AI, Data and the Design-Build Owner: A Conversation with ARKANCE

Artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract idea for design-build teams. It’s already changing how projects are delivered, managed and maintained. In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, DBIA’s Director of Virtual Design and Construction Brian Skripac is joined by three leaders from ARKANCE — Jason Kunkel, Senior Practice Manager; Nick Miller, Director of BIM Services; and Justin Friedman, Practice Manager | Facilities Management — to explore how data and AI are reshaping the Owner experience.

Together, they unpack how design-build teams are using data to:

  • Turn information into intelligence that drives better decisions.
  • Build a culture of trust and governance around data ownership.
  • Identify “quick wins” to make AI adoption practical and scalable.
  • Shift focus from building smarter to owning smarter.

It’s a conversation about the real-world impact of data: how it’s captured, shared and leveraged across every phase of a project’s lifecycle and what it means for Owners navigating the next era of delivery.

Guests in this Episode
Justin Friedman

Practice Manager | Facilities Management, ARKANCE

Justin guides customers in the review and implementation of facility management software. With more than 17 years of experience, he has extensive experience in system implementation, space planning and facility management, especially in key performance indicators created by combining real estate and utilization analytics. 

Jason Kunkel

Senior Practice Manager, ARKANCE

Jason’s experience spans architecture and engineering, design to technical support. Having supported a firm of up to 300 employees and managed an IT team, he understands the importance of balancing enforced standards with personalized, one-on-one support. He authored “A Little Comic About… Revit Fundamentals.”

Nick Miller

Director of BIM Services, ARKANCE

Nick supports clients BIM needs with project modeling, automation and integrations, VDC and Coordination and content creation through US CAD’s Professional Services teams. He has worked to support the AEC community with technology adoption and implementation for the last 16 years.

Brian Skripac, CM-BIM, CDT, LEED AP, DBIA

Director of VDC, DBIA

Brian has decades of experience leading the virtual design and construction process for diverse projects across the nation. Not only is he a practitioner, with a background in architecture, but he’s also an educator, having shared his BIM and VCD experiences with audiences eager to capture the power of the digital transformation now underway throughout our industry.

AI, Data and the Design-Build Owner: A Conversation with ARKANCE
Resources
Chapters

0:00 Introduction

1:52 First Practical Steps: Data and Culture

6:00 Assessing the Data Landscape

8:48 What Owners Actually Need from AI

11:58 Data Governance, Privacy and IP Protection

14:44 Defining Post-Occupancy Data Goals

22:07 The AI Journey: From Reactive to Proactive Ops

26:05 Data Requirements and Payment Milestones

28:05 Barriers to AI Adoption

34:35 Hype vs. Reality: Why Narrow AI Wins Today

37:26 Avoiding the Shiny Toy Trap

40:04 What’s Next: AI Opportunities for Owners

42:48 Outro: Where Collaboration Meets Data


The Design-Build Delivers Podcast is sponsored by ARKANCE, an Autodesk Platinum Partner. Learn more at arkance.us/dbia.

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