Beyond the Hype: AI’s Real Impact on Construction & Operations

20 November 2025

The most significant, measurable impact of AI is realized in operations (where 80% of building costs are spent). This panel cut through the ‘AI-wash’ to discuss the structural disconnect and contractual mandates needed for a truly ‘AI-ready’ asset.

I was privileged to chair this forward-looking panel at London Build Expo today, moving the conversation past generalized AI hype to focus on where the most tangible value is being created: the operational phase.

We had a full-house and the core conclusion is that AI’s success is not a technical problem; it is a data and contractual problem. Without a shift from a Project Mindset to a Product Mindset, AI will remain a niche tool rather than a transformative force.

Key Consensus Points and Validation:

  • Operational Benchmarks: Natalie Green (Sodexo) provided a crucial benchmark, showcasing award-winning AI solutions that automate compliance and asset lifecycle management in hospitals, freeing up to 4 hours per day for engineers. This proves the ROI is already here, but it requires ‘design to manage’ data.
  • The Technical Blocker: Dan Scott (WSP) identified the single biggest technical hurdle: the lack of rich, contextual data—the missing “why” behind design decisions—which prevents generative AI from evolving from a narrow tool to a creative force.
  • The Contractual Mandate: Andrew Targell (JLL Technologies) and Paul Drayton (Laing O’Rourke) confirmed that the industry must impose interoperable data mandates on the supply chain before payment. These mandates must specify open, usable formats (like COBie/IFC), ensuring data is delivered as an AI-ready asset, not just an archive.
  • Mindset Shift: Paul Drayton stressed that companies must move from a finite Project Mindset to a continuous Product Mindset, treating data as an asset requiring ongoing management and dedicated cross-functional teams to sustain long-term operational value.

The DOWG/MDHR Connection

This discussion directly reinforces the strategic imperative behind the MDHR:

  • Closing the Gap is Non-Negotiable: If AI is to deliver value across the 80% of a building’s lifecycle, the MDHR Framework provides the essential, foundational data structure required to feed AI models in the operations phase.
  • The Mandate: The MDHR provides the contractual mandate and Pilot Test Scripts necessary to enforce the “AI-ready” asset handover that JLL advises clients to demand.

Panel and Speaker Details

Chairperson: Justin Kirby (Founder – Start With Smart)

Speakers:

  • Paul Drayton, Head of Digital – Europe at Laing O’Rourke
  • Andrew Targell, Managing Director, Technology Consulting at JLL Technologies
  • Daniel Scott, Chief Data Scientist and AI Lead at WSP
  • Natalie Green, FM Innovations Director at Sodexo

Discussion Themes: AI’s Operational ROI, Data as a Product, Contractual Mandates, Generative Design.

You can watch an AI summary of the panel on LinkedIn

If you would like to pilot this MDHR Usability Test approach on your next project, or if you are a forward-thinking professional who would like to join the ongoing dialogue in the Start With Smart Group that helped inform this research, please connect with me on LinkedIn.

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About Me

Justin Kirby is a leading industry commentator, connector, and facilitator with over two decades of experience in catalysing stakeholder engagement and business transformation. He is a passionate advocate for bridging the persistent gap between the design-and-build phase and the long-term operational life of a building. This is the central mission of Start With Smart Group, a community he recently launched to bring together a global network of forward-thinking professionals.

Justin’s work applies the same strategic and entrepreneurial drive he used as the Executive Director of the Digital Buildings Council (DBC), where he helped to establish a collaborative platform for industry leaders and facilitate key initiatives, including the crucial Review of The RIBA Smart Buildings Overlay.

A respected voice in the field, Justin has been appointed to the Editorial Guidance Panel for Build in Digital magazine, and was nominated to the prestigious Digital Construction Power Players 2025 list by Digital Construction Plus, which he contributes to and helps judge their Digital Construction Awards partnership with Digital Construction Week. He is adept at turning complex industry challenges into clear, actionable conversations and initiatives.

Connect with him on LinkedIn or get in touch there.