Bret Tushaus, VP product at Deltek, discusses innovation in the construction industry and how new breakthroughs can be supported
As 2025 kicks off, the promise of emerging technologies is extending far beyond efficiency gains. Instead, the likes of AI-driven design and digital twins are fundamentally reimagining how we approach construction and infrastructure projects.
While these are just two technologies offering unprecedented capabilities, they bring with them complex challenges around implementation and expertise. Together, they are not just transforming processes, but are becoming essential tools in meeting increasingly stringent environmental requirements and sustainability goals.
As a result, today’s construction professionals face mounting pressure to master both conventional building practices and cutting-edge digital tools – a combination of skills that’s increasingly rare in the current market, with over 70% agreeing it is difficult to implement new technologies within their team. The successful integration of these technologies requires a strategic approach that considers not just technical capabilities, but also human expertise and organisational readiness.
Aligning potential with implementation: The evolution of digital twins
Digital twins have evolved from simple 3D representations to sophisticated systems that manage the entire lifecycle of built environments, offering unprecedented control over project outcomes. Throughout 2024, we’ve seen digital twins successfully deployed in major infrastructure projects, reducing costly rework and improving project delivery timelines.
These virtual environments have become particularly crucial for environmental compliance, enabling teams to model and optimise energy consumption throughout a building’s lifecycle, while providing unprecedented accuracy in carbon footprint calculations.
AI-driven design capabilities enable more complex, optimised structures while simultaneously reducing waste and increasing efficiency across project timelines. Early adopters have already demonstrated how AI-driven design can reduce material waste while cutting initial design time significantly. As sustainability requirements become more stringent, these tools will become essential for carbon modelling and ensuring compliance with energy efficiency standards.
The integration of AI and digital twins creates a powerful synergy, where AI-optimised designs can be tested and refined in virtual environments before implementation, reducing both material waste and operational inefficiencies.
But the true value of these technologies lies not in their individual capabilities, but in their integration with existing workflows and processes. This integration is crucial – successful firms are those that have strategically connected these tools into their existing systems, rather than treating them as standalone solutions. Our research indicates that just 25% of firms are at ‘Advanced’ or ‘Mature’ stages of digital maturity.
The real competitive advantage comes from creating a seamless digital ecosystem where data flows naturally between different technologies and teams. This ecosystem approach enables continuous optimisation of project outcomes through integrated data analysis and real-time collaboration.
Closing the skills gap in the construction industry
In 2025, adoption needs to be accompanied by nurturing professionals who can effectively bridge the gap between traditional expertise and digital innovation. The most successful teams will understand both the practical constraints of the built environment and the possibilities offered by emerging technologies.
Traditional construction expertise must be complemented by data literacy and digital fluency in areas such as predictive analytics and automation. Forward-thinking firms are already investing in comprehensive training programmes, to develop this hybrid expertise at scale.
The evolution of professional roles reflects a deeper industry transformation. Construction teams are shifting from routine execution to strategic decision-making, with professionals spending more time on complex problem-solving and stakeholder management. This has led to the emergence of hybrid teams where data scientists and AI specialists work alongside traditional construction professionals, creating a more fluid, collaborative structure. The key is balancing technical innovation with human judgment – The addition of these roles mitigates the risk of over-reliance on technology through professionals who can reliably and effectively validate AI-driven insights.
While technology offers unprecedented capabilities, its true value can only be realised through professionals who understand both traditional and digital practices. Success will belong to those who view digital transformation as a human challenge as much as a technological one.
The future of our industry depends not just on adopting new technologies, but on nurturing professionals who can effectively harness these tools while preserving the fundamental principles that have always defined excellence in the built environment.
