Engineering Influence from ACEC

The Market Edge – Designing for Resilience

In this episode of the Market Edge podcast, we connect the dots between policy, planning, engineering, and financing to reveal what it truly takes to build resilient communities in an era of growing risk.
Our conversation explores how public and private sector leaders can collaborate to reduce vulnerability before disaster strikes. We dive into the role engineers play not just in rebuilding after crises—but in shaping smarter systems, influencing policy, and guiding investments that strengthen communities for the long term.

Engineering the AI Shift: From Awareness to Adoption

Brock Storrusten and Dennis Boone join ACEC’s Engineering Influence to explore how AI and large language models are rapidly transforming the AEC industry—and what engineering firms can do right now to adopt these tools responsibly. In this episode, they break down the real-world opportunities AI presents, from streamlining marketing automation to leveraging existing tools for everyday workflows.
They also dive into the critical safeguards firms need in place, including data classification, governance frameworks, risk management strategies, and vendor vetting to ensure sensitive information stays protected.
Listeners will walk away with clear, actionable guidance on how to get started: develop practical AI usage policies, begin with small-scale pilots using public or enterprise tools, and gradually integrate internal data in a secure, structured way to unlock long-term productivity and innovation across the engineering profession.

Change Management in the AEC Industry

In this episode of the Engineering Influence podcast, we sit down with Betsy Bond from Prosci to discuss the importance of good change management in the AEC industry. In today’s rapidly evolving engineering landscape, even the best technical solutions can fall short if organizations struggle to adopt and sustain change.
Leaders need the skills to guide teams through transitions, reduce resistance, and ensure new processes, technologies, and strategies deliver their intended value.
ACEC is excited to partner with Prosci to offer their Change Management Certification Program, a world-class, immersive learning experience designed to equip engineering professionals with the tools, expertise, and ongoing support needed to lead successful organizational change.
Learn More & Register Now: https://www.acec.org/education-events/education/online-education/prosci-change-management-certification/

The Market Edge: Housing Affordability

In this episode, Diana O’Lare sits down with Phil Crone, Vice President of State and Regulatory Affairs at Leading Builders of America, for an in-depth conversation on the U.S. housing affordability crisis—and what political and regulatory hurdles exist.
Together, they unpack the real-world challenges driving up costs and limiting supply, including permitting delays and the need for reform, the growing burden of regulatory and compliance costs, and how factors like institutional buyers and workforce shortages are reshaping the housing market. They also explore the evolving role of energy efficiency requirements, as well as the design, infrastructure, and construction innovations that could help accelerate production and expand access to more attainable homes.
Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on the policies and solutions that can help make housing more affordable for more Americans.

AI, Power & the Future of Data Centers

On this episode of the Engineering Influence Podcast, host Diana O’Lare sits down with Peter Nabhan to explore how artificial intelligence—particularly GPU-driven workloads—is reshaping the future of data center development. As AI adoption accelerates, demand for power is surging, fueling the rise of massive, campus-scale data center projects across the U.S.
The conversation dives into the evolving strategies of hyperscalers and co-location providers, the growing strain on the electric grid, and the increasing role of on-site power generation. Diana and Peter also unpack the critical engineering challenges around cooling, water usage, and sustainability, while spotlighting the top U.S. markets seeing the most rapid growth.
Finally, they tackle the big question facing the industry: Are we heading toward an oversupply of data centers—or is this simply the next major technology cycle transforming the built environment?
Read the Market Intelligence Data Brief: https://www.acec.org/resource/special-edition-data-centers-market-intelligence-brief-fall-2025/

Culture, Strategy, and Shared Success: RS&H’s Lisa Robert on Employee Ownership

In this episode of ACEC’s Engineering Influence podcast, RS&H CEO Lisa Robert offers an in-depth look at the firm’s expanding journey into employee ownership and how it’s reshaping every corner of the organization. Robert explains why broadening participation through all-associate stock offerings has become a powerful cultural engine—strengthening retention, enhancing recruitment, and creating a deeper sense of shared purpose across teams. By giving employees a true stake in the company’s future, RS&H is fostering a more entrepreneurial, engaged, and client-focused workforce.
She also provides an inside perspective on RS&H’s 2030 “Amplify” strategy, a long-range plan designed to position the firm for resilient, sustainable growth. Robert highlights the strategy’s central pillars, including an intensified focus on the firm’s core strengths in transportation and aviation, expanded innovation capacity, and long-term value creation for clients and communities.
Throughout the conversation, she illustrates how employee ownership integrates seamlessly into this vision—fueling accountability, empowering decision-making, and reinforcing the firm’s commitment to lasting community impact.

The New Industrial Revolution: Mike Walsh on AI, Digital Workers, and the Future of Engineering

At the 2025 ACEC Fall Conference in San Diego, global futurist, author, and CEO of Tomorrow, Mike Walsh delivers a compelling vision for how artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the business of engineering. Walsh explains why we are entering a new industrial revolution—one driven not by mechanical automation, but by the emergence of digital workers capable of reasoning, making decisions, and executing specialized tasks once performed exclusively by humans.
He breaks down the core strategic shifts engineering firms must embrace to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape. He highlights the growing importance of unique, proprietary data as the foundation for competitive advantage, and explores how digital twins can transform planning, modeling, and real-time operations. He also challenges firms to rethink the very nature of work, describing how leaders can redesign processes to maximize the complementary strengths of both people and machines.
Throughout the conversation, Walsh offers practical guidance for engineering executives, project managers, and technical teams looking to adopt AI not simply as a tool, but as a catalyst for innovation and organizational reinvention. From reshaping client services to optimizing project delivery and cultivating new forms of expertise, he outlines clear pathways for firms to use AI to accelerate performance and build long-term strategic value.
This episode provides a forward-looking roadmap for anyone in the engineering industry seeking to understand the profound changes reshaping the profession—and how visionary leaders can harness AI to build a more adaptive, resilient, and future-ready organization.

Transforming Geotechnical Engineering: Bentley, Seequent, and the Future of Real-Time Data

In this episode of Engineering Influence, we take a deep dive into how Bentley Systems’ and Seequent are bringing together more than just technology. Our guests explain how real-time subsurface data sharing is transforming design workflows, enhancing collaboration between field teams and engineers, and laying the groundwork for more robust digital twin capabilities across the entire project lifecycle.
The conversation explores the next generation of design automation through innovations such as OpenSite+, AI-driven Copilots, grading optimization tools, and automated drawing production. The guests also address critical topics including data governance, security policies, and how cloud-based platforms ensure trust and transparency in an increasingly digital workflow. Together, they paint a clear picture of how these technologies accelerate project delivery, reduce risk, elevate design quality, and make sophisticated engineering tools accessible to firms of every size.