Announcing 2024 AEC Acoustics Best Practice Roundtables

Written By Phil Read

The best part of every conference is the conversations after the presentations. So we're just doing that!

Why Roundtables?

We're about the conversations after the presentations. The right answers to difficult technology challenges depends on context, project requirements, workflow goals, and more. Conversations create room for questions, clarity, and consensus. One-size-fits-all solutions don't work and we're experienced enough to know why trial and error creates expensive risk that projects can't afford. Our goal is to discuss and develop best-in-class solutions across a variety or tools, technologies and teams. Experienced, real-world feedback saves time, increases RIO and creates the best buildings possible.

Who Should Attend?

The AEC Acoustics Best Practice Roundtables is for subject matter experts, solution providers, and business decision makers who help create the built environment. We're the "Acoustic" version of larger AEC conferences in order to facilitate thoughtful best practice discussions and consensus.

No large conferences centers. No lanyards. No PowerPoint. No flashing lights and loud music. No alcohol. We're surrounded by nature. T-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes are perfectly fine. We're all about discussions without distractions (or distances - so if you forget your phone charger it's only a 5 minute walk away :). Each roundtable facilitator agrees to complete a 1-2 page executive summary. Post event, our executive summaries will be available for download by the broader AEC industry.

Present Roundtable Topics

  • Brian Mackey: Best Practice Training for Teams and Firms

  • Evan Troxel: Understanding The Value Of A Side Hustle

  • Craig Barbieri: AI for Visual Design Iteration and Beyond

  • Brian Mackey: True Confessions and Horrible Hacks

  • Jason Rostar: Cultural Challenges of Change While Curating Curiosity

  • Stay tuned - more to follow!!

Where We'll Meet?

Lake Swan Camp in Melrose, Florida is rustic, honest, and where you'll be surrounded by nature and shade of moss-draped live oak trees. Accommodations are modest, quiet and comfortable. Everyone has their own cabin or motel style room (yes, there's hot water, air-conditioning, and Wi-Fi :). The camp borders a clear, spring-fed lake with a clean sandy bottom. Late spring in north Florida is pleasant enough for outdoor activities, quiet walks and lake side group discussions. The weather is warm enough to relax outside, swim, and take a paddle board out on the lake.

The AEC Acoustics Best Practice Roundtables is a family friendly (and alcohol free) event where kids are welcome! Pack for casual and comfort. For the little ones ages 6-10, there's counselor-led, indoor and outdoor activities during the grown-up roundtable sessions. Expect daytime highs around 85° and evening lows around 65°. It’s a rustic environment, but in some respects sufficiently modern There's ten, 50amp charging points for anyone driving an electric or hybrid vehicle, or RV camper.

Wonderful meals, exquisitely prepared. Chef Charles Semail will cater this year's event! With over 40 years culinary experience, Charles expects us to be pleasantly surprised at each gathering. Of course there's vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and other dietary options - just let us know during registration.

Conversations. Each day, we'll have up to four roundtable sessions (two sessions after breakfast and two session after lunch). Open afternoon discussions are from 4-6pm, giving everyone an opportunity to unwind and enjoy the warm afternoon outdoors before dinner. Dinner is 6pm. Informal evening gatherings are from 7pm onwards.

Register Today!

What's important to you and your business? Large project management? Cross application integration? Real-time rendering? Real-world use cases of AI for design iteration? Developing custom solutions? Let us know!

While registering and indicating your interest, please select up to 10 topics that'd have a positive impact on your business. You'll also be asked if you're interested in facilitating one (or more) roundtable discussions. Each facilitator agrees to prepare a 1-2 page executive summary for their roundtable(s) by the end of the event.

$1599 event registration includes all lodging, meals, roundtable sessions, and onsite / offsite activities. The 2024 AEC Acoustics Best Practice Roundtables is capped at 50 attendees.

Overall Schedule

Arrive Sunday, April 28. Relax and catchup with your industry peers. Head down to the lake, go for a walk, or relax in a rocking chair from the pine deck of the Lake View Lodge.

Monday April 29. Time to unplug and reconnect. After breakfast, we'll depart via motor coach for Ichetucknee Springs State Park to enjoy a day of networking and team building. There's something for everyone, with hiking trails and boardwalks, kayaking on a pristine spring-fed river, and swimming in crystal clear springs. A full list of amenities is here.

Evening Activity. What do movies like The Godfather, Talladega Nights, and Star Wars all have in common? They’re about families :) And "Meet The Patels" is an award wining and heartwarming documentary about a family. Don’t believe me? Would you believe Roger Ebert?

Parents Vasant and Champa Patel of “Meet The Patels will host our Monday evening event, followed by audience QnA. They promise to share their experiences, hopes, and lessons learned before, during, and after the making of “Meet The Patels”. Save room for the gourmet popcorn!

Ready to meet the Patels from “Meet The Patels”? Please enjoy this brief conversation with Vasant and Champa. Their time with us certian to be joyful and memoreable start to a week of good conversations.

Tuesday, April 30. Breakfast at 8am. Morning roundtables at 9am and 10.30am. Lunch at noon. Afternoon roundtables at 1pm and 2.30pm. Networking and open discussions from 4-6pm. Dinner at 6pm. Relax and unwind from 7pm onwards.

Evening Activity. We'll enjoy a fireside chat of "BIM, Bagels and Back Again: An Unexpected Journey", with AEC industry expert Robert Weygant. According to Robert, "I hit the wall from burn out during the Covid pandemic."

Shutting the laptop and stepping away from all things AEC, Robert went “Full Heisenberg” into making making bagels, ultimately opening an award winning bakery during Covid.

We’ll join Robert in the kitchen, where he’ll make bagels and discuss what led him to take successful, multi-year carer detour before returning to AEC with renewed interest and passion. And ultimately, how his career detour renewed his passion and interest for the AEC industry.

Wednesday, May 1. Breakfast bagels (thanks Robert!:) and more at 8am. Morning roundtables at 9am and 10.30am. Lunch at noon. Afternoon roundtables at 1pm and 2.30pm. Networking and open discussions from 4-6pm. Dinner at 6pm. Weather permitting, we'll enjoy a country style banquet under rope lights and moss draped oak tress on the main deck. :)

Thursday, May 2. Breakfast at 8am. Depart by noon. See you next year!

That's it! Questions? Please email or ask in the comments section below. And once again, please register and indicate your interests via this Google Form.

Kind regards -

Phil Read - CEO Read | Thomas / phil@readthomas.com

Phil Read
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