Nemetschek Group – the AECO software developer whose brands include Graphisoft, Vectorworks, Allplan and Bluebeam – and Takenaka, one of Japan’s largest construction companies, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance digital transformation and AI-driven solutions in the construction sector.

The MoU initiates a strategic partnership to develop and pilot AI-assisted, cloud-based, and open digital platforms that streamline and enhance collaborative workflows across planning, design, construction, and operation processes.

“This partnership with Takenaka, a true leader with deep expertise in the construction industry, is a pivotal step,” said Marc Nezet, chief strategy officer at the Nemetschek Group. “By combining their extensive, practical know-how with our advanced digital and AI capabilities, we are co-creating a more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven future for the entire AEC/O industry.

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“We believe in empowering our partners and customers to combine human-centric AI innovations with sustainability across the building lifecycle.”

Key areas outlined within the agreement include a commitment to best practice exchange through regular knowledge-sharing sessions, methodologies, and operational insights.

Nemetschek and Takenaka will also focus on joint AI and digital platform innovation, working together to identify, prioritise, and develop cloud-based digital and AI solutions for the AECO sector.

Secure data sharing and validation form another cornerstone of the agreement, with governance models and technical safeguards established to enable data-driven transformation.

Finally, both parties reaffirm their commitment to data protection and compliance, ensuring adherence to privacy, security, and intellectual property standards in line with global best practices.

“This partnership embodies the forward-thinking spirit of our industry,” said Daniel Csillag, CEO of Graphisoft. “By partnering with Takenaka Corporation, we are laying the groundwork for truly collaborative, open, and data-driven workflows that benefit architects, engineers, and contractors worldwide. We are proud to contribute our expertise and technology towards this transformative journey, also building on an existing Enterprise Licensing and Service Agreement between Graphisoft and Takenaka Corporation.”

Nemetschek stated that the MoU serves as a foundation and guiding framework for future joint project-specific agreements. The agreement takes effect immediately and will remain in place for a period of five years.

Main image caption: From left to right: Mr Tetsuo Harada (Executive Managing Officer, Takenaka Corporation), Mr Daniel Csillag (CEO, Graphisoft), Mr Susumu Matsuo (General Manager, Digital Division Head Office, Takenaka Corporation).

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Speckle is on a mission to make the models, data and intellectual property that architects and engineers spend all day creating easier to share, query and just plain access.

In the five years we’ve spent in pursuit of our goal of building the AEC industry’s go-to data platform, we’ve learned that making it fast and easy to unlock value from data is just as important as breadth of features. After all, no return on investment is ever realised from a solution until it is actually adopted by real teams working on real projects.

While thousands of users around the world are already using Speckle to transform their workflows, the reality for many working in AEC today remains depressing, because of how difficult it remains for anyone outside of a small group of experts to access a 3D model.

So 2D remains king, because everyone can engage with a PDF. Contrast the simplicity of this with another scenario that will be all-to-familiar to many readers: You’re a project manager who wants to show off the latest design updates to a client. The architect involved sends you a massive Revit file that subsequently crashes your laptop. The structural engineer, meanwhile, sends a Tekla model that only runs on specialised software that you don’t have. And the MEP consultant’s AutoCAD files are so complex that finding relevant information is a challenge akin to plucking a needle from a haystack.

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So what do you do? What’s most likely is that you’ll fall back on 2D PDFs and static images that convey only a very small subsection of the valuable information that you and your colleagues worked so hard and so long to create, while around 90% of it goes to waste.

Meanwhile, your client – who is investing millions in this project – can’t even see the model on their phone during a site visit. In other words, they’re making critical decisions based on outdated print-outs, even while a real-time, data-rich 3D model sits locked away in proprietary software that only specialists know how to use.

It’s 2025, and we’re still carrying around rolled-up drawings like it’s 1925. So how can we make 3D models, including their geometry and data, as accessible to project stakeholders as 2D files? And how can we unlock the additional data they contain, making them far more useful than 2D and achieving the full potential of BIM that we’ve all been sold on but which has let us down badly over the past twenty years?

Making magic

At the risk of selling our company short, when our users say ‘Speckle is magic’, we typically find that they’re not referring to a particularly advanced automation, but instead to the fact that a task that used to require many hours of work or specialist tools to perform now happens with a single click. For example, that could be sharing a link to a 3D model with a client, who is not only able to open it via the web browser on their smartphone, but also start leaving comments immediately.

Moving beyond files and expanding access to objectlevel data means that teams are no longer trapped in authoring silos where only a small minority of team members can access vital information.

So what sort of workflows might improved data access actually unlock? To your right, you’ll see five ways we believe it could change the way you work:

From file chaos to data clarity

Are you ready to stop wasting your precious resources building workarounds to connect data across vendor-enforced data silos? The current state of AEC data management is unsustainable. We’re spending more time managing files than creating value, and more energy fighting software than solving design problems.

The future belongs to organisations that treat data as a strategic asset rather than a necessary evil. Teams that can seamlessly share information across disciplines are better positioned to make informed decisions based on real-time data and to deliver value to clients through better access to project information.

The magic doesn’t lie in the technology itself. It lies in what becomes possible when barriers disappear and information flows freely

Join AEC’s data leaders and adopt an open data layer to get your data ecosystem AI-ready and finally put your data to work. In a world where every other industry has figured out how to make complex information accessible to non-experts, AEC is still behind the curve.

The magic doesn’t lie in the technology itself. It lies in what becomes possible when barriers disappear and information flows freely. When your client can understand your design as deeply as you do, when your contractors can access the information they need without playing telephone, when your building owners can leverage their BIM investment throughout the facility lifecycle – that’s when we finally deliver on the promise of digital transformation. The future of AEC isn’t about better software. It’s about better access to the intelligence we’re already creating.

1. Publishing and sharing models in the browser

Getting a model into Speckle has been made intentionally simple. You drag it into the web app, install a connector for your authoring tool, or activate a live integration with your project’s data environment. Once published the model opens directly in the browser with fidelity for decision-making. You can jump into 2D views, isolate specific element types, measure distances, or check elevations. No more waiting on your modelling team to generate bespoke views.

Because the model lives on the web, it is instantly shareable via a link. Teammates, clients or consultants can explore that model on any device without specialist software or gatekeepers. Feedback no longer comes in the form of vague markups on static PDFs, but contextual comments tied to exact objects within the model. A client who feels the reception desk is too imposing, for example, can click on it directly. An MEP consultant who spots a clash can flag the affected elements with precision.

The impact is immediate. Sarah, a design director at a mid-sized firm, used to juggle attachments on the way to client meetings. Now, she sends a Speckle link to her clients, enabling them to navigate layouts on their tablets long before the meeting begins. The conversation then shifts from defensive clarification to collaborative decision-making.

The same workflow is transforming contractor-side reviews. At one global contractor, VDC leads share Speckle links with estimating teams so that they can explore live quantities directly. Instead of waiting for scheduled coordination calls or static take-off exports, estimators now see updates in the browser as soon as the design evolves. What once demanded weekly meetings is now handled asynchronously in context.

What feels magical in these moments is not complexity, but relief. Like water in the desert, the ability to simply share and engage with a model should have become the norm long ago. This is the BIM 2.0 principle of access and engagement: open models in the browser, universally available, and connected to continuous, contextual feedback.

2. Understanding the impact of changes

So, your teammate finished the structural design over the weekend? See what elements they added, modified or removed through our seamless version comparison. No more playing ‘spot the difference’ with overlaid drawings or trying to remember what was different about last week’s model.

If the client requests a new layout on the first floor, ensure they can easily see the changes you’ve made. Visual diffs highlight modifications with colour coding: new elements in green; deleted elements in red; modified elements in blue. But it goes beyond just visual changes. You can also see property modifications, quantity variations, and even changes to non-geometric data.

Take the case of David, a design principal whose client was nervous about a design revision that affected the entire ground floor of a building. Instead of presenting his proposals as a completely new design, David showed the client precisely what changed from the version they had already approved. They could see that the core circulation remained the same and that they’d actually gained some square footage in the new design. Speckle transformed a potentially difficult conversation into an easy approval.

This granular change tracking also enables more sophisticated coordination workflows. When a structural engineer moves a beam, the MEP engineer gets notified about specific elements that might be affected. When an architect adjusts room layouts, the interior designer sees exactly which spaces need attention. Information flows where it needs to go, whenever it’s needed. For many firms, this marks a shift from guesswork and manual spot-checking to transparent change management.

3. Building a dashboard to inform project decisions in real time

Want to compare the carbon footprint impact of a new layout? With Speckle, you can create a carbon comparison dashboard allowing you to see the environmental impact of design decisions as they happen, not weeks later when the sustainability report finally gets updated.

The possibilities extend far beyond carbon calculations. Users might use a dashboard to track cost implications of design changes, compliance with accessibility requirements, or progress towards a project’s information requirements. The key is real-time feedback that informs decisions while they can still be easily influenced.

Our customers are leveraging dashboards powered by the data in Speckle to surface embodied carbon calculations, updating live as the design develops. When the architect is choosing between different facade systems, they can see the carbon impact immediately, not wait for a weekly report. This means being able to optimise for sustainability throughout the process, instead of just checking a box at the end.

And these dashboards aren’t just for technical consultants. Project managers can track budget implications as a design changes; facility managers can preview operational requirements; and clients can monitor adherence to their programme requirements. When everyone can see relevant metrics updating in real time, decisions become faster and better informed. Metrics can finally drive decisions, rather than being surfaced intermittently in lagging reports.

4. Validating data quality and tracking progression towards completion

Design progress is all well and good, but what’s the quality of the information going into the model? Do doors include proper fire ratings? Do assets meet the client’s standards and specifications for the project? Does the model contain the level of development required for the next project phase?

Let Speckle’s data validation automation confirm not just design completion, but also data accuracy and completeness. Set up rules that check for missing properties, validate values against project requirements and flag inconsistencies before they become costly problems. This is a shift to machine-checkable information quality from manual, human-led checking that’s spotty at best and scheduled (plus extremely painful) at worst.

VDC teams at large contractors create validation rules that check every model they receive against a project’s construction requirements. So instead of discovering incomplete information when they’re onsite trying to build, they now catch it during design coordination. The result? Field crews get models they can actually use for construction and project schedules don’t get derailed by information gaps.

With Speckle, validation goes beyond just checking boxes. It enables progressive enhancement of model data throughout the project lifecycle. Early design phases might require basic geometric accuracy, while construction documentation demands complete specifications, and facility handover needs operational parameters. Automated validation powered by Speckle’s data infrastructure ensures each project phase receives the information quality it needs.

5. Making BIM deliverables useful after handover to future-proof real estate portfolios

For many owners, BIM handover still means files that disappear into archives, only to become obsolete when a retrofit rolls around. Yet some public clients with global asset holdings; from offices to embassies; are taking a different view. With planning horizons of three, ten, even fifteen years, they need data that will remain usable when new projects begin, not static IFCs that lock information away.

In these approaches, native models from designers are brought into Speckle’s open database and maintained as a living source of truth. Reality capture datasets sit alongside them, giving a continuous picture of what exists today against what was originally designed. That makes the data immediately usable for asset takeoff; dependable for portfolio intelligence across thousands of buildings; and strategic for briefing future projects, whether for reuse, revenue generation, or disposal. Plus, Speckle’s granular support for data regionality means that these portfolios can even be hosted in discrete national data centres, so government entities can be confident that their information remains sovereign; an option other platforms cannot provide.

The outcome is not a static archive but an institutional memory that compounds in value. Assets remain editable and dependable; portfolios become searchable, analysable, and strategically actionable. This is the BIM 2.0 principle of durability and continuity: deliverables that do not expire but grow in intelligence over time. And in certain places where clocks, trains, and public buildings are all expected to last generations, this approach feels almost inevitable.

Recommended viewing

Watch Speckle’s Dimitrie Stefanescu explore how Speckle reimagines interoperability as a human-centred conversation.

See the teaser below and watch the whole presentation @ www.nxtaec.com

The post Getting started with Speckle appeared first on AEC Magazine.

Trimble has built a new suite of collaboration tools directly into the heart of SketchUp for Desktop, alongside improvements to documentation, site context, and visualisation.

The latest release of the popular push/pull 3D modelling software introduces private sharing control, in-app commenting, and real-time viewing, allowing designers to collect feedback from clients and stakeholders without leaving the SketchUp environment.

“Great designs are shaped by conversation, iteration and shared insight,” said Sandra Winstead, senior director of product management, architecture and design at Trimble. “Rather than jumping between email threads or third-party tools to hold conversations, collaborate and make design decisions, we’ve built collaboration directly into SketchUp.”

With these new tools, designers can securely share models with selected stakeholders, controlling who can view and comment. Feedback is attached directly to 3D geometry, ensuring comments are linked to the right part of the model.

All collaborators see updates instantly, creating what Trimble describes as a shared space for real-time design conversations. Cursor and camera tracking features also allow clients and colleagues to follow along during live presentations.

Elsewhere, SketchUp now includes professional 2D drafting tools in LayOut, the companion application used for presentations and documentation.
According to Trimble, users gain access to more intuitive and precise drawing features for common documentation tasks, along with new scrapbooks offering standard architectural graphics such as doors and windows for scaled 2D composition.

An enhanced DWG export workflow helps ensure that SketchUp geometry and Tags are accurately preserved when transferring designs from 3D SketchUp into 2D CAD or BIM tools.

Trimble has also upgraded Scan Essentials, the SketchUp plug-in for turning point cloud data into 3D models. The latest release makes it easier to incorporate existing buildings into terrain as pre-built 3D geometry, supporting more accurate visualisation, climate analysis, and site planning.

SketchUp’s visualisation capabilities have been further refined, offering greater stylistic control and a broader set of rendering options, including Color Ambient Occlusion, Ambient Occlusion Scale Multiplier, and Invert Roughness.

Finally, for AI-assisted rendering, a new Diffusion Labs update delivers higher-fidelity imagery and greater creative control over AI-generated imagery.

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Bluebeam has announced Bluebeam Max, a premium subscription plan due to launch early 2026 that is designed to bring a range of AI features to its PDF-based collaboration and markup tool Revu.

A new Anthropic Claude integration will bring natural-language AI prompts directly into Revu, allowing users to automate tasks and turn markup data into ‘actionable insights’.

Building on its recent acquisition of Firmus AI, Bluebeam is also introducing AI-Review and AI-Match — intelligent tools that help uncover design issues early, detect scope gaps, and compare drawings with ‘unprecedented accuracy’.

For large-scale infrastructure projects, a new Stitching feature automatically combines multiple drawing sheets into a ‘single navigable view’.

Bluebeam has also added advanced MagicWand markup tools, along with new ‘Convert to,’ ‘Duplicate as,’ and ‘Offset’ actions, helping users automate repetitive markups and speed up takeoffs with fewer manual clicks.

Rounding out the new offering, Connected Sessions with Revit now bridge 2D markups and 3D models, with a view to streamlining coordination between design and build teams.

While Bluebeam Max will initially integrate with Anthropic Claude, the company says its use of the industry-standard Model Context Protocol (MCP) will allow future connections with other AI models – including Copilot, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini — as soon as those platforms offer desktop apps with MCP integration.

In addition to Bluebeam Max, the company has announced a series of updates available to all Revu subscribers, aimed at improving collaboration, mobility, and document management across projects.

A new Task Link feature connects Revu markups directly with field tasks in GoCanvas, giving office and field teams real-time visibility into project progress.

Meanwhile, Intelligent Search has been enhanced to support natural-language queries across all Studio Projects folders — whether accessed via Revu or the web — helping teams quickly locate files, comments, and markups.

There are also improvement for mobile users. On iOS, teams can now access full Studio Project functionality, work offline with sync support, and manage local files. Android users will gain these same offline and local access capabilities in early 2026.

Bluebeam has also added a DocuSign integration, enabling secure e-signatures directly within Studio Projects without the need to download or re-upload documents. Finally, new integrations with Procore, OneDrive, and SharePoint allow users to open, mark-up, and sync files seamlessly across platforms, further streamlining project workflows.

The post Bluebeam Max to boost Revu with AI appeared first on AEC Magazine.

Ever since Autodesk launched Forma in 2023, several questions have repeatedly come up: how will the early-stage design tool evolve, how will it integrate with Revit, or will it even replace Revit?

Fast forward two years and we are now starting to get some clarity. At Autodesk University this month, Autodesk unveiled Forma Building Design, a new browser-based tool which targets detailed design, albeit at a moderate Level of Detail (LoD) 200.

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Forma Building Design, due to launch in beta later this year, signals the start of a new wave of Forma design solutions. According to Nicolas Mangon, VP of AEC industry strategy, these tools will support a broader range of industries and project phases, all powered by AI. Given the growing competition from ‘BIM 2.0’ startups like Motif, Arcol, Snaptrude and Qonic, Autodesk will feel the timing is good.

While Forma solutions that cover MEP, structural, and fabrication level of detail are obvious candidates, new products won’t necessarily be limited to buildings. Amy Bunszel, executive VP, AEC solutions, hinted that they could also extend to transportation, civil and infrastructure. “We need to get to some of those workflows, and we’ll probably do the same thing, we’ll start conceptual,” she says.

Meanwhile, the existing Forma product will be rebranded as Forma Site Design, picking up where it left off with ‘data-driven’ site planning and design.

So why is Autodesk choosing to develop multiple Forma products rather than a single monolithic BIM tool? “We’re trying to be persona-based instead of overloading everything we don’t need into one application, which is kind of a problem with Revit today,” admits Bunszel.

The idea is that a designer would work within the application best suited to a specific task, while data flows between each tool via the Forma Industry Cloud – or more specifically, via Forma Data Management, the new name for Autodesk Docs, the common data environment.

By keeping everything in sync, designers will get access to the latest model data, wherever it’s needed, instantly appearing in other connected applications.

These multi-application workflows aren’t limited to the browser-based Forma design tools. Revit will also play in this new collaborative world, as Autodesk continues to build a bridge between Revit desktop and the Forma Industry cloud.

Revit will soon become what Autodesk calls a Forma Connected Client — a new ‘gold standard’ designation for desktop products that are deeply integrated within the Forma industry cloud.

Revit users will be able to utilise shared, granular data, regardless of where it was authored – in Revit, Forma Site Design, or Forma Building Design.

In addition, Revit users will be able to use some of Forma’s cloud capabilities, such as wind analysis, directly within the desktop tool. Results generated in Forma Site Design or Forma Building Design will also be accessible in Revit.

Over time, additional sustainability and building performance analyses from Forma will become available within Revit.

While Revit will be the first official Forma Connected Client, Autodesk plans to bring more of its desktop applications into the mix, although it has not yet named which ones.

Of course, many AEC firms also play outside the Autodesk world, so could Forma Connected Client status extend to third party tools? From a technical standpoint, this is possible: “The data model is open if they wanted to participate in that way,” says Bunszel.

If Autodesk truly delivers on its promise of ‘‘ seamless data flow between Forma, Revit, and other tools, the question of where design work is done will become less important

However, third parties are more to likely integrate in other ways, such as through Autodesk Data Exchange Connectors, currently available for Tekla Structures, Rhino, Power Bi and IFC.

To encourage firms to get on board with this new collaborative way of working, Autodesk will give Revit users access to the new Forma design tools and the Forma Industry Cloud.

“Everyone will get data management, at some level,” explains Bunszel. “We’re building, what’s called [Forma Data Management] Essentials. There’s not everything that’s in Docs today, but there’ll be an Essentials version that goes to all the standalone customers, so that they can participate and start to get their data in the cloud.”

However, participation in the Autodesk cloud will require API calls, which will be monitored. Autodesk has said customers will receive ‘generous monthly limits,’ though some customers have expressed concern about escalating costs in the future once they those limits are reached.

Moving into detailed design

Forma Building Design is said to combine easy to use modelling tools, generative AI and real time analysis, “So whether you’re shaping facades, exploring interior layouts or optimising performance with carbon and daylight metrics, users of all skill levels can design with intent and deliver with impact,” says Bunszel.

The emphasis on ‘all skill levels’ is deliberate, as Autodesk also sees Forma Building Design as a way of encouraging AutoCAD users into the world of 3D design by ‘making BIM less daunting’.

Forma Building Design is focused on what Autodesk describes as outcome-based BIM. As an architect designs, they’ll get real-time feedback on analyses like indoor daylight, operational carbon and sunlight exposure. “You can make precise design changes while instantly validating their impacts downstream,” says Racel Amour, head of generative AI, AEC.

Most of what we’ve seen so far about Forma Building Design centres on AI, enabled by ‘neural CAD for buildings’, a brand-new industry-specific AI foundation model specifically trained on 3D design data and built into the heart of Forma.

This AI-enhanced CAD engine will pave the way for a range of generative AI tools, the first of which is ‘Building Layout Explorer’ which enables the ‘rapid generation and automatic regeneration’ of new interior layouts, all while giving the designer control. “Soon you can review designs side by side to evaluate against different outcomes like unit mix and daylight,” says Amour. (Learn more in our in-depth article on Autodesk AI)

Forma Building Design is intended to deliver models at LoD 200 but, according to Bunszel, in the future Forma could equal what you have in Revit.

“Depending on the type of project, some people could work almost exclusively some day in Forma and maybe not need Revit or maybe go to Revit for some very particular things,” she says.

Revit clearly has decades of development behind it, but one of those ‘particular things’ could be 2D documentation. We asked Bunszel if Forma will ever get a 2D drawing capability, or is that something that will always be exclusive to Revit?

“It’s too early for me to comment on that,” she laughs. “We still see drawings as being important. Drawings are also a huge opportunity for automation.

“We do have some customers who are now successfully delivering fewer drawings, but they’re still delivering drawings.”

But what about creating drawings in Revit? Are there plans to bring more automation to that process, similar to what Autodesk has done with mechanical CAD tool Fusion? “We’re looking into things,” says Bunszel. “You saw a couple [of examples] this week [at AU] using some of the MCP capability to automatically grade sheets. There was another one we showed on the main stage where they were tagging doors and windows and things. So, we’re definitely starting to explore how much we can do.”

An accelerated future

Forma Building Design has been a long time coming, but its arrival brings fresh clarity to the future of Autodesk’s AEC design tools. Most importantly, Autodesk is not trying to replace Revit with Forma. “We’re not trying to duplicate everything that Revit does well but reimagine some of the things that Revit doesn’t do well, and give people access to both,” says Bunszel.

AI will be central to this reimagining. While Revit will gain efficiencies through the new AI-powered Autodesk Assistant, it seems inevitable that the Forma-based design tools will go much further. Now with a neural CAD AI engine at its core, expect significantly more automation and optimisation as Forma grows.

If Autodesk truly delivers on its promise of seamless data flow between Forma, Revit, and other tools, the question of where design work is done will become less important— notwithstanding the practical challenge of training staff across multiple systems. AEC firms will be free to choose the best design tool for each task, including from a growing list of third-party Forma add-ons, such as Finch, TestFit, ShapeDiver, Chaos Veras.

Although it has taken two years for Autodesk to give Forma a detailed design capability, albeit at LoD 200, we expect it will now start to grow more rapidly, with AI-powered workflows and entirely new products.

The fact is, AI is not only promising to accelerate design, but software development as well, and as Bunszel points out, “I can’t even describe the things our developers have been doing in days that would have [previously] taken months and months.”

The post Autodesk Forma Building Design and Revit Connected client appeared first on AEC Magazine.

HP has enhanced its construction management platform, HP Build Workspace, introducing mobile-enabled scanning and AI-powered vectorisation directly from HP DesignJet MFPs (Multifunction Printers).

HP AI Vectorization enables the conversion of raster images into ‘clean, editable’ vector drawings suitable for CAD applications.

The multi-layered AI Vectorization engine, which is trained on real architectural and construction plans, also includes object recognition so it can identify architectural elements such as doors, windows, text, and dashes.

Currently, the processing for AI vectorization is done in the cloud but next year HP Z Workstations users will be able to run jobs locally as well. According to HP, it will be up to 2x faster.

Meanwhile, through HP Click Solutions integration, AEC professionals can also ‘seamlessly print’ documents from HP Build Workspace directly to HP DesignJet printers.

HP has also launched a new large format printer, the HP DesignJet T870, which is billed as a compact, versatile 24-inch device that combines high-quality output with sustainable design.

According to HP, it’s up to 30% lighter, quieter, and more energy efficient than previous models and delivers the ‘world’s easiest multi-size printing experience’ from A4/A to A1/D, without manual media switching. It can produce an A1/D print in as little as 21 seconds.

The printer also features HP Flex Tech Inks to deliver ‘precise CAD drawings’ and ‘vibrant visuals’. With HP Click Solutions professionals can preview jobs in real time, catch errors before they happen, and send projects from ‘virtually any device’.

Finally, HP has introduced HP SitePrint SMR Prism, a new precision accessory for its 1:1 plan printing robot, HP SitePrint.

According to HP, the prism automatically rotates to maintain optimal alignment with total stations, ensuring layout accuracy of up to +/- 2mm (1/16 inch) and floor deviation marking precision down to +/- 0.8mm.

Looking ahead, HP is also set to broaden its floor deviation marking services to support new applications such as interior finishing.

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Bluebeam has announced the acquisition of Firmus AI, a specialist in pre-construction design review and risk analysis. The move will see Firmus’ technology integrated into Bluebeam’s widely used review and markup workflows, extending the company’s focus on document collaboration into the domain of AI-assisted risk management.

Firmus’ platform analyses construction drawings and documents, highlighting missing information, cross-discipline coordination issues, and scope gaps. It also supports comparisons between drawing sets issued at different project stages, enabling teams to track changes and identify potential inconsistencies earlier in the project lifecycle. By embedding these capabilities within Bluebeam’s tools, project teams will gain access to automated design intelligence without leaving their familiar workflows.

According to Firmus CEO Shir Abecasis, the acquisition positions Firmus’ technology where it can deliver the most value: “Drawings are the universal language of construction, and that’s where risk hides. By joining Bluebeam, we’re placing Firmus’ drawing-first intelligence exactly where millions of AEC professionals already work.”

Bluebeam CEO Usman Shuja described the acquisition as an important step for quality assurance: “Firmus brings an AI engine that understands 2D PDFs at a granular level—spotting scope gaps, inconsistencies and changes across disciplines and revisions. Integrating these capabilities gives teams quality assurance that reduces reviews and the stop-everything moments late in a project.”

The combined offering is expected to enhance existing Bluebeam features such as Overlay and Compare by applying Firmus’ machine learning models to detect discrepancies across architectural, structural, and MEP drawings. The result will be more accurate overlays, automated issue identification, and reduced manual checking across large drawing sets.

For project teams, Bluebeam says the benefits will include shorter review cycles, higher document quality, and improved visibility into potential risks. With Bluebeam Studio already acting as a hub for real-time drawing collaboration, Firmus’ technology will extend this by surfacing hidden issues and sharing unbiased findings directly within the collaborative environment.

Bluebeam plans to begin introducing Firmus capabilities into its products in early 2026.

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A new integration between Resolve — the real-time spatial collaboration platform — and Revizto, the BIM collaboration software, enables teams to review BIM issues from Revizto in both VR or web browser.

The goal is to enhance existing Revizto workflows by making it easier for a wider range of stakeholders to engage with and understand BIM data at critical decision points throughout the construction lifecycle.

With the new integration teams can collaborate in Resolve in real time across web browser and Meta Quest headset, wirelessly, without needing to tether to a PC.

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Users can ‘instantly’ view all Revizto-tracked issues directly inside Resolve’s multi-user workspace and teleport to their locations in the model context.

Issue identified in Resolve can be annotated and escalated to Revizto’s issue-tracker, including support for Stamp issue workflows. Teams can then review and edit open issues together in real time keeping coordination aligned.

“At Revizto, we’re committed to helping our customers tackle issues before they turn into costly rework,” said Arman Gukasyan, founder and CEO of Revizto. “This new integration builds on that commitment by giving all project stakeholders – from design teams to facilities managers – a collaborative and immersive space to identify and resolve issues early in the process.”

“The Resolve integration for Revizto has given us a new, tangible way to experience our issue tracking workflows,” added Steve Cline & Aaron Lepley, senior regional project engineers at Mars. “The real-time, immersive collaboration this integration allows has streamlined our review and coordination processes. It enables engineering, design, and operations teams to collaborate, eliminate double-tracking issues, and solve issues faster.”

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Egnyte has launched Project Hub, an AI-powered project data solution designed to solve documentation and coordination challenges by giving AEC teams visibility and control over data throughout the project lifecycle.

“The Project Hub acts as a central repository for all project data, providing users with real-time, comprehensive insights into their projects, storing everything from design files to field data,” said Prasad Gune, chief product officer at Egnyte.

“From project kickoff to closeout, Project Hub’s streamlined workflows, including standardised project setup and integrations with essential platforms like Autodesk Construction Cloud and Procore, help eliminate versioning conflicts and duplicate work so our customers can focus on project delivery, not managing data.”

The Project Hub is built around Project Center, which is said to deliver a comprehensive real-time view of all projects that vary in status, i.e. pending, in progress, and done.

Elsewhere, the Content Bridge supports ‘federated collaboration’, allowing two or more project partners with separate Egnyte domains to share data securely while each party autonomously administers its environment.

There’s also native syncing with key AEC systems, including Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore, Newforma, and BlueBeam. According to Egnyte, this helps streamline processes, ensure version control, and eliminate duplicate work.

“The Project Hub is a tremendous value add to our end-users because it provides a standardized structure and central view of our projects and data,” said DJ Reynolds, Cyber Security and Network Administrator at GBBN. “The ability to template out project dashboards and folder structures saves our team significant time from the beginning stages of a project and makes it easy to refer to projects throughout their lifecycle and even after they’re closed out. It frees up our team to focus on designing, instead of combing through complex folder structures.”

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AEC software developer Bluebeam has launched an Integrations Directory, designed to provide a centralised hub for Bluebeam users to connect with third-party tools such as Procore Documents, Microsoft SharePoint, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and Vectorworks.

Bluebeam Integrations cover a broad range of connection types—including plug-ins, API-driven integrations, and document management systems—that link Bluebeam with external applications to streamline workflows, eliminate manual processes, and enhance collaboration.

Bluebeam has also made several enhancements to Bluebeam Revu, its flagship tool for markup and collaboration on PDFs, drawings and documents.

The latest release, Revu 21.6, now runs natively and 30% faster on ARM-based devices such as Microsoft Surface tablets and via Parallels on Apple M-series Macs.

Revu 21.6 also introduces new features aimed at reducing the time it takes to communicate project issues and streamline repetitive tasks such as Markups on Capture – where users can now draw directly on photos taken in the field to pinpoint issues with greater clarity. Tool Chest enhancements provide users with multi-select drag-and-drop, and customizable punch keys now give users more control and speed when using reusable markups.

“These updates reflect our commitment to solving real-world challenges faced by AEC professionals in the office, in the trailer and on their job sites,” said Jason Bonifay, Chief Technology Officer at Bluebeam. “Whether you’re syncing data across tools or just trying to close punch items faster, we’re delivering solutions that remove friction so teams can focus less on workarounds and more on building great projects.”

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