LivLive Ep. 0000022 - Aaron Greven

Dave sits down with Aaron Greven—an architect turned AEC technology consultant—to talk about the career path that led from the Chicago architecture circuit into founding AG Design Works during the 2008–09 downturn. Aaron explains how he built a niche helping teams actually use BIM/3D modeling for coordination, documentation, and construction clarity—especially when firms or contractors are struggling to make the tech practical.They get into the real value of “information,” not just software: how to translate design intent into systems that reduce confusion, how modeling can support coordination before construction, and why the best deliverables are often the ones that help the field understand complex conditions faster (sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words).How Aaron pivoted during the 2008–09 slowdown and built an AEC tech consulting practiceWhat “BIM support” actually means in practice (coordination, documentation, workflows, clarity)How to think about information flow across architect/engineer/GC/fieldWhy modeling and coordination must be tied to real outcomes, not just “more detail”How to justify tech/process investment by connecting it to reduced confusion and better executionWhy visual context (3D + clear intent) can dramatically help field teams solve complex conditions