US Construction Zone and Trevor Schick on how centralizing data and AI-driven insights help builders thrive despite price swings, tariffs, and labor shortages.
Why this conversation matters
Supply-chain shocks, rapid tariff changes, and chronic labor gaps are pushing project costs and schedules to the brink. In this episode of Construction Executives Live, Slate Technologies CEO Trevor Schick joins host Jeremy Owens of US Construction Zone to unpack how construction leaders can turn volatility into competitive advantage by embracing data and AI.
Quick-hit takeaways
- Volatility is the new normal. Shifting tariffs and global disruptions make long-term material pricing hard to predict.
- Data silos drain profits. Field teams lose up to 30 % of their day hunting for information spread across P6, Procore, BIM 360, Excel, and email.
- AI adds efficiency, not layoffs. Smart tools surface the right issues first, letting crews focus on value-adding work instead of rework and admin.
- Computational design speeds pre-con. Generative AI can turn weeks of redesign–estimate–schedule loops into hours, slashing bid timelines.
- Start small, scale fast. Pilot lightweight, “overlay” platforms that connect existing systems rather than ripping and replacing them.
1 | The real cost of uncertainty
Trevor draws on decades running global supply chains at Apple, HP, and Amherst to explain why today’s tariff swings sting more than past duties: nobody knows where they’ll land next quarter. Developers pause mid-cycle underwriting; mid-tier GCs delay material buys; lenders hold back draws each adding friction and cost.
Bottom line: Until pricing stabilizes, builders must assume volatility and build agility into every schedule, procurement plan, and contract.
2 | Lessons construction can steal from high-tech
In electronics, yearly innovations offset inevitable material hikes through relentless efficiency gains. Construction, by contrast, has flat or negative productivity over 50 years. Trevor argues the gap boils down to fragmented data and misaligned incentives that reward “cost +” mark-ups instead of total-project savings.
3 | Breaking silos with AI-driven platforms
Modern “overlay” solutions like Slate’s Project Intelligence Tool, ingest schedules, RFIs, BIM, costs, and even weather, then auto-link them so teams can ask plain-language questions:
“What open RFIs could delay my window install?”
“How will 50 mph winds next week impact my critical path?”
Results are served in seconds, along with recommended actions and automated comms to subs or vendors. Early adopters report:
- >90 % auto-link accuracy after a single project’s training cycle.
- Hours reclaimed weekly by superintendents and PMs—time re-invested in proactive coordination.
4 | A 12-to-18-month playbook
- Map your data landscape. List every tool holding schedule, cost, BIM, field, and warranty data.
- Prioritize a single pilot. Choose one high-impact project and connect existing systems with an AI overlay—no ERP rip-and-replace.
- Measure what matters. Track RFI closure time, scheduled-vs-actual progress, and rework dollars saved.
- Iterate & teach the model. Review any mismatched links; corrections train the system and boost future accuracy.
- Scale and embed. Roll wins into standard operating procedures; level-up field teams with the insights they need before issues escalate.
Other Resources
Learn more about Slate Technologies
US Construction Zone YouTube. (2025, June 10). Construction Executives Live #36: Material volatility—Building in uncertain times [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUe4Ryip9Nk&t=1s
US Construction Zone Website. (2025, June 10). Episode 36: Material volatility—Building in uncertain times with Trevor Schick. https://usconstructionzone.com/cel-videos/episode-36-material-volatility-building-in-uncertain-times-with-trevor-schick/
US Construction Zone LinkedIn Live Event. (2025, June 10). Material volatility—Building in uncertain times [LinkedIn Live event]. https://www.linkedin.com/events/materialvolatility-buildinginun7315059284013133824/theater/