by the McKinsey Global Institute published in Harvard Business Review ranked the construction industry second to last in digital advancement, ahead of only “agriculture/hunting” of 22 industries studied. Yet as described in a, the increasing demand for infrastructure, shortage of skilled labor, and stakeholder demand for modernization are creating pressure for the $12 trillion architecture, engineering, and construction industry to join the digital transformation.
Pooja Jain, senior vice president of strategic innovations at $3 billion global designer WSP, agreed. WSP’s building optimization tool, called daisy, balances the three main aspects of sustainability: daylight, operational carbon, and embodied carbon to maximize sustainability holistically. “Daisy enables us to bring sustainability to the forefront at the beginning of design rather than implementing it afterward,” Jain said.
Knowledge management and AI can also benefit construction through inventory management and compliance during construction. Revaka is an AI-powered information search tool intended for construction. “Information search is time-consuming because there are too many apps to search through,” said co-founder Fauzan Reza Maulana.
Unlike other technologies, “the barrier to entry is low; you don’t have to be a mega-firm to benefit from AI” said Sal Nodjomian, CEO of Matrix Design Group. “Small businesses can easily leverage AI technologies. The private sector moves faster than government, so industry must continue to lean forward and encourage our government partners to follow.” Workshop leader and U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Lieutenant Commander Tim Dahms, U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps agreed.