Public Works

Esri at the 2026 APWA PWX Conference

Houston, We’re Comin’ to See You

Here it comes: North America’s largest public works event, APWA’s PWX. Esri is proud to continue our support for this important annual event. This year, it will be in Houston, and as Glen Campbell so eloquently sang back in 1974, Houston, we’re comin’ to see you!

Houston will make a great host. As the fourth-largest city in the U.S., it has one of the leading public works operations in the country. When it comes to innovation, Houston Public Works is a leader. They have successfully undergone a digital transformation by using GIS for better infrastructure management and updating systems to make the city more resilient. You can read more about that here: Houston, Texas: A Study in Modernizing Public Works with GIS.

The Esri PWX Team and I will be remarkably busy at the conference. We have more activities scheduled this year than ever before in our 30+ year history of supporting PWX. I will start early by attending the Technology Committee meeting on Saturday. On Monday morning, I will attend the Public Works Exchange as part of my duties on the APWA Foundation Board of Trustees, followed by a Foundation Board meeting later that day.

If you are headed to PWX, please stop by the exhibit hall and say hello to us at the Esri booth, 1631, anchoring the GIS Pavilion. Exhibit hall hours are Sunday, noon to 4 PM; Monday, 9 AM to 3 PM; and Tuesday, 9 AM to 1 PM.

We have a talented team of Esri experts from across the company and country:

In addition, for the first time, we will be hosting a series of 15-minute presentations in our booth on the latest examples of ArcGIS in public works, featuring speakers from Esri, Trimble, Novotx, Raven Connected, St. Johns County, FL, and Houston, TX.

Great topics will be covered, including Smarter Capital Project Management, Modern Field Operations, Real-Time GIS, AI, and Vertical Asset Management.

Demo Theater Schedule

Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 2:40 PM

1:00 PM — 8 Steps to Maximize Your Investment in GIS – Esri

1:20 PM — Unlock New Possibilities for Public Works with ArcGIS Solutions – Esri

1:40 PM — Leveraging ArcGIS for Smarter Capital Project Management – St. Johns County, FL

2:00 PM — Modern Field Operations for Public Works – Esri

2:20 PM — From Highway Speeds to Maintenance Action: A Seamless Pipeline for Pavement Asset Lifecycle Management – Trimble

Monday, August 31, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 1:40 PM

11:00 AM — From Street View to Insight: Building Ground Source Truth in ArcGIS – Raven Connected

11:20 AM — Real-Time Public Works with ArcGIS Velocity – Esri

11:40 AM — Building a Centralized Enterprise Geospatial Environment and Culture – Houston, TX Public Works

1:00 PM — From Inspection to Insight: AI in Public Works – Esri

1:20 PM — Next-Gen Public Works Powered by ArcGIS – Esri

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 | 11:20 AM – 12:00 PM

11:20 AM — Smarter Facilities and Vertical Asset Management with ArcGIS – Esri

11:40 AM — If It’s Not on the Map, Does It Exist? – Novotx

The influence of Esri at PWX goes beyond our booth. Be sure to meet our 35 business partners in the exhibit hall. They are recognized by the orange Esri Business Partner pylon in their booths.

You can find an interactive map of the exhibit hall showing the location of our booth and our partners, as well as information on all the ways we will be supporting PWX, in this StoryMap. It includes a list of all GIS sessions at PWX, along with links to additional resources that can help you understand how GIS can support your public works operation.

One of the biggest issues in the public works community right now is the need for streamlined permitting. Esri and Trimble are collaborating on an educational campaign to help agencies understand the value of a geographic approach to permitting with Trimble Unity Permit.

We will be presenting twice in the exhibit hall on this topic. Your community cannot afford inefficient permitting. Stop by to see how we can help:

Fast-Tracking the Future: A Geographic Approach to Modern Permitting

Speakers: Adam Carnow and Dinorah Sanchez
Monday, August 31, 9:00 AM-9:50 AM
Exhibitor Solutions Theater, Booth 339

Location-Intelligent Permitting: Accelerating Public Works and Community Growth

Speakers: Adam Carnow and Chris Crupi
Monday, August 31, 12:00 PM-12:50 PM
Technology Solutions Theater, Booth 523

You have lots of opportunities at PWX to catch up with Esri and our partners and learn about all the ways GIS can support your mission. We are looking forward to seeing you in Houston. Travel safely!

Get Ready for PWX

Adam Carnow

Adam Carnow is the Public Works Industry Marketing Specialist at Esri, the global market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He is a keynote speaker and thought leader. He collaborates with his colleagues, Esri Partners, customers, and the public works community to lead the successful application of GIS across the public works disciplines. Mr. Carnow has over 30 years of experience as a GIS practitioner in the public and private sectors, as well as academia. During his 16-year career at Esri he has previously served as a Local Government Account Manager and a Community Evangelist. Prior to joining Esri, he practiced as a GIS consultant and planner in the AEC industry. He has taught undergraduate and graduate GIS courses at the University of South Florida. He holds a BA in Geography, and a MA in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Florida and has achieved certification as an Urban Planner (AICP) and GIS Professional (GISP). He is a member of the APWA Technology Committee and Industry Advisory Council. He is a member of the Geospatial Professional Network (fka URISA) Board of Directors and a graduate of, and instructor for, the URISA GIS Leadership Academy.

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