Research + Tech

NRCA offers CEU for architects, engineers and consultants

NRCA will offer Technical Update for A/E/C Members, a Power Hour exclusively for architect, engineer and consultant members, Feb. 18 at noon CST.

During the Power Hour, Mark Graham, NRCA’s vice president of technical operations, will provide a members-only technical update session. The session offers 1 CEU and valuable insights into the latest industry developments.

Stay informed regarding topics such as code updates, ASCE 7 wind design applications and current technical challenges and engage in an interactive Q&A with your peers and NRCA experts.

Register for the Power Hour at nrca.net/events.

How companies can use AI

As more construction companies use artificial intelligence, it can be difficult to identify which tools will be most beneficial without costly programming, according to Construction Executive.

Automating back-office administrative and business development tasks can be a good place to start. Constructive Executive shares the following examples for how construction companies can implement AI.

1. Quotes. The traditional quoting process can be time-consuming and limit the number of bids a company can realistically pursue and win. Using past project data and a company’s historical performance, AI quoting agents can read blueprints, identify specifications, quantify materials and generate cost estimations. This can increase bid volume and give estimators more time to focus on strategic pricing and client relationships.
2. Data management. Data often is spread across various IT systems, laptops and physical files, which makes it difficult to quickly access information. AI-driven data management centralizes and organizes all historical project data and can use advanced AI search capabilities to find the necessary information.
3. Bids and requests for proposal. Winning a large project requires a deep understanding of the project, client and market. It is time-consuming to manually research public bids and analyze a project’s location. A bid and RFP AI agent can access and monitor all available public and private bids, gather additional data points about a project and analyze the local market, building history and regulatory environment. This can help a company produce a highly customized bid.
4. Accounts payable and receivable. These processes often are manual and can drain resources. AI can extract and verify data from invoices, cross-reference against purchase orders, flag discrepancies for review and send out automated payment reminders.
5. Administrative automation. In construction, administrative tasks can keep staff from crucial duties. AI now can handle tasks such as drafting routine safety updates, checking inventory levels and sending reminders about deadlines. This can help eliminate busy work and boost productivity.

Cybersecurity is a priority for contractors

The 2025 Travelers Risk Index, a survey of more than 1,200 business decision-makers, found three out of four respondents in construction say cybersecurity is a priority supported by senior management, according to For Construction Pros.

With more construction companies moving portions of their operations online, they face an increased risk of cyberattacks, such as ransomware or breaches that access sensitive information.

The survey shows concern about cyber incidents has decreased; 56% of survey respondents say they worry a great deal or some about cyber threats, which is down from 62% in 2024. Among large companies, 62% of leaders view an attack as inevitable compared with 70% in 2024.

Although concern has declined, cyber incidents have increased. Twenty-five percent of respondents say their company has experienced a data breach or cyberattack during the past year, which is the ninth increase in 10 years. Additionally, more than 20% of companies say they had not taken basic protective steps, such as installing firewalls, backing up data, enforcing regular password changes or updating software.

To help contractors address cyber liability risk, NRCA has partnered with BPM Insurance Services and Acrisure to offer NRCA’s Cyber Liability Insurance Program, available at nrca.net/insurance.