delivering, and maintaining over 2,200 public schools serving more than 800,000 students. With a career spanning toolmaking in the UK, large-scale GIS implementation across nine European countries, BIM leadership on major Australian projects, and now five years on the client side of public infrastructure, John brings a perspective that is rare: someone who has seen digital engineering from every angle. If you work in digital construction, public infrastructure, or are thinking about moving from the private to the public sector, this one is worth your time. 00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:50 – Best career advice: understand the problem first 00:04:45 – Career journey: toolmaking to digital engineering 00:08:35 – What working across 9 countries taught about standards 00:10:55 – The real lesson from the CAD to BIM transition 00:15:55 – School Infrastructure NSW: scale, mission, and complexity 00:24:10 – Public vs private sector: what actually changes 00:32:30 – Innovation agenda: standardisation, automation, integration 00:36:55 – How MMC and DFMA are reshaping school delivery 00:40:40 – AI, digital twins, and the future of digital delivery 00:49:05 – Career advice for professionals entering digital construction Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min
  2. PDF is Not Dead with Shanoc Halliday

    APR 28

    PDF is Not Dead with Shanoc Halliday

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/pdf-is-not-dead-the-data-foundation-your-construction-AI-strategy-needs-with-shanoc-halliday Host: Andrea Ciaffi  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-ciaffi/ Guest: Shanoc Halliday  https://www.linkedin.com/in/captainbimcad/ Most construction firms have tools they are not fully using. Not because people are resistant to change, but because the software is deployed without a process built around it. The result is the same pattern everywhere: a few teams doing excellent work, and everyone else operating well below the tool's potential. Shanoc Halliday is a Senior Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Bluebeam, working with large-scale engineering and construction organisations across the globe. His role sits at the intersection of technology and business outcomes, helping firms understand not just how to use their software, but how to align it to what they are actually trying to achieve. In this conversation, Shanoc shares what he sees across hundreds of client engagements: where adoption breaks down, what separates high-performing teams from the rest, and why foundations matter more than features. If your team's digital tool adoption has plateaued, or you are wondering how to build the kind of clean data foundation that makes future AI integration possible, this is a conversation worth your time. 00:00:00 – Best career advice received 00:02:30 – What does a Customer Success Manager actually do? 00:07:25 – From BIM practitioner to CSM: the career transition 00:12:45 – Most common workflow challenges across clients 00:15:40 – How to help clients prioritise digital improvements 00:18:40 – Why Bluebeam remains relevant in a BIM-first world 00:23:40 – Using Bluebeam across the full project lifecycle 00:27:25 – Standardisation, culture, and driving digital adoption 00:32:40 – AI, clean data, and what's next for Bluebeam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
  3. How Deep Space is Empowering Mid Sized Builders with Luke Johnson

    APR 10

    How Deep Space is Empowering Mid Sized Builders with Luke Johnson

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/how-deep-space-is-empowering-mid-sized-builders-with-startup-co-founder-luke-johnson Host: Andrea Ciaffi  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-ciaffi/ Guest: Luke Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukesjohnson/ ✉️ Subscribe to our Free Newsletter for updates: https://digitalconstructionpodcast.substack.com/ Most construction businesses have more software than they can manage. And yet meaningful digital change remains rare. The gap between deploying a tool and getting people to actually use it is wider than most teams expect, and the reasons are rarely about the technology itself. Luke Johnson is co-founder of Deep Space, an all-in-one AI construction management platform built for mid-sized commercial builders. In this conversation, Luke draws on his path from BIM coordinator to software founder to explain why digital adoption in construction so consistently falls short, and what it takes to change that. 00:00:00 – Best career advice: don't fall in love with your creation 00:01:15 – From BIM professional to tech founder 00:03:30 – The founding problem: data silos and communication gaps 00:04:35 – What Deep Space is and why the mid-market is underserved 00:08:40 – Selling tech in construction: trust over features 00:11:10 – State of digital adoption across Tier 1 and mid-market 00:12:40 – Why leadership mandate drives adoption 00:14:15 – Implementation vs deployment: meet users where they are 00:19:55 – Helping clients uncover the real problem 00:20:45 – AI's real impact and what tech is overhyped Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min
  4. From Iran to Australia - Reinventing a Career with Ati Hezarian

    MAR 27

    From Iran to Australia - Reinventing a Career with Ati Hezarian

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/from-iran-to-australia-reinventing-a-career-with-ati-hezarian Host: Andrea Ciaffi Guest: Ati Hezarian Ati Hezarian joined us to share why we must never stop learning and stay curious, as tools and titles will always change. She reflected on her ten-year journey from Iran to Australia, describing the "marathon" of rebuilding a professional network and why she founded the IBASA Network to help others map their pathways. Ati sees digital construction as a puzzle where the real magic happens by integrating people and tools across the whole project lifecycle. As an "automation accelerator," she believes AI and digital twins are no longer optional but are the essential defaults for our future. We dived into her work with Women in BIM, where she advocates for visibility and mentorship to bring more women into leadership. Her advice to everyone is simple: don't wait for the "perfect time" to start; just jump in and stay relevant. It’s a holistic, inspiring look at our industry's transformation that you simply have to hear! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
  5. An AI-Native Tool that is Reshaping Project Reporting with Christian Pallaria

    MAR 13

    An AI-Native Tool that is Reshaping Project Reporting with Christian Pallaria

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/an-ai-native-tool-that-is-reshaping-project-reporting-with-christian-pallaria Host: Andrea Ciaffi Guest: Christian Pallaria Christian Pallaria, Digital Leader at AECOM and founder of WisyPlan, joined me to share how he’s humanizing digital transformation. He reflected on a journey that led to managing mega-projects in Australia. Christian opened up about the "why" behind WisyPlan: the desire to help project managers that struggle with fragmented, unstructured data buried in millions of documents. This drove him to build an AI-native ecosystem that doesn't just plug in a co-pilot but sits at the core to connect costs, risks, and schedules in real-time. His goal is clear: giving leaders time back for their families. Note: His participation at Digital Construction Posdcast is in a personal and professional capacity and does not represent the views of AECOM. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  6. How a University Is Training the Next Generation of Digital Engineers with Julie Jupp

    FEB 23

    How a University Is Training the Next Generation of Digital Engineers with Julie Jupp

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/how-a-university-is-training-the-next-generation-of-digital-engineers-with-julie-jupp Host: Andrea Ciaffi Guest: Julie Jupp Professor Julie Jupp is a leading voice in digital engineering and a director at both buildingSMART Australia and Women in BIM. In this episode, Julie explains why education at UTS prioritizes data literacy and systems thinking over simple software training, helping students navigate the messiness of real-world projects where best practice is often optional. We also discuss the critical mission of buildingSMART and the role of Women in BIM in moving diversity from participation to genuine technical influence. Looking to the future, Julie talks about the rise of connected data environments, AI, and the essential skills required to lead the change. Her final advice for success is to build core principles first and never become tool-defined. This episode is a masterclass in bridging the gap between academia and industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
  7. BIM Lessons From An Autodesk Expert Elite with Gary Cowan

    FEB 8

    BIM Lessons From An Autodesk Expert Elite with Gary Cowan

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/bim-lessons-from-an-autodesk-expert-elite-with-gary-cowan Host: Andrea Ciaffi Guest: Gary Cowan We recently sat down with Gary Cowan, Head of Digital Construction at Kane Group and member of the Autodesk Expert Elite, to talk about his twenty-year journey in the industry. He shared how he applies a manufacturing mindset to MEP delivery, using DfMA to turn construction sites into assembly yards. We discussed his passion for "insanely high" LOD models that drive accurate digital take-offs and his use of the technology to maintain a live source of truth between the office and the site. Gary also delivered a blunt warning against "AI bluffers," stressing that emerging tools are only useful if you have the technical knowledge to know when the machine is telling lies. If you are ready to stop cutting corners and start building with real success, this is the episode for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    57 min
  8. From Automation Leader to Solution Architect at Autodesk with Adam Sheather

    JAN 26

    From Automation Leader to Solution Architect at Autodesk with Adam Sheather

    Website: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com Episodes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episodes Episode notes: https://www.digitalconstructionpodcast.com/episode/from-automation-leader-to-solution-architect-at-autodesk-with-adam-sheather Host: Andrea Ciaffi Guest: Adam Sheather We recently sat down with Adam Sheather, who shared incredible insights derived from his journey, from pioneering BIM consulting to a Solution Architect at Autodesk,. Adam’s philosophy on automation is straightforward: it’s about reducing low-value tasks through a computerised process, not necessarily magic or complex code. A common mistake is focusing on automating "cool" systems rather than tackling the repetitive, boring, but high-impact tasks that truly save time. When building computational workflows, the key is understanding the existing software capabilities to avoid unnecessarily rewriting functions, as complexities usually stem from people and inconsistent business processes, not just the technology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
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A podcast about digital technologies for the Construction Industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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