Johnny Fortune: Supporting Advances in Building Science and Technology at NIBS

By Luke Lightning

April 17, 2023 

It's a new week, and we know what that means; another episode of the Future Construct Podcast! For Season 3, Episode 9, our host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR) was thrilled to welcome Johnny Fortune, the BIM Program Director at the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), to the show. The conversation between Johnny and Amy touched on a handful of thought-provoking topics, including adoption ratings, inefficiencies, industry standards, and challenges, as well as their impact. They also discussed a roadmap from BIM to the AR cloud and some transcendent industry technologies.

Click to listen to our interview on Apple, Spotify, or Google, or watch on our Facebook or YouTube channels.

About Johnny Fortune Johnny Fortune is a technology leader and subject matter expert in building information management (BIM) for the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner/operator industry. He serves as the Director of the U.S. National BIM Program with the National Institute of Building Sciences, where he focuses on the program launch and implementation plan to improve efficiencies in the design and construction industry. Johnny has more than 20 years of experience in computer-aided design and BIM management. Throughout his career, he has successfully helped many professionals adopt various levels of design and construction technology, from hand drafting to virtual design and construction. His vast experience includes developing BIM strategies, standards, training, workflows, and integration with external stakeholders. Johnny is a contributing author for several national standards documents, including the USACE and VA BIM requirements. He also has presented at technology conferences, including Autodesk University, AEC Next, and BIMForum. He enjoys utilizing technology to improve business and industry processes and focuses on building meaningful and lasting relationships.

During the interview, Johnny discussed numerous topics with host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR), including:

- What he attributes the slow adoption rating and inefficiencies to, as well as industry standards and challenges

- Impactful industry standards that Johnny's seen come about and enacted in the past decade

- Drawing a line from BIM  to building the as-built, to digital twins smart buildings, to smart cities, to the AR cloud

- Some of the technologies that Johnny thinks are having the most impact

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-governmental organization that supports advances in building science and technology. The organization was established by the U.S. Congress in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383. Congress recognized the need for an organization to serve as an interface between government and the private sector – one that serves as a resource to those who plan, design, procure, construct, use, operate, maintain, renovate, and retire physical facilities.

NIBS brings together experts from throughout the building industry, design, architecture, construction, and government. They lead conversations to ensure their buildings and communities remain safe, and we work to seek consensus solutions to mutual problems of concern.

A balanced blend of public and private financing supports NIBS' mission. Private sector contributions, membership dues, events, and publication sales are augmented with contracts and grants from federal and state agencies. These funds support programs that have brought together the nation's finest expertise to identify and resolve issues affecting the building process.

Click to listen to our interview with Johnny on Apple, Spotify, or Google, or watch on our Facebook or YouTube channels.

SHOW NOTES

0:12  - Amy Peck introduces Johnny Fortune, the BIM Program Director at the National Institute of Building Sciences.

2:15  - Amy: "So what do you attribute the slow adoption rating and inefficiencies to, because there aren't a lack of standards? And what are the challenges, because it's such a behemoth of an industry?"

4:19  - Amy: "And since you've been focused on standards, what are some of the standards that you've seen come about and enacted in the past decade that have been really impactful, and how do we rinse and repeat?" 

10:40  - Amy: "The elephant in the room for a little of year has been Facebook changing their name to Meta, and in the AEC industry, some are interested and some aren't because it doesn't seem relevant. Are people drawing a line from BIM  to building the as-built, to digital twins smart buildings, to smart cities, to ultimately the AR cloud, which is arguably a digital twin of the entire planet? Is that on the road map, and are people thinking about it now?"

15:08  - Amy: "In terms of your own interest in the industry, what are some of the technologies that you think are having the most impact, and do you think it's somewhat of a slow burn for some of these technologies?"

20:48  - Amy: "Imagine yourself 20 to 25 years into the future, and you could bring with you any service or gadget that would just make you personally happy or make your life better in some way, what would it be, and what would it do?"

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