Lucas Hayden of Unanet explores how AI can reduce busywork, connect AEC business systems, and help firms make faster, better-informed decisions.

The Busywork Disappears, Not the People: Unanet on AI in AEC

ArchOne AI

Technology leaders from Flad Architects, NBBJ, and Stantec on how architecture firms move AI past experiments into governed, repeatable practice that augments professional teams.

How Leading Architecture Firms Are Moving AI From Pilots to Everyday Practice

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The client loves the scheme, then asks what the facade looks like in brick instead of stone, and the meeting stalls because the only honest answer is "let me render that and get back to you." Every architect knows that stall.&nbsp;
At AEC+Tech, we've watched the AEC tools we cover get very good at making the picture look real. What's changing now is where that picture sits in the process, moving from documentation into the decision itself.&nbsp;
For most of the last decade, progress in architectural visualization has been measured in image quality. Physically accurate lighting, richer material systems, and real-time ray tracing have closed much of the gap between a render and a photograph. What used to count as exceptional is now the baseline clients expect.
Rendering has improved fast. One part of the workflow has barely moved.
Design reviews still lean on static images, pre-rendered animations, and fixed camera paths. Those outputs record decisions well enough, but they sit outside the conversation. The moment a meeting turns toward a different material, a new lighting condition, or an alternate scheme, the presentation stalls while someone prepares fresh visuals elsewhere.
That gap matters more as practice becomes more collaborative. Clients, consultants, engineers, and developers now weigh in across the whole design process, not only at the end. Meetings have turned into working sessions where decisions take shape in the room. The way architecture gets presented has to keep up with that.
So visualization is starting to play a different part. Beyond the final picture, it is becoming a medium for discussion, comparison, and decisions made on the spot. The next step forward may be interaction as much as realism.
Every architect knows the moment a client asks to see it another way and the room goes quiet waiting on new visuals. D5 says 3.1 closes that gap, and will <a href="https://www.d5render.com/webinars/whats-new-in-d5-3-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prove it live on July 21</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">Answer "Can We See It Another Way?" On the Spot&nbsp;</h2>
This is the thinking behind <a href="https://bit.ly/d5-3-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D5 3.1.</a>
Plenty of tools compete on how convincing the picture looks. Fewer ask what happens to it once a room full of stakeholders starts pushing back.&nbsp;
The release starts from a practical question: how does visualization stay useful once the meeting starts?
D5's answer is Interactive Presentation, a workflow that lets architects organize a review like a slide deck while keeping the live project open behind it.
<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/764404fa-3db9-4d3c-b9ec-9e36afea816e.png" alt="Interactive Presentation enables real-time scene switching with slides and 3D triggers." width="1080">
<figcaption>Interactive Presentation enables real-time scene switching with slides and 3D triggers.</figcaption>
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Instead of preparing several image sets or separate animations ahead of time, teams can move between design schemes, materials, lighting, weather, viewpoints, and object visibility inside a single presentation. A question that used to interrupt the review can be explored right away. Real-time scene switching runs through slides and 3D triggers, so the flow of the meeting holds together.
The presentation becomes a working space for the design, one the team can steer as the discussion moves.
<h2 dir="ltr">Let Clients Walk the Space Before It Exists&nbsp;</h2>
Interactive Presentation sits inside a wider set of tools aimed at making review more interactive and easier to adapt to the room.
Stereoscopic Panorama brings depth-aware panoramic views to VR, which helps clients and project teams read scale, materials, and how spaces relate to one another. Better VR navigation and controller handling make VR walkthroughs steady enough for everyday reviews rather than occasional demos.
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Spatial Tour has moved along too, with faster scene generation, smoother transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, and dollhouse views that make it simpler to move through a complicated project.
These tools sit alongside still renders and animations and widen the options, so a team can pick the right way to explore a design based on the audience, the project stage, and what the review needs to settle.
<h2 dir="ltr">Start Seeing the Design the Moment You Model It&nbsp;</h2>
The quality of any review depends on everything that happens before it.
As visualization gets pulled deeper into design work, architects increasingly want to test ideas while those ideas are still moving, instead of waiting for documentation to finish. In that sense, presentation begins earlier than the slide deck. It begins when a team first tries out form, light, material, atmosphere, and how a space feels to move through.
In practice, the visual thinking usually happens long before anyone opens presentation software, and tools have been slow to meet designers there.&nbsp;
That continuity reaches past D5 Render itself. After its earlier <a href="https://www.aecplustech.com/tools/sketchup">SketchUp</a> release, D5 Lite now works inside Rhino and <a href="https://www.aecplustech.com/tools/revit">Revit</a>, bringing real-time visualization into more of the tools architects already use. Designers can preview materials, lighting, and visual direction without leaving the modeling environment, which supports quicker exploration during concept work, massing studies, facade development, and iterative testing.
<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/faae324a-8c58-4578-aac2-06f9faac39b1.png" alt="D5 Lite: Visualize projects directly inside Rhino, Revit and Sketchup" width="1080">
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Start in D5 Lite, finish in D5 Render, without switching tools
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D5 Lite is built for that early work, making design decisions more visual from the start. When a project needs higher-end imagery, animation, or an interactive presentation, the work carries on into D5 Render. Paired with Cloud Collaboration, distributed teams can review and share work with less reliance on manual file swaps or local hardware, which keeps things continuous from concept through client review.
<h2 dir="ltr">Photoreal That Holds Up When Clients Look Closely&nbsp;</h2>
As presentations get more interactive, the visuals behind them matter even more. A live scene only works if it holds up when someone leans in.
D5 Render 3.1 adds a set of production-focused improvements that strengthen realism while keeping real-time response.&nbsp;
<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/84679fde-46df-4239-985d-65e93278fb1f.png" alt="ACEScg Color Space preserves richer HDR color detail and supports professional ACES workflows" width="1080">
<figcaption spellcheck="false" data-qb-tmp-id="lt-926652" data-gramm="false">ACEScg Color Space preserves richer HDR color detail and supports professional ACES workflows</figcaption>
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The move to an ACEScg working color space brings in a production-grade color pipeline, the kind used in film and visual effects, which improves color consistency across visualization and post-production. HeightField Tracing gives displacement materials richer surface relief without adding geometric weight, so brick, stone, and timber keep convincing physical depth even in large scenes.
<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/196052f2-45b2-4577-a1c1-32e97aa7bc83.png" alt="Seasonal Vegetation lets foliage and branch structure change by date, previewing all seasons in one scene" width="1080">
<figcaption spellcheck="false" data-qb-tmp-id="lt-626429" data-gramm="false">Seasonal Vegetation lets foliage and branch structure change by date, previewing all seasons in one scene</figcaption>
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Landscape work gains more nuance through Seasonal Vegetation, which lets foliage and branch structure change by date and previews a full year of a planting scheme in one scene. A run of smaller refinements rounds it out, including Custom Pivot, MeasureLine, improved City Generator controls, smarter Auto Exposure, and wider Gaussian Splatting support. Each one trims repetitive adjustments and keeps production moving.
It adds up to one point. An interactive presentation is only as good as the rendering underneath it, and that rendering has to hold both fidelity and speed at once.
<h2 dir="ltr">From Better Images to Better Decisions&nbsp;</h2>
Architectural visualization has spent years chasing realism. That work continues, though realism on its own no longer defines the field.
As projects get more collaborative, the ability to move between options, respond to feedback, and explain a design in context is becoming just as important. Presentations are becoming part of the design process itself.
<blockquote>
"The tools we end up writing about at AEC+Tech are rarely the ones with the longest feature list. They're the ones that change how a decision gets made."&nbsp; &mdash; Niknaz Aftahi&nbsp;
</blockquote>
D5 3.1 reflects that direction. It builds presentation into the design work, making visualization a place where ideas can be explored, compared, and refined with the people in the room.
Whether this turns out to be the next phase of the discipline is still an open question. The goal is clearly shifting, from producing better images toward better conversations about the work.
The biggest change in D5 3.1 sits outside the render itself. Visualization now stays in play through the whole conversation, long after the image is done.
<h2 dir="ltr">See it live&nbsp;</h2>
D5 will demonstrate the 3.1 workflow in a live webinar on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC, hosted by Jeff Espinoza, D5's Director of Customer Success and Services. The session covers D5 Lite for Rhino and Revit, Interactive Presentation, VR review, Stereoscopic Panorama, ACEScg, HeightField Tracing, and Seasonal Vegetation.
You can register using&nbsp;<a href="https://www.d5render.com/webinars/whats-new-in-d5-3-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this webinar page</a>, and anyone who registers but cannot attend will receive access to the recording.
To learn more about D5 Render, visit their <a href="../../../tools/d5-render" target="_blank" rel="noopener">page on aec+tech&nbsp;</a>or explore the latest features on the official <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu18uv _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b18uv _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik18uv _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm18uv _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.d5render.com/" href="https://www.d5render.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">D5 Render website</a>.
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Niknaz Aftahi is the founder of AEC+Tech. This article was produced with materials from D5 as part of a partnership, and independently edited for the AEC+Tech community.
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D5 Render

D5 Render 3.1 turns design reviews into live sessions. Interactive Presentation switches schemes, materials, and lighting on the spot; D5 Lite reaches Rhino and Revit. 

D5 3.1 Wants to End the "We'll Render It Tomorrow" Moment

<div><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/5741b41d-2b98-40f9-9a96-00550e6d0a57.png" alt="InspectMind AI" width="1080"></div>
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<div>Most conversations about AI in construction start with speed.&nbsp;</div>
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<div>&ldquo;How many hours did we save?&rdquo;</div>
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<div>&ldquo;How many pages could we review in minutes?"&nbsp;</div>
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<div>But a recent aec+tech conversation on AI-driven plan review made a more useful point: the tools save time, but the real reason to adopt them is risk.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0nEGFxC7as">This conversation</a> brought together Colton Johnson, Principal Engineer at Flint Engineering Company; Aakash Prasad, Co-founder and CEO of InspectMind AI; and Simon G. Solorio, President of Solorio Inc. Much of the discussion centered on InspectMind AI's plan-checking tool, though the takeaways apply to any firm weighing this kind of software.&nbsp;
In this article you&rsquo;ll see where AI plan review helps, where it falls short, and why a firm with weak internal processes will not get much out of it no matter how good the software gets.
<h2 dir="ltr">Reading a Pictorial Language</h2>
Plan review is not just about reading text. Construction documents carry meaning through symbols, callouts, line weights, and schedules that change from one project type to the next. An industrial set does not look like a large residential set. Every new hire has to learn how to read that visual system before they can review anything in it.
<blockquote>
"Construction documents are a language, and on top of that they're a pictorial language. You're relying on graphic and visual cues to display the information, translating heavy analysis and code requirements into those pictures."
&mdash; Colton Johnson, Principal Engineer, Flint Engineering Company
</blockquote>
Solorio described the second half of the problem: volume.&nbsp;
Even with tools like <a href="https://www.aecplustech.com/tools/revit">Revit</a> and virtual walk-throughs on Meta Quest headsets, engineers still check ever-changing building codes by hand and coordinate across disciplines. Holding hundreds of pages of drawings against dense architectural, structural, mechanical, and civil specifications is a cognitive load that does not scale. There is only so much one person can keep straight at once, and plan sets keep getting bigger.
That is the gap AI steps into. Not the design work or the engineering judgment, but the slow, repetitive cross-checking that wears people down and still lets errors slip through.
A Third-Party Reviewer That Works Through Lunch
<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/bb52d8a0-3272-45e5-b6a9-e96e1717194f.png" alt="Errors missed in review surface on site, where fixes cost most." width="1080">
<figcaption spellcheck="false" data-qb-tmp-id="lt-8150" data-gramm="false">Fig 2) Errors missed in review surface on site, where fixes cost most.&nbsp;</figcaption>
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AI is a third-party reviewer. It&rsquo;s not a replacement for the engineer or the plan checker, but an extra set of eyes that never gets tired and never skips a page.
Prasad said InspectMind AI can typically review a 100- to 200-page project in one to two hours. In that window it catches discrepancies between drawings and specs, flags cross-discipline coordination issues, and checks against selected/applicable codes and references. It surfaces a prioritized set of findings while the team continues other work.&nbsp;
InspectMind AI has flagged a water main running straight into a 12-inch concrete pipe. It has caught a storm sewer drawn with no slope, which means it would never drain. These are the errors that hide on page 140 of a set and get expensive once they reach the field.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
"This isn't replacing your own diligence or your own quality of work. It's a useful automated review tool that helps you reduce risk and liability and improve quality overall."
&mdash; Aakash Prasad, Co-founder and CEO, InspectMind AI&nbsp;
</blockquote>
The discussion was honest about the limits, too. AI still struggles to read the purely graphical parts of a drawing when there are no words or numbers to anchor it. That should improve over the next few years, but for now InspectMind AI is strongest where drawings, specs, and code references can be grounded and cited. Purely graphical meaning, where the intent lives only in the picture, is still an area where human review matters.
<h2 dir="ltr">From Months of Back-and-Forth to Days&nbsp;</h2>
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<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/c6175af5-f771-4066-a384-2d4991e7ce06.png" alt="InspectMind AI tags each finding by severity, discipline, and code." width="1080">
<figcaption>Fig 3) InspectMind AI tags each finding by severity, discipline, and code.&nbsp;</figcaption>
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A minor discrepancy on a drawing is not just a quality problem. It is a liability problem. Prasad pointed to ADA compliance as an example. A ramp drawn with a 2.2 percent slope instead of the required 2 percent maximum is a small number on a sheet and a frequent target for litigation. Catching it before construction starts is worth far more than the hour it saved.
The same logic runs downstream. Errors that survive review become Requests for Information (RFIs) and change orders once contractors are on site. Each one costs time and money and strains the client relationship. The financial case lives in catching those errors early.&nbsp;
A church project in California shows how that plays out. The design firm ran its full drawing set (architecture, civil, structural, and specs) through InspectMind AI before submitting to the city. The AI flagged around 300 issues. The team fixed them first. When the city's review came back, the comments were mostly minor, and the firm closed them out in days rather than the weeks or months a project like this can take.
That is the payoff that matters. Not the hours saved running the review, but the weeks of back-and-forth with the jurisdiction that never happened, and the rework that never reached the field.
Garbage In, Garbage Out Still Applies
<figure class="image"><img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/88271371-af97-4945-8f3f-0a5ee2295ce9.png" alt="AI only reflects the inputs it gets." width="1080">
<figcaption spellcheck="false" data-qb-tmp-id="lt-415377" data-gramm="false">Fig 4) AI only reflects the inputs it gets.</figcaption>
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The strongest warning has always been against leaning on the tools too hard. The old 'garbage in, garbage out' rule still stands.
The software is powerful, but it sits on top of a firm's inputs, its standards, and the judgment of the people running it.
Solorio made the case for foundational knowledge. Junior engineers still need to learn the basics through hand calculations and free-body diagrams so they understand how loads travel and what a structural member is actually doing. Without that, an engineer cannot tell when the AI is wrong.
<blockquote>
"If you put in garbage, you're going to get out garbage, and that's still true with these new programs. If you put in something wrong, it gives you something wrong. You have to know the basics to know when it's giving you wrong information."
&mdash; Simon G. Solorio, President, Solorio Inc.
</blockquote>
Johnson framed the same idea as a sequence. He sees a working AI workflow as a three-tier system.&nbsp;
A firm establishes good internal processes first. Then it introduces standard automations. Only then does it put AI at what he called the tip of the spear. Skip the first two steps and there is nothing solid for the AI to stand on. When a firm's drawing standards and inputs are inconsistent, there is no realistic way to scale an AI workflow on top of them.
<h2 dir="ltr">Own the Output</h2>
Accountability is the other side of this. When an engineer signs off on a design, they own it, whatever tools helped produce it.
<blockquote>
"The motto we live by with AI is own the output. Just because you have a cool tool doesn't mean you get to say that the tool is the reason something was wrong. You own the output."
&mdash; Colton Johnson, Principal Engineer, Flint Engineering Company
</blockquote>
That has a practical edge. Johnson raised data security, pointing out that client information needs to stay protected under NDAs when a firm runs it through a third-party AI platform. Owning the output means owning the data path, too. Before uploading project documents, firms should evaluate the data path and the platform's NDA and security requirements. That is a question to settle before the first project goes up, not after.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Built by the People Who Use It</h2>
The panel closed on what actually makes these tools better, and the answer was feedback from the field rather than anything happening in a lab. Solorio and Johnson both pointed to the value of a simple thumbs up or thumbs down on each flagged issue. That input teaches the model the difference between a real problem and an irrelevant false positive, which is the difference between a tool engineers trust and one they learn to ignore.
Because AEC technology moves quickly, the tools that respond to this feedback can change almost daily. Johnson offered an example from a job site. He floated the idea of having the plan checker automatically generate a targeted field observation checklist based on the specific materials and structural elements it found in the drawings. Within hours, the development team had piloted a connection between the plan checker and a site inspection app.
That speed of iteration is the point underneath the whole conversation.
The AI plan review tools that earn a place in AEC workflows will be the ones built and shaped by the people doing the work, not the ones that promise to do the thinking for them. The engineers on this panel were not looking for software to replace their judgment. They were looking for a reviewer that helps them protect it. That is a smaller promise than replacing an engineer, and a far more useful one.
&nbsp;
To learn more about InspectMind AI, visit InspectMind AI's <a href="../../../tools/inspectmind-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">page on aec+tech </a>or explore the latest features and request access on the InspectMind AI's <a class="_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu18uv _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _ect4ttxp _syaz13af _1a3b18uv _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik18uv _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm18uv _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1" title="https://www.inspectmind.ai/" href="https://www.inspectmind.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-renderer-mark="true" data-is-router-link="false" data-testid="link-with-safety">website</a>.
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Editor's Note
<img src="https://aecplustech-files.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/c3806924-0521-483d-b74d-a01f09ed330e.png" alt="Niknaz Aftahi" width="160" height="160">
This article was independently reviewed and edited by Niknaz Aftahi, Founder of AEC+Tech, drawing on InspectMind AI's product documentation, direct conversation with the panel participants, and hands-on knowledge of plan review and QA/QC workflows. Figures drawn from the panel rather than published material were checked before publishing.
&mdash; Niknaz Aftahi, Founder, AEC+Tech
&nbsp;
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InspectMind AI

AI plan review saves hours, but engineers say the real payoff is fewer lawsuits, cleaner permit reviews, and errors caught before they reach the field.

AI Plan Review Isn't About Speed. It's About Staying Out of Court.

Trimble selected 15 AECO startups for its 2026 0-60 Challenge, supporting AI, robotics, and interoperability integrations across construction workflows.

The Next Generation of AECO Innovation: Meet the 2026 Trimble 0-60 Finalists

CRDR BIM, short for "Clash Resolution Diagnosis Report in BIM," is a specialized tool designed to streamline clash resolution documentation within Autodesk Navisworks. It simplifies compliance reporting and enhances workflow efficiency for BIM managers, coordinators, and specialists by providing a structured approach to documenting resolved clashes. 1. Efficient Clash Resolution Reporting CRDR BIM enables users to generate detailed Clash Resolution Diagnosis Reports that document how clashes have been addressed between different BIM model versions. This feature helps teams maintain accurate records of resolution progress, improving project tracking and compliance. 2. Seamless Navisworks Plugin Integration Functioning as a dedicated Navisworks plugin, CRDR BIM integrates directly into existing workflows, allowing users to compare &lsquo;before&rsquo; and &lsquo;after&rsquo; BIM models effortlessly. This integration ensures that clash resolution documentation remains within the familiar Navisworks environment, eliminating the need for external tools. 3. Intuitive &amp; User-Friendly Interface Designed for ease of use, CRDR BIM features an intuitive interface that simplifies navigation and workflow execution. BIM professionals can efficiently document and categorize clashes without technical complexity, improving productivity and adoption rates. 4. Consistent Viewing Angles for Clear Comparisons CRDR BIM ensures consistent perspective when capturing images of clashes, maintaining uniformity between different model versions. This feature enhances clarity in reports, making it easier for teams to analyze and understand clash resolutions. 5. Customizable Clash Categorization for Precise Documentation Users can categorize clashes into resolved, unresolved, approved, or resolved but connected manually, ensuring a clear and organized approach to documentation. This categorization allows for better project tracking and compliance verification. 6. Flexible Reporting Formats for Easy Sharing CRDR BIM supports HTML and PDF export options, enabling teams to save and share reports efficiently. These reports include detailed images and summaries, making them valuable for project documentation and stakeholder communication. 7. Enhancing BIM Management with Streamlined Reporting By integrating directly with Navisworks, CRDR BIM empowers BIM managers and specialists to document clash resolutions accurately and efficiently. It ensures that compliance reporting is effortless while maintaining a structured and transparent workflow. With its powerful reporting features and seamless integration, CRDR BIM is an essential tool for professionals involved in clash resolution documentation within BIM models.

CRDR BIM

Kestrel is the first structured compliance data layer for the built environment.
Building code has historically existed as static documents that architects read, interpret, and apply manually. In a world where design has moved into BIM, compliance has remained outside the model&mdash;fragmented across PDFs, markups, and late-stage plan review.
Kestrel changes that.
Kestrel is building code compliance software that runs inside Revit, evaluating BIM models against jurisdiction-specific requirements during design. Instead of checking compliance after drawings are complete, teams run checks continuously while designing, surfacing issues when they are still easy to fix.
At the core of the platform is a fundamental shift: building code becomes computable.
Kestrel translates licensed building code data, including International Code Council (ICC) sources, into structured, machine-executable logic that runs directly against the BIM model. Every issue is tied to a specific element in the design and linked to a cited code section, so teams can see what is wrong, why it matters, and how to resolve it.
This approach turns compliance from a manual, interpretive process into a system that can be evaluated in real time throughout design.
Kestrel&rsquo;s rule library includes millions of checks across key regulatory categories such as egress, accessibility (ADA), fire and life safety, occupancy classifications, height and area limits, and jurisdiction-specific requirements. The platform applies these rules in context to each project&rsquo;s location, building type, and conditions.
The result is a shift in how compliance happens:
<ul data-start="2268" data-end="2467">
<li data-section-id="1912hsz" data-start="2268" data-end="2340">From checking PDFs at the end &rarr; to evaluating the model continuously</li>
<li data-section-id="ab3kd5" data-start="2341" data-end="2405">From manual interpretation &rarr; to structured, verifiable logic</li>
<li data-section-id="2zqfm2" data-start="2406" data-end="2467">From late-stage surprises &rarr; to early, actionable feedback</li>
</ul>
Kestrel is designed for the entire design team. Architects and designers work directly inside the Revit model, resolving issues in context. Project managers and principals track compliance status through a shared dashboard without opening BIM files, giving the entire team a clear view of where the project stands.
Kestrel does not replace architect judgment. It surfaces what is checkable and grounds every result in real code. Final interpretation and design decisions remain with the architect.
As BIM became the system of record for design, there has been no equivalent system for compliance. Kestrel fills that gap.
It is not a plugin or a point solution. It is the compliance layer that sits alongside the model, enabling teams to move faster, reduce rework, and reach permit with greater confidence.

Kestrel Labs

BAMROC: Revolutionizing MEP and MEP vs. Structure Clash Resolution in the AEC Industry
BAMROC is the first AI-powered software in the AEC industry purpose-built to automate MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) and MEP vs. Structure clash resolution inside real-world BIM coordination workflows. Instead of spending countless hours manually reviewing clashes, modifying routes, and iterating on design options, BIM teams can now rely on BAMROC to act as an intelligent copilot that does the heavy lifting with remarkable speed and consistency.
At its core, BAMROC combines advanced AI-powered decision-making to understand how MEP services interact with structural and architectural elements. It doesn&rsquo;t just highlight problems, it actively proposes and applies optimized resolutions that respect design intent, space constraints, and constructability. This allows BIM MEP coordinators, designers, and engineers to move from reactive firefighting to proactive, high-value decision-making.
By streamlining a traditionally time-consuming and repetitive coordination stage, BAMROC helps projects meet the highest standards of accuracy, safety, and efficiency. It reduces the back-and-forth between disciplines, minimizes rework, and cuts down coordination cycles, ultimately supporting faster project delivery and more predictable outcomes. BIM professionals can focus on design quality, system performance, and client requirements instead of being stuck in manual clash-by-clash troubleshooting.
As an advanced BIM clash resolver, BAMROC analyzes design conflicts, explores multiple routing scenarios, and intelligently adjusts MEP systems to create a clash-free environment. The resolutions are generated with precision, preserving clearances, avoiding critical zones, and maintaining the logic of each system. This level of automation and reliability redefines what &ldquo;productive&rdquo; means in BIM MEP design and coordination.
Whether your team is handling dense plant rooms, complex high-rise cores, hospitals with strict service zoning, or large infrastructure projects under aggressive timelines, BAMROC ensures that BIM professionals can achieve lightning-fast coordination with uncompromising quality. Adopting BAMROC is not just a software upgrade, it is a shift toward smarter, AI-assisted project delivery and a more efficient, future-ready AEC workflow.

BAMROC

Reer is&nbsp;an Intelligent Design Environment that brings AI directly into&nbsp;Rhino (&amp;Grasshopper), Revit, and more.
While most AI tools in AEC work on downstream point solutions like documentation, compliance, and visualization, Reer works upstream, directly at the source, the CAD and BIM model files where every project decision originates.
For decades, CAD and BIM platforms have been the backbone of AEC projects worldwide. They are powerful, deeply embedded, and not going anywhere. But the way professionals interact with them has barely changed. Most tasks remain manual, repetitive, and error-prone, requiring users to translate their intent into commands, scripts, and step-by-step operations rather than focusing on the work that actually requires their expertise.
Reer brings a true CAD-native AI collaborator directly into the tools we all rely on, fundamentally changing that interaction. The agent understands the context of your model, acts on your behalf, and handles the full range of workflows professionals deal with every day:
<ul class="[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3">
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Batch edits and parametric modeling</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Data extraction and analysis</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Object, layer, and file organization</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Cross-platform coordination</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Visualization and rendering</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Construction documentation</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" style="font-style: italic;">And more for you to explore...</li>
</ul>
Beyond individual productivity, teams can build custom skills and modules on top of Reer, turning everyday interactions into reusable design intelligence that compounds over time.
The long-term vision is one intelligent environment across the entire AEC project lifecycle, from schematic design in Rhino through coordination in Revit and beyond.
Reer is currently in Free Beta in Rhino - <a class="underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current" href="https://www.food4rhino.com/en/app/reer-ai">Try it now</a>
Revit coming in June!

Reer

Solibri CheckPoint is a browser-based BIM model checking platform that helps architecture, engineering, and construction teams improve model quality, coordination, and compliance&mdash;without heavy installs or steep training. Open a browser, review Revit and IFC models side by side, run standardized QA/QC checks (clash detection, data/property rules, clearances), and manage issues in one collaborative workspace that fits your existing CDE and project tools.
<h2 data-start="758" data-end="783">Why Solibri CheckPoint</h2>
<ul data-start="784" data-end="1370">
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="784" data-end="888">Zero install, fast adoption: Web-based model checking reduces IT overhead and speeds onboarding.</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="889" data-end="985">Native Revit &amp; IFC support: Review the same source data&mdash;no exports or lossy conversions.</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="986" data-end="1090">Standardized QA/QC: Enforce modeling standards with reusable rule sets, filters, and data views.</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1091" data-end="1208">Collaborative issue management: Assign, track, and resolve clashes/data issues with transparent audit trails.</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1209" data-end="1370">CDE-friendly: Practical integrations with Autodesk Construction Cloud and Procore keep models and issues in sync via direct connections or BCF.</li>
</ul>
<h2 data-start="1372" data-end="1391">Key Capabilities</h2>
<ul data-start="1392" data-end="1804">
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1392" data-end="1460">Clash detection &amp; constructability checks across disciplines</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1461" data-end="1541">Property/data validation to enforce BIM standards and naming conventions</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1542" data-end="1611">Clearance/free-space rules for safety, access, and operations</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1612" data-end="1702">Data Viewer to inspect quantities, attributes, and patterns alongside the 3D model</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1703" data-end="1804">Project Library to publish shared, repeatable templates (rules, filters, views) across projects</li>
</ul>
<h2 data-start="1806" data-end="1832">Integrations &amp; Workflow</h2>
<ul data-start="1833" data-end="2138">
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1833" data-end="1939">Sync models and issues with Autodesk Construction Cloud and Procore (reduce duplicate uploads)</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="1940" data-end="2021">Export/import issues via BCF to keep coordination moving across platforms</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2022" data-end="2138">Fit lightweight checks into more milestones&mdash;from schematic coordination to preconstruction and punch-list closeout</li>
</ul>
<h2 data-start="2140" data-end="2155">Who It&rsquo;s For</h2>
<ul data-start="2156" data-end="2394">
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2156" data-end="2237">Architects &amp; BIM Managers standardizing QA/QC and modeling best practices</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2238" data-end="2319">General Contractors &amp; VDC Teams driving constructability and coordination</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2320" data-end="2394">Owners/Consultants requiring transparent, auditable BIM deliverables</li>
</ul>
<h2 data-start="2396" data-end="2407">Benefits</h2>
<ul data-start="2408" data-end="2682">
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2408" data-end="2474">Higher BIM quality with consistent templates and rule sets</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2475" data-end="2544">Fewer rework loops thanks to faster clash and data validation</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2545" data-end="2608">Lower overhead via web-based access and simpler rollout</li>
<li style="font-size: 15px;" data-start="2609" data-end="2682">Better traceability with centralized issue records and auditability</li>
</ul>
Learn more: <a href="https://www.solibri.com/checkpoint?utm_campaign=3706145-Solibri%20CheckPoint&amp;utm_source=AEC%20Tech">www.solibri.com</a>

Model view IFC and Revit - Solibri CheckPoint

Solibri CheckPoint

Checking Revit models in the cloud with Solibri

Featuring Solibri at the AEC Innovate Conference

Solibri CheckPoint & the Future of AEC Model-Checking (2)

Acquisition of Xinaps and the rebranding of Verifi3D as Solibri Checkpoint

Solibri CheckPoint & the Future of AEC Model-Checking 

Melt Takeoff is built for estimators who need takeoffs that are not just fast, but truly bid-ready and reliable. Unlike fully automated takeoff software that only measures what&rsquo;s drawn, Melt Takeoff is designed around a simple truth: winning bids requires accounting for what&rsquo;s missing from plans &mdash; the scope gaps, incomplete details, coordination conflicts, and implied work that experienced estimators catch through judgment.
Melt Takeoff combines AI vision with expert estimator validation to deliver takeoffs with both speed and accuracy. The workflow is simple: upload plans, the AI measures and identifies scope, flags drawing/spec conflicts, adds allowances, and then senior estimators validate everything before delivery. This hybrid model is what makes Melt Takeoff dependable &mdash; AI accelerates measurement, but real estimators ensure completeness and constructability.
Key capabilities include:
<ul data-start="923" data-end="1834">
<li data-start="923" data-end="1042">
AI Vision measurement detecting 800+ building elements with counts, lengths, perimeters, areas, and volumes
</li>
<li data-start="1043" data-end="1129">
Automated scope recognition across architectural, structural, and MEP drawings
</li>
<li data-start="1130" data-end="1256">
Detailed allowances for scope not shown, added as itemized ROMs based on code requirements and real project benchmarks
</li>
<li data-start="1257" data-end="1351">
Drawing&ndash;spec conflict detection, with estimator-led resolution before it hits your bid
</li>
<li data-start="1352" data-end="1528">
Estimator-verified outputs, reviewed by onshore senior estimators with 20+ years of field experience, including delivery of multi-million to billion-dollar projects
</li>
<li data-start="1529" data-end="1691">
Flexible classification standards, supporting MasterFormat&reg;, UniFormat&reg;, or custom structures, so takeoffs drop directly into your estimating workflow
</li>
<li data-start="1692" data-end="1834">
Interactive takeoff output, with side-by-side plan review, traceable quantities, and clean Excel exports ready for pricing and bidding
</li>
</ul>
Melt Takeoff is designed for speed without sacrificing trust. Quantities aren&rsquo;t just dumped into a spreadsheet &mdash; they&rsquo;re delivered in a structured, reviewable format so teams can validate quickly, collaborate internally, and confidently move into bid submission. The output stays fully in your control: review, adjust, and export clean files without messy reformatting.
Melt Takeoff delivers a takeoff process that is 40% more accurate, 20% faster, and 10% cheaper, with turnaround times ranging from 2&ndash;3 days for small projects to 7&ndash;8 days for extra-large projects. The result is fewer missed scope items, stronger bid coverage, reduced risk of underbidding, and significantly more confidence in your numbers &mdash; so estimators can bid faster and win more work.

Melt Takeoff

<h1 data-start="260" data-end="340">Ideate StyleManager for Revit: Clean, Standardize, and Optimize BIM Styles</h1>
<h2 data-start="347" data-end="390">Why Revit Styles Become a Hidden Problem</h2>
Managing styles in Autodesk Revit &mdash; including object styles, line patterns, materials, text types, and view templates &mdash; is one of those tasks that quietly affects every project. When unmanaged, styles accumulate from imported content, linked models, and copied elements, leading to bloated files, inconsistent graphics, and coordination headaches.
Over time, even well-structured projects can drift away from office standards without teams realizing it.
<h2 data-start="853" data-end="885">What Ideate StyleManager Does</h2>
Ideate StyleManager is a Revit plugin built to give BIM managers and architects greater control over project styles. Instead of manually hunting through settings or risking accidental deletions, users can analyze, merge, rename, and remove unwanted styles safely.
The tool makes it easier to clean up project files and enforce consistent standards across teams.
<h2 data-start="1256" data-end="1300">Safe Cleanup with Built-In Style Analysis</h2>
One of the biggest risks in Revit is deleting a style that is still in use. That action can trigger unexpected graphic changes throughout the model.
Ideate StyleManager addresses this with detailed usage analysis. Before merging or deleting a style, users can see exactly where it is applied. This visibility allows teams to consolidate duplicate styles, remove clutter, and align projects with office templates without compromising model integrity.
<h2 data-start="1759" data-end="1815">Improving Model Performance and Documentation Quality</h2>
Style clutter does more than create visual inconsistencies. It can also impact file size and model performance.
By reducing redundant definitions and maintaining consistent graphics, teams improve drawing clarity, coordination workflows, and overall BIM health. For firms working across multiple offices, maintaining a unified visual language becomes much easier.
<h2 data-start="2188" data-end="2225">Supporting Long-Term BIM Standards</h2>
Ideate StyleManager is not just a cleanup tool. It supports long-term BIM governance.
As projects grow in complexity and content libraries expand, style management becomes increasingly important. The ability to proactively monitor and standardize styles helps firms protect documentation quality from early design through construction documentation.
For teams focused on Revit efficiency and model reliability, Ideate StyleManager offers a practical solution for maintaining cleaner, healthier BIM environments.

Ideate StyleManager

KlashBIM is a next-generation clash management tool designed to enhance efficiency in BIM-based construction projects. Unlike conventional clash detection software, KlashBIM not only identifies conflicts but also streamlines the documentation and reporting process, ensuring a seamless workflow for MEP and structural coordination. 1. Automated Clash Detection for Accurate Model Validation KlashBIM precisely detects clashes within BIM models, ensuring that conflicts between MEP and structural components are identified before construction begins. By automating clash detection, KlashBIM helps teams create more reliable designs, minimizing errors and reducing costly rework on-site. Its accuracy ensures that potential issues are flagged early, allowing project teams to make informed decisions during the design phase. 2. Customizable Documentation &amp; Reporting KlashBIM enhances project documentation by generating detailed and structured reports tailored to specific project needs. These reports provide a clear overview of detected clashes, their locations, and project-wide coordination insights. With customizable reporting options, project teams can extract relevant data efficiently, ensuring all stakeholders have the necessary information for effective collaboration. 3. AI-Powered Integration with BAMROC for Enhanced Clash Management While KlashBIM specializes in identifying and documenting clashes, it integrates seamlessly with BAMROC to facilitate AI-powered clash resolution. This integration enables smarter processing of detected clashes, ensuring that conflicts can be analyzed and resolved efficiently when used alongside BAMROC. The synergy between KlashBIM and BAMROC creates a streamlined workflow for managing design conflicts in BIM projects. 4. Seamless BIM Workflow Integration KlashBIM is designed to work effortlessly within existing BIM environments. It is compatible with major BIM platforms, allowing construction teams to incorporate its clash detection and documentation features without disrupting their workflows. This seamless integration ensures smooth coordination between different project disciplines, improving communication and reducing project delays. 5. Enhancing Project Efficiency Through Advanced Clash Management By focusing on precise clash detection, structured documentation, and seamless BIM integration, KlashBIM optimizes construction workflows and reduces inefficiencies. It ensures that all detected clashes are well-documented, improving collaboration and preventing oversight in project execution. With its advanced capabilities, KlashBIM is an indispensable tool in modern construction management, helping teams maintain accurate designs, minimize errors, and improve overall project coordination.

KlashBIM

Costa Rica

Darwin is a construction cost estimation platform designed to address one of the core problems in preconstruction: cost logic is repeatedly rebuilt, overwritten, or lost whenever designs, prices, or assumptions change. Darwin introduces a modular approach to estimating that treats cost logic as a reusable asset rather than a disposable output.
At its core, Darwin separates estimation into independent but connected layers: quantities, cost logic, and market prices. Quantities can be derived from BIM models (IFC) or entered manually. Cost logic is authored as modular assemblies that define how materials, labor, equipment, and other cost components interact. Market prices are applied through price snapshots, allowing estimates to be recalculated under different market conditions without altering the underlying logic.
This separation enables estimators to reuse proven cost structures across projects while adapting to volatility in pricing, scope, or design maturity. Instead of copying spreadsheets or rebuilding estimates from scratch, teams can update a price source or quantity input and instantly see the impact while preserving traceability.
Darwin supports IFC-based workflows by mapping model elements to classification systems such as UniFormat or MasterFormat, while remaining flexible enough for non-BIM or hybrid projects. The platform is designed to support early conceptual estimates as well as more detailed preconstruction phases, without forcing artificial &ldquo;levels&rdquo; of detail.
AI is used in Darwin as an assistive tool, not an autonomous decision-maker. It can help with tasks such as classification suggestions, data normalization, or market research, but all outputs remain human-reviewed. The system is designed so that full project models and complete estimates are not transmitted to AI services, prioritizing data privacy and professional accountability.
From a collaboration perspective, Darwin enables teams to track how estimates evolve over time, compare scenarios using different assumptions or price snapshots, and maintain a clear audit trail. This makes it particularly suitable for environments where cost certainty, traceability, and reuse of knowledge are critical, such as modular construction, industrialized building, and complex projects with frequent change.
Darwin is delivered as a cloud-based SaaS platform and is currently offered through pilot and early-access programs. Its goal is not to replace professional judgment, but to amplify it by giving estimators durable, reusable cost logic that evolves with the project instead of being discarded at each iteration.

Result for “Costa Rica”

Tools "1 result"

Darwin