AEC Hackathon Coming to Dallas

Beck is bringing the AEC Hackathon to Dallas May 1-3 at the Addison Treehouse.

Hackathons are typically 24- to 48-hour events where teams, fueled by pizza and caffeine, develop websites, mobile apps, data analyses, and/or hardware/software mashups to solve a challenge problem. Winners typically walk away with prize money in addition to bragging rights and viable solutions.

One of the goals of the AEC Hackathon is to introduce software developers in search of problems to construction and design professionals in need of solutions. Brian Monwai and Brendan Nichols, members of Beck’s Virtual Building Group (VBG), attended the AEC Hackathon in New York and used the time to further the Project Tango code already under development by Beck’s team. Project Tango is an experimental reality capture device that puts an infrared projector and camera on the back of an Android tablet. Their efforts won an AEC Hackathon award for Best Technology.

While winning is awesome, Brian and Brendan saw enormous potential in bringing the AEC Hackathon to the North Texas region. Known for its strong construction market, Dallas-Fort Worth is also home to numerous technology companies and entrepreneurs. This innovative environment is the perfect petri dish for a hackathon.

VBG Accelerates Beck’s Technology Use

Beck’s VBG performs virtual design and construction activities common in the construction industry, such as 4D scheduling, reality capture, 3D modeling and unmanned aerial vehicle efforts. The VBG is also heavily involved in researching tools and processes to make the jobs of our designers, construction managers, and office personnel easier. The team serves as a dedicated resource for internal software development, allowing Beck to create solutions specifically tailored to the needs of an integrated firm and our unique clients.