Hosted by New Buildings Institute (NBI), the 2025 Getting to Zero Forum in Los Angeles, CA, April 22-24, is the leading conference dedicated to advancing zero-emissions buildings. With inspiring keynotes, educational breakouts, interactive workshops, and fun and unique networking experiences, the Forum is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about buildings and the people in them.

In this session, TwinKnowledge will discuss a new type of digital twin that has emerged with AI, cognitive digital twins (CDTs), and their implications for the AECO industry.

Cognitive digital twins enable O&M workflows that are supported end-to-end by AI. They are built on top of existing digital twins; they use AI to make sense of digital twin data, generate insights such as anomaly detection and predictive maintenance for better decision-making/planning, and combine information from scattered O&M documents to generate response plans for maintenance activities.

TwinKnowledge will discuss what CDTs are, why they are so valuable for O&M, how they build on top of current digital twin systems, and a general roadmap for where to start in evolving existing digital twin systems into cognitive digital twins.

CxEnergy 2025 is the premier event in commissioning, building technology, and energy management. The 30+ educational sessions, state-of-the-art Expo Hall, pre-conference Commissioning Authority (CxA) Workshop, and Energy Management Professional (EMP) Seminar, and professional networking opportunities take place April 28-May 1, 2025, in Charlotte, NC. CxEnergy draws hundreds of the nation’s leading commissioning experts, energy management professionals, MEP engineers, HVAC testing professionals, facility managers, and building owners. Building owners and facility managers may register at a discounted $99 rate. Visit www.CxEnergy.com often for event updates.

Only 7% of U.S. students and jobseekers actively seek work in the construction industry, according to a new study conducted by Dodge Construction Network.

Despite this, the study also reveals there are several opportunities to increase that share. Join Donna Laquidara-Carr, Industry Insights Research Director with Dodge, as she discusses key findings from the study of over 250 people working in construction and more than 1,100 students, jobseekers, and people employed in other industries in the U.S.

The study provides actionable information about how to attract more workers to the industry, including:

• What those working in construction find most satisfying in their careers
• What the next generation of workers are looking for and how the industry can make itself more appealing to them
• What keeps the largest share of people from considering work in construction (and it probably isn’t what you think)
• How the construction industry needs to communicate with the next generation of workers

This session will explore the importance of well-defined Asset Registries and precise Asset Definitions in the development and implementation of digital twins. It will introduce new concepts, methodologies, and standards for structuring and managing asset information to support the integration of enterprise systems.

By enhancing these definitions and registries, organizations can optimize asset data usage, align with ISO 55000 principles, and ultimately improve overall asset management and performance.

Building Innovation attendees come to explore challenges, possibilities, the latest tools, groundbreaking strategies, and more.

As architects and planners seek to maximize the use of all available space, the next generation of low-slope roofs are not only waterproof coverings, but platforms for assets such as solar panels, green roofs, water storage, and amenity spaces. With so much value tied up in our roofs, their resilience is more important than ever. This resilience is measured not in the immediate ability of the roof to withstand the elements, but in its performance over years and decades. As owners and property managers come and go, long-term roof maintenance can become a forgotten issue and defects that have been present since construction can lead to water intrusion that degrades the roof and greatly reduces its lifespan. In response, automated leak detection systems have emerged as a technology adding value for both quality assurance during the construction process, and as an early warning system alerting building owners to developing issues within their roof. Used properly, these systems extend the lifespan of the roof which in turn minimizes disruption to the assets on or below the roof, as well as increasing the quality of life of occupants using the building.

Automated leak detection systems continuously monitor the roof membrane environment, transmitting data which is used to provide a report on the health of the waterproof membrane. Stakeholders gain access to critical information as the roof system is completed - identifying damage caused during construction and verifying repairs prior to commissioning the building. During the operational life of the structure, automated leak detection systems employ sophisticated algorithms, enabling predictive leak detection, location, and assistance with preventive maintenance strategies - significantly reducing the cost of repairs.

This presentation explores the utilization of automated leak detection systems in low slope roofing, with a particular focus on Vancouver, BC lower mainland area. Drawing on experience installing and operating leak detections systems across North America, we highlight several areas in which construction practices inevitably leave defects in the waterproof membrane. Our case studies range from the very common occurrences of construction material being accidentally embedded in the layers of the roof, to chemical burns from adhesives, and risks unique to green-roof infrastructure. In explaining how these defects allow moisture to ingress into the roof environment, we will elaborate on what kind of issues can occur, with reference to real-world instances where substantial maintenance was required just months into the operational life of the roof. Finally, we demonstrate how automated roof leak detection can be used to mitigate the risk of membrane defects going unnoticed by actively monitoring the roof and guiding repairs when necessary. Case studies of both conventional and inverted roof assemblies will demonstrate how automated leak detection systems have protected the inherent value of the roof, and added value of their own over the life of the structure.

Connect with the AEC industry.

While building physics largely are based on Newtonian principles, physics outside of the built environment have been moving toward quantum mechanics.

This presentation will start to see environmental factors through the lens of quantum mechanics. It also will include future bioclimatic elements and how the above may inform facade design.

Groundbreaking Women in Construction is heading to San Diego from June 8-10, 2025, after a successful expansion to New York City! This is your chance to be part of the construction industryʼs most influential talent management conference—where leadership skills are sharpened, connections are forged, and inspiration is ignited.