Digital Construction Awards 2025: Best Use of AI Shortlist
The Digital Construction Awards received over 170 entries this year, with 85 shortlisted. A new category, Best Use of AI, highlights projects applying artificial intelligence to improve processes, productivity, project results, and client satisfaction in construction and asset management. Five entries made the shortlist, each demonstrating practical AI applications delivering measurable benefits.
Automating Digital Handover | BuildPrompt and HS2
BuildPrompt’s AI tackles a major challenge in infrastructure documentation verification for HS2. The team faced 37,983 requirements across numerous contracts and monthly submissions packed with complex verification data. Previously a two-week manual review, their AI solution processes verification and validation matrices in under 35 seconds.
The system uses document intelligence to interpret complex Excel files, natural language processing to analyze evidence citations, knowledge graphs to map relationships, classification algorithms to flag compliance issues, and generative AI to summarize findings. This approach cuts 33,860 person-days of manual work and saves an estimated £5.6 million, while reducing risks and technical debt.
BuildAudit | BRE Group, Enable My Team, Imperial College, UNIT9, Reusefully
BuildAudit addresses inefficiencies in building audits by combining AI tools for data capture and analysis. A ChatGPT-based model extracts and summarizes information from building operation manuals, enabling faster, more complete audits. For example, it summarized asbestos data in under a minute compared to 20 minutes manually.
Additionally, a lidar and visual scanning tool creates detailed 3D models with automatically assigned building elements and photos, exporting data in COBie format for further analysis. A central web platform links these tools, providing data collation and automated report generation, improving audit speed and accuracy.
Cost Validation Tool | DMRC
DMRC developed “Chris,” an AI-powered invoice verification tool to manage thousands of ledger entries and supporting evidence for HS2. Previously, only 8% of submissions were verified manually due to resource constraints. Chris achieves 100% evidence verification within hours, reducing risks of oversight.
The solution uses a fine-tuned large language model (LLM) trained on domain-specific data, enabling nuanced understanding beyond rigid rule-based systems. A custom user interface allows non-technical staff to review flagged entries and track progress, making the verification process efficient and reliable.
Sweco AI Ecosystem | Sweco UK & Ireland
Sweco implemented an AI ecosystem combining Microsoft technologies and UiPath automation to reduce routine tasks and improve knowledge sharing. Over 220 AI co-workers assist staff with workflows and repetitive processes.
SwecoGPT, a custom ChatGPT model built on Azure AI Studio, handles text processing and data analytics securely, allowing staff to manage documents and extract insights confidently. The integration supports tasks like invoice reading and ERP data processing with multiple validation layers, improving operational efficiency and employee satisfaction.
UK BIM Framework: Ask Morta AI | nima and Morta
The UK BIM Framework is complex, and users often rely on generic AI tools that can provide inaccurate information. Morta AI solves this by delivering instant, standards-aligned answers sourced directly from the official framework.
Using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), Morta AI processes queries by fetching relevant sections, then generating responses strictly based on these sections with hyperlinked citations for transparency. Hosted securely on Morta's servers, it ensures confidentiality and does not train on user data.
Since its June 2024 launch, Morta AI has enabled over 3,500 AI-powered searches and increased site traffic by 10%. It helps professionals clarify key BIM concepts such as LOD, COBie, and naming conventions, supporting better compliance and informed decision-making.
Celebrate with the Best
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 1 July at the Brewery in London. You can join the event by booking your seats now. The Digital Construction Awards are organised by Digital Construction Week, Construction Management, and the Chartered Institute of Building. Bluebeam is the first sponsor confirmed.
For more details, visit the Digital Construction Awards website.
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