Stop Relying on “Representative” Inspections, Here’s Why w/ Derek Feebrey

“What if the biggest risk to our infrastructure isn’t corrosion, cracking, or ageing, but the assumptions we still make?”

Most asset inspections rely on “representative sampling”, checking a handful of areas and extrapolating the rest. But in complex, ageing buildings, that approach can quietly hide defects, increase risk, and lead to expensive surprises later.

In this episode of the Structural Intelligence Podcast, host Owen Keenan sits down with Derek Feebrey, Co-Founder and CEO of Trendspek, to explore why sampling often falls short, and what a better future looks like, one built on complete, auditable data.

From aviation-inspired precision to millimetre-accurate 3D digital records, Derek explains how the industry is shifting from static PDF reports to living models of the built environment, and why the biggest barrier is not technology, it’s trust, process, and change management.

If you work in engineering, asset management, facilities, or infrastructure, this episode will challenge the way you think about inspections, evidence, and decision-making.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Why “representative” inspections can miss critical risksHow complete data reduces assumptions and improves decisionsWhy 3D modelling is changing how we plan remediation and budgetsThe role of engineers, contractors, and owners in better collaborationWhy adoption is more about people and process than technology

⏱ Timestamps:00:00 - Why Sampling Fails06:02 - From Photos to 3D Insight09:01 - Digital Inspections from Data13:42 - Agnostic Data Capture17:31 - The Limits of Representative Inspections22:40 - Remediation and Cost Certainty26:32 - Optimizing Asset Management30:19 - Working Together Virtually35:29 - Digitizing Data and Building Smarter Insights38:26 - AI-Powered Infrastructure

🔗 Guest: Derek Feebrey

Co-Founder & CEO TrendspekWebsite: https://trendspek.com/LinkedIn (Company): https://linkedin.com/company/trendspekLinkedIn (Derek Feebrey): https://linkedin.com/in/derek-feebrey

🎧 Host & Links

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/owenrkeenanSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vcBFpl87NcqpLf0seIRaWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Structural-Intelligence

VoiceInspect.ai (AI for inspections): https://www.voiceinspect.ai

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