Concrete-arched metro station in Washington, D.C., symbolizing U.S. infrastructure and the need for digital permitting modernization

Digital Permitting Gets Its Federal Mandate—Here’s How Bluebeam Can Help Modernize It

  • Technology & Innovation
The White House has called for federal permitting modernization—here’s why Bluebeam is uniquely positioned to help agencies deliver on that vision with proven digital workflows

A new presidential memorandum is requiring federal agencies to digitize how they manage permitting and environmental reviews. For decades, outdated and paper-based processes have slowed infrastructure delivery across the country—adding time, cost and complexity to projects that are critical to communities.

This directive changes that. It’s a rare policy moment with bipartisan alignment, long-term infrastructure implications and immediate operational consequences. It’s also a moment that aligns directly with what we do at Bluebeam.

The Bottleneck Is Real—and Costly

Ask anyone in public sector infrastructure delivery: permitting delays are one of the most persistent—and expensive—pain points. Projects stall. Schedules stretch. Communities wait. And behind the scenes, teams are buried in spreadsheets, PDFs, email chains and printed documents that require endless back and forth.

The White House memo acknowledges this head-on. It calls for:

  • Eliminating paper-based workflows.
  • Standardizing digital permitting data and technology.
  • Enhancing transparency and predictability in project approvals.

It’s the clearest federal signal to date that permitting must catch up with the rest of modern infrastructure.

How Bluebeam Aligns with the Federal Directive

Bluebeam’s digital collaboration tools are already supporting permitting and plan review processes for government agencies across the US and internationally. Our platform is trusted because it’s intuitive, scalable and secure—and because it meets agencies where they are.

Here’s how Bluebeam supports the memorandum’s goals:

  • Digital-first workflows. Agencies use Bluebeam to complete plan reviews, mark up documents and manage approvals entirely online—eliminating delays tied to printing, scanning or mailing.
  • Interoperability and open standards. Bluebeam enables seamless coordination across agencies, jurisdictions and consultants using different systems.
  • Proven government performance. Our tools are used by federal, state and local governments across North America to accelerate permitting timelines and improve documentation control.
  • Rapid deployment and training. Bluebeam can be implemented quickly and adapted to existing workflows without requiring major IT overhauls.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s happening now—and scaling fast.

A Perspective from Both Sides of the Policy Conversation

Before joining Bluebeam, I served in the federal government for nearly 15 years across several agencies, most recently for the US chief information officer in the Executive Office of the President, where my work centered on enterprise-wide technology modernization and data, as well as science and infrastructure policy. Back then, we advocated for permitting modernization—but progress was slow. Today, with this memorandum in place, agencies finally have the mandate and momentum to act.

That’s why I see this as a pivotal moment—not just for federal permitting, but for the construction industry and for the public infrastructure as a whole.

Technology alone won’t solve the challenge. It takes leadership from both public and private sectors. It takes tools that are already battle-tested. And it takes intentional collaboration, early in the process, to help shape how this transition plays out across agencies and jurisdictions.

What Comes Next

At Bluebeam, we’re committed to being a partner in this transformation. In the coming weeks, we’ll be publishing a one-pager summarizing our approach to permitting modernization and continuing outreach to public sector leaders to share best practices, use cases and lessons learned.

Here’s how we’re contributing:

  • Publishing thought leadership to clarify what digital permitting success looks like.
  • Sharing real-world examples of streamlined public sector workflows.
  • Engaging with agency stakeholders, including Federal Executive Councils.
  • Supporting standardization efforts for permitting data and workflows.

Let’s Build What’s Next—Together

This is more than a compliance issue. It’s an opportunity to rebuild trust in how infrastructure gets delivered. Agencies that act early have the chance to shape national standards and become models for how permitting can work in a digital-first world.

If you’re part of that conversation—at the federal, state or local level—we want to collaborate.

Explore how Bluebeam can help support your permitting modernization efforts at bluebeam.com or reach out to our team directly at [email protected].

The tools are ready. The policy is here. Let’s move forward—together.

Modernize Permitting. Empower Progress.

Explore Public Sector Solutions
White drone flying over an active construction site with cranes and concrete mixer truck, showcasing modern technology used for construction safety, efficiency, and asset tracking.

Eyes in the Sky: How Drones Are Revolutionizing Construction Safety, Efficiency, Asset Tracking

  • Technology & Innovation
Drone expert David Daly explains how UAVs are transforming construction jobsites through real-time progress monitoring, site security, asset tracking and emerging AI-powered technologies

The construction industry is entering a high-tech era, and drones are leading the charge.

Once the domain of hobbyists or military operators, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now essential tools on jobsites. They’re not just improving project efficiency but are redefining what’s possible.

From creating digital twins of jobsites to safeguarding materials and optimizing equipment use, drones are streamlining workflows, enhancing safety and giving construction professionals powerful new ways to manage and monitor projects in real time.

Few people understand this transformation better than David Daly, chief pilot, training manager and UAV expert at High Stakes University. A Marine Corps veteran with experience in aerospace, real estate, defense and technology, Daly brings a unique perspective on how drone technology is reshaping construction from the ground up.

Key Takeaways

  • Drones deliver real-time progress monitoring through 2D/3D mapping and live transmission feeds.
  • UAVs provide flexible site security that extends beyond fixed cameras or personnel patrols.
  • Drones streamline asset tracking and volumetric calculations, helping teams stay on schedule.
  • Emerging tech like AI, automation and robot-dog integration is pushing drone use even further.

From Combat to Construction: Daly’s UAV Journey

Daly’s entry into the drone industry started in a deeply personal place. After serving four tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, he returned to civilian life facing the mental health challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder.

“When I was flying,” Daly shared, “I noticed that I got relief from some PTSD symptoms like hypervigilance and worrying.” Encouraged by his wife, Daly pursued drone flying as a potential career path—just as the commercial drone industry was beginning to take off.

In 2017, he founded a drone services company and later co-launched High Stakes University. The organization now trains professionals in construction, law enforcement, security and hospitality, teaching not just FAA-compliant drone operation, but also how to apply drones in complex real-world scenarios.

Progress Monitoring in Real Time: Digital Twins and Live Feeds

For construction professionals, drones are transforming how project progress is documented and communicated—especially when it comes to stakeholder reporting and contractual obligations.

“If you had certain phases that needed to be completed,” Daly explained, “the drone can quickly go over that. Because of the capabilities it has, it can map that out in a 2D or 3D fashion so that it can very quickly be shared with stakeholders in the organization. A lot of times that’s also tied into contractual obligations where that can be shared with clients as well.”

One of the most impactful applications is the creation of digital twins—precise virtual replicas of construction sites. These allow teams to detect changes over time, assess delays or progress and make faster decisions.

“Let’s say the next week you do the same thing—you can compare the two and the software will pick out what’s changed,” said Daly. “This becomes a great reporting tool—to be able to say at a progress meeting: ‘Here’s where we’re at; this is what we need to change or adjust in order to get back on schedule,’ or ‘We’re ahead of schedule.’”

Drones also allow for live transmission feeds, adding real-time visibility to project meetings. “You could do a live transmission feed in the middle of a meeting of the drone flying over so people can say, ‘I want to get a better look at that. Can we bring the drone closer into there?’ That’s the main way that it’s used for progress monitoring on a site,” Daly added.

Securing the Job Site: Drones as Autonomous Guardians

Construction sites are vulnerable environments; they’re often left unattended overnight with expensive equipment and materials in place. Drones offer a game-changing advantage in jobsite security.

“A drone doesn’t have the limitations of things like security cameras,” said Daly. “They can go to whatever position you want them to.”

Autonomous drone solutions—sometimes called “drones in a box”—can be programmed to patrol set routes 24/7, offering continuous surveillance and data capture. Unlike stationary cameras, drones provide mobility, adaptability and greater visibility over large or irregular sites.

On-site personnel can also take manual control to conduct additional sweeps of high-risk or newly vulnerable areas, giving teams flexibility to respond in real time.

Asset Tracking and Equipment Efficiency

Beyond safety and monitoring, drones are also helping contractors track and manage expensive equipment more efficiently—especially across large-scale or multi-phase projects.

“If one team is not using [an asset] but they’re scheduled for it,” Daly explained, “you can have that drone track that and say: ‘They’re not using the macro now; let’s bring it to the other team so that they can use it and move along the schedule more efficiently.’”

Drones also simplify once-manual workflows like volumetric calculations, which traditionally required survey crews to measure material piles.

“You can fly a drone over a pile of gravel—it’ll do a volumetric calculation and instantly spit out for you: this is how many tons of rock you have or if you need to order more,” said Daly.

What’s Next: AI, Machine Learning and Robot Dogs

While drones are already transforming today’s construction workflows, emerging technologies are pushing the boundaries even further.

“Drones on their own—or if you have a pilot that’s flying them—can do terrific things,” said Daly. “But when you start looking at a lot of the platforms that are out now, they have AI, machine learning and automation built into them where you can eliminate a lot of the human factor within that.”

Some of the most cutting-edge applications include:

  • Thermal mapping for detecting energy loss, such as heat escaping from rooftops.
  • Swarming technology, where multiple drones collaborate and share data across a jobsite.
  • Ground-based robotics integration, including robot dogs that coordinate with drones for site walkthroughs and safety scans.

“There’s technology now—the drone and the ground base asset like the robot dog—they can integrate each other’s information so you can have it before everybody even gets to a site,” Daly noted. “You can have the drone in the sky and the dog on the ground going around and checking for any safety issues or if something is out of place that shouldn’t be.”

Building Smarter, Safer and More Efficient Sites

As Daly’s experience demonstrates, drones are not just a futuristic add-on; they’re quickly becoming core infrastructure for modern construction teams. From improving communication and site security to unlocking time and cost savings, UAVs are proving their value on projects of all sizes.

With automation, AI and integrated robotics on the rise, the future of construction is increasingly being built—and protected—by eyes in the sky.

Ready to see how technology like drones—and Bluebeam—can transform your jobsite?

Try Bluebeam free and start building smarter today.
High-voltage power lines stretching across a starry night sky, symbolizing the digital transformation of the energy sector through connected construction teams and smart infrastructure.

From Oil to Algorithms: How Energy’s Future Depends on Connected Construction Teams

  • Technology & Innovation
As electricity replaces oil as the engine of economic growth, connected construction teams are key to building the energy infrastructure of the future

For more than a century, oil fueled the growth of the global economy. But today, a new power source is rising to prominence—and reshaping the built world along the way.

Electricity, not oil, is now the backbone of economic expansion in the United States and around the world. With demand surging due to rapid growth in data centers, electric vehicles (EVs), domestic manufacturing and renewable energy infrastructure, the spotlight is shifting toward the systems and structures needed to generate, transmit and store electricity at scale.

This transformation puts the construction industry at the center of the energy transition. But unlike past infrastructure booms, the new wave of energy projects requires far more than steel and concrete. To succeed, it depends on highly connected, collaborative teams—and digital tools that can keep everyone aligned, efficient and compliant from planning to final inspection.

A New Energy Economy Emerges

After decades of relatively flat energy consumption, electricity demand in the US is climbing fast—and it’s not expected to slow down. A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that demand is being driven by a confluence of factors: the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, a growing fleet of EVs, expansion of domestic manufacturing under the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act, and a broader push to electrify everything from water heaters to home heating systems.

……

Key Infrastructure Driving the Transition

What Projects Are Powering the Electric Economy?

As electricity becomes the new backbone of economic growth, a wave of complex infrastructure projects is reshaping the built environment. These are the critical developments driving the shift:

  • Utility-Scale Solar and Wind Farms: Large-scale renewable energy projects are being deployed across rural and coastal areas to meet rising demand with clean, sustainable power.
  • High-Voltage Transmission and Grid Interconnection Upgrades: Modernizing the electrical grid requires new transmission lines, substations and interconnection points to distribute power efficiently and reliably.
  • EV Charging Networks: Extensive charging infrastructure is expanding along highways and in urban areas to support the growing number of electric vehicles on the road.
  • Hydrogen Production and Clean Energy Manufacturing Plants: New industrial facilities focused on low-carbon hydrogen and advanced clean-tech manufacturing are being built to support decarbonization goals.
  • Data Centers for Cloud and AI: The explosion of AI and digital services is fueling demand for energy-intensive data centers—many of which require dedicated grid infrastructure.

These projects depend on close coordination between public agencies, utilities and construction teams—and digital tools to keep them on track.

……

One of the most telling examples is the planned expansion by Dominion Energy, which is set to double its electricity generation capacity over the next 15 years to keep up with demand—much of it concentrated around Northern Virginia’s booming data center corridor, nicknamed “Data Center Alley.”

Meanwhile, a 2024 report from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) projected that total US electricity demand could grow by up to 76% by 2050, depending on the pace of electrification and technology adoption. Demand from industrial consumers—such as semiconductor fabs and hydrogen production facilities—is projected to be especially strong.

This growth comes with major implications for utilities, public agencies, construction firms and energy developers alike: The need to modernize and expand America’s electrical grid has never been more urgent.

Construction’s Critical Role

Whether it’s building utility-scale solar and wind farms, EV charging networks, grid interconnection points or high-voltage transmission lines, construction professionals are on the front lines of the shift toward an electrified economy.

These projects are often highly complex, involving dozens of stakeholders: contractors, engineers, utility companies, permitting officials, environmental consultants and municipal governments. They must meet stringent safety, compliance and sustainability requirements while staying on budget and schedule—a challenge that grows exponentially when teams are spread across disciplines and geographies.

Today’s energy infrastructure projects also differ from traditional builds in another crucial way: they’re expected to be both fast and future-proof. That means coordinating timelines with grid capacity upgrades, ensuring interoperability with emerging technologies and staying ahead of changing regulatory frameworks.

In this high-stakes environment, effective communication and coordination aren’t just nice to have; they’re essential to keeping projects on track and delivering long-term value.

Delays and Disconnection: A Growing Concern

Despite the growing urgency of energy transition projects, permitting delays and bureaucratic bottlenecks continue to stall progress.

According to data from Berkeley Lab, the median wait time for new power sources to connect to the grid reached five years in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. The interconnection process—essentially, getting permission to connect a power source to the grid—has become a major roadblock, especially for solar and wind developers.

Many projects also face challenges during the planning and design phases, where traditional, paper-heavy workflows and siloed teams make it difficult to respond quickly to feedback or maintain a single source of truth.

From markups lost in email threads to outdated drawings floating between teams, the cost of miscommunication can be enormous—especially on infrastructure projects that require careful regulatory oversight and precise technical coordination.

Why Connected Teams—and Tools—Matter

As the pace and complexity of energy infrastructure projects accelerates, connected construction workflows are becoming a critical advantage. Platforms like Bluebeam offer centralized tools for design review, permitting coordination, documentation, compliance and real-time communication.

For example, Bluebeam Revu allows construction professionals to:

  • Speed up permitting and plan reviews by enabling real-time markups, standardized workflows and easier collaboration with agencies and reviewers.
  • Maintain version control and reduce rework by tracking changes and comments across disciplines and stakeholders.
  • Ensure audit-ready documentation for inspections, regulatory compliance and project closeout.
  • Access and update plans remotely, helping distributed teams work more efficiently and transparently.

In an environment where even small delays can have cascading effects—from missed tax credits to regional energy shortages—teams that can work faster and smarter have a distinct edge.

Supporting Both the Private and Public Sectors

One of the unique challenges of energy infrastructure is the need to bridge the gap between private development and public oversight. While utilities and developers are often responsible for design and construction, permitting and regulatory review are handled by local, state and federal agencies.

That’s why connected platforms like Bluebeam aren’t just for contractors but are equally valuable for public-sector partners managing plan review, compliance documentation and interagency collaboration.

By streamlining communication between public agencies and private stakeholders, Bluebeam helps shorten timelines, reduce confusion and keep critical infrastructure projects moving forward.

The Broader Sustainability Opportunity

The shift to electricity isn’t just about supply and demand. It’s also about reducing emissions and improving sustainability across the built environment.

By helping teams work digitally, Bluebeam supports broader environmental goals:

  • Reducing paper usage and printing costs.
  • Minimizing travel to jobsites or city offices for plan reviews.
  • Improving project outcomes through better coordination and reduced waste.

These benefits align closely with the goals of many energy developers, municipalities and design firms aiming to meet ESG targets and reduce the environmental impact of construction itself.

Building the Grid of the Future

As oil’s dominance fades and the electric economy takes shape, construction professionals will continue to play a leading role in shaping the built environment.

But the demands of this new era require new ways of working—ones built on digital collaboration, real-time transparency and integrated data.

By enabling connected teams to plan, build and manage projects more effectively, Bluebeam helps lay the foundation for a faster, cleaner and more resilient energy future. It’s not just about tools—it’s about empowering the people and processes that will make the energy transition real.

Ready to power your next project with smarter collaboration?

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Stack of legal documents with a judge's gavel in front of a construction site with cranes, symbolizing AI-related legal risks and compliance challenges in the construction industry in 2025.

AI Legal Risks in Construction: What Executives Must Know to Stay Compliant in 2025—And Beyond

  • Technology & Innovation
As AI reshapes construction, legal challenges around intellectual property, compliance, liability and cybersecurity are emerging as critical concerns for industry leaders in 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the construction industry, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance efficiency and productivity.

From predictive analytics to autonomous equipment and AI-assisted design, construction firms are using advanced technologies to streamline workflows and improve outcomes.

Still, these innovations come with a new set of legal, compliance and regulatory challenges that construction industry leaders must address to mitigate risks and ensure compliance.

In 2025, the legal landscape surrounding AI in construction promises to become increasingly complex. Issues such as intellectual property, liability, regulatory compliance, workforce implications and cybersecurity are at the forefront.

Intellectual Property Challenges in AI-Driven Construction Projects

AI-generated designs, models and project plans raise critical questions about intellectual property (IP) and data ownership. For instance, if an AI system produces an innovative structural design, who owns the rights to that creation—the construction firm using the tool, the AI developer or another stakeholder?

Without clear contractual agreements, legal experts say disputes over ownership could arise, potentially delaying projects or leading to costly litigation. Construction firms must include detailed IP provisions in their contracts to clarify ownership and usage rights for AI-generated outputs. Additionally, companies should collaborate closely with software vendors to understand licensing agreements and avoid unintended IP conflicts.

Allocating Liability for AI Risks in Construction

AI-driven systems are increasingly being used for tasks such as cost estimation, schedule optimization and risk assessment. While these tools offer significant advantages, legal experts say they also introduce questions of liability. If an AI system provides inaccurate data or makes a faulty recommendation that leads to a project delay or safety incident, determining responsibility can be complicated.

…..

Cybersecurity Red Flags in AI Adoption

As AI becomes more integrated into construction workflows, it brings new cybersecurity risks that firms can’t afford to ignore. AI systems process vast amounts of sensitive project data—ranging from proprietary designs to client financials—making them prime targets for cyberattacks. A single breach could lead to project delays, regulatory fines and reputational damage.

To mitigate these risks, construction firms must prioritize encryption to protect data in transit and at rest, implement multifactor authentication (MFA) to prevent unauthorized access and establish ironclad security agreements with AI vendors to clarify liability in case of a breach. Regular cybersecurity audits and employee training on phishing threats and AI vulnerabilities can further strengthen defenses. As AI adoption accelerates, firms that take a proactive approach to cybersecurity will be better positioned to protect their data—and their bottom line.

…..

To address this, construction firms should include AI-specific risk allocation clauses in their contracts. These clauses should clearly outline the responsibilities of all parties involved, including the AI provider and end user. Moreover, firms should implement performance benchmarks and safeguards to minimize the risk of AI-related errors.

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance with AI Tools in Construction

AI tools are often used to ensure compliance with building codes, environmental regulations and other legal requirements. But legal experts say the reliability of AI-driven compliance monitoring can vary, and firms may face penalties if these tools fail to meet regulatory standards.

For example, an AI tool used to assess a project’s environmental impact must produce accurate results that align with federal and local regulations. To avoid issues, firms should regularly audit their AI systems and collaborate with regulatory experts to validate compliance processes. Proactive measures like these can help prevent costly fines and reputational damage.

Navigating Workforce Changes and Labor Laws in AI Automation

AI is automating many repetitive tasks in construction, enabling firms to allocate resources more efficiently. Yet, legal experts say this shift raises concerns about labor displacement and compliance with evolving employment laws.

For instance, as roles shift due to AI automation, firms may face disputes over worker classification or layoffs. To mitigate these risks, construction companies should invest in reskilling programs to prepare employees for AI-integrated roles. Clear communication about workforce changes and adherence to labor laws can also help maintain stability and reduce the likelihood of legal challenges.

Cybersecurity Risks and Data Privacy in AI Adoption for Construction

The adoption of AI involves processing vast amounts of sensitive data, including proprietary project information and client details. This increases the risk of cybersecurity breaches, which experts say can result in significant legal and financial consequences.

…..

Who Owns AI-Generated Designs?

AI is transforming construction design, but it’s also raising major intellectual property (IP) questions. Without clear agreements, disputes over ownership rights can lead to costly litigation. Here’s what construction firms need to consider:

  • Who holds the rights? AI-generated designs may involve multiple stakeholders—construction firms, AI software developers and project clients—all of whom could claim ownership.
  • Contract clarity is key. Legal experts recommend explicitly outlining ownership and usage rights for AI-generated outputs in contracts to prevent disputes.
  • Licensing matters. Some AI tools retain rights to generated designs under their terms of service. Firms should review vendor agreements to avoid unintended IP conflicts.
  • Protecting proprietary data. AI models trained on company-specific data could create outputs that expose sensitive information, making data security a critical concern.
  • The legal landscape is evolving. As regulations catch up with AI advancements, construction firms must stay informed on emerging IP laws to safeguard their interests.

To avoid ownership disputes, construction leaders should work closely with legal teams and software vendors to establish clear, enforceable agreements before integrating AI into their design processes.

…..

To address these risks, construction firms must implement robust cybersecurity measures, such as encryption, multifactor authentication and regular system audits. What’s more, contracts with AI vendors should include provisions that address data protection and liability for potential breaches. By prioritizing data security, firms can build trust with clients and avoid regulatory penalties related to privacy violations.

The Path Forward for Construction Firms

As AI becomes more deeply integrated into construction workflows, the legal challenges it introduces will only grow in complexity. By addressing these issues proactively, construction firms can position themselves to leverage AI’s benefits while minimizing risks.

Key strategies include updating contracts to address AI-specific risks, collaborating with legal and compliance experts and implementing safeguards to ensure the reliability and security of AI systems. Construction firms should also invest in workforce training to adapt to AI-driven changes and maintain compliance with evolving labor laws.

For construction leaders and other industry stakeholders, the message is clear: understanding and managing the legal implications of AI is essential to staying competitive in an increasingly digital industry.

And by taking a forward-looking approach, firms can turn legal readiness into a competitive advantage, enabling sustainable growth and innovation in 2025 and beyond.

Stay compliant and ahead of AI risks.

Try Bluebeam free today!

Photo of a construction hard hat resting on a flat surface with a vibrant sunset in the background, symbolizing innovation, resilience, and progress in the construction industry. Perfect visual for an article about generative AI's transformative role in modern construction.

Redefining Construction with AI: How Trunk Tools Turns Data Into Actionable Insights

  • Technology & Innovation
Trunk Tools’ innovative use of generative AI is reshaping how construction teams access and manage project data in the field

Construction teams face a daily flood of data—plan documents, RFIs, contracts and submittals—all essential but often buried in complex document management systems.

What if finding answers was as simple as asking a question?

Sarah Buchner, founder and CEO of Trunk Tools, set out to make this vision a reality. “The biggest problem in construction is that we have a lot of data and we’re hardly doing anything with it because it’s so unstructured and difficult to analyze,” Buchner said.

Her company uses generative AI to provide a solution: a conversational, chat-based tool that lets project managers and superintendents access the information they need immediately. “You ask a question and get an answer, with links to original source documents. Click, and you get the original artifact.”

Inside TrunkText: How Generative AI Powers Smarter Construction Workflows

TrunkText is Trunk Tools’ chat agent that construction workers use to query project data. Powered by a large-language model (LLM), it can even automate workflows like comparing a submittal against project specifications.

“Instead of having a human sitting there comparing the two documents, it’s something AI can do,” Buchner said. “There are so many workflows in our day-to-day life that we just don’t need humans to do anymore.”

Real-World Impact: How TrunkText Streamlined the Baird Center Expansion Project

In 2021, Gilbane Building Co. began work on the $456 million Baird Center Expansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a massive project involving more than 33 GB of data across approximately 21,000 documents. As deadlines approached, sifting through this mountain of data consumed precious time.

How Large-Language Models (LLMs) Turn Construction Data into Answers

Construction projects generate massive amounts of unstructured data—think plan documents, RFIs, submittals, contracts and daily reports.

The problem: Much of this information lives in separate files, formats and platforms, making it tough to access and analyze when decisions need to be made quickly.

This is where large-language models (LLMs) come in. LLMs are a type of artificial intelligence trained on vast amounts of text data. They excel at understanding language patterns, context and meaning—skills that make them perfect for simplifying complex construction data.

Here’s how LLMs work in construction:

  • Data Processing: When documents like contracts and submittals are uploaded into an AI-powered platform like TrunkText, the LLM scans and indexes their contents, turning them into searchable data.
  • Semantic Understanding: Unlike basic search engines that rely on keywords, LLMs understand the meaning behind queries. This means that if a project manager asks, “What’s the maximum load capacity for beam X?” the AI can find the relevant spec—even if the exact words aren’t in the document.
  • Contextual Answers: LLMs provide context-rich answers by linking directly to the source documents. Users don’t just get a response; they get the evidence behind it.
  • Automating Repetitive Tasks: Beyond answering questions, LLMs can also handle tasks like comparing specifications or generating summaries, reducing the need for manual work.

By turning unstructured project data into clear, actionable insights, LLMs can help construction teams save time, avoid costly mistakes and focus on getting the job done right. In a high-stakes industry where every minute counts, that’s a game changer.

To address this, Gilbane piloted Trunk Tools during the project’s final sprint in January 2024. Once documents were uploaded, the AI processed the data, enabling field workers to quickly retrieve information like plan document details or change orders.

“More than 30 minutes is often saved on questions asked in the field,” said Andrew Roy, superintendent on the Gilbane project. “It’s also positively benefiting the speed to response for the person asking the superintendent a question.”

By project completion in May 2024, the AI had answered nearly 250 questions, saving 20-40 minutes per query—equating to an estimated $100,000 or more per month in avoided rework costs. Critically, 87% of the answers were verified as accurate, giving teams confidence in its reliability.

From Job Sites to AI Innovation: Buchner’s Journey in Construction Tech

Buchner’s passion for construction began in Austria, where her father, a carpenter, often took her to job sites. “I started working on my first job when I was 12, and liked it,” she said. After nearly a decade in construction, she pursued advanced degrees in civil engineering, data science and business.

Top 3 Challenges AI Is Solving in Construction

  1. Data Overload: Construction projects generate thousands of documents, from plan documents to contracts. AI-powered tools organize and index this data, making it searchable and manageable.
  2. Slow Information Retrieval: Finding critical project details can take hours. AI chatbots like TrunkText provide instant answers, linking directly to source documents.
  3. Manual Document Comparisons: Tasks like checking submittals against specifications are time-consuming. AI automates these comparisons, reducing human error and speeding up approvals.

By addressing these challenges, AI is transforming how construction teams work—saving time, cutting costs and boosting efficiency.

While working on her Ph.D., Buchner encountered firsthand the difficulties of analyzing unstructured construction data. “I had to raise money to clean the data so I could do analytics,” she said. This experience highlighted the urgent need for better data management and access in the industry. When generative AI emerged, Buchner realized it could revolutionize construction workflows.

What’s Next: How AI Is Shaping the Future of Construction

Since founding Trunk Tools in 2021, Buchner has focused on creating AI tools that address real problems faced by field teams. The chat-based interface is intentionally intuitive, requiring minimal user training.

“Trained AI is really good at semantically connecting data with humans,” she said. “We’re used to talking to get the information we need. When more solution providers figure that out, we’re going to see a lot more chat-based tools like this.”

With tools like TrunkText, generative AI is no longer just a buzzword—it’s reshaping how construction teams work, saving time, cutting costs and unlocking the potential of data in the field.

Ready to Transform Your Construction Workflows?

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City officials collaborating over digital project plans on a tablet, symbolizing how municipalities can leverage digital tools to address CHIPS Act implementation challenges.

How Municipalities Can Use Digital Tools to Meet CHIPS Act Challenges

  • Technology & Innovation
Municipalities must adopt digital collaboration tools to streamline permitting and meet CHIPS Act demands. Here’s how they can start

The CHIPS Act, a landmark investment to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, promises to reshape the nation’s technology landscape. With more than $50 billion allocated for domestic production and billions more for research and development, the act represents a bold step toward reducing reliance on foreign chip suppliers.

Yet, while much of the focus has been on manufacturers and contractors, a critical piece of the puzzle lies with local governments.

Municipalities will play a pivotal role in the success of these projects, particularly in managing construction permitting and records. For these high-profile initiatives to succeed, local governments must embrace digital collaboration tools to streamline processes, minimize delays and align with the advanced systems used by contractors.

How Municipalities Drive Success in CHIPS Act Construction Projects

The CHIPS Act’s ambitious goals depend on efficient project management at all levels. Semiconductor plants, with their high-tech infrastructure and specialized requirements, demand a seamless permitting process to avoid costly delays. But many municipalities still rely on outdated, paper-based workflows for permitting and records management.

These inefficiencies risk creating bottlenecks that could derail timelines and escalate costs for critical projects.

Local governments are key gatekeepers in ensuring compliance with regulations while supporting contractors with the tools they need to execute efficiently. Adopting digital collaboration tools will be essential to meeting these demands.

Maximizing Efficiency with Digital Collaboration Tools for Municipalities

Digital collaboration tools are transforming construction workflows by offering centralized platforms for managing permits, plan reviews and records. These tools facilitate real-time communication between stakeholders, automate compliance tracking and reduce errors in documentation.

For municipalities, they offer an opportunity to modernize their systems and align with the digital practices contractors are increasingly adopting.

A 2019 study by McKinsey & Company highlights that digital tools can reduce project delays by up to 45% and improve productivity by 14% to 15% in large construction projects. Using such tools, municipalities can significantly enhance their ability to process permits, manage records and support CHIPS Act projects.

Lessons from Successful Digital Plan Review Implementation

Some municipalities have already begun transitioning to digital systems with impressive results.

The city of Seattle serves as a prime example of how digital plan review systems can revolutionize municipal permitting processes. By implementing Bluebeam, Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections transformed its approach to handling project submissions.

The city transitioned from cumbersome, paper-based workflows to a streamlined digital system that enabled real-time collaboration among stakeholders, improved accuracy in plan reviews and significantly reduced processing times.

Practical Strategies for Municipalities to Embrace Digital Transformation

Municipalities looking to modernize their processes can take the following steps to prepare for the demands of CHIPS Act projects:

  • Assess Current Processes: Conduct a workflow audit to identify inefficiencies in permitting and records management.
  • Invest in Digital Tools: Choose platforms tailored to municipal needs, such as those offering review capabilities, automated compliance tracking and document storage.
  • Train Staff: Provide training for staff to ensure a smooth transition to digital tools and minimize operational disruptions.
  • Collaborate with Contractors: Align workflows with contractors’ digital systems to ensure seamless communication and avoid mismatches.
  • Monitor and Optimize: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the efficiency of new processes and make continuous improvements.

Addressing Challenges in Municipal Digital Transformation

While the benefits of digital transformation are clear, municipalities may face challenges such as budget constraints, resistance to change and integration difficulties. Addressing these issues requires a proactive approach:

  • Budget Constraints: Advocate for CHIPS Act funding to include allocations for local digital upgrades. 
  • Resistance to Change: Emphasize long-term cost savings and efficiency gains. 
  • Integration Challenges: Implement phased rollouts and seek vendor support for training and technical assistance.

Building a Future-Ready Vision for Modernized Municipalities

As semiconductor manufacturing becomes a cornerstone of the US economy, municipalities must rise to meet the challenge of supporting these projects efficiently.

Digital collaboration tools offer a pathway to modernize workflows, improve interdepartmental coordination and ensure compliance with complex regulations. By adopting these tools, local governments can position themselves as valuable partners in the success of the CHIPS Act.

Modernization is not just about keeping up with contractors; it is about creating a resilient, future-ready public sector capable of supporting large-scale, transformative projects.

As the CHIPS Act lays the foundation for America’s semiconductor future, municipalities can play a key role in building it—efficiently, effectively and digitally.

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Bluebeam Interior Design

How to Design Workspaces—Or Any Interior—With Bluebeam

  • Technology & Innovation
Interior designers do amazing work—here’s how Bluebeam can make their jobs easier

As you sit in your office, look out over the different workstations, cubicles, communal areas and conference rooms. Do you ever think about where all the furniture and fixtures came from? It’s no small stroke of luck that all the correct colors, textures and quantities showed up when delivered.

The interior designers responsible for this magic not only work to capture the look and feel of the indoor built environment, but they also consider traffic flow, occupancy restrictions and other code compliancy. If you’re interested in the how-to technical side of the tools below, check out my blog, “Bluebeam Revu for Interior Design.”

So, which Bluebeam features are most important for interior designers?

  • Groups
  • Layers
  • Spaces
  • VisualSearch
  • Legends
  • Digital Dashboards

Groups

Laying out large office spaces can have standard configurations multiplied several times throughout the space. Tagging each chair, desk and file cabinet can take a long time depending on the number of workstations. To help speed this up, several markups can be Grouped, allowing the user to copy/paste the entire workstation with all its components, thus reducing the number of picks and clicks significantly.

Layers

Sometimes office layouts can get busy and cluttered when you add power poles, data connections, ceiling-mounted projectors and wall-mounted screens. By creating a layer system in Bluebeam, you can hide or isolate each of these individually, making the plans much more comprehensive.

Spaces

Differentiating distinct areas on layout plans is another way to keep everything organized. Using Spaces in Bluebeam allows you to sketch out specific rooms, sections, departments or entire floors. As a result, you can sort fixtures by room number or department. If you have eight employees on the finance team, for instance, your counts for chairs and desks should report eight of each. You can have a breakdown of fixtures per department and quickly get totals per floor or entire layout.

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VisualSearch

With many of the equipment and fixtures being labeled on the plans, a visual search is extremely powerful for finding all instances of a particular chair, desk or power pole. Bluebeam has the ability to search for a specific layout of pixels forming a symbol. The ability to count all the office chairs in one search saves considerable time over shifting through drawings clicking on each one individually.

Legends

Having the ability to display fixture counts directly on a printed sheet helps everyone downstream. From delivery to installation, it’s important to know what goes where and how many. Legends in Bluebeam provide accurate counts directly on the layout sheet along with other important specifications. Customized data can be sorted, filtered and displayed, putting the most valuable information at the forefront.

Digital Dashboards

Often a client may not be familiar with drawings or specifications and may need a more visual representation of the package they’re purchasing. A Digital Dashboard using Bluebeam is a powerful way to convey industry data to the design team while being extremely visual for the client. The design quickly comes to life with a look and performance of a common website. Digital Dashboards show different views, product images and use hyperlinks in a universally understood language.

These are just a few of the essential tools and functions in Bluebeam helping interior designers efficiently lay out and accurately count fixtures while communicating with the client.

Learn more ways Bluebeam can change your life.

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Bluebeam AI

How AI Is Shaping the Future of Infrastructure Construction

  • Technology & Innovation
Learn about the impact of AI on job security, data protection and industry practices from leading experts in the infrastructure and construction technology sector

It’s not a question whether the artificial intelligence revolution will continue. It’s a matter of how AI trends will shape the future of the infrastructure industry. With it comes many questions about job security, data security and how to capitalize on this emerging technology while protecting your business interests.

Roads & Bridges’ panel, Getting Ready for AI: A Panel Discussion with Engineering and Technology Leaders, recently brought together experts from consulting engineering firms and software vendors to discuss the topic.

In the panel moderated by Jalpesh Patel, then business development manager of infrastructure for ALLPLAN (he now serves as Industry Development Manager – Infrastructure at Bluebeam), three experts explored the most pressing questions about AI in infrastructure and how they see it shaping the industry’s future.

Defining AI

Before diving into how AI will transform the infrastructure industry, Patel asked the panelists to define AI.

“AI, in a general sense, is about developing software or machines that have something that appears to be human-like intelligence or can do things that humans would typically be required to do in the software space,” said Terry Walters, the digital delivery evangelist at Maldelo and founder and chief architect at RoadCADdie.ai. “Essentially, it means making software that can learn in some fashion and then use that learning to solve new problems.”

While AI feels brand-new, its beginnings date to the 1950s, when several developers built applications that could learn how to play checkers, Walters explained. From the 1960s to the 2000s, AI’s growth was steady and flat until increasing in the 2010s until today, when it has become a part of most people’s lives.

“AI represents a new toolset and a new capability,” said Don Jacob, the chief innovation officer at Bluebeam. “We’ve recognized the application of the tool is important, but we are focusing on how we help people get projects done better, get the world built better, sustainably in cost and under schedule.”

Eduardo Lazzarotto, the chief product and strategy officer at ALLPLAN, sees AI as a co-pilot to assist and automate what people are doing—not replace them.

“One of the first questions that users and the industry in general have to ask themselves is how do they see the future of AI?” he said. “And what do they want that solution to deliver within their current workforce?”

Prioritizing security and teamwork

According to Walters, the explosion and proliferation of AI tools, especially free tools, are driving companies to shift the allocation of resources and capital.

“People are becoming more efficient because they’ve started to adopt these tools,” Walters said. “They’re either able to get more done or focus on the things that AI still isn’t good at. The important thing though is the security piece, especially when folks are going out to publicly available tools and [inputting] privately contained information.”

Experimenting with AI is the first step, but Jacob said the critical next step is “explainable AI,” which are tools and methods designed to help people understand the results of machine learning. Specifically, these tools are going to be essential with what Jacob calls mission-critical scenarios where human life is at stake.

“Being able to understand why the machine gave you the answer is going to be something very important for us,” he said.

Lazzarotto added that getting to this point is going to require teamwork and collaboration.

“We are always trying to integrate with other solutions to make sure the client has the workflow that they feel is right,” he said. “We’re not trying to force them into a certain aspect of using technology.”

Using AI in the AEC industry

When Walters worked on a recent Texas Department of Transportation project, he generated a “frequently asked questions” document with AI because he had a large amount of data from numerous stakeholders. AIenabled him to condense columns of information from a spreadsheet in 20 minutes instead of several hours. He has also seen AI used in grading, mechanical engineering and circuit design in electrical engineering.

“AI will be one of the most important technologies we have developed, and it will impact us in ways we can’t yet understand,” Walters said. “It’s kind of like trying to guess what the internet was going to become in the 1990s.”

In addition to consolidating text, Jacob sees significant opportunity with AI’s ability to synthesize information across different data types including text, semi-structured data, graphics, drawings, models, photos, video and audio.

“I think that is a real opportunity [to be able to apply] all the structured, semi-structured, and different types of data and see how it is being applied across other industries,” Jacob said. “I also want to underline that this is going to take all of us in the industry coming together as we go into this season of innovation with AI.”

As with every technology and tool that has come from AI, quality is essential. AI tools will only be as good as the information used to “train” it.

“Great AI comes from great data,” Lazzarotto said. “More than ever, we need to remind the whole AEC/O industry that today’s data is still locked within files, workflows or processes that need to be open.”

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