Keynotes
Prof. Dr. Antti Ainamo
Associate Professor of Interaction Design, Computer Science, University of Tartu
Academic visitor, Civil Engineering, Aalto University
"Data-driven business modeling in the construction industry"
Bio:
Antti Ainamo is Associate Professor at Sandbox, Computer Science, University of Tartu. He also serves as Academic Visitor at Civil Engineering and Adjunct professor in the School of Business at Aalto University. His earlier positions include those at Stanford, Oxford, London Business School, and Tongji universities. An organizational researcher, his work spans diverse topics, including AI and the Finnish construction industry and Angry Birds and the global video-games market.
Information about the presentation:
Transforming construction-industry to be more data-driven than earlier isn't straightforward. Fitting digital tools such as machine learning and AI in with traditional building methods and incumbent business models isn’t easy. Integrating different kinds of systems on a large-scale basis is problematic. This presentation explores a new and perhaps improved way for data-driven business modeling in this context. Start with small teams and experimental projects, then showcase the success of any such team and project. Professionals in the industry will look very closely at every showcased success story, specifying how is it that AI and machine learning fit in as business models and tools within the construction industry. Diffusion of data-driven business in construction accelerates when non-professionals in the industry develop a fear of missing out.
Photo by: Ágnes Katalin Nagy
Prof. Dr. Eleni Chatzi
Chair of Structural Mechanics & Monitoring, ETH Zürich
President, European Academy of Wind Energy
"Re-engineering Infrastructures as Cyber Physical Systems"
Bio:
Eleni Chatzi is a Full Professor and Chair of Structural Mechanics and Monitoring at the Institute of Structural Engineering of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering of ETH Zürich. She currently serves as the President of the European Academy of Wind Energy (EAWE). Her research interests include the fields of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), hybrid modelling for digital twinning, and data-driven decision support for engineered systems. Her work in the domain of self-aware infrastructure was recognized with a 2016 ERC Starting Grant award, the 2020 ASCE Huber Research prize, the 2020 EASD Junior Research Prize in the area of Computational Structural Dynamics, and the 2024 SHM Person of the Year award.
Information about the presentation:
Cyber-physical systems integrate sensing, computation, control and networking into physical objects and infrastructure, allowing for inter-connectivity, interaction and reactivity/resilience. This talk elaborates on the use of monitoring and physics-enhanced twinning technologies as a means to recast our engineering approach as one that regards structures and infrastructures as animate cyber physical systems. We offer a view to establishing augmented twin representations, capable of offering an oversight on the operation of critical systems, allowing to represent operating structures "as-is", to anticipate performance under future stressors, and to advise on preventive and remedial actions.
Prof. Giuseppe Carlo Marano
Chair of structural design, Politecnico de Torino
"Generative AI on AEC industry"
Bio:
Giuseppe Carlo Marano is a renowned structural engineer with international recognition for his research and expertise structural optimization of new or existing buildings and bridges, identification and and bridges, identification and characterization of bridges and and structures, and seismic protection.
He is full professor and chair of structural design at the Politecnico di Torino, and he is a world expert in the practical application of artificial intelligence and machine Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques in structural engineering.
He is currently the director ofARTISTE (ARTificial Intelligence in STructural Engineering) and is organizing an International Center for AI in Structural Engineering at Fuzhou University.
Author of more than 300 international scientific papers, his work revolves around establishing an international research center on the topics of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning as applied to structural engineering.
He participated in several European project-funded research projects as a COST Action TU1406 “European standardization of quality specifications for roadway bridge” (Italian delegate) or the Rice Project ADDOPTML (Italian PI) to support a network to create and test an holistic machine learning aided optimum design-manufacturing process of civil structures by developing strong synergies among a multi-disciplinary team of academic experts and SME.
Currently, he serves as the Project Leader for the National Relevant Research Project (PRIN) titled ”Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Seismic Risk Reduction of Structures” (AI-SUST)
Information about the presentation:
In this keynote, we will explore the transformative potential of Generative AI in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The integration of this cutting-edge technology marks a pivotal point in the design process, setting the stage for profound changes in how projects are conceived, analyzed, and delivered.
A key focus is on AI's capabilities and its potential application in a native human design process, emphasizing its ability to generate advanced, optimized, and innovative design solutions previously considered unachievable. An important point is also to evaluate how this technology enhances the capabilities of engineers and designers. It provides them with powerful tools to push beyond traditional design boundaries.
The transition from established methodologies - often resistant to change - to AI-driven practices will be explored, and the clear benefits of this shift will be enumerated, including increased productivity, improved quality, and increased cost-efficiency. This keynote will also underscore that while we are in the early stages of this technological evolution, the implications for structural engineering and the broader AEC sector are profound.
Stjepan Mikulić
Founder and CEO, Ai in AEC
"3 Pillars of AI Implementation"
Bio:
Stjepan is the founder of AI in AEC, a company which educates architects, engineers, and construction professionals in the practical use of AI. Although young, this company has gained clients in 54 countries across the entire globe! Before embarking on his solopreneur journey, Stjepan has worked as a Constructing Architect at Europe’s largest engineering practice Sweco, and as a Project BIM Lead in the world-renowned architectural studio BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). Stjepan’s main piece of work is the world’s largest database of AI tools for the AEC industry called the AEC AI Hub, accessible to everyone for free and recognized by more than 20k LinkedIn professionals.
Information about the presentation:
In his presentation, Stjepan will cover the 3 aspects every firm faces when trying to implement AI – the why, the how, and the what. He will introduce some incredible AI tools and practical ways to implement them both as an individual, but also as a company, helping people become more productive, save more time, and get a technological skillset they will surely need in the future.
Tuomas Syrjänen
Co-Founder, Chair of the Board, AI Renewal, Futurice
"Challenging the conventions of the construction industry with data & AI"
Bio:
Tuomas is a co-founder, former CEO and currently chairperson of Futurice and is now also heading Futurice’s data & AI powered knowledge work transformation program. He also helped shape Futurice’s non hierarchical culture of trust, transparency, freedom and responsibility resulting in Best Place to Work in Europe award ‘12 & ‘13.
Outside Futurice, Tuomas is a board member at publicly listed companies Vaisala, and WithSecure. In addition, Tuomas is the vice-chairman of Flow Technologies – a tech company transforming the construction industry from custom craft to tech enabled industrial assembly paradigm and board member of Vastuu Group.
Information about the presentation:
Technology enables change, by removing traditional constraints or creating new capabilities. But if we just put it in front of our existing ways of working, it will rarely create change on its own.
To get real impact, we almost always need to challenge & change ways of working, processes, roles, mindsets – sometimes even operating and business models & the whole industry paradigm, too. We need to think in terms of 10x - e.g. speed, granularity, & cadence. We need to help people to succeed better in their work with the help of technology. All these make the technology driven performance transformation very human endeavours.
