Digital Builder

Technology adoption in construction isn't really about the technology. It's about understanding how people work, solving real problems, and providing tools that teams actually want to use.
In this episode of Digital Builder, host Eric Thomas sits down with Victoria Jones, Principal Digital Developer at Laing O'Rourke, to discuss what she's learned from a career that spans hands-on trades, engineering, digital delivery, and one of the world's largest infrastructure projects. From technology adoption in the field to AI's future in construction, Victoria shares practical lessons on driving change at scale.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why successful technology adoption starts with understanding people, not deploying new tools
How field workarounds can reveal opportunities to improve processes and systems
Lessons learned from Hinkley Point C, one of the largest and most complex construction projects in the UK
Strategies for driving digital adoption across thousands of project stakeholders
The importance of trust, data quality, and strong foundations before scaling dashboards or AI
Where AI is delivering value today and how it could reshape planning, validation, and project delivery in the future
Why construction teams need simple, useful tools that solve real-world problems
How digital skills are becoming more common across project teams and job sites

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas from Autodesk.

Construction has no shortage of technology, but the tools that succeed are the ones that help teams make better decisions with less friction. In this episode of Autodesk's Digital Builder Podcast, recorded live at DevCon in Amsterdam, host Eric Thomas sits down with Caner Dolas, CEO and co-founder of GAMMA AR, to explore how augmented reality is helping construction teams visualize work before it's built, reduce rework, and bring BIM data directly into the field.
Key topics include:
What augmented reality is and why it's more than a tool for verifying completed work
How AR gives field teams visibility into future work and potential coordination challenges
Why GAMMA AR focused on tablets and mobile devices instead of headsets
Common misconceptions about AR accuracy, drift, and alignment
Real-world use cases for AR before concrete pours and during MEP installation
The role of BIM and VDC teams in helping new workflows gain adoption on site
How construction teams across different regions are approaching AR implementation and data sovereignty
Why successful technology adoption ultimately comes down to people, not just software

Whether you're exploring augmented reality for the first time or looking for practical ways to connect BIM data with field operations, this conversation offers a grounded look at where AR delivers value today and what it takes to make new workflows stick.
Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.

Trust doesn't always take center stage in conversations about construction and technology, but it's foundational to how projects, teams, and businesses operate. At DevCon in Amsterdam, host Eric Thomas sat down with Autodesk’s Chief Trust Officer Sebastian Goodwin to discuss why trust matters more than ever in the age of AI, how organizations can build and measure it, and what leaders should do when trust is put to the test.
In this episode, we discuss:
What a Chief Trust Officer does and why trust extends beyond cybersecurity, governance, and compliance
Why trust is a key driver of innovation, performance, and stronger customer relationships
The four factors of trust: capability, reliability, transparency, and humanity
How Autodesk's AI transparency cards helped reduce hesitation around AI adoption
Why construction leaders are increasingly focused on data longevity, stewardship, and responsible AI use
How transparency and communication help organizations navigate uncertainty and build confidence in new technologies
What leaders should do when mistakes happen and how trust is often built during challenging moments
Why customer outcomes should remain the north star when making difficult decisions

In this episode of Digital Builder, host Eric Thomas sits down with Arnoud van der Heijden, Project Manager Digital at BAM Netherlands, and Jelle Schweigmann, BIM Manager at Royal Heijmans, to discuss the NL5, a coalition of the five largest construction companies in the Netherlands. Together, they share how the group is tackling industry-wide challenges around digital transformation, sustainability, standardization, and emerging technologies by focusing on problems that no single company can solve alone.
On this episode, we discuss:
How the NL5 was formed after construction leaders realized they were facing many of the same challenges around technology adoption and digital transformation
Why collaboration gives contractors a stronger collective voice when working with technology vendors and industry partners
How the group prioritizes initiatives by identifying common challenges across thousands of employees and multiple organizations
The role of sustainability, standardization, and data interoperability in the future of construction
How the NL5 helped accelerate product improvements during the industry's transition from BIM 360 to Autodesk Construction Cloud
Why emerging technologies like robotics may require industry-wide collaboration to address regulatory and adoption challenges
How the group balances competition with collaboration by focusing on shared technical challenges instead of commercial interests
Advice for organizations interested in building similar industry coalitions in their own regions or markets

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas of Autodesk.

Construction teams collect an enormous amount of information every day, but much of that data never makes its way into decisions that improve project outcomes. This is especially true for materials and waste data, which is often scattered across paper slips, photos, spreadsheets, and disconnected systems.
Recorded live at DevCon in Amsterdam, this episode of Digital Builder features Brittany Harris, CEO and Co-founder of Qualis Flow, also known as Qflow, and Marta Bouchard, Director of Sustainability Solutions at Autodesk. Together, they discuss how capturing jobsite data at the source can help teams reduce rework, improve accountability, support sustainability reporting, and create more valuable assets long after construction is complete.
The conversation explores why material data so often falls through the cracks, how owners can set clearer expectations around performance and documentation, and what becomes possible when trusted project data supports digital twins, circular economy initiatives, and more informed decision-making. Brittany and Marta also discuss the practical role of AI in helping teams access and evaluate information more efficiently, while still relying on human expertise, curiosity, and judgment.
Key Topics Covered
Why materials and waste data often gets trapped in paper slips, photos, spreadsheets, and disconnected systems
How Qflow helps teams capture jobsite data at the source and turn it into usable information
Why better material tracking can reduce rework, improve compliance, and support invoice verification
The growing burden of sustainability, safety, carbon, and regulatory reporting on project teams
Why owners play a critical role in setting expectations for data, performance, sustainability, and handover
How trusted materials data can support digital twins, adaptive reuse, circular economy efforts, and long-term asset value

Digital Builder is hosted by Eric Thomas from Autodesk.