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Construction tech takes center stage at CES 2026
At CES 2026, construction technology was highlighted with autonomous equipment, AI assistants, and electrified fleets. Caterpillar unveiled five Level‑4 autonomous vehicles and a voice‑controlled AI assistant for field crews, while startups demonstrated AI‑driven reporting tools and spatial‑computing wearables.
The video walks through Autodesk’s Revit 2027 release, spotlighting the most talked‑about addition – the new AI Assistant – and then cataloguing the top fifteen architectural‑focused enhancements. While the AI Assistant is presented as a conversational tool for model queries, the presenter warns that it is still a tech preview that frequently fails tasks, recommending teams avoid reliance until it matures. Key productivity upgrades include a built‑in rule‑based numbering system that automatically tags doors (and other elements) based on room parameters, eliminating custom scripts. Tag leaders now feature clip icons for precise start‑point and end‑point placement, and walls can be hosted on other walls with auto‑join behavior, simplifying complex assemblies. The options bar has been fully retired in favor of ribbon controls, multi‑category tags can be set as defaults, and stairs numbering now offers separate above‑ and below‑cut visibility. Additional highlights are an accelerated graphics engine out of preview, design‑option workflow tweaks, carbon‑aware material assets, independent line‑weight control for linked models, direct Forma integration for site and carbon analysis, enhanced IFC parameter mapping, and native ACC issue tracking. The presenter demonstrates the rule‑based numbering workflow step‑by‑step, showing how a door receives a mark like “102_C” without manual intervention. Tag leader icons are illustrated snapping to wall edges, and the hosted‑wall feature is tested, revealing that offsets beyond 150 mm break automatic cutouts. Accelerated graphics are activated across view types, though line‑thickness disappears in floor plans. The Forma client replaces the browser‑based Insights, embedding carbon calculations directly in the Analyze tab. For BIM managers and architects, these updates translate into measurable time savings, reduced reliance on third‑party add‑ins, and tighter sustainability reporting. The AI Assistant’s current shortcomings serve as a caution, while the automation, graphics, and carbon tools position Revit 2027 as a more efficient, environmentally aware platform for large‑scale design projects.
Arcadis is redeveloping a former Canada Lands Company parking lot at 299 Carling Avenue in Ottawa’s Little Italy into four mixed‑use towers. The project will deliver roughly 750 residential units and over 55,741.8 m² (600,000 sf) of commercial, retail and office space....
Nearly 200 Ontario students gathered at the 10th annual 1UP Conference in Toronto to tackle transit safety and inclusivity. Partnering with the Toronto Transit Commission, participants engaged in a two‑day Design Jam, prototyping bus stops, streetcar and subway platforms. The...
A new MTA report showed that there are 839 acres of development potential around Baltimore's Light Rail Line route (8x the size of Disneyland). If those were all developed, it would bring in $260 million in tax revenue, which would...
The new budget will start paring this back, but we seem to have hit peak infrastructure spending this year/next year in terms of real outlays for completed work... https://t.co/b8om2bYNrQ
The Samueli family’s $5 billion OC Vibe project is reshaping a 100‑acre site in Anaheim adjacent to the Honda Center and ARTIC transit hub. Recent renderings highlight 20 acres of open space featuring three miles of trails, an outdoor art gallery,...
Brennen Hakimian Holdings is constructing a five‑story, 67‑unit multifamily building at 1000 N. Alfred Street in Hollywood. The development offers a range of unit sizes from studios to six‑bedroom apartments and includes subterranean parking for 43 vehicles. City‑approved density‑bonus incentives...
Construction on the 401 S Western mixed‑use project in Koreatown is moving slowly after a year‑and‑a‑half of work. The six‑story building will contain 73 one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments above roughly 7,000 sq ft of street‑level commercial space, plus an 87‑car underground garage. Ennabe Properties...
Chicago’s Plan Commission will consider a mixed‑use workforce housing project at 7603 N. Paulina. Developed by Housing for All LLC and Visionary Ventures, the plan adds 80 affordable, family‑size apartments—60 in a new eight‑story tower and 20 within the historic...
Harron Homes reported a 12% year‑over‑year increase in net profit, driven by an 8% rise in revenue and tighter cost controls. The builder’s operating margin expanded as it capitalized on strong suburban demand. Management also announced a 15% growth in...
Strabag has completed the acquisition of Crofton, a UK structural steelwork specialist founded in 1953. Crofton will continue operating under its own name from its Linton premises, retaining its senior management team. The purchase aligns with Strabag’s global‑local growth model,...
A useful bit of recent information from housing expert Neal Hudson in his FT piece on issues facing housing: "even the government’s own modelling for the Future Homes Standard shows it will miss its 1.5 million housebuilding target by 400,000". #ukhousing...
The 2026 UK construction cost forecast breaks down per‑square‑metre expenses by building type and region, showing residential builds ranging from £1,400 to £3,000, offices up to £3,500 in London, and hospitals topping £4,500. Regional differentials are stark, with London commanding...
London‑based developer Berkeley has launched the Sutton scheme, a 5.6‑acre brownfield redevelopment in Sutton that will deliver around 1,000 homes across eight mid‑rise towers. The mixed‑use project includes 8,500 sq ft of commercial space, 1.1 acres of public green area and a suite...
Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) has secured planning permission for a 20‑storey student accommodation tower on the London Metropolitan University School of Architecture site. The mixed‑use tower will provide roughly 400 beds for undergraduate and postgraduate students, alongside study and...
Rider Levitt Bucknall’s March 2026 crane count shows 838 active cranes nationwide, a modest dip from 846 in September. The overall RLB Crane Index slipped to 197 points, still only five percent below its 2023 peak and roughly double the 2015...
