How to Build a Real Innovation Culture in AEC

On this episode of KP Unpacked—the number one podcast in AEC—Jeff Echols sits down with Alan Montpellier, Principal and Chief Innovation Officer at PAE, to explore what it really takes to embed innovation into the DNA of an AEC firm.Alan shares how PAE shifted from ad hoc ideas to a fully resourced innovation group, why innovation can't live in a silo, and how they prioritize experimentation—without sacrificing project delivery or profitability.You’ll learn:How PAE structured its innovation group and budgetWhy innovation should come from everywhere—not just the “innovation team”How to balance client deadlines with long-term experimentationReal-world examples of tools, AI pilots, and failed-but-smart experimentsWhat to do when PMs block innovation because of feesThis is a playbook for firms who want more than buzzwords—who actually want to build something new and better.