“We’re still fundamentally building in the same way we were 30 years ago.” – Matthew Mackey
In this episode of Building Stories - The Podcast, powered by Deep Space, we sit down with Matthew Mackey, National Service Lead for Cost and Commercial Management at Arcadis. With over 25 years in the industry, Matthew reflects on the repeated mistakes construction keeps making and what must change to build better, faster, and smarter.
We discuss:
- Why construction has been stuck in the same cycle for decades
- The real barriers to tech adoption, and why Excel still dominates the industry
- How change management is just as important as the tech itself
- The long-term vision construction needs to break free from short-term thinking
- What smaller contractors can do to improve cost control and survive in tough markets
Matthew shares his experience leading internal innovation at Arcadis, highlighting the challenges of driving change in an industry built on habit.
Key Sections:
- Matthew’s Path into Construction and Arcadis – 02:24
- Why Construction Struggles to Change – 09:00
- The Hidden Challenge of Internal Tech Development – 12:00
- How to Drive Change in a Resistant Industry – 19:30
- What the Future Holds for Construction Tech and AI – 26:30
- The Critical Role of Government Leadership in Innovation – 32:00
- Advice for Small Contractors Facing Financial Struggles – 34:50
Building Stories is powered by Deep Space – Mission Critical Construction AI.
