{"id":26421,"date":"2024-06-29T04:18:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-29T11:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/microsoft-urges-the-construction-industry-to-deliver-lifecycle-value\/"},"modified":"2024-06-29T04:18:11","modified_gmt":"2024-06-29T11:18:11","slug":"microsoft-urges-the-construction-industry-to-deliver-lifecycle-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/microsoft-urges-the-construction-industry-to-deliver-lifecycle-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Urges the Construction Industry to Deliver Lifecycle Value"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"-\"<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n

\n

Digitalization is changing the way that we operate
\nand use buildings. Salla Palos is directing Microsoft towards a future that inspires
\ninnovative changes in both the mindset and the business models of AECO industry
\nstakeholders.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Salla<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Salla Palos<\/strong> moved from Finland to the United States in July 2015 and settled down in Seattle, one of the fastest growing areas in the USA. She was versed in digitalization of construction industry in Finland as well as Europe and sought the opportunity to bring that knowledge into the US market.<\/p>\n

As the
\nDirector of Emerging Technology and Innovation for Sellen Construction, one of
\nthe largest general contractor companies in the Pacific Northwest United
\nStates, Salla started developing digital building lifecycle as a strategy to
\nsolve number of industry problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cI zeroed
\nin on developing digital construction strategy, re-engineering processes, and innovating
\nhow emerging technology supports digital construction. My approach was open
\ninnovation, pulling the industry along with our own digital transformation. I
\nset up collaboration with both local and international partners to be
\nsuccessful in driving change and transforming AEC,\u201d Salla recalls.<\/p>\n

Moving on to Microsoft<\/h2>\n

The next step in driving AECO industry towards Industry 4.0 came in 2018 when Microsoft<\/a> invited Salla to join Microsoft Global Real Estate and Security | Center of Innovation. In December 2018, Salla became the Director of Transformation Services for Microsoft, working with teams across the globe in the USA, LATAM, EMEA and Asia.<\/p>\n

Microsoft is developing several new campus areas, the largest project being the Redmond Headquarters Campus Refresh<\/a>. Microsoft aims to develop connected, sustainable, accessible, and safe campuses empowering the most talented workforce in the world.<\/p>\n

Microsoft\u2019s
\nbusiness mission is to \u201cempower every person and every organization on the
\nplanet to achieve more.\u201d The same principle applies to company\u2019s environments
\nfor Microsoft employees, vendors and visitors.<\/p>\n

\"-\"\"-\"<\/figure>\n

Transforming Work Environments<\/h2>\n

\u201cAll industries
\nare moving towards industry 4.0, the digital revolution. We\u2019re doing the same with
\nour environments,\u201d Salla states. \u201cWe don\u2019t separate digital and physical
\nenvironments because they both serve the same purpose. Our environments empower
\nour workforce delivering our core business \u2013 technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s
\nself-evident that tomorrow\u2019s work is ever more mobile. Fewer people visit the physical
\noffice environment every day to be productive. Addressing the physical, social
\nand virtual environments as one are essential for retaining the future
\nworkforce.<\/p>\n

Salla mentions Microsoft HoloLens<\/a> and Microsoft Azure<\/a> as two of the most interesting technologies she has encountered during her career. The HoloLens allows seamlessly mixing real-world experiences with virtual models and visual data. Microsoft Azure opens huge new opportunities for collaboration and fresh new business models in the AECO industry. The objective is to bring all the AECO stakeholders into the same digital building lifecycle, supporting each other in delivering environmentally, socially and economically sustainable built environment.<\/p>\n

\"-\"\"-\"<\/figure>\n

New Thinking for the
\nConstruction Sector<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe AECO
\nstakeholders should start re-thinking their business models and processes so
\nthat they can serve the total building lifecycle \u2013 the total cost and the total
\nperformance of a building,\u201d Salla urges. \u201cTechnology tools alone are not the
\nsolution. The whole supply chain must be re-imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Architects
\nand engineers are still siloed into delivering the design intent and
\ncontractors in building the physical artifact. The new idea is that all
\nstakeholders collaborate and deliver the total lifecycle of the building \u2013 cooperatively
\ncontemplating how the environment meets the investment and design strategy
\nobjectives, and what data is accumulated to keep the environment performing for
\nits end-users.<\/p>\n

\"-\"\"-\"<\/figure>\n

As an
\narchitect Salla has started thinking about the digital building lifecycle, the total
\ncost and the total performance of a building early on in her career when she
\nwas introduced to the concept of BIM at Tampere University of Technology.
\nCollaborative delivery methods shift the discussion from sub-optimization of
\nconstruction into the total value of real estate. The use of BIM and transoperable
\ndata make the new way of thinking possible.<\/p>\n

Salla
\nbelieves that the digitalization of the AECO industry will be a game-changer.
\nIt inspires the creation of new business models, such as digital construction,
\nwhich will provide the AECO industry the much-needed productivity and
\nprofitability boost.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we
\ncommission construction projects around the world, we support the digital
\ntransformation of our partners and suppliers. Ultimately, everyone will benefit
\nfrom it immensely,\u201d Salla proclaims.<\/p>\n

You can connect with Salla on LinkedIn.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The article photos are courtesy of Microsoft<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"WDBE\"WDBE<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Salla Palos is a keynote speaker at World Summit on Digital Built Environment WDBE 2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n