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Leverage AI to Overcome Data Chaos and Optimize Facility Operations by David Homola

William Attardi on October 2, 2026

Buildings’ operational data is often contained in multiple places that don’t talk to each other, which prevents facilities teams from using them to optimize operations. Here’s how you can clean up the chaos. Key Highlights

  • Data fragmentation and inconsistent documentation hinder AI’s ability to provide accurate insights in facility management.
  • AI enhances operational efficiency by automating data retrieval, surfacing recurring issues, and supporting proactive decision-making.
  • Standardizing data collection—categories, locations, and outcomes—is essential for AI to function effectively and build trust in automated insights.
  • Creating AI-ready facilities involves disciplined workflows, shared digital resources, and clear naming conventions to ensure data quality.
  • Implementing structured digital processes today prepares facility teams to leverage AI for predictive maintenance, compliance, and strategic planning in the future.

Leverage AI to Overcome Data Chaos and Optimize Facility Operations | Buildings

How AI Is Rebuilding Engineering From the Inside Out

William Attardi on July 23, 2026

ACEC Research Institute www.acecresearchinstitute.org releases new report concluding that most successful firms will use tech to enhance workers, not eliminate them. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how engineering work gets done, while demand for infrastructure surges and the talent pipeline continues to contract. In the midst of this disruption, one thing remains constant: the irreplaceable role of the engineer. A new report from the ACEC Research Institute takes on all three forces at once — concluding from the data that the firms who thrive in the future won’t be those that replace their people with technology, but those that unleash the full potential of their engineers through it.

Key Highlights

  • AI will augment engineers’ capabilities, transforming them into designers of intelligent systems;
  • Data is a critical strategic asset; firms that effectively utilize project data will gain a competitive advantage and avoid dependency on external platforms;
  • Infrastructure is evolving into a continuous performance data source, enabling long-term lifecycle partnerships and digital twin integration;
  • The report provides a six-point strategic roadmap covering data strategy, workflow redesign, talent development, and industry collaboration;
  • Emerging AI-native engineering firms are being built around digital systems, signaling a fundamental industry shift.

The report identifies six structural ideas — organized around three themes — that define the engineering firm of the future:  How AI Is Rebuilding Engineering from the Inside Out | HPAC Engineering

Construction Firms Add 11,000 Jobs in June

William Attardi on July 6, 2026

Construction firms added 11,000 jobs in June and 64,000 over 12 months, as pay for craft workers climbed faster than for production workers overall, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data. Association officials cautioned, however, that future construction job gains are at risk unless Congress acts quickly to pass new highway and transit legislation before the current law expires on Sept. 30. Construction employment totaled 8,331,000 in June, seasonally adjusted, an increase of 11,000 from May. Over the past 12 months, the industry has added 64,000 jobs, an increase of 0.8 percent, outpacing the 0.3 percent increase in total nonfarm payroll employment. Gains in the industry were concentrated in nonresidential construction, with the steepest growth rate occurring in heavy and civil engineering construction, the sector that employs many highway and transit construction workers. Nonresidential firms added 19,900 employees in June and 113,400 positions or 2.3 percent over the past 12 months. Construction Firms Add 11,000 Jobs in June – tEDmag

Data is a New Currency for Electrical Contractor Operations by Jim Romeo

William Attardi on October 25, 2025

Construction runs on decisions, and better data helps to make better decisions. When field measurements, schedules, costs and submittals data converge, managerial confidence is strengthened. Foremen spot risks early, and managers spot problems before they occur. Real-time telemetry from equipment, automated progress capture and clean cost codes transform guesswork into measurable productivity. The payoff is fewer delays, tighter change control, safer sites and predictable closeout—turning data into days saved and margins protected. Wipfli, a national accounting and business consulting firm, published a 2025 State of Technology in Construction report, which surveyed 308 executives. It shows there is an appetite for technology and the data it yields. Firms that turn field data into shared insight—securely and in real time—will move from tools to tangible labor savings, safer job sites and faster closeout. What does this mean for projects and job site management?  – Data is a New Currency for Electrical Contractor Operations – Electrical Contractor Magazine

 

The Creator of Baby Ruth Actually Sued Babe Ruth –The Baby Ruth candy bar was created by the Curtiss Candy Company in 1920 — the same year that baseball legend Babe Ruth hit a then-record 54 home runs. But the Great Bambino was irked that the company was selling a candy bar with such a similar name to his own without offering him any royalties. Rather than take the Curtiss Candy Company to court, the Sultan of Swat decided to make his own candy bar, and in 1926 he debuted Ruth’s Home Run bar. The Curtiss Candy Company responded by turning the tables and taking Ruth to court. They accused the slugger of trying to steal their trademark and capitalize on the success of their brand. In a 1931 deposition, Curtiss founder Otto Schnering insisted the candy was named after “Baby Ruth” Cleveland — the daughter of President Grover Cleveland.  He also attested that the company came up with the name in 1919 before the baseball player had become a household name and that the name was merely coincidental. While the validity of those claims is disputed to this day, the court nonetheless ruled in favor of the candy company, forcing Ruth to end his foray into the world of candy.