AI Series: How Technology Is Reshaping Construction

By: Scott Hess – Vice President of Information Services, High Company LLC, and Brittani Trimmer – Virtual Design Manager, High Construction Company

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The construction industry faces a pressing challenge: an aging workforce and the retirement of experienced Baby Boomers. This loss of expertise has affected productivity, while the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector has historically lagged behind other industries in adopting new technology.

Today, construction technology trends are helping contractors address both workforce pressures and rising project complexity. From cloud-based collaboration to AI-enabled data access and advanced job-site documentation, technology is creating practical ways for teams to work more efficiently and make better-informed decisions.

High Construction Company (HCC) has spent the past five years exploring solutions that bridge this gap. The goal is not simply to introduce more tools. It is to use technology to strengthen collaboration between field and office teams, improve access to project information, and support better project outcomes.

Cloud-Based Construction Management Software Improves Collaboration

Most construction firms in the post-pandemic era have recognized the benefits of cloud-based plans and specifications, equipping site teams with iPads instead of bound specification books and hundreds of drawing pages.

Replacing binders and paper reports with platforms such as Procore and Construction Cloud has transformed collaboration. Real-time sharing of costs, requests for information (RFIs), and submittals has boosted efficiency, with HCC reporting a 40% productivity increase.

Cloud-based construction management software gives project teams a shared source of current information. Instead of relying on paper documents or disconnected communication, clients, trade partners, and project teams can access important project details in a more timely and consistent way.

Additionally, integration with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems ensures seamless communication across clients, trade partners, and project teams.

AI in Construction Project Management

High Construction Company has gained access to vast amounts of project data through Procore, but the challenge has been turning that data into actionable insights. With increasingly complex projects, managers cannot afford to spend hours tracking open RFIs or average response times from design teams, even though this information is critical for managing client expectations.

To address this, High Construction Company joined a closed beta test integrating Copilot with Procore. This tool streamlined access to project data, eliminating the need for manual reports and guiding new users through Procore’s features.

AI in construction project management can help teams retrieve and interpret project information more efficiently. Rather than searching across emails, reports, and project records, users can ask practical questions and access relevant information when it is needed.

Now, teams can quickly answer practical questions such as, “When was the first window delivery?” or “Which meeting addressed this change?” By reducing time spent searching through records, Copilot allows project teams to focus more on delivering results.

This is one example of how technology is reshaping construction: not by replacing the experience of project managers and field leaders, but by helping them spend less time on repetitive information-gathering tasks.

Drones and 360-Degree Cameras for Construction

Advanced documentation has had the greatest impact on High Construction Company’s ability to manage complex projects. In the past, teams spent hours taking photos that often lacked context. Today, 360-degree cameras paired with reality capture software provide precise, high-value data at low cost.

360-degree cameras for construction create a more complete visual record of job-site conditions. When paired with construction reality capture technology, these images can provide project teams with context that traditional photos may not capture.

This technology not only improves documentation but also enables comparisons to building information models, accurate measurement of hidden elements, and automated schedule analysis from simple site walks.

Drones further enhance efficiency by surveying building envelopes, conducting thermal testing, and supporting accurate estimating, such as calculating soil removal or measuring large areas for seeding. Together, these tools streamline data into a single platform, improving accuracy and saving valuable time.

 

“Drones further enhance efficiency by surveying building envelopes, conducting thermal testing, and supporting accurate estimating, such as calculating soil removal or measuring large areas for seeding.”

 

The use of drones in the construction industry supports faster, safer access to information that may be difficult to collect manually. These capabilities can also support AI tools for construction estimators by providing more accurate site measurements and visual data for early planning and estimating activities.

Overcoming Construction Labor Shortages With Technology

Overcoming the construction labor shortage with technology does not mean replacing skilled people. Instead, it means equipping experienced professionals and newer team members with systems that make knowledge more accessible, communication more efficient, and project information easier to understand.

For High Construction Company, technology is not just about tools. It is about strengthening relationships between field and office teams, clients, and partners.

Cloud platforms, AI-assisted search, reality capture, and drones can help preserve project knowledge and reduce manual administrative work. This gives construction professionals more time to apply the judgment, expertise, and collaboration that remain essential to successful projects.

Building Great Construction Teams With Technology

By embracing innovation, HCC is closing the gap between workforce challenges and project complexity, positioning itself at the forefront of construction’s digital transformation.

The most valuable construction technology is technology that works for the people using it. When implemented with clear processes, training, and a focus on practical job-site needs, these tools can improve visibility, support more informed decisions, and help teams deliver stronger results.

As the industry continues to evolve, HCC remains focused on applying technology in ways that improve productivity while reinforcing the relationships and expertise that define great construction teams.

FAQs About Construction Technology

Technology is reshaping construction by making project information more accessible, improving collaboration between field and office teams, and reducing time spent on manual processes. Cloud platforms, AI, drones, and reality capture tools help teams manage documentation, track progress, improve visibility, and make more informed decisions.  

Cloud-based construction management software is a digital platform that enables project teams to access, share, and manage project information online. It can centralize documents, plans, RFIs, submittals, costs, inspections, and other project data so clients, trade partners, and internal teams can collaborate using more current information.  

AI in construction project management can help teams access and organize large volumes of project data. For example, AI-enabled tools may help users locate information about deliveries, meetings, RFIs, or project changes without manually reviewing multiple reports and records.  

Drones in the construction industry can support site surveys, building-envelope inspections, thermal testing, progress documentation, and estimating. They can help teams collect visual and measurement data more efficiently, particularly across large or difficult-to-access areas.  

360-degree cameras for construction capture a detailed visual record of job-site conditions. When combined with reality capture software, they can help teams document work, compare field conditions with building information models, measure certain elements, and analyze progress or schedule impacts  

Construction reality capture technology uses tools such as 360-degree cameras, drones, laser scanning, and software platforms to document physical job-site conditions digitally. It helps teams create accurate visual records and compare field conditions with project plans or models.  

Yes. Technology can help address workforce challenges by reducing time-consuming manual tasks, making project information easier to access, improving communication, and helping new team members navigate project systems more effectively. It supports skilled workers by allowing them to focus more time on judgment, coordination, and delivery.