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At FCON 2025, É«¿Ø´«Ã½'s Head of Design & Digital Engineering, Kevin Hogan, joined industry leaders to discuss how digital transformation, BIM and AI is reshaping construction.

The Future of Construction Summit (FCON) is Australia’s leading national event for the construction sector, spotlighting the latest in strategy, operations, technology, and innovation to drive a more sustainable and efficient construction industry.

While sharing examples of how É«¿Ø´«Ã½ is improving productivity, smarter delivery, and improving the day-to-day experience of working in construction, Kevin’s key message was that embracing digital is no longer optional, it’s critical.

“Ten years ago, BIM was seen as expensive and optional,” Kevin told the audience. “The focus was hitting deadlines, program was king, even if that meant pushing forward with poorly coordinated designs. Now, we’re seeing the consequences: projects are failing, and major players are struggling. That’s our wake-up call. At É«¿Ø´«Ã½, we’ve learned that digital needs to be embedded from day one. That’s how we move forward and thrive.”

Doubling Productivity While Reducing Work Hours

Kevin shared É«¿Ø´«Ã½’s bold goal of doubling productivity while also reducing hours across the board to a 40-hour work week in future. It’s an ambitious target, but one É«¿Ø´«Ã½ sees as both necessary and achievable with technology.

“We still see 20–25% waste on many jobs, lost to poor planning, rework, or miscommunication,” he said. “That’s time our people don’t get back. People want to feel effective and like their time matters. Digital tools can help us get there, not just through big leaps like AI, but through small, daily improvements that make work smoother and more satisfying.”

Building It Twice: The Shift to Model-First Delivery

É«¿Ø´«Ã½ has for many years made a deliberate move toward model-first delivery, where buildings are coordinated digitally before construction begins. This allows for better design outcomes, fewer clashes, and reduced reliance on outdated 2D workflows.

Through platforms like Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), the team can align structure, services, and sequencing before a single element lands on site.

“It’s not just about reducing drawings,” Kevin noted. “It’s about leading with models that reflect what we’re really building and bringing our clients and consultants along for that journey.”

AI, Data and Smarter Decisions

At É«¿Ø´«Ã½, AI tools are being leveraged to improve workflows and save time across the construction process such as extracting specifications, streamlining compliance checks, and reducing repetitive manual tasks. Most notably, É«¿Ø´«Ã½’s AI-powered platform, KapGPT, which has been named a finalist in the Property Council of Australia's 2025 Innovation & Excellence Awards.

“But AI is only as good as the data you give it,” Kevin explained. “It’s not magic. It’s acceleration. If your data is clean and structured, AI can absolutely improve your workflows but the foundations need to be right.”

A Better Industry for the Current and Next Generation

Closing out the panel, Kevin offered one piece of advice for the next generation of construction professionals:

“Learn both sides, digital and delivery. Understand how a job goes together and how that translates into the model. That’s where the real value is.” This integrated skillset is something É«¿Ø´«Ã½ actively develops in its staff, from construction graduates to senior leadership, through weekly cross-functional training, digital-first inductions, or close collaboration between site teams and our Digital Engineering and Head Office support teams.

As Kevin’s insights from FCON make clear, construction is at a turning point. The opportunity technology presents isn’t just to work faster, but to deliver better quality outcomes for our clients, and a healthier work-life balance for our staff, trade partners, and the wider industry.