Douglas(Doug) Krause is the President of RUTE Foundation Systems, LLC, an industry-leading construction firm producing efficient, sustainable structural foundations for wind and solar industries. RUTE designs its modular concrete prefabricated structures to minimize the cost of clean energy and reduce CO2 for wind farms and cattle ranches. A construction industry pioneer, Doug specialized in precast concrete in the 2000s and introduced the first precast post-tensioned wind tower foundation to the industry in 2018. His experience cuts across senior engineering roles in various firms, shoreline restoration, dredging, and wind and solar plant design.

Thanks to their abundance, cleanliness, and sustainability, wind and solar power have emerged as clear winners in the renewable energy sector. But how is the construction industry innovating to shape the future of sustainable energy? 

Let's face it — behind the sleek rows of solar panels and wind energy turbine towers lies a complex web of civil engineering expertise that plays a pivotal role in successfully implementing sustainable power projects. According to construction expert Doug Krause, the secret lies in land- and lifecycle-efficient support structures. Doug and his team at RUTE create precast, post-tensioned wind turbine foundations with a focus on durability. In addition, RUTE SunTracker, a high-clearance, cable-stayed solar for cattle ranches, deploys solar without the need to remove vital farmland. These solutions have been instrumental in increasing structural performance, reducing construction costs, and improving sustainability for wind farms and cattle pastures. 

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill welcomes Doug Krause, the President of RUTE Foundation Systems, LLC, to discuss efficient and sustainable structural support systems for wind and solar industries. Doug unpacks the technology behind RUTE’s wind and solar energy foundation systems, explains the intricacies of renewable energy and grid management, and highlights wind and solar energy industry trends and challenges.

Alejandro Gomez Rivera is the Co-founder of binni, a construction technology startup focused on simplifying concrete and tunnel construction workflows through technology. With 15 years of experience delivering complex hydraulic transportation and energy infrastructure projects in North and Latin America, he is passionate about civil infrastructure. A Fulbright Scholar and technology enthusiast, Alejandro is revolutionizing the construction industry through software solutions to accelerate the adoption of technology and infrastructure systems, emphasizing cast-in-place concrete and mechanized tunneling construction processes.

Despite being the world's largest industry, research shows that the construction sector lags in adapting to new technologies and processes. As a result, productivity has stagnated over the past decades. How are industry innovators providing solutions to accelerate technology adoption and improve existing systems?

For construction technology expert Alejandro Gomez Rivera and his team at binni, simplifying communication between construction teams, suppliers, and partners is critical to enhancing efficiency. The company designed its project management software to create communication channels for construction technology platforms, enabling contractors to collaborate with multiple parties, including ready-mix plants and structural engineers. The platform helps simplify field team reporting on operations, streamlining information acquisition for swift decision-making.

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill hosts Alejandro Gomez Rivera, the Co-founder of binni, to discuss binni’s goal of improving communication and data sharing across the concrete construction process. Alejandro highlights how contractors can leverage technology in concrete construction, the challenges hindering innovation in the industry, and how his company’s project management software creates communication channels for construction technology platforms.

Alex Iannessa is the Founder and CEO of EnRoads Paving LLC, a full-service commercial paving company founded to simplify site construction needs. Serving the Chicagoland area and national verticals, EnRoads specializes in a diverse range of services, including due diligence, parking lot maintenance, asphalt and concrete paving, and asset acquisitions and dispositions. With over 10 years of construction experience, Alex has completed over 800 projects before founding EnRoads Paving in 2022. He leverages his operational background to manage the company's vision and long-term goals. 

Joe O’Brien is the COO and Partner at EnRoads Paving LLC. Before EnRoads Paving, Joe honed his skills as a project manager on diverse commercial real estate teams. With an educational background in business administration and management, he manages the company’s day-to-day operations, fostering and growing a long-term portfolio of clients.

In the commercial construction business, a successful project starts with trust. How can contractors build trust with customers before and during projects?

For industry experts Alex Iannessa and Joe O'Brien, maintaining relationships is vital for business. By fostering transparency, trust, and communication, you can create an effective work environment for employees and ongoing business transactions and partnerships. Reflecting on the early days of their construction company, Alex and Joe emphasize how building trust with reliable partners is key to their success in the construction industry. In addition, the company’s full-service approach and ability to understand clients’ perspectives help them deliver accountable and enjoyable customer interaction with successful project delivery.

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill welcomes Alex Iannessa, Founder and CEO at EnRoads Paving LLC, and Joe O'Brien, COO and Partner at EnRoads Paving LLC. They discuss the importance of trust building in commercial paving contracting and reflect on construction industry trends. Alex and Joe provide insight into EnRoads’ services and processes, the effects of market fluctuations on concrete prices and demand, and how to navigate the challenge of seasonal fluctuations in workload.