AI Adoption in Construction: A UK Practitioner’s View
April 20, 2026 —
Aarni Heiskanen - AEC BusinessI recently talked with
Chris Brady, an AI adoption consultant based in Birmingham, UK, who has spent 18 years working in construction. Two years ago, he began integrating AI into his work with contractors and SMEs, initially as an add-on service, and it has since become his main business.
Chris now runs
Metrix, an AI consultancy focused on UK construction companies, alongside two other ventures: Trade Upskill, an education platform for construction professionals, and ctrldash.ai, a compliance-automation SaaS for construction SMEs, both of which are soon to launch.
What struck me most in our conversation was how grounded his approach is, built on years of direct industry experience rather than arriving from outside with a technology solution looking for a problem.
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Aarni Heiskanen, AEC BusinessMr. Heiskanen may be contacted at
aec-business@aepartners.fi
Endra Rethinks MEP Design with AI
July 06, 2026 —
Aarni Heiskanen - AEC BusinessNiklas Lindgren, co-founder and CEO of Endra, joins the
AEC Business Podcast to discuss why his Stockholm-based startup is rebuilding MEP design from the ground up with AI. Endra recently raised $50 million in Series A funding and counts some of the world’s largest engineering consultancies as customers.
Niklas explains why Revit’s underlying data model is too coarse to support deep automation, and why Endra built its own granular 3D data model instead of working as a plugin. He describes Endra’s “spatial AI” approach to routing conduit and ductwork without clashes, and how the platform models entire electrical systems, from receptacle to transformer, inside a single source of truth.
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Aarni Heiskanen, AEC BusinessMr. Heiskanen may be contacted at
aec-business@aepartners.fi
Insurer Granted Summary Judgment on Claim for Roof Damage Caused by Windstorm
May 26, 2026 —
Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law HawaiiThe insurer successfully moved for summary judgment, eliminating the insured’s claim for roof damage due to windstorm. Mulas v. Westchester Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20537 (Jan. 30, 2026).
The insureds’ commercial property sustained windstorm damage during Hurricane Ian. Westchester denied the claim. The insureds believed Westchester wrongfully denied coverage for roof damage and various interior damage to property. The insureds also argued that Westchester’s actual cash value (ACV) payment did not reflect the fully insured loss.
The insureds sued and Westchester moved for summary judgment. Westchester argued the roof damage was not covered because Hurricane Ian did not cause the damage. Westchester hired an engineer who determined the roof damage was not caused by wind from Hurricane Ian. Westchester pointed out that the insureds’ expert also found no wind damage on the roof. The insureds offered no other evidence suggesting the hurricane caused roof damage. Therefore, the insureds could not show that Westchester breached the policy by denying coverage.
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Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak HastertMr. Eyerly may be contacted at
te@hawaiilawyer.com
Snell & Wilmer’s Orange County Office Recognized as One of the “Best Places to Work” by the Orange County Business Journal
August 16, 2026 —
Snell & WilmerORANGE COUNTY – Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce that its Orange County office has been selected as one of the 2026 “Best Places to Work in Orange County” by the Orange County Business Journal. This recognition honors outstanding employers that foster exceptional workplace cultures and demonstrate a strong commitment to employee engagement, professional development, and organizational excellence.
The annual awards recognize Orange County employers that create positive workplace environments and set the standard for employee satisfaction and organizational success. Honorees are selected through a comprehensive evaluation process that includes confidential employee surveys and an independent assessment of company policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics.
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Snell & Wilmer
Arizona Court Enters $323 Million Judgment Against ZOM Living Following Unanimous Jury Verdict
May 26, 2026 —
Gray Development GroupPHOENIX, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A Maricopa County court has entered a $323 million compensatory damages judgment in favor of Gray Development Group against ZOM Holding Inc., doing business as ZOM Living, following a 12-day trial, a unanimous jury verdict and post-trial proceedings related to a proposed business transaction.
The jury found ZOM liable on claims of breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing stemming from a proposed joint venture tied to a planned pipeline of luxury multifamily and commercial projects in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
The lawsuit centered on a 13-project, $1.4 billion development pipeline originated and planned by Gray Development Group over more than a decade. In 2019, Gray invited Florida-based ZOM to participate in a joint venture involving the completion of five projects, which would have marked ZOM's entry into the Arizona market.
According to court findings presented at trial, the companies entered into a mutual confidentiality and non-circumvention agreement before Gray shared extensive sensitive and proprietary information related to the projects, including planning, market analysis, costs, financial data, local business relationships and operational strategies developed by Gray over decades in Arizona.
Evidence presented during trial showed that over a 10-month period while under contract, ZOM made hundreds of requests for confidential project and market information before circumventing Gray and pursuing the projects independently, ultimately displacing Gray from projects it spent years planning and developing.
ZOM Living, headquartered in Orlando, develops multifamily and senior housing communities across the United States and operates regional offices in Boston, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, Phoenix, and Raleigh. ZOM is owned by Timeless Investments, the Amsterdam-based family office of Dutch businessman Hans van Veggel, which acquired the company in 1997.
About Gray Development Group
Gray Development Group was founded by architect Bruce Gray in 1991. The Phoenix-based company was the top-ranked multifamily developer in Arizona for more than a decade. The company designed and developed more than 15,000 apartment and condominium units throughout metropolitan Phoenix. Two Gray-designed developments — a Tempe midrise and a San Diego high-rise — received National Apartment Community of the Year awards.
Builders Oppose Senate Housing Bill Over Investor Ban Provision
March 24, 2026 —
Katy O'Donnell - BloombergA powerful group representing the nation’s home builders is coming out against the most significant housing legislation in more than a decade over a provision negotiated by the White House that would restrict institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.
The builders’ objection could imperil the bill’s chances of becoming law, even as leaders of both parties are desperate to show they are doing something to alleviate voters’
cost-of-living concerns. The Senate voted 90-8 to clear a procedural hurdle for the bill on Wednesday, with a vote on final passage expected early next week.
The inclusion of the investor ban in a broader housing bill was key to getting the White House on board,
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, told reporters Tuesday.
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Katy O'Donnell, Bloomberg
HDR Agreed to $12M Settlement With Miami Bridge Design-Build Team
May 12, 2026 —
Richard Korman - Engineering News-RecordHDR last year agreed to pay $12 million to the design-build construction contractor Archer Western-de Moya Group to settle its claims that the engineer had incompletely designed and under-designed Miami's new Signature Bridge when the joint venture committed to a fixed price prior to construction in 2018.
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Richard Korman, Engineering News-RecordMr. Korman may be contacted at
kormanr@enr.com
Building in Arizona’s Data Center Boom: How Federal Executive Orders, State Regulation, and National-Security Policy Are Reshaping the Rules for Developers
June 02, 2026 —
Ryan J. Regula - Snell & WilmerDevelopers and practitioners evaluating data center projects in Arizona face a regulatory environment shifting on three fronts simultaneously. Federal executive orders are opening new land, streamlining permitting, and channeling financial incentives toward qualifying projects — but they are not preempting the state and local rules that most directly affect project economics. A carve-out in the December 2025 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Framework Executive Order preserves Arizona’s authority over data center infrastructure, meaning the Arizona Corporation Commission’s (ACC) rate-classification docket, municipal zoning restrictions, water-use ordinances, and pending grid cost-allocation legislation remain the binding constraints on project feasibility. Understanding where federal tailwinds end and state and local headwinds begin is essential for any developer sizing risk or selecting sites in the state.
The Federal Landscape: An Interlocking Framework of Executive Orders
Five interlocking executive orders are accelerating
ASCE Statement on Passing of Senator Dianne FeinsteinProtecting and Perfecting Your Mechanics Lien when the Property Owner Files BankruptcyGreen Construction Claims: More of the SameNomos LLP Partners Recognized in Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists Brown and
Science-Based Standards for Wildfire Recovery: What California Policyholders Need to Know About A.B. 1642
Traub Lieberman Attorneys Lisa Rolle and Christopher Acosta Win Motion to Dismiss in Bronx County Trip and Fall
Collaborating or Competing with Construction Tech Startups
Are Mechanic’s Liens the Be All End All of Construction Collections?
Subsequent Purchaser Can Assert Claims for Construction Defects
Presidential Memorandum Promotes Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West
Social Distancing and the Impact on Service of Process Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Insurer Not Bound by Decision in Underlying Case Where No Collateral Estoppel
A Look at Trending Legislative Changes Impacting Workers' Comp
Colorado Springs may be Next Colorado City to Add Construction Defects Ordinance
Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment Denied in Collapse Claim
Congratulations to Associate Madeline Arcellana on Her Selection as a Top Rank Attorney in Southern Nevada!
Hawaii Federal District Court Denies Brokers' MSJ on Duties Owed In Construction Defect Case
Zell Says Homeownership Rate to Fall as Marriages Delayed
Governor Ducey Vetoes Water and Development Bills
LA Home Destroyed in Palisades Fire Draws More Than 60 Offers
Federal Contractors – Double Check the Terms of Your Contract Before Performing Ordered Changes
Damages in First Trial Establishing Liability of Tortfeasor Binding in Bad Faith Trial Against Insurer
Wood Wizardry in Oregon: Innovation Raises the Roof for PDX Terminal
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Florida High-Rise for Sale, Construction Defects Possibly Included
Eleventh Circuit Vacates District Court Decision Finding No Duty to Defend Faulty Workmanship Claims
Roof's "Cosmetic" Damage From Hail Storm Covered
$356 Million Judgement Against Developer for Defective Construction of DC Condominium
Statutes of Limitations May be the Colorado Contractors’ Friend
Type I and Type II Differing Site Conditions Claims
Insured Fails to Provide Adequate Proof of Water Damage Through Roof
California Commission Recommends Switching To Fault-Based Wildfire Liability Standard for Public Utilities
California Insurance Commissioner Lacks Authority to Regulate Formula for Estimating Replacement Cost Value
Saudi Arabia Awards Contracts for Megacity Neom’s Worker Housing
China Allows Construction to Resume of High-Rise Stopped for Last Decade
Navigating D&O Coverage for Cyber Fraud: Lessons from Alaska
Remodels Replace Construction in Redding
Experts: Best Bet in $300M Osage Nation Wind Farm Dispute Is Negotiation
Public Adjuster Cannot Serve As Disinterested Appraiser
SB 939 Proposes Moratorium On Unlawful Detainer Actions For Commercial Tenants And Allows Tenants Who Can't Renegotiate Their Lease In Good Faith To Terminate Their Lease Without Liability
Foundation Arbitration Doesn’t Preclude Suing Over Cracks
Hawaii Supreme Court Reaffirms an "Accident" Includes Reckless Conduct, Finds Green House Gases are Pollutants
Construction Defect Journal Marks First Anniversary
New Nafta Could Settle Canada-U.S. Lumber War, Resolute CEO Says
VOSH Jumps Into the Employee Misclassification Pool
Three Payne & Fears Attorneys Named 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars
Construction Costs Absorb Two Big Hits This Quarter
Applicability of Florida’s Building Code Is a Question of Law
The Importance of Retrofitting Existing Construction to Meet Sustainability Standards
Building Permits Up in USA Is a Good Sign
The Creation of San Fransokyo
The Grenfell & Champlain Towers: Risk Management Considerations in the Wake of Catastrophic Loss — A UK/US Comparison
Construction Defect Scam Tied to Organized Crime?
Collapse of Underground Storage Cave Not Covered
