June 18, 2025

Quick Insights to Start Your Week

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Welcome to this week’s AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) huddle – your go-to source for the latest trends, industry insights, and tools shaping the industry. Let’s dive in! 🔥

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ASCE Unveils Landmark Flood Resistant Standards Update

According to floodplain management expert Tom Little (Floodproofing.com), the latest iteration of ASCE 24 – titled Flood Resistant Design and Construction – marks a significant evolution since its introduction in 1998. These standards aren’t just tweaks; they fundamentally shift how we design and build in vulnerable areas, based on lessons learned from recent floods.

Here are key highlights:

  • Wider Scope: The regulated flood hazard area has expanded dramatically from the 100-year floodplain to the more extreme 500-year floodplain. This change forces stricter requirements onto a much larger zone.
  • Performance Testing: Dry floodproofing solutions now require rigorous testing and certification against ANSI/FM 2510 standards, ensuring they can withstand floodwater pressure and debris impact Source.
  • Critical Infrastructure Focus: Buildings are now categorized by Flood Design Class, meaning a school or hospital will demand higher elevation protection than a single-family home.
  • Proactive Maintenance: Annual inspections and drills for dry floodproofing systems aren’t just suggestions anymore – they’re mandatory to ensure proper deployment.

Little is confident that adopting these new standards breaks the cycle of rebuilding after floods. While acknowledging concerns about cost, he argues against cyclical rebuilding on the same lands under old rules, pointing out it’s a costly trap (for homeowners and the nation) that these changes aim to prevent. Let’s embrace progress!

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A New Approach to Foundations

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A New Approach to Foundations: Stop Digging Ground Screws

Thinking about alternative foundations? Forget the heavy lifting (literally!) of traditional construction. The innovative Stop Digging ground screws offer a game-changing solution.

According to Birdsmouth Design Build CEO and founder, Josh Salinger, this system allows you to build incredibly strong, stable foundations without excavating or mixing concrete. These oversized steel screws twist directly into the earth on-site using proprietary motorized tools.

Why Ground Screws?

  • Minimal Site Disruption: No digging! Perfect for sensitive sites and faster installation.
  • Recyclable & Eco-Friendly: Avoid concrete’s high embodied carbon, and these components can be removed later. Salinger notes this is a major advantage.
  • Efficient Installation: Just one person needed to drill a starter hole and drive the screw using an electric device connected to an outlet.

The process involves showing up on site, specifiying the required screw depth based on engineering calculations (which detail torque needs), attaching the screw head, and then connecting your structure. There are also standard connectors available.

This approach is proving popular beyond just decks too!

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Cybersecurity Essentials in Construction: A Must-Know

According to Jason Kosek of Anderson Kill, as construction embraces digitization, cybersecurity is no longer optional – it’s absolutely critical! 👇

Recent Attacks Underscore the Need for Vigilance

  • Bouygues: Hit by ransomware in January 2020, locking over 200 GB of data (source: Le Monde Informatique).
  • Bird Construction: Suffered a similar attack targeting their email/SMS systems the previous month (source: CBC News).

These examples highlight how digitalization creates new vulnerabilities for sensitive project and financial information.

What’s Driving These Risks?

Beyond increased digitization, Jason points to several drivers:

  • Tight project timelines pressure quick decisions.
  • The Infrastructure Act funds more projects = more targets!
  • Attackers specifically target the sector due to its valuable assets (financials + data).

This isn’t just about fancy tech; it’s about protecting real-world financial and operational stability.

Why Construction is Vulnerable

Jason explains that:

  • Careless Data Sharing: Contractors often require subcontractors to upload sensitive payment info directly.
  • Speed Over Security: Time-sensitive decisions can bypass proper security protocols, risking big delays or losses down the line!

The Devastating Impact of a Breach

A data breach could cost more than just money. Beyond direct losses and ransom payments:

  1. Civil Penalties & Restitution: Must notify affected parties.
  2. Project Delays: Halt work to address security issues or pay ransoms.
  3. Reputational Damage: Irreparable harm if clients lose trust.

Expert Advice: Building a Strong Cyber Defense

Jason strongly advises construction companies:

  • Prioritize Cyber Hygiene: Implement strong passwords, multi-factor authentication & secure practices (like vetting software).
  • Get Cyber Insurance: Crucial for financial protection. Review carefully! Ensure it covers contractual penalties and includes crisis management services.

Get Hip to It!

This isn’t about complex tech jargon – Jason Kosek lays out the vital steps construction firms need to take today to avoid becoming the next headline story tomorrow. Don’t sleep on this critical advice!

Key Takeaway

Cybersecurity isn’t just a tech issue; it’s fundamental to protecting your bottom line, securing contracts, and maintaining reputation. Review your practices now!

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🛠️ Tool of the Week

Navisworks Manage 2025 is a construction and project coordination software that enables users to seamlessly merge, simulate, and analyze 3D models. It stands out as the most advanced version of Navisworks’ offerings, prioritizing model review, clash detection, and coordination..

🤯 Fun Fact of the Week

In 2025, Creative building conversions are transforming office buildings into modern residential complexes, seamlessly blending urban living with dynamic work-life opportunities. Cities are likely to incentivize adaptive reuse strategies to breathe new life into vacant office spaces, reducing waste and promoting sustainability. These conversions will also contribute to broader urban renewal, creating vibrant mixed-use districts in previously dormant areas.

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