What Happens When We Design Without Listening

In this episode of KP Unpacked, the number one podcast in AEC, Jeff Echols sits down with Frank Thalakotur, Senior Research Advisor at KP Reddy Co., to dig into one of the core issues holding the AEC industry back—chronic misalignment between design, delivery, and owner value.Frank brings experience across HVAC engineering, MEP project management, startup innovation, and owner’s rep work. But in his current role, he’s stepping back from solutions and going deep into problem discovery.Together, they unpack:Why the AEC industry keeps solving symptoms instead of root causesHow contracts—not outcomes—are driving behaviorWhy owners remain disconnected from the value chainWhat it takes to shift from isolated innovation to system-level alignmentWhy “data is the new concrete”—and what happens when no one’s pouring itThis is real research, real voices, and real stakes. If you’ve ever asked “Why does this keep happening?” in AEC, you’ll want to listen in.🎧 Powered by KP Reddy Co.🎙 Hosted by Jeff Echols, Executive Director of Catalyst🧠 Featuring Frank Thalakotur, Senior Research Advisor, KP Reddy Co.