70% of construction companies believe firms that fail to adopt digital tools will go out of business.
The numbers back this up. Construction businesses now adopt an average of 6.2 technologies—a 20% jump from 5.3 in one year. AI and machine learning use surged from 26% to 37% in two years.
While firms debated whether digital transformation was real, the industry moved past the question.
The Economic Reality Behind the Numbers
Poor data management costs the global construction industry $177 billion annually. Bad data alone hit the sector with $1.85 trillion in losses in 2020.
The top 10% of digitally advanced companies capture up to 80% of digital revenue in their sector. The gap between leaders and laggards widens.
This economic pressure drives industry alignment. Digital Construction Week 2026 expects over 9,000 professionals and 150+ brands at Excel London on June 3-4, 2026, as the sector confronts three converging forces.
Three Forces Reshaping Construction
First: The workforce crisis demands digital solutions.
The construction industry needs 439,000 new workers in 2025 alone. Over the next decade, that number climbs to 1.9 million workers to keep pace with growth and retirements.
80% of construction firms struggle to find qualified workers. You can’t hire your way out of this problem. Technology is the only solution.
Second: Net-zero commitments require digital infrastructure.
The built environment accounts for 40% of UK carbon emissions. Digital technologies will contribute up to 15% of the reduction in UK greenhouse gas emissions between 2019 and 2030.
Technology reduces building operating emissions by 7-15% through AI, IoT, and digital twin modeling. Digital transformation delivers cost reductions of up to 20% over a build’s lifecycle.
Sustainability shifted from compliance to competitive advantage. Firms that master digital tools for net-zero construction win contracts.
Third: The AI and digital twin markets are exploding.
AI in construction will grow from $2.93 billion in 2023 to $16.96 billion by 2030—a 26.9% compound annual growth rate. Digital twins in construction will hit $155.01 billion by 2030, up from $64.865 billion in 2025.
In architecture, engineering, and construction, digital twins see 50% adoption rates. Early adopters achieve ROI exceeding 30%. BIM adoption reached 69%, making it fundamental to modern workflows.
The Integration Problem Nobody Wants to Discuss
Construction businesses use a median of 11 different data environments. This fragmentation creates hidden costs: 48% cite additional training expenses, and 45% report higher operational costs.
Despite this chaos, 87% of construction professionals call investments in operations and financial software “non-negotiable.”
Digital transformation investments will reach $4 trillion globally by 2027, with McKinsey reporting productivity gains up to 15%.
Firms that solve data integration separate themselves from competitors managing spreadsheets across disconnected systems.
What Digital Construction Week 2026 Reveals About Industry Maturity
The event’s structure—350+ sessions across eight specialized stages—reflects how the industry thinks about digital transformation now.
Topics span AI implementation, digital twins, net-zero construction, workforce development, and collaborative delivery models. Digital transformation is now a business strategy conversation, not a technology conversation.
The call for speakers emphasizes new voices. Innovation comes from unexpected sources, not just established vendors and consultants.
42% of construction companies increased spending on professional development programs. Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program committed $400 million in grants to upskill employees.
Public sector backing confirms this is infrastructure for the next decade.
What Construction Leaders Must Do
If your firm adopts fewer than 6.2 technologies, you’re below the industry average. If you’re not implementing AI or digital twins, you’re behind 37-50% of your competitors.
Three priorities for construction leaders:
Consolidate your data environments. Eleven different systems create friction that costs money and slows decision-making.
Invest in workforce digital readiness. The skills gap affects 62% of firms. Training isn’t optional anymore.
Connect sustainability goals to digital tools. Net-zero targets require measurement and optimization that manual processes can’t deliver.
Why This Matters Now
Digital Construction Week 2026 opening its speaker applications reveals industry priorities in real time.
The event creates a forum for the construction sector to align around workforce shortages, sustainability mandates, data fragmentation, and competitive pressure from digitally advanced firms.
Firms that contribute knowledge position themselves as industry leaders. Firms that attend extract competitive intelligence. Firms that ignore it fall behind.
The construction industry crossed a threshold. Digital transformation moved from experimental to essential.
Firms adopting fewer than six technologies fall below average. Firms without AI or digital twin strategies trail half their competitors. Firms ignoring data integration watch the gap widen daily.
The question: Will you lead, follow, or disappear?