BDCuniversity.com |BUILDING DESIGN+CONSTRUCTION | 41they are either “signifi cantly ahead” or “some-
what ahead” of the competition, while 41.5%
indicated that they are “on par” with their clos-
est rivals. However, that leaves a fairly sizable
group—16.2%, or 21 fi rms—that believes their
fi rm has fallen behind their key competitors on
the AEC technology front.
Virtual reality, 360 cameras, real-time render-
ing software, drones, and 3D laser scanners top
the list of “everyday tools” for AEC fi rms. More
than half of survey respondents indicated that
these tools were being implemented on “many
projects” at their fi rm, led by VR (56.69%) and
360 cameras (53.54%). 3D laser scanners are
the most prevalent overall. Nearly three in four
fi rms (74.80%) use 3D laser scanners on at
least “some projects”; half (50.39%) use them
on “many projects.”
Emerging tools include augmented reality,
AI, data analytics/big data, and mixed reality.
About one in fi ve survey respondents are pilot-
testing AR and big data tools, while 17.32% are
vetting mixed reality applications. AI, block-
chain, mixed reality, and digital twin are at the
top of the list of tools “under consideration” by
AEC Giant fi rms. Nearly half (45.67%) are con-
sidering AI; 36.22% for blockchain (Chart 4).
3D laser scanning, real-time rendering tools,
design computation tools, and VR were cited
most often as “high-ROI” tech
strategies. Forty-six percent of
respondents indicated that 3D laser
scanning offered a strong return on initial in-
vestment; 38.46% for real-time rendering tools;
36.15% for design computation; and 35.38%
for VR.
Improved project team coordination was cited
as the most signifi cant busi-
ness impact of AEC technol-
ogy tools and processes.
Eighty percent of respond-
ing fi rms named it among
their top-three benefi ts of
AEC tech. Other advantages
cited often by respondents:
improved client relations/
vision meetings (43.8%);
increased quality of work
(40.8%); increased speed of
work (40.0%); and automates
mundane tasks (38.5%). But
the responses varied widely based on discipline
(see Charts 3A – 3C).
A recap of the fi ndings from the 2019 Giants
300 Technology and Innovation Study is pre-
sented in the following pages. The full report is
available at BDCnetwork.com/2019TechSurvey
(short registration required).Giants 300 Technology and
Innovation Study:
Download the complete
report at BDCnetwork.
com/2019TechSurvey
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