It’s no secret that the architecture, engineering, construction, and manufacturing spaces are constantly evolving, and AEC & M trends are changing as well.
One essential way to keep up with new developments is investing in an e-learning platform that’s continuously updating with content to help keep your team stay ahead of the latest technologies.
Another way is studying up on emerging trends before they become the norm to help you and your employees stay ahead of the curve. The Eagle Point Software content team is happy to help with our roundup of the trends we see playing a major role in the AEC & M industries in 2023.
Some of our predictions for the AEC & M trends you’re likely to encounter next year include:
- Generative design
- Cloud collaboration
- Mixed Reality
- Career development resources
- Fabric buildings
Read on to learn more about these AEC & M trends and why you’ll want to have them on your radar in 2023!
Generative design
Generative design — the process of inputting goals and parameters into a software program and receiving multiple design solutions — offers AEC & M organizations new ways to “do more with less,” said Don Quinn, Infrastructure Industry Manager for Eagle Point.
This technology is especially useful for industries that are facing increasing challenges in attracting and retaining top talent.
“Various use-cases are becoming more prevalent, including for solar and wind energy projects, to optimize the layout and performance for large-scale projects. Rather than trying to determine the best solution through manual iteration, you can find quick solutions via computer processing,” Quinn said. “Not only does this save time and money, but it also finds the optimal solution for the design parameters and constraints.”
Chad Close, Building Technology Manager at Eagle Point, noted that this trend is forecasted to spread into urban planning and design, allowing stakeholders to choose the best possible options for site proposals and development.
“Given the many requirements given by stakeholders, design disciplines, weather conditions, solar conditions, and other geographical constraints, there are only so many design options that can be offered by a project team,” Close explained. “Based upon the inputs and constraints agreed upon, generative design can help produce many more options than can a group of human designers and also assist in evaluating those options.”
Tools like Autodesk Spacemaker will be especially valuable in harnessing the power of generative design to reduce the turnaround time of site and feasibility studies.
Cloud collaboration
This trend made our list of predictions for 2022, and so far, it’s not showing any sign of slowing down in 2023 AEC & M trends.
“More DOTs are planning their adoption of the cloud workspace for their projects and are developing standards and workflows to support internal and external project teams,” Quinn noted. “Vendors of the cloud platforms and services are working closely with clients to address issues and concerns as they arise and are partnering with other cloud platforms to make data and models more connected and streamlined.”
Quinn foresees this team effort to expand cloud capabilities helping pave the way for other AEC & M organizations that have not yet moved their work to the cloud to make the jump in coming years.
Extended reality
Mixed reality made our list of the top AEC skills to master in 2021, and it’s back this year as one of the AEC & M trends industry experts see making waves in 2023.
Mixed, augmented, and virtual reality all fall under the umbrella of extended reality and offer AEC & M organizations new ways to collaborate and visualize a project at every step of the design process.
As Autodesk puts it, “extended reality creates opportunities for faster, more informed decision-making and the chance to realize an accessible and sustainable future. “
In addition to collaborating on projects, extended reality offers AEC & M organizations the chance to provide not-so-hands-on job training, improve quality control, and provide live instruction for on-demand support.
Career development resources
One AEC & M trend that every organization will want to focus on in 2023 is the ability to attract and retain high-performing talent. A vital resource to accomplishing this is offering career development resources that show employees and prospective new hires that your organization is dedicated to their career growth.
A study from IBM found that employees are 12 times more likely to leave a job due to perceived barriers to their career growth. Invest in your internal talent in 2023 with a robust learning strategy and e-learning platform, and help keep your top performers on your team for years to come.
Fabric buildings
“The benefits fabric buildings deliver to clients make them a trend that’s emerging but likely to accelerate in the coming year,” Close said.
These buildings are engineered to be more weather-resistant than traditional buildings, are easier to heat and cool, require fewer materials, have a smaller environmental impact, and can be constructed and relocated quickly.
“Owners who need rapid, flexible, and sustainable design may continue to accelerate the trend toward fabric buildings which will require designers to understand the architectural, structural and mechanical systems that make these structures function properly,” Close advised.
To help equip your team with the skills to keep up with these 2023 AEC & M trends and more, log in to Pinnacle Seriesnow or request a demo or free trial to get started!
