FuturePlace Interview Spotlight, Tom Brodie

In this exclusive interview with industry leader Tom Brodie, Facade Manager at Richard Crookes Constructions, we explore the remarkable innovations shaping the construction sector. Tom discusses his enthusiasm for technology that enhances transparency in offshore production and sheds light on the evolving landscape of ConTech. He also delves into the transformative potential of collaborative competition, the challenge of technology oversupply, and the promising future of AI and automation in construction. Join Tom at FCON-Tech Summit where we navigate the dynamic world of construction technology to maximise connectivity, collaboration, accuracy and productivity on all projects. 

FuturePlace: The innovation occurring across construction has been phenomenal. What technologies most excite you and why?  

Tom Brodie: The technologies I find most exciting are those which combine technology and systems to provide insight, visibility and transparency around offshore production. We rely on offshore procurement for a lot of materials so being able to see progress and production updates in real time is critical to ensure accurate programming and delivery efficiency.

FuturePlace: How do you see the evolution of ConTech further shaping industry innovation?  

Tom Brodie: Elevating and surfacing innovative technologies is key. Being able to experience technologies in person is so important to building understanding and increasing adoption. Providing an opportunity for industry to showcase what is possible, share insights, network and collaborate provides us with the tools to remain innovative and productive and to collectively advance the industry.

FuturePlace: Do you see collaboration between contractors (co-opetition) being transformational in its ability for the technologies being used by different companies on different projects being able to communicate better with each other?

Tom Brodie: I think the implementation of new and innovative technologies naturally drives industry collaboration. Technology companies are continually absorbing information from various businesses, developing their products based on the synthesis of a range of processes, requirements and challenges. That combination of insights from industry and technology providers is key to streamlining systems and processes. Often those outside the industry are able to identify opportunities or better ways of doing things as they aren’t clouded by the legacy of existing processes or aversion to change.

FuturePlace: What challenges do you see in the industry and how may technology address them?  

Tom Brodie: I see the next big challenge being around technology oversupply in the ecosystem. The innovation boom over the last 5 years has produced a multitude of point solutions aimed at solving and fixing specific issues. I believe the focus now needs to be on continuing to refine and streamline processes through integrating these available solutions. I think companies will focus on leveraging the available technology to integrate and build solutions which work for them.

FuturePlace: What’s next in terms of Digital Transformation and what Innovation excites you about the future of construction technology?  

Tom Brodie: I’m not sure that we fully understand the impact AI and automation will have on our industry in years to come so I think this will be a focus moving forward. Over the next 5 years a lot of manual processes and transfer of information will be phased out and replaced with real time data availability as technology and hardware becomes more accessible from a cost perspective. AI’s impact on the industry will continue to build as we capture more data and understand its capabilities.