Some of you may recall my website, the Green Real Estate Law Journal, which tracked legal developments of interest in the green building world from, roughly, 2008 through 2014, when I joined the legal department at Amazon.com. Since returning to the AEC industry at AECOM just recently, I have been intrigued by the possibilities of technology and new methods of doing things within the engineering and construction industries. Indeed, one of the biggest reasons why I decided to leave URS for Amazon in 2014 was my perception that entrenched industries – like the AEC industry – had little interest, or ability to implement, innovation.

But now that I am back at AECOM, I think that I was wrong. My new group here, the Alternative and Integrated Delivery Legal team, is touching some incredibly exciting initiatives within our company, from alternative procurements like design-build and public-private partnerships to integrated “one-stop” DBFOM infrastructure shopping.

Moreover, the startup and venture capital scene is buzzing with companies and technologies that are doing some incredibly interesting things – from drones and 3D printing to new software and project delivery solutions. Even Engineering News-Record is calling for disruption in how we finance large infrastructure projects. Clearly, the construction industry will not be immune from the wave of technological innovation that has leveled existing industries from taxis to hotels to retail. I want AEC Labs to document this unprecedented shift in how the AEC industry thinks about itself, and also position this site as a piece of thought leadership as both our group and AECOM generally accelerate these trends.

So, my goal here at AEC Labs for the rest of 2016 and into 2017 is to write about the trends that are shaping the AEC industry for the better – making it faster, cheaper, and easier to finance and deliver projects. I will also discuss my experiences within AECOM as a corporate lawyer supporting large infrastructure procurements, and how I think the lessons I learned at Amazon can apply as our company looks to leverage its many strengths into better outcomes for our clients. I also want to network with people like you – leaders in the industry, on the field, and delivering better outcomes for you clients.

Stay tuned for much more in the weeks ahead here at AEC Labs!

Stephen Del Percio

Stephen Del Percio

Founder & CEO

Founded by Stephen Del Percio in 2016, AEC Labs focuses exclusively on identifying, discussing, and analyzing the trends, technologies, and early stage startup companies that are rapidly changing the way things are done across the AEC industry.