Category: Features
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We’re Using 20th Century Tools to Design 21st Century Buildings
“I refuse to accept this status quo. I cannot accept a future where we can hail self-driving cars, unlock buildings with facial recognition, or book flights using AI-powered software. Yet, architects and engineers must rely on software designed in the 1990s as they craft cutting-edge structures.” That’s a quote from a recent blog post by…
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It is Time to Assess Your Strategy
Does your AEC company have a live strategy? Many companies claim to have one, but it fails to answer some basic questions. What is strategy? There is no single, all-encompassing definition of strategy. The Economist noted in its March 1993 issue, “Nobody really knows what strategy is.” Professor Henry Mintzberg outlined five different ways to…
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How AEC Leaders Can Leverage Contech Trends in 2025
The Top 50 Contech Startups Report 2025 by Cemex Ventures analyzes the industry’s innovators and investments in their future success. The report also helps Contech leaders anticipate trends, prioritize investments, and align their technology strategy with the future of construction. Contech remains one of the most untapped sectors within venture capital, even though its weight…
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Cost Efficiency as a Strategy
Cost efficiency is the strategic choice for many construction companies. When clients are well aware of what they want, and when many rules and regulations are guiding the buyer and the seller, competition on price prevails. What strategies are feasible when it comes to price competition? “Competitive forces are beyond the control of most individual…
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From Zero to Global Influence: Personal Branding in AEC
People in the AEC industry typically view branding from a narrow viewpoint–it concerns companies and products. I sat down with Vladimer Botsvadze, a global marketing expert and influencer, to discuss another dimension: personal branding and the opportunities it creates for individuals and companies alike. Vladimer Botsvadze Why build your brand? My definition of a personal…
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Pioneers vs. Adapters: How Construction Businesses Approach AI
The Finnish construction information provider, Rakennustieto, held a webinar on January 17, 2025, on developing AI for construction’s core business. The webinar featured Rakennustieto’s generative AI-powered search assistant, a company presentation, and a panel discussion. The company presentation was by Visa Linkiö, AI Lead for YIT, Finland’s largest construction company. Visa talked about how companies…
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How Finland is simplifying building permits with BIM
Many real estate developers, property owners, and city officials feel building permitting should be more streamlined. To reduce friction, efforts have been made to use online forms and submit 2D drawings as PDFs. While this saves time, Finland is taking a massive leap forward by introducing BIM-based permitting, with Solibri playing a vital role in…
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The Moment of Truth – AEC Business
What is the moment of truth of a construction project? It is when an on-site worker enters the jobsite to start doing whatever they plan to do. It is the culmination of a long process that started years ago and the start of a process that will end decades from now. That idea came to…
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The Long Road to Change: Understanding Resistance to Innovation
If you read this newsletter, you probably plan or have tried implementing new technologies in your or your customer’s organization, whether successfully or unsuccessfully. I’ve been there, and it’s not easy or fast. Sometimes, it takes three, five, or ten years for the momentum for a positive and rational change to emerge. Persistence and patience…
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Chat Your Way to Construction Success with Buildots’ Dot
What if you could have a conversation with your construction management tool? In this episode of the AI AEC Show, we dive into how Buildots’ innovative AI assistant, Dot, is making that a reality. Aarni Heiskanen interviews Amir Berman, the Director of Product Management at Buildots. They discuss the game-changing impact of AI on construction management and the…