by Arnie Gess, president of Construction Links Network.

In this edition, we explore under-recovered overhead, evolving heavy highway challenges, and how contractors are leveraging AI, automation, and internal solutions like PCL’s Beeline to improve performance and margins.

CarbiCrete has secured $700,000 in funding from Natural Resources Canada through the Energy Innovation Program (EIP) to advance low-carbon concrete production using flue gas emissions. The project focuses on developing new curing processes that enable the use of low CO₂ concentrations from industrial emitters, expanding opportunities for carbon capture and utilization in construction. CarbiCrete’s patented technology eliminates cement entirely by replacing it with steel industry by-products and permanently sequestering CO₂ during curing, significantly reducing emissions associated with traditional concrete. This initiative is part of a broader $28.9 million investment supporting 12 clean energy projects aimed at strengthening Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy. By enabling industrial emitters to convert their own emissions into inputs for cement-free concrete, CarbiCrete is helping accelerate decarbonization across the built environment while supporting circular economy principles.

Command Alkon has partnered with CDWare Technologies through its Connected Partner Program to deliver enhanced integration between the Command Cloud platform and CDWare’s fleet and delivery management solutions for ready mix concrete operations. This integration connects dispatch, ticket lifecycle data, and real-time fleet intelligence, enabling producers to improve delivery visibility, optimize fleet utilization, and enhance coordination between dispatch teams and drivers. By leveraging cloud-native infrastructure and secure API connectivity, the combined solution provides actionable insights into delivery execution, driver performance, and jobsite activity—critical factors in time-sensitive construction environments. The partnership supports more predictable delivery outcomes, improved scheduling, and better resource allocation while reducing operational risk. As part of a growing ecosystem of integrated technologies, this collaboration reflects the industry’s shift toward digital transformation, connected workflows, and data-driven decision-making. Together, Command Alkon and CDWare are empowering ready mix producers to modernize operations, increase efficiency, and achieve stronger project performance.

DroneDeploy has partnered with Cairn Homes plc to advance digital construction, project efficiency, and safety across more than 25 residential developments in Ireland. By implementing DroneDeploy’s unified reality capture platform—including drones, 360° cameras, and 3D scanning—Cairn has significantly improved inspection speed, data accuracy, and site visibility. The platform supports the full project lifecycle, from early design and site analysis to construction progress tracking, trench verification, and final handover. Teams across engineering, planning, and commercial operations use real-time aerial maps and 3D models to coordinate logistics, reduce rework, and enhance decision-making. A key innovation includes integrating trench scanning into workflows, creating permanent digital records of underground services before backfilling. Additionally, Cairn is leveraging AI-powered tools like Progress AI to automate progress tracking, validate schedules, and identify delays earlier. This data-driven approach enables more consistent oversight and improves project outcomes.

FieldServicely is emerging as a cost-effective alternative to traditional field service management (FSM) platforms, helping small and mid-sized businesses streamline operations without high subscription costs. Serving industries such as construction, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, facility management, and more, the platform addresses common challenges caused by fragmented systems like spreadsheets, messaging apps, and manual invoicing. FieldServicely consolidates essential functions—including job scheduling, dispatching, route optimization, real-time GPS tracking, and reporting—into a single, user-friendly solution. This centralized approach improves workforce visibility, reduces scheduling conflicts, and enhances productivity across distributed teams. As businesses increasingly seek affordable, scalable tools to manage field operations, FieldServicely enables organizations to replace multiple disconnected systems with one integrated platform, improving efficiency while controlling costs.

BigRentz has been recognized as Best Construction Procurement Software Platform (USA) by BUILD Magazine, highlighting its innovation in modernizing jobsite procurement through its AI-powered platform, SiteStack. Designed from over a decade of real-world experience and more than $1 billion in construction transactions, SiteStack streamlines procurement by integrating supplier matching, geospatial logistics analysis, and standardized workflows into a single platform. The solution enables contractors and facilities teams to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and gain real-time visibility across multi-site operations. Early adopters have reported up to 20% cost savings and automation of up to 90% of back-office procurement tasks, including requisitions, approvals, and invoicing. Now available as a standalone SaaS solution, SiteStack centralizes vendor communication and logistics management, replacing fragmented processes such as spreadsheets and manual coordination. Supported by a network of over 6,000 suppliers across 14,000 locations, the platform helps organizations make faster, data-driven decisions while improving consistency and scalability across projects.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data analytics are transforming Canadian real estate development, enabling faster, more efficient, and data-driven decision-making amid a growing housing crisis that requires an estimated 3.5 million new homes by 2030. Industry leaders like Ladan Hosseinzadeh Sadeghi highlight how AI compresses complex data analysis from weeks to hours, allowing developers to evaluate zoning, demographics, transit trends, and construction costs with greater accuracy. Machine learning models enhance traditional expertise by identifying emerging market opportunities, improving site selection, financial modeling, and risk management. AI is also optimizing design, permitting, and construction planning through generative design tools and natural language processing, reducing delays and improving project outcomes. Predictive analytics further enable developers to forecast demand at the neighborhood level, particularly in complex markets like the Greater Toronto Area. While AI enhances efficiency and scalability, experts emphasize the importance of balancing technology with human judgment, community engagement, and responsible planning. As adoption grows, developers leveraging AI will gain a competitive advantage in delivering housing faster, reducing costs, and addressing Canada’s critical housing shortage.

Autodesk has officially announced the acquisition of Rhumbix, a move aimed at strengthening real-time field data capabilities across the construction lifecycle. The acquisition addresses a long-standing industry challenge: limited visibility into jobsite activity and delayed financial reporting. By integrating Rhumbix’s field-first platform—designed for labor tracking, production monitoring, and time-and-materials documentation—Autodesk is advancing connected construction workflows that link field execution directly to cost control, forecasting, and financial systems. This strategic expansion enables contractors to access more accurate, timely data, improving decision-making, reducing manual processes, and enhancing project outcomes. The move reinforces Autodesk’s commitment to delivering end-to-end digital solutions that drive efficiency, productivity, and profitability across construction, infrastructure, and engineering projects.

Field Materials has surpassed $1.3 billion in total order volume, driven by rapid growth in data center construction and increasing demand for digital procurement solutions. As U.S. data center spending reaches $61 billion in 2025 and continues to rise, contractors are accelerating adoption of AI-powered platforms to modernize operations. Field Materials enables automation across procurement workflows—from field ordering to invoice processing—reducing manual tasks and cutting processing time by up to 90%. Serving over 100 contractors across multiple global markets, the platform integrates with leading construction accounting systems and supports thousands of projects and vendors. Backed by strong quarterly growth and expanding enterprise adoption, the company is positioned to exceed $2 billion in volume soon.

Bridgit has released its 2026 Construction Workforce Benchmark Report, providing data-driven insights from 233 contractors and over 114,000 professionals. The report reveals that while many firms are hiring, high attrition rates—averaging nearly 20%—are offsetting workforce growth, creating a “treadmill effect” that limits net gains. It also highlights a critical shortage of experienced talent, particularly among senior project managers and superintendents, whose low attrition contrasts sharply with higher turnover in junior roles. Additionally, shifting project demand—such as growth in industrial, infrastructure, and data center construction—requires more strategic workforce planning aligned with project complexity. The report introduces the “rookie ratio” as a key metric for balancing team experience and improving project outcomes. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for construction firms to adopt data-driven workforce strategies to improve retention, optimize hiring, and align talent with evolving market demands.

Carbon Upcycling Technologies has secured up to $10 million in asset-backed financing from ATEL Ventures, marking a key step in scaling its low-carbon cement technology. The funding will support the company’s flagship project at the Ash Grove Mississauga Cement Plant, where captured CO₂ emissions will be permanently sequestered and converted into high-quality supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Once operational, the facility is expected to produce up to 30,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement materials annually, strengthening regional construction supply chains while reducing environmental impact. The agreement also reinforces the commercial viability and financeability of Carbon Upcycling’s platform, which transforms industrial byproducts into sustainable building materials.

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