12:00 – 12:45 PM Sign-In & Lunch

• Attendees settled in and connected with fellow professionals over lunch before the sessions began.

12:45 – 1:00 PM Welcome and Introductions

• The event began with a warm welcome and introductions, setting the stage for a collaborative and insightful experience.
  • Jean-Michel Blottière – CEO & Founder, RealTime Community
  • Austin Reed – Director Creative Media Studio, AVP, HNTB
  • Reeti Gupta – Senior Special Projects Lead, Futures, HKS

1:00 – 1:30 PM Foster + Partners: From Real-Time to Real-World: Shaping AEC with XR and the Metaverse

• Speakers:
  • Charles Willcocks – Partner – Visualisation
  • David Gillespie – Associate Partner – Applied Research + Development, Forster + Partners
• This session provided an overview of how Foster + Partners had been at the forefront of real-time technology within the AEC industry. Attendees gained insights into their strategic use of cutting-edge visualization tools and bleeding-edge development on the latest XR hardware technologies. The presentation showcased how they shaped the future of spatial environments, creating hybrid spatial tools that offered innovative opportunities for collaboration while bridging the boundaries between the digital and the real.
• Key Takeaways: 
  • ➤ Understanding of the practical applications of realtime technologies, moving beyond the theoretical to direct application. Shared pioneering applications of XR and metaverse technologies to enhance design processes and collaboration, bridging the digital and physical realms.

1:30 – 1:45 PM Q & A

1:45 – 2:05 PM WSP: GIS: The Foundation for All AEC Projects

• Speaker:Mark Kauffman – Technology Lead, Visualization & Data Intelligence, AVP, WSP

• Historically, GIS (Geographic Information System) has been a secondary aspect in AEC projects, often managed separately and only loosely integrated with project data. As we move from traditional plan sets to digital models, the role of GIS has shifted significantly, becoming the cornerstone of contemporary digital delivery workflows. This session explored the critical role of GIS (Geographic Information System) in integrating geospatial and non-geospatial systems throughout the project lifecycle. Attendees learned how GIS, once a secondary aspect in AEC projects, had become the cornerstone of digital delivery workflows. The discussion emphasized the importance of GIS in planning, design, construction, and asset management and how it enables the creation of effective digital twin environments.
• Key Takeaways: 
  • ➤ Better understanding of Geospatial and how its critical in tying projects together
  • ➤ Highlighted the critical role of GIS in integrating geospatial and non-geospatial systems throughout the project lifecycle.
  • ➤ Emphasized how GIS enables digital delivery and digital twins to streamline planning, construction, and asset management.

2:05 – 2:30 PM Q & A

2:30-2:50 PM HNTB:Digital Storytelling in Realtime for AEC Design

• Speaker: Dave Willard – DTS Principal Technologist, Immersive Media Team Lead, HNTB
• This session demonstrated how HNTB used real-time gaming engine development to support design data visualizations for large infrastructure projects. Attendees learned about the multiple data sources used to quickly build real-time 3D environments and how these environments enhanced internal design processes as well as client and public understanding. The presentation concluded with an introduction to an innovative 3D quality control tool integrated into real-time environments for enhanced stakeholder collaboration.
• Key Takeaways:
  • ➤ Demonstrated the transformative use of gaming engines to visualize infrastructure projects for design, client engagement, and public understanding.
  • ➤ Introduced innovative real-time quality control environments for enhanced stakeholder collaboration.
  • ➤ Understanding the multiple data resources for Rapid 3D Viz environment Builds

2:50 – 3:15 PM Q & A

3:15 – 3:30 PM BREAK

3:30 – 3:50 PM Morphosis: Designing for the future: Harnessing Intelligent Digital Processes 

• Speaker: Kerenza Harris – Director of Advanced Technology and Associate Principal, Morphosis Architects
• Attendees explored the dynamic integration of architecture with real-time technologies, where the design process is embedded within a digital computational and organizational matrix. This matrix serves as the nexus for all physical and digital interactions, allowing processes to unfold both within and beyond its bounds. While the design process traditionally follows a linear path, centralizing digital models within this matrix introduces flexibility, enabling multi-directional timelines and real-time adaptations. By embedding intelligence in digital spaces and architectural geometry, we can address complex global and local challenges with enhanced control over design solutions. Participants discovered how real-time technologies are revolutionizing our approach to architecture, empowering us to innovate with greater precision and responsiveness.

• Key Insights:

• • ➤ Explored embedding intelligence in digital models to allow for real-time adaptability and dynamic architectural solutions.
  • ➤ Discussed the integration of computational design processes for addressing complex challenges in the built environment.

3:50 – 4:20 PM Q & A

4:20 – 5:20 PM Fireside Chat: Standardizing Technology to Stop Chasing and Start Utilizing in Production

• Panelists:
  • Mark Kauffman – Technology Lead, Visualization & Data Intelligence, AVP, WSP
  • Dave Willard – DTS Principal Technologist, Immersive Media Team Lead, HNTB
  • Kerenza Harris – Morphosis – Director of Advanced Technology and Associate Principal, Morphosis Architects
  • Austin Reed – Director Creative Media Studio, AVP, HNTB
  • Mateusz Gawad  – Visualization Regional Director, HOK
  • Moderator: Reeti Gupta, Senior Special Projects Lead, Futures, HKS
• This engaging discussion focused on the urgency of standardizing tools and workflows to improve interoperability and collaboration on large-scale projects. Panelists shared insights on AI integration, immersive visualization technologies like VR, and the application of Digital Twins for quality assurance and control. The session highlighted the benefits of moving away from chasing new tools and toward maximizing the potential of existing technologies..

• Key Insights:

• • ➤ Focused on the urgency of standardizing tools and workflows to improve interoperability and collaboration on large-scale projects.
  • ➤ Discussed AI integration, immersive visualization (VR), and the application of Digital Twins for quality assurance and control.

5:20 – 5:45 PM Closing Remarks

• The event concluded with closing thoughts, key takeaways, and a preview of the future of real-time technology in AECO.

6:00 – 8:00 PM Happy Hour and Dinner (Local Eatery and Drinking Hole)

• The day ended with dinner and drinks, providing opportunities for further networking and invaluable discussions among top-tier professionals.