The Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago and BuiltWorlds Media have announced a new partnership that will bring emerging technology and other industry best practices and thought leadership to area members via informative multimedia platforms including videos, interactive events, writing and speaking opportunities and more.
“We have known BuiltWorlds for the better part of a year now, and have already participated in several events with them,” says Dan Bulley, MCA Chicago executive director, who moderated an industry panel at BuiltWorlds last summer. “We have always been impressed with their work, so we are now very excited to forge partnerships like these, which we feel are crucial to maintaining our edge in technology.”
MCA Chicago embraced this opportunity to partner with BuiltWorlds to increase its exposure to the many new technologies that may benefit contractor members. As a for-profit forum for innovation and collaboration, BuiltWorlds regularly hosts workshops and other educational events that seek to “lift all boats,” across all disciplines, in this still-fragmented industry. Just 19 months old, the Chicago-based startup partners with local and national tech providers, universities, contractors, architects, developers, owners and nonprofits like the AEC Hackathon and USGBC.
“To date, we have hosted programs on mobile apps, augmented and virtual reality, wearable technology, 3D printing, drones, robotics, you name it,” says Matt Abeles, BuiltWorlds co-founder and managing director in a news release. Last June, Abeles also hosted the ‘Technology Tool Chest’ panel at the national MCAA Technology Committee’s annual event hosted by MCA Chicago at McDonalds University.
“We aim to improve the construction technology ecosystem across the board and we see the MCA mechanical contractors as playing a particularly vital role in literally forging those connections on projects big and small.”
