Bridging the Gap: Insights & Innovations in Construction

Being proactive in AEC has always been the goal but until now, it’s been hard to achieve at scale. In this episode of Bridging the Gap, host Todd Weyandt is joined by David Spergel of Graitec to explore how AI is reshaping workflows to help project teams anticipate risk, surface intent earlier, and make better decisions across the project lifecycle.

The conversation dives into how shared project artifacts, like drawings and PDFs, are evolving into intelligent layers that connect design teams, project managers, and the field. Rather than reacting to issues after they appear, AI-powered workflows help teams reduce ambiguity, improve communication, and move work forward with greater clarity and confidence.

This episode offers a hopeful, practical look at how AI supports people, not by replacing expertise, but by enabling more proactive, aligned, and predictable project delivery.

You’ll Learn:

How AI workflows are helping project teams shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive decision-making

Why shared project artifacts like drawings and PDFs are evolving into intelligent layers that connect design, construction, and the field

How surfacing intent and context earlier reduces coordination gaps, RFIs, and late-stage surprises

Ways AI improves communication and collaboration without replacing human expertise or forcing new workflows

What proactive, AI-enabled project delivery looks like and why it leads to more predictable outcomes

 

MEET OUR GUEST

David Spergel is an AEC technology leader with deep experience helping design and construction teams improve how they collaborate, communicate, and execute projects using digital tools. His background spans software enablement, workflow optimization, and customer-facing strategy, with a strong focus on how platforms like Bluebeam support real-world project delivery. David brings a practical, people-first perspective to emerging technologies, translating AI and data-driven workflows into clear, adoptable processes that help teams reduce risk, break down silos, and make better decisions across the project lifecycle.

TODD TAKES

AI isn’t a threat. It’s a force multiplier for people.
In AEC, AI isn’t replacing expertise. It’s removing the tedious, time-consuming work that pulls teams away from judgment, creativity, and problem-solving. When the noise is reduced, people can focus on decisions that actually move projects forward.

The industry’s real opportunity is turning shared artifacts into shared understanding.
Drawings, markups, and documents already hold enormous intent and context. When that information becomes easier to interpret and act on, teams spend less time searching for answers and more time aligning across design, construction, and the field.

Better data leads to better conversations and better outcomes.
When information is surfaced proactively instead of reactively, collaboration improves. Fewer misunderstandings, fewer late surprises, and clearer accountability create momentum toward predictability, trust, and stronger project delivery.

 

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Bridging the Gap Website

Bridging the Gap LinkedIn

Bridging the Gap Instagram

Bridging the Gap YouTube

Todd’s LinkedIn

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

Graitec North America

Graitec North America LinkedIn

Autodesk’s Website

 

Other Relevant Links:

David Spergel’s LinkedIn

Prefabrication only reaches its full potential when it’s treated as a system, not a shortcut. In this episode of Bridging the Gap, we explore what it really takes to scale prefab beyond one-off projects and into a repeatable delivery model.

The discussion dives into how standardization can unlock flexibility, why prefab strategy must be defined early, and how digital tools like BIM, automation, and emerging AI capabilities can enable more predictable outcomes. We also unpack one of the biggest challenges facing industrialized construction today: owning and managing data across the full lifecycle.

If you’re thinking about prefab as a long-term strategy—not just a construction tactic—this episode offers a grounded, practical perspective.

You’ll Learn:

What “systematizing prefab” means beyond standardizing components

Why repeatability is the key to scaling prefab successfully

How early decisions shape prefab outcomes downstream

Where digital tools truly add value in prefab workflows

Why data ownership and lifecycle continuity remain major gaps

How standardization can support customization rather than limit it

 

MEET OUR GUEST
Our guest is a leader working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and industrialized construction. With a background spanning marketing, IT, systems engineering, and modular delivery, he brings a unique perspective on how prefabrication can improve speed, quality, and predictability—especially in highly standardized environments like healthcare. His work focuses on building the process infrastructure required to make prefab repeatable, scalable, and digitally connected.

TODD TAKES
Prefab Only Scales When You Stop Treating It Like a Project
Prefab falls short when it’s approached as a one-off solution instead of an operating model. The real breakthroughs happen when organizations step back and think in terms of delivery strategy, repeatability, and long-term systems. When prefab becomes infrastructure rather than an experiment, speed, predictability, and quality follow.

Standardization Doesn’t Kill Flexibility, It Enables It
There’s a persistent myth that standardization leads to cookie-cutter outcomes. In reality, a strong standardized foundation creates more flexibility, not less. When the core system is consistent, teams can adapt interiors, workflows, and use cases to real-world needs without reinventing the wheel every time.

Digital Tools Matter, But Ownership Matters More
Construction has no shortage of powerful digital tools. The real gap is ownership and continuity of data across the lifecycle. Without clear responsibility for the digital thread from design through manufacturing and operations, handoffs break down and value gets lost. Technology enables scale, but systems thinking makes it sustainable.

 

More Resources 
Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow up our social accounts.

Bridging the Gap Website

Bridging the Gap LinkedIn

Bridging the Gap Instagram

Bridging the Gap YouTube

Todd’s LinkedIn

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

Graitec North America

Graitec North America LinkedIn

Autodesk’s Website

 

Other Relevant Links:

Grant Geiger’s LinkedIn

EIR Healthcare Website

How can AI actually help construction teams make better decisions (without adding complexity or losing the human element)?

In this episode of Bridging the Gap, Todd Weyandt sits down with Shelley Copsey, CEO of FYLD, to explore how AI-driven insights are transforming safety and decision-making in construction. Shelley shares how FYLD helps teams move beyond lagging indicators and manual reporting by turning frontline data into actionable intelligence, right when it matters most.

The conversation dives into why predictive safety is the future of construction, how real-time insights empower workers instead of policing them, and what it takes to build trust when introducing AI on the jobsite.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How AI turns frontline construction data into real-time, actionable insights

Why predictive safety beats reactive reporting every time

How to introduce AI in a way that builds trust with field teams

What “human-centered AI” really looks like in construction

MEET OUR GUEST
Shelley Copsey is co-founder and CEO of FYLD. In her role, she leads a scaling company empowering major infrastructure companies to drive highly efficient field workforce operations, driven by data and enabling each and every day's operations to be safely delivered to plan. She has over 25 years of experience in the intersection of physical infrastructure and digital technologies, as well as the human transformation required to deliver on the promise of emerging technologies.

TODD TAKES
Digital Powers Better Job Operations
Technology isn’t just about automating tasks—it’s about creating smarter, safer, and more productive job sites. With real-time data, teams can anticipate risks, streamline workflows, and deliver higher quality outcomes without the traditional trade-off between speed, safety, and cost.

Tech Supports, Not Replaces, People
AI and digital platforms work best when they elevate the workforce, not replace it. Technology puts power in the hands of field teams, giving them visibility, communication, and support that strengthens trust and culture across the organization.

From Blame to Lessons Learned
Construction has often defaulted to a blame game when delays or incidents happen. But the real transformation happens when mistakes become learning opportunities. By capturing and analyzing data, companies can reframe setbacks into insights that improve planning, execution, and safety for the future.

 

More Resources
Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow up our social accounts.

Bridging the Gap Website

Bridging the Gap LinkedIn

Bridging the Gap Instagram

Bridging the Gap YouTube

Todd’s LinkedIn

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

Graitec North America

Graitec North America LinkedIn

Autodesk’s Website

 

Other Relevant Links:
Shelley’s LinkedIn
FYLD

As we wrap up 2025, Todd Weyandt takes a step back to reflect on what this year really taught the construction industry beyond the buzzwords. From the shift away from tech hype toward real-world application, to why culture and leadership matter more than ever, this solo episode connects the dots between the lessons of 2025 and the trends shaping 2026.

If you’re wondering what’s coming next and why it matters...this episode is for you.

More Resources
Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow up our social accounts.

Bridging the Gap Website

Bridging the Gap LinkedIn

Bridging the Gap Instagram

Bridging the Gap YouTube

Todd’s LinkedIn

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

Graitec North America

Graitec North America LinkedIn

Autodesk’s Website

Technology was supposed to make construction faster, smarter, and more efficient but in many cases, it’s added friction instead of removing it. In this episode, we explore how the right technology, paired with the right culture, can eliminate inefficiencies and unlock real innovation across construction businesses.

The conversation dives into why technology should exist to serve people, not the other way around, and how contractors can rethink adoption to focus on problem-solving, creativity, and long-term impact. This episode challenges the idea that construction is “slow to innovate” and reframes what meaningful innovation actually looks like in the field and the back office.

You’ll Learn:

Why technology should remove barriers, not create new ones

How to align tools, teams, and culture for real impact

Where inefficiencies hide and why fixing them matters more than adding features

Why construction innovation depends more on mindset than software

How the next generation of contractors is reshaping the industry

MEET OUR GUEST
Connor Watumull is a construction technology leader focused on improving how contractors operate by eliminating friction in the systems that support their teams. With a background in software and engineering, Connor brings a practical, people-first perspective to innovation—one rooted in solving real problems, not chasing shiny tools. His work centers on helping construction businesses build stronger teams, operate more efficiently, and create lasting impact in the communities they serve.

TODD TAKES
Tech Should Clear the Path for People
Technology isn’t the end goal—it’s the means to free people from repetitive, manual tasks. When tech removes barriers, it unlocks creativity and problem-solving, which is where construction teams thrive. The best technology makes life easier, not harder.

Right Tech, Right Problem, Right Culture
Adoption only sticks when the technology solves the right problem and is supported by the right culture. A shiny new tool without cultural alignment or clear purpose will just create friction. Success comes from pairing practical solutions with a culture that embraces innovation.

Fix the Inefficiencies First
Construction is built on solving problems, but inefficiencies—especially in the back office can slow progress. The mindset should be to constantly seek out gaps, pain points, and bottlenecks, then apply technology to close them. That’s where true progress happens.

 

 More Resources
Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow up our social accounts.

Bridging the Gap Website

Bridging the Gap LinkedIn

Bridging the Gap Instagram

Bridging the Gap YouTube

Todd’s LinkedIn

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

Graitec North America

Graitec North America LinkedIn

Autodesk’s Website

 

Other Relevant Links:

Connor’s LinkedIn

Miter’s Website