We Cover Commercial Construction. If you are in commercial construction as an Architect, Engineer, Contractor or Owner, this is the show for you. Hosted by Dillon Mitchell, PE, Founder of Kowabunga Studios
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June 16, 2026Episode 43617 min
#436 - Workforce Development, Prefab & Leadership: What's Coming to the VDS Summit
Dillon gives a preview of what's coming at the next Vertical Design Build Summit — speakers covering workforce development, prefab, design-build, and leadership — before diving into a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a career in the trades. He breaks down the reality behind the "make $300K as an electrician" headlines, what attracts and retains apprentices, and why glorifying the paycheck without explaining the grind does more harm than good. He also talks about career growth from the employer and employee side — how companies can create real learning opportunities, and how individuals can take ownership of their own development. Plus, a great story about a guy who went from painting parking lot stripes to CIO of a $150 billion company.
June 11, 2026Episode 43518 min
#435 - The Grid, the GPUs and the Gap
Dillon connects the dots between the aging power grid, the AI boom, and what it all means for construction. He traces the arc from EV adoption to data center explosion — and why today's power demands from AI infrastructure dwarf anything the grid has faced before. He also gets into the Anthropic-xAI compute deal, SpaceX's looming IPO, and the SaaS valuation collapse, before bringing it back to a grounded point: AI is a powerful tool, but it still can't replace the contextual knowledge, code expertise, and real-world judgment that construction professionals bring every day.
June 9, 2026Episode 43442 min
#434 - Advanced BIM, Automation, AI, and the Future of Construction
Recorded live at the Vertical Design Build Summit 2025, Dillon Mitchell delivers a presentation on AI, BIM automation, and the future of construction. He shares how his firm built automation tools that can place thousands of devices in a 320,000 sq ft building in minutes instead of months, why the labor shortage means technology adoption is no longer optional, and how to actually implement AI and automation without waiting for perfection. Dillon also breaks down a simple three-step system for training your team — record, watch, review — and makes the case that the real competitive advantage in construction isn't just the tools you use, but teaching your people how to think.
June 4, 2026Episode 43314 min
433 - AI Won't Replace You: Construction & Engineering Jobs Are Here to Stay
With AI reshaping every industry, a lot of engineers and construction professionals are wondering if their jobs are at risk. Dillon breaks down why the answer is no — and why careers in construction and engineering are more secure than ever. From the legal and licensing frameworks that require human professionals to sign off on projects, to the fragmented software and data systems that AI simply can't navigate yet, the built environment still needs skilled people to design, coordinate, and build it. Plus, Dillon draws a bigger picture: AI isn't eliminating jobs — it's amplifying what individuals can do and creating entirely new industries in the process.
June 2, 2026Episode 43228 min
#432 - The Infrastructure Behind AI: Power, Data Centers & the Future of Construction
In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon breaks down the massive infrastructure transformation sweeping America — and what it means for the construction industry.Dillon covers:The power grid under pressure — Why the surge in data centers and reshoring of manufacturing is driving unprecedented investment in utility infrastructure, and how FERC regulates rate increases tied to capital spending.Data center geography — Which states are winning the data center race (Northern Virginia, Texas, Eastern Oregon, Nevada, Arizona) and why California keeps losing out to regulation and permitting challenges.The $700 billion AI buildout — How the four hyperscalers (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) are committing historic CapEx, what a gigawatt-scale facility actually costs, and why supply chain — not concrete — is the real bottleneck.Behind-the-meter power — Why major data center operators aren't waiting on utilities and are standing up their own generation (gas turbines, solar, and even small modular nuclear reactors) to turn on racks faster.Battery energy storage at scale — How megawatt-hour battery systems are being deployed at data centers to smooth load swings, support the grid, and reduce utility dependency — and why this is very different from a home Powerwall.The AI compute race — Why demand for GPUs shows no signs of slowing, how Anthropic's revenue explosion illustrates real consumption, and why this infrastructure build likely runs for at least five more years.Construction is hyper-local — A reminder that no matter how big the macro trends are, your personal economy in construction is defined by the geography and relationships where you operate.Whether you're in the trades, engineering, or just trying to understand where the industry is headed, this episode gives you a ground-level view of the biggest construction wave in a generation.
May 28, 2026Episode 4317 min
#431 - Check It Twice: How to Eliminate RFIs and Engineering Failures
In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down the most common failure points in the traditional plan-and-spec process and explains why some projects end up buried in RFIs. He pulls back the curtain on the two sides of the RFI problem — engineering teams that don't allocate enough time or resources, and owners who haven't fully defined what they want before design begins. Dillon walks through how placeholder strategies can keep projects moving even when final details are unknown, and explains why some project types (like custom manufacturing facilities) will naturally generate more RFIs than cookie-cutter builds like chain restaurants or standard hotel rooms. His bottom line: most RFI problems come down to not having a solid checklist and not working through it methodically — so make your list, and check it twice.
May 26, 2026Episode 4308 min
#430 - Big Projects, Big Lists: The Secret to Scaling as an Engineering Firm
In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to manage large-scale construction and engineering projects. He talks about why mega projects are exciting but often come with confidentiality agreements that limit what firms can share publicly, then dives into the real mechanics of handling them — from building the right talent pipeline to leveraging automation tools like the in-house software built at Vertical Design Services. Dillon makes the case that AI is meant to augment engineers, not replace them, and breaks down his core strategy for tackling massive projects: one big, well-managed checklist worked through methodically, one item at a time. Whether it's a 500-room hotel or a large-scale data center, his message is clear — how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
May 21, 2026Episode 4297 min
#429 - Coordination & Clash Detection: How to Build It Right Before You Break Ground
In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down the importance of coordination and clash detection in Revit-based construction projects. He explains how modeling every trade's systems — conduit, duct, pipe, hangers, sprinkler heads, and more — in a shared virtual environment before breaking ground leads to smoother projects, better prefabrication, and fewer costly conflicts in the field. Dillon covers why clashes happen, how a qualified VDC team can eliminate them, and why getting all trades working in the same model is the key to clash-free construction. He wraps up with a simple but powerful reminder: a 30-minute conversation can get everyone aligned and moving in the right direction.
In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon dives into the growing trend of design build projects and why more owners are choosing it over traditional plan-and-spec engineering. He breaks down the biggest advantage — procurement timelines — explaining how getting electrical equipment, switchgear, and mechanical units on order early can shave weeks or months off a project schedule. Dillon also covers how having engineers and contractors working as one team leads to smarter material choices, real cost savings, and smoother execution on the jobsite. He wraps up by examining why design build projects fail, pointing to misalignment between partners, unresponsive vendors, and lack of collaboration as the top culprits.
May 14, 2026Episode 42711 min
#427 - Remote vs. On-Site: Building a Winning Culture in Construction
In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down the pros and cons of remote vs. on-site employees in construction. He makes the case for in-person work as the most effective way to build a strong company culture — especially in the early stages — sharing real examples from onboarding summer interns and going the extra mile for clients. Dillon also touches on how responsiveness and attention to detail, like reconciling lighting schedules on behalf of contractors, are what set great firms apart from the competition.
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