The Billion-Dollar Blueprint for Data-Powered Construction

What if the next three years of construction completely rewrite the rules of the game?

This was the sentiment of the panelist at this year’s MEP Innovation Conference keynote panel: Becoming a Data-Empowered Contractor.

Most panel discussions? Empty calories. Big names. No preparation. Just a string of disconnected monologues.

This session was not that.

The panelists were prepared, engaged, and openly shared their companies successes and learnings. The discussion was led masterfully by Jeff Sample, who also contributed meaningfully to the sharing.

It was clear through the discussion that the executives of these three large MEP firms were designing and leading their companies based on a data-powered future.

The key theme?

Contractors that take control of their data are the ones positioned to thrive.

So how are today’s smartest contractors using data to stay ahead? The panelists shared a battle-tested playbook—one that could change how you run your business.

We outline the key lessons and take-aways of becoming a data-powered contractor below.

In Part 2 this week, we'll dive into a practical breakdown of how smaller contractors can adopt and implement these insights - without the costly dedicated IT department or major investments in new technology.

Stay tuned!

The Panel: Data-Powered Leadership

This definitely wasn’t a tech vendor sales pitch.

It was a straight-up discussion with construction executives who have been in the trenches — leaders responsible for navigating their companies through rapid growth.

The Panelists:

• Joseph Lansdell, President, Poynter Sheet Metal

• Chris Weaver, Director of Technology, Andy J. Egan Company

• Matt Lamb, CIO, Rosendin

• Moderator: Jeff Sample, Iron Man of IT, The ConTech Crew podcast

So what kind of companies are leading the charge? Each of these firms has scaled beyond $250M—some even into the billions. But what they’re doing with data isn’t reserved for giants.

The overarching theme from the discussion is that the contractors with the vision and initiative to harness their company's data are the ones that will come out ahead.

Let's dive in!

What Industry Leaders Get Right About Data That Most Contractors Miss

Every company is facing the same pressures—rising costs, labor shortages, tighter margins. The difference between those who thrive and those who struggle? How they use their data.

1. The Pace of Change in Construction is Accelerating

2. Data is the Difference Between Winning & Losing

3. Flavours of IT: Information vs. Operations (vs. Traditional)

4. Your ERP is More Important Than AI (For Now)

5. Stop Hoarding Data—Start Sharing It

6. People Are the Biggest Factor in Tech Adoption

7. The Next Generation Will Be Digital-First (But Change Fatigue is Real)

• The next three years will reshape construction more than the last 25.

• The winners won’t be the ones with the most technology, but the ones who harness data best.

• Winning won't be about chasing every new tool—but rather about clarity and being intentional with data, business processes, and decision-making.

Aedo POV: It’s not about the rate of change. It’s about who’s actually benefiting from it. The best construction companies don’t just adopt new tech—they make sure it pays off. Going slow and being focused on business outcomes will reduce the “new tech noise”.

But recognizing change is only step one. The real question is: will your business be on the winning or losing side of it?

2. Data is the Difference Between Winning & Losing

• One of the panel companies lost $1.5M on a project due to poor tracking—this was the wake-up call.

• Subsequently they took harnessing data and project insight very seriously. They haven’t lost money on a single job since.

• Visibility into costs and labor prevents last-minute scrambling and financial hits.

Aedo POV: Never let a good crisis go to waste—it’s about taking action. This contractor had a galvanizing business moment that drove change and created a better future. Look for - and manufacture if necessary - your organization’s “why”.

Clearly data makes the difference. Knowing which IT tools drive results is vital.

3. Flavours of IT: Information vs. Operations (vs. Traditional)

• ConTech OT (Operational Tech): BIM, total stations, reality capture—tools that drive construction work.

• ConTech IT (Information Tech): ERP, project management, field solutions, data reporting—the tools of "information" that allow you to manage your operation.

• Traditional IT: networks, security, email and storage—the IT that all industries have.

• If IT and OT don’t work together, your data is stuck in silos.

Aedo POV: We take a different perspective on this—the categories of construction information technology is less nuanced and largely doesn’t matter. Any technology that is improving the use of data is an information technology.

Information is what creates the business outcome - not technology. And fundamentally, construction is an information business.

To build you need a solid foundation.

4. Your ERP is More Important Than AI (For Now)

• One of the panelist companies stressed the importance of getting their ERP and data foundation right early on.

• This is the solid data foundation for business growth.

• AI can’t fix bad data. If your ERP and reporting systems are a mess, AI will only automate and propagate bad information faster.

Aedo POV: The ERP/finance platform is one of the foundational "galaxies" for a construction company. Of course it's crucial to get it right - for the job it needs to do.

You also have project management and field information "galaxies" to content with. An often overlooked opportunity is streamlining and optimizing the flow of data across these galaxies.

Once you break down the data silos, you can make information available where it matters.

5. Stop Hoarding Data—Start Sharing It

• Many construction firms keep data locked away in leadership.

• The companies seeing the best results turn data into visibility for every level of the organization—so teams can make better, faster decisions.

• Overcome the reluctancy to make important information available.

Aedo POV: If your data isn’t being used to make decisions at every level of your company, it’s dead weight. The best companies build a culture of data visibility, not just collection.

The biggest challenge isn’t the tech or data—it’s getting your team on board.

6. People Are the Biggest Factor in Tech Adoption

"I'm already rounding third and heading for home. I have to realized that the rest of the organization is just getting to the batter's box."

• The biggest challenge isn’t the software—it’s the people.

• If tech is forced onto the field without clear benefits and buy-in, it fails.

• The best rollouts involve getting people from all areas of the operation engaged early in the process.

Aedo POV: Tech adoption isn’t about features—it’s about relevance. If your teams don’t see how a tool makes their job easier, they will fight it.

The new entrants to the industry are primed and ready, but too much too fast will hit a wall.

7. The Next Generation Will Be Digital-First (But Change Fatigue is Real)

• New workers expect digital tools.

• However people are also burning out from constant new software rollouts.

• Successful companies prioritize what actually moves the needle instead of chasing every new platform.

Aedo POV: Every rollout adds cognitive load. If it doesn’t remove friction, it’s just more noise.

When technology is "working" it's like a magic trick - it disappears into the background and gives the user back time.

Start assessing potential rollouts through a time creation and business outcome lens.

These takeaways paint a clear picture: the future belongs to data-powered contractors.

From Inspirational to “Now What?”

Each panelist brought a distinct yet complementary perspective, making it one of the most cohesive and actionable conversations on data-powered construction we've seen.

Technology. Information. Leadership.

The value came not just from their individual experiences but from the way they connected the dots—proving that data-powered success isn’t just about software and technology, but about strategy, execution, and cultural alignment.

The challenges shared were familiar. The business performance outcomes compelling.

But for many contractors it can feel overwhelming.

How do you implement these insights when you don’t have a dedicated IT department or vast resources?

If you’re measuring revenue in millions, not billions, it’s easy to feel like these insights don’t apply to you. But they do. The difference isn’t resources—it’s focus.

In Part 2, we’ll strip away the complexity and show you exactly how smaller contractors can win with data—without a large IT department, without massive tech investments, and without getting lost in the noise.

Ready to become data-powered at 1/10th investment? Let’s get started together!

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

Your Data Business Improvement Team, On-Demand