Author: Laura Black

Today, the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) announced the launch of its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card, and it has me thinking about innovation in infrastructure and what that means for the construction industry in the years to come. For those who follow the report card, it is released every four years, and 2021 was the first time we saw the overall GPA out of the D range. Achieving a C- in 2021 was progress, and now in 2025, the overall GPA is a C. Peggy Smedley is doing a deeper dive of the report card over on The Peggy Smedley…

Here at Constructech, we have written a number of times about shakeups in the construction-technology space including M&As (mergers and acquisitions), companies closing, companies going bankrupt, partnerships, and more. M&As in particular seem to come in waves, some waves faster and larger than others. Now, we see the next steps one company is taking to spin-off one of its divisions. Earlier in March, Hexagon AB announced how it is preparing to spin-off one division. The board of directors, after a comprehensive assessment, has directed management to prepare for the separation of its Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division and related businesses through…

Home automation is on the rise, driven by the need to make homes more secure, energy efficient, and to provide greater convenience to homeowners. GlobalData estimates global spending on automated home devices totaled $119.5 billion in 2023 and it will reach $200.8 billion by 2028, which is an 11% compound annual growth rate. This trend is driving builders to make decisions about what types of products, devices, materials, and appliances to put into new homes—and there are three big categories to watch. The report suggests there are three top automated home subcategories that will make up the lionshare of the…

Welcome to March. Later this month, ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) will release its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. Released every four years, 2021 achieved a C-. Will the score be higher or lower this year? No matter the score, what is needed is progress—and we are beginning to see new innovation aim to do exactly that. Let’s consider an example out of Texas A&M Engineering. The researchers have developed a method for bridge construction that will hit the trifecta: reduce time, cut costs, and improve performance. The 42-month, $1 million project will explore more efficient methods of anchoring steel…

Here at Constructech, we focus primarily on the construction industry and how market and technology trends impact this space. But the reality is contractors must work in tandem with other areas of the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry in order to build homes, buildings, and infrastructure. For instance, interior design trends will often drive what contractors are building. Consider sustainability as an example. A drive for greater sustainability in buildings and homes means contractors must source new materials and install new technologies in order to meet the needs of homeowners and building owners. In order to dig a bit…

Here in the United States, we must continue to focus on rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. There is much work to be done and many opportunities, but we also must remember to keep an eye on evolving technologies as we build fast and furious. If you attended World of Concrete earlier this year, then you know cement and concrete were large topics of conversation—specifically how to decarbonize and lower emissions. Earlier this month, Peggy Smedley covered this in a blog, looking at how cement remains one of the largest industrial emitters of carbon emissions. What is needed is alternatives and innovative…

Buildings are entities that evolve, and we are seeing new types of buildings emerge, creating cities and communities of the future. Let’s consider a few ways buildings are continuing to change. Healthy Buildings In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a lot of conversations about how to make buildings “healthier,” with a very big focus on the IAC (indoor air quality) in our homes and buildings. Much work has been done in the past five years—and much work is still being researched. Just last year, Stanford University conducted research that suggests seasonal respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, and…

Gen AI (artificial intelligence) is coming to construction in a big way. Let’s consider two case studies today. As we look at how other companies are leveraging technologies, we can then develop ideas for how to approach strategies at our own companies. Case Study: AI Does the Scheduling With more than a 100-year history and three generations of family leadership, Zachry Construction Corp., is a privately owned construction company in San Antonio, Texas. The company recognizes in order to deliver complex, heavy civil, transportation, utilities, and infrastructure projects, it must leverage technology to improve efficiency and project delivery. Enter AI.…

Candidly, if you thought 2024 was the year of gen AI (artificial intelligence), then you haven’t seen anything yet. Let’s take a look at what gen AI will ultimately mean for the construction industry in 2025 and beyond. But, first, let’s review some of the numbers. According to Statista, the generative AI market size has already increased rapidly by 554% in the past four years, reaching $36 billion value in 2024. Yet, AltIndex.com suggests the generative AI market is set to skyrocket tenfold and reach a $356 billion value by 2030. The bottomline is we can all expect continued growth…

The California wildfires have me thinking about how we build amid increasing natural disasters like wildfires, tornados, and hurricanes, just to name a few. Have we not learned anything since the supposed cow kicked over the lantern in Chicago in 1871, devasting the city and killing roughly 300 people? The Pacific Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles started on January 7, 2025, and raged on for days, killing dozens and causing devasting destruction in its path. Of course, this is only one example of recent wildfires. We saw flames in Gatlinburg, Tenn., in 2016, Superior and Louisville, Colo., in 2021, and…