Innovations in Design Tools Digital Conference
Original Air Date:
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Join Lab Design and our experts for this free digital conference where industry leaders will discuss AI, BIM, VR, and the latest software solutions that enhance collaboration, efficiency, and project outcomes
Innovations in design tools are transforming the landscape of laboratory design and construction, offering new ways to enhance collaboration, efficiency, and accuracy. Embracing tools like artificial intelligence (AI), building information modeling (BIM), virtual reality (VR), and the latest software solutions can streamline workflows and improve project outcomes. Innovative technology systems are essential for creating modern, efficient lab environments.
Join Lab Design on July 29, 2025, for this virtual event on Innovations in Design Tools, part of the Lab Design Digital Conference series. Our speakers will explore the latest advancements in design technologies, discussing how AI can optimize design processes, how BIM enhances collaboration and visualization, and how VR can provide immersive experiences for stakeholders. They will also review software options that facilitate better project management and team communication. This event will provide valuable insights into integrating these innovative tools into your design and construction processes, ensuring that your lab projects are efficient and aligned with contemporary standards and practices.
Interactive Q&A sessions will allow attendees to engage with experts and receive personalized guidance on implementing these technologies in their projects. Register for free to join live or access on demand.
The webinars in the Lab Design Digital Conference series are free to attend live and/or on demand. Select sessions will be available for AIA/HSW continuing education credit.
View on demand
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Lab Design is an AIA CES approved education provider
Sponsor
Agenda
11:00am-12:00pm ET
Next-Gen Lab Design: Lessons in BIM, AI, and Augmented Collaboration
The rapid advancement of BIM, AI, and visualization tools is transforming how laboratories are designed, reviewed, and built. When used early and strategically, these technologies can create safer, more efficient, and more sustainable lab environments.
This webinar will show how to set up schematic models that integrate seamlessly into real-time renderings, walkthroughs, and augmented reality—enhancing collaboration and accelerating design decisions. Lessons from the Translational Research Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will illustrate the benefits of parametric modeling, clash detection, and off-site prefabrication for improving construction safety and reducing rework.
Attendees will also explore how energy modeling and sustainability plug-ins help optimize building performance, and how AI is beginning to shape layout planning and systems design. Walk away with actionable strategies for leveraging digital tools to streamline lab design, reduce risk, and enhance user well-being.
Learning objectives:
Understand how to set up BIM models from schematic design to support real-time renderings, walkthroughs, and augmented reality for enhanced stakeholder engagement and faster decision-making.
Learn how parametric modeling, clash detection, and off-site prefabrication can improve construction safety, reduce rework, and streamline project timelines.
Explore the use of sustainability plug-ins and energy modeling tools to evaluate and optimize building performance throughout the design process.
Discover emerging applications of artificial intelligence in lab design, including layout optimization, system selection, and predictive performance analysis.
This course is approved by AIA CES for 1 LU credit
Speaker
Brandon Pourch
Architect
RS&H
12:30-1:30pm ET
The Evolving Laboratory: AI, Automation, and Design Tools Shaping Research Spaces
Join JLL experts Gul Dusi and Andrew Quirk as they explore the evolving landscape of laboratory design tools and methodologies. This session will examine how AI, robotics, and automation are reshaping laboratory requirements, from power infrastructure needs to space utilization patterns. Drawing from global benchmarking data and evidence-based design principles from multiple sectors, the presenters will discuss innovative approaches to optimize existing lab spaces and plan for future needs.
Key topics include:
Current limitations in laboratory design tools and what innovations are needed
How AI, robotics, and automation impact space planning and infrastructure requirements
Applying data-driven design methodologies to right-size laboratory spaces
Evidence-based design principles from healthcare and other sectors
Strategies for creating flexible, agile research environments that accommodate evolving technologies
The session will include anonymous case studies demonstrating practical applications of these concepts. Attendees will leave with actionable insights for planning and optimizing laboratory spaces that can adapt to future scientific and technological demands.
Learning objectives:
Identify limitations in current laboratory design tools and recognize the emerging innovations—such as AI and automation—that are reshaping space planning and infrastructure requirements.
Understand the impact of advanced technologies (e.g., AI, robotics, automation) on lab design, including implications for power, data, and spatial infrastructure.
Apply data-driven and evidence-based design principles to evaluate and right-size laboratory spaces using benchmarking and cross-sector best practices.
Develop strategies to design flexible, future-ready laboratory environments that can adapt to evolving research needs and technological advancements.
This course is approved by AIA CES for 1 LU credit
Gul Dusi
Managing Director | West Region Development Lead
JLL
2:00-3:00pm ET
Building Smarter Labs: Leveraging BIM, Reality Capture, and AI on Real Projects
This session explores how emerging digital tools and AI are reshaping lab design and construction, with real-world examples from M.J. Harris Construction projects, including the award-winning UAB Genomics Sciences Building. Paul Hedgepath, director of virtual construction, will share practical insights into how Building Information Modeling (BIM), laser scanning, and augmented reality improve coordination, accuracy, and communication across the project lifecycle. Attendees will learn how reality capture validates existing conditions, drives precise MEP coordination, and delivers reliable as-builts.
The presentation will also cover real-world artificial intelligence applications on active projects. The speaker will show how AI improves design workflows, flags issues early, and supports more efficient project execution. These tools help design and construction teams reduce rework, save time, and make better decisions throughout the project.
This talk is tailored for lab architects, engineers, planners, facility owners, and construction professionals who want to apply technology to deliver more innovative labs. Additional case studies of other lab projects will show how these strategies work across various facilities.
Learning objectives:
Identify how digital tools such as BIM, laser scanning, and augmented reality can improve coordination, accuracy, and communication during the design and construction of laboratory environments
Explain how reality capture technologies support the validation of existing conditions, enable precise MEP coordination, and provide accurate as-built documentation
Describe real-world applications of artificial intelligence on active construction projects and how AI improves workflow efficiency, early issue detection, and data-driven decision-making
Evaluate how integrating advanced technologies enhances project safety, collaboration, and performance, contributing to better lab construction outcomes in Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW)
This course is approved by AIA CES for 1 LU/HSW credit
Paul Hedgepath
Director of Virtual Construction
M.J. Harris Construction