Imagining the Future of Construction with Alex Walzer

September 13, 2023

“I live along those lines of open innovation, and… you can learn something from anybody. Don’t let your ego or disposition get in the way. So, imagine, you know, like you know already what you have in your mind and the values you stand for. Plus, imagine you can also learn 20% of everybody around you. We would be unstoppable, right? So, this is the kind of industry I think we need moving forward. So, speak up, connect with other folks.”

— Alex Walzer, Researcher at ETH Zurich

As a researcher, Alex questions the potential of construction to positively affect our lives, economies, and planet. While many innovations we enjoy daily make life easier, we still have tremendous unexplored potential and profound needs. Listen in as Alex shares several ideas and opportunities for construction’s future.

Innovation needs adoption, and the construction industry is notoriously difficult to win over. New ideas are slow to percolate, but skipping out on new technology only limits growth. New techniques like digital fabrication and 3D printing may change building forever.

Topics discussed in this interview:

– Why does construction appeal to Alex?

– What do future solutions look like for current problems?

– Will energy consumption drive innovation?

– Digital fabrication and implications for building

– How will robotics affect new construction?

– Interesting possibilities for robots in daily life

– Tailoring robots for human users

– 3D printed buildings and aesthetics

– Entrepreneurship and construction

– Solar power and energy independence

– Open innovation

– Outside sources of inspiration

– Gamification and construction labor

– Rapid fire questions

You can reach out to Alex on LinkedIn and learn more about the DFAB House at dfabhouse.ch