AEC Angels

Last week, we headed over to #NYBuild and caught a great session with Ryan D. Hughes of Structure Tone. The panel, "Green Building Blocks: Exploring Sustainable Construction Materials," offered a variety of perspectives from the owner, design and construction sides. From them, we learned more about the complexities of sustainable methods like #urbanmining #materialityassessments and new technologies that can help in the #LEED building process, like Green Badger.

The Silent Killers of AEC Tech Adoption A recent discussion at RETCON got me thinking about the barriers to curiosity and innovation in AEC. We often talk about the need for transformation, but here’s the uncomfortable truth: The best technology doesn’t always make it to the C-suite. And even when it does, that’s not where adoption dies. The real bottleneck is often levels below—the professionals who, whether due to skepticism, unfamiliarity or fear, resist the very tools that could give their firms a competitive edge. AI, automation, and data-driven solutions are already transforming every facet of our industry. But if leadership isn’t fostering a culture of curiosity and rewarding innovation at every level, these advancements stall before they ever take hold. In my last post, I emphasized that?curiosity must lead the way?in AEC tech adoption. The firms that are winning today aren’t just those with the best technology—they’re the ones embedding curiosity and structured innovation into their culture. They’re actively encouraging their teams to explore, experiment, and iterate. The firms willing to embrace AI—those testing generative design, real-time project analytics, and predictive maintenance—are pulling ahead precisely because they are creating pathways for curiosity to thrive. Companies like TestFit, Skema, Trunk Tools, T2D2, and OpenSpace are solving real industry challenges right now. But success with these tools isn’t just about procurement; it’s about leadership that fosters exploration and rewards those willing to test and implement new workflows. The firms leading AEC innovation understand that: 1.?????Curiosity isn’t optional.?If teams aren’t encouraged to experiment with new tools, they’ll default to old habits. Organizations that reward curiosity gain a competitive edge. 2.?????Innovation isn’t top-down.?The best ideas come from those closest to the work. Leadership must create pathways for ideas to move upward. 3.?????Adoption requires investment—of time, not just money.?No technology works out of the box. The firms that give their teams time and space to test, learn, and refine new workflows are the ones seeing ROI. 4.?????Inaction has a cost.?Technology isn’t waiting for the skeptics. If AEC firms don’t proactively push innovation, they’ll be left behind. And at some point, catching up won’t be an option. The question isn’t whether AI and tech will change AEC—it already is. The real question is whether your firm is actively shaping that future or just reacting to it. What is your organization doing to ensure that curiosity leads the way—not just in the C-suite, but across the entire organization? Let’s continue the conversation. #AI #AECInnovation #DigitalTransformation #FutureofConstruction #Leadership

Attending #NYBuild this week? Want to get the most value out of your time at Javits Center? Tomorrow, make sure to squeeze in these informative panels on industry tech. The first session, starting at 11 a.m., "Digital Twin Journeys: End of the Road or Just the Beginning?" features Alina Gorokhova, Director of Digital Delivery at Assembly OSM. https://bit.ly/4innZ8d After lunch, check out Transforming Facade Inspections with Drones, AI, and Data-Driven Insights with Jonathan Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer of T2D2, at 1 p.m. https://bit.ly/421scbZ After these programs, comment below to tell us what you think of their technologies! #aectech #contech #proptech #AI #digitaltwin #NYBuildExpo #thefutureofAEC

The Great Acceleration: 2025's Agentic AI wave and beyond As we enter 2025, we're at the threshold of an unprecedented transformation in the AEC industry. Agentic AI—systems that autonomously understand, plan, and execute complex tasks while adapting to changing conditions—will fundamentally reshape design, engineering, construction management, and asset management. This isn’t just another technological advancement. Agentic AI represents a paradigm shift in how we work. These systems don’t just process data or automate tasks—they actively participate in decision-making, learn from outcomes, and continuously optimize their approaches. The evidence we see at AEC Angels (www.AEC-Angels.com) is already emerging: ·??????Planning: TestFit (www.testfit.io) autonomously generates and refines building plans, balancing zoning, feasibility, and efficiency—weeks of design work now completed in hours. ·??????Design: Skema (www.skema.ai) is revolutionizing BIM workflows, converting schematics into full BIM models in minutes instead of months while adapting to firms’ standards. ·??????Construction Management: Trunk Tools (www.trunktools.com) uses AI to monitor progress, predict conflicts, and adjust schedules, reducing delays and cost overruns. ·??????Asset Management: T2D2 (www.t2d2.ai) transforms inspections, not just detecting problems but predicting failures, recommending maintenance strategies, and optimizing resource allocation. But 2025 is just the beginning. These developments are paving the way for "text-to-action" capabilities. Imagine giving a natural language instruction like?"design a net-zero office building for this site with optimal solar exposure"?and having AI autonomously execute the entire workflow—from initial design concepts through detailed engineering and construction planning. This shift will challenge the industry’s traditional “hours based” value model, dramatically shortening project timelines and redefining roles. Projects that once took months could be completed in weeks. Designs requiring dozens of professionals working sequentially could be developed simultaneously by AI systems collaborating in real time. Our Industry needs to finally pivot to an “hours to outcome” value proposition – and fast. The choice is clear: we can either shape this transformation or be shaped by it. 2025 is our opportunity to embrace agentic AI, develop the workflows and skills to leverage it effectively, and prepare for even more dramatic changes ahead. The technology is ready. The question is: are we? #AgenticAI #AEC #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfAEC #AECtech #Innovation2025 #ConstructionTech #AECAngels

We're excited to share this upcoming ENR event and its incredible lineup of speakers. Trunk Tools Founder and CEO Sarah Buchner, Ph.D. will give the Day 1 Closing Keynote, and DPR Construction's CEO George Pfeffer is speaking on Day 2. All in NYC later this month, and sponsored in part by one of our member firms, STO Building Group. Hope to see you there!

Robert Leon, AEC Angels member and Chief Innovation Officer of STO Building Group, recently chatted with BuiltWorlds as part of its ConTech Talks about agility, consistency, efficiency, and speed—and the balance between collaboration and competition. "Our biggest inhibitor of implementing emerging tech in the construction industry is the fact that we're a fractured industry. We reshuffle the deck every time." "Technology is important," he says, "but we really have to change the process from design, bid, build to something more collaborative and transparent." So what technology does he think is key to the industry's future? "The existing technology with the most potential is BIM... going from the 3D model into 4D, 5D, and 6D. It's also one of our biggest misses; we've been talking about this for decades." Check out his full interview at the link below. #contech #constructiontech #construtiontechnology #generativeAI #constructionprocess

Urban real estate markets have been cautious to adopt offsite construction, aka modular construction, for a variety of reasons, but primarily due to a lack of flexibility. Learn more about the customization possibilities with Assembly OSM in this Q&A with CEO Andrew Staniforth. His answers regarding subassembly?and parallel processing provide some insight into why we think this SHoP Architects spin-off is a great investment. Their expert, problem-solving approach is contributing to a better, more efficient AEC industry that can achieve sustainability goals while creating affordable, high-quality buildings — even in urban environments! #offsiteconstruction #modularconstruction #AECtech #Contech #constructiontech

In her takeaways from our recent event in NYC, held as part of the city's Real Estate Tech Week, Skema Co-Founder and President Kristina I. Bach wrote about closing the gaps between pilots and adoptions, contract models, and the potential of adaptive reuse. Read more below.

Whether you're excited or concerned about what lies ahead for the AEC industry in 2025, one thing is certain: Being in the know is critical. Check out DPR's latest insightful report exploring current market trends. #AECtrends #AECmarkettrends #AECindustrytrends #AECtech #AECinnovation

The Skema for SketchUp integration lets users overcome one of the biggest obstacles SketchUp designers have in their workflows - moving their designs to Revit. With Skema's BIM in Minutes feature your download will be ready for construction documentation at the push of a button. Experience Skema for SketchUp today: https://lnkd.in/ggqpRmF7 #SkemaAI #SketchUp #BIMinMinutes #AEC