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During the National Institute of Building Sciences Building Innovation conference, speakers pointed to how digital tools can improve timelines and reviews.
Speakers at the 2026 Building Innovation conference emphasized the increasing impact of digital tools on construction, particularly in streamlining permitting systems and inspections. Washington, D.C.'s Department of Buildings, for example, successfully consolidated its building permit and certificate-of-occupancy processes, significantly reducing review times from over 60 days to under 15 business days. They also implemented instant permits for minor repairs and solar installations, enabling approvals in less than two minutes. Experts like Joan O’Neil from the International Code Council highlighted that modernized building departments utilizing technology can boost permit issuance by 80%, effectively tackling a major bottleneck in construction timelines.
The conference extensively covered the application of visual artificial intelligence and digital inspection technologies within the construction sector. Stephen DeVito of Procon detailed a project with the General Services Administration where inspectors used continuously captured visual records and spatial modeling tools to conduct virtual building walkthroughs before physical site visits, dramatically increasing efficiency. These tools provide enhanced context and visibility for inspection teams. Discussions also explored AI's potential in simulations and disaster response, with Procore showcasing an AI system that generated a detailed hurricane response strategy in minutes. Blake Shiver from Procore underscored AI's role in preserving institutional knowledge as experienced workers retire. However, Colin Whitlatch of Kahua stressed the necessity of 'human in the loop' oversight and continuous feedback, as AI systems require guardrails. David Jackson of the Code Advisory Group pointed out the administrative challenges AI can introduce, such as the need for duplicate handwritten and digital inspection forms, which can increase inspector workload.