Author: Laura Black
As most know, AI (artificial intelligence) is rapidly moving from experimentation to implementation. For construction—an industry often challenged by tight margins, schedule pressures, labor shortages, and safety concerns—AI represents an opportunity to improve productivity. Here’s the challenge: Successful AI adoption requires more than simply purchasing new software. This is precisely the reason we are starting a new blog series aimed at answering one key question: AI is here, now what? In the next few weeks, we will walk through a step-by-step guide for AI implementation. The first step we will explore in today’s blog is identifying where AI can create…
Data, data, data. We are entering a new era of work, where data is the new currency, and we have the technologies readily available to leverage this data—but do we have the infrastructure? From energy to data centers, infrastructure across the country needs to be finetuned in order to meet the needs of tomorrow’s data-driven world. Consider this: Electricity demand is projected to grow 15% to 20% by 2030, driven by the rapid expansion of data centers, electrification needs, and more growth. Much of that demand is being met by newly available renewable power sources. Many construction professionals recognize this…
Construction companies across the country are publishing new reports offering insight into the current state of the construction market. The reports examine trends such as rising material costs, labor shortages, project demand, and regional growth patterns. By sharing this data, firms aim to provide developers, investors, and policymakers with a clearer understanding of how the industry is performing and what challenges and opportunities may lie ahead. With this, we see a big shift coming for delivery methods that all contractors need to be aware of. Let’s take a closer look. The State of the Market Skanska recently released its Winter…
Welcome to Women in Construction Week. As we always say here at Constructech, the numbers tell a very interesting story, and it seems the data is trying to tell us something, if we are willing to listen to what it has to say. While 1.13 million women worked in the construction industry in 2006, that total fell to just 802,000 in 2012. What happened during that time to make the numbers drop so sharply? Simply, the 2008 Great Recession. However, since 2012, the number of female construction employees has increased. In 2024, women represented 11.2% of the construction workforce, which…
Let’s talk homebuilding. We are a couple of months into the new year, and there is much for homebuilders to consider as the year continues to unfold. For instance, 84% of homebuilders said that elevated mortgage rates were the most significant challenge builders faced in 2025, and 65% anticipate interest rates will remain a problem in 2026. Other serious issues builders faced in 2025, according to the NAHB (National Assn. of Home Builders)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, include: Looking ahead at 2026, fewer builders expect high interest rates and rising inflation in the US economy to be significant problems. On…
Innovation inevitability reshapes the way we live, work, and relate to each other. Thus, when we enter a new era of innovation, we must always enter it with a spirit of curiosity and a spirit of eager learning. Approaching these changes with curiosity allows us to ask better questions, explore new possibilities, and challenge our assumptions, rather than cling to outdated principles. Consider the recent example of a new innovations center. Innovation at Work The Evolver Innovation Center is designed to help U.S. federal government organizations adopt new technologies and serves as a collaborative environment where leaders, engineers, and cybersecurity…
In recent years, we have seen a rise in new technologies aimed specifically at improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings. Reducing energy usage is often a win-win for everyone involved. What if quantum could step in and make homes even more energy efficient? Let’s consider some of the research out of Hanbat National University, South Korea, which targets quantum reinforcement learning of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems). Last year, researchers at the university presented a demonstration of continuous-variable, quantum-enhance reinforcement learning for resident HVAC and home power management. The technology integrates features such as multi-zone cooling…
If you walked the show floor at World of Concrete 2026, then you know infrastructure investment—and the associated technologies, tools, and equipment—will drive innovative change in the construction industry. The show floor reflected an industry actively reinventing itself. From heavy equipment and power tools to robotics and digital workflows, the dominant themes this year were productivity, automation, and readiness for the next decade of growth. Let’s explore a few key trends to note. Intelligence Abounds With skilled labor shortages persisting in many regions, manufacturers are increasingly embedding automation and intelligence into equipment. Heavy equipment remained a major draw, with vehicle…
The first time I attended World of Concrete, I was in my early 20s, and I learned so much about the construction industry by walking the show floor, talking to exhibitors, and attending media events. Conferences and trade shows can be wonderful learning opportunities for all—and it seems Penn College agrees with this sentiment. This past month 15 Penn College concrete science technology students and two instructors journeyed to Las Vegas to attend the event. Instructor Franklin Reber began taking students to World of Concrete when the college launched the concrete science technology major in 2018. The travel is funded…
In the past few days, we have had our heads down in reports that look out to the year 2026. We are researching construction market trends, products, and outlook measures to see what is to come in the year ahead. Will there be any big surprises in 2026? Let’s take a look. At the end of last year, NAHB (National Assn. of Home Builders) suggests builder confidence inched higher, but still remains well into the negative territory, as builders deal with rising costs, tariffs, and economic uncertainty. All signs point to builder confidence remain a bit shaky as we enter…