The construction industry is in an interesting place. Costs are up. Labor is lacking. Construction starts are up. Projects are increasing, both in volume and in complexity. Digital transformation and agentic AI (artificial intelligence) are here—and they are signaling a shift for construction teams. And there is strong optimism surrounding the industry and the opportunities.
FMI’s CIRT (Construction Industry Round Table) report shows the Sentiment Index rose to 65 in the third quarter of 2025. Why? There are a strong pipeline of projects and a renewed confidence in the U.S. economy. Excluding labor, members ranked backlog quality and profitability as the top two drivers of resilience going into 2026. About 40% of members report more projects and 58% report higher dollar volume, producing net increases of 14% and 36%, respectively.
This mirrors the sentiment from Skanska’s Summer 2025 Construction Markets Trends Report, which shows total construction starts were up 16% in June 2025, with strong growth in manufacturing and data center construction. Construction unemployment remained unchanged in July at 3.4%, and construction costs remain volatile. In 2025, as one example, prices for common copper pipe diameters are up over 40%, while copper wire has risen 14-17% since the start of the year.
With all of this in mind, we need to remember it is important to plan carefully for the year ahead. Construction companies must remain agile, resilient, and ready for a changing market—and they most certainly must leverage technology.
The Road to Digital Transformation
The construction companies that will thrive in 2026 are those that will embrace change and leverage technologies that improve productivity, sustainability, and profitability.
At its core, digital transformation and agentic AI are about leveraging the tools available to make better decisions. It is about taking data and using it to improve safety, reduce rework, and improve the bottomline.
The challenge is always how to select the technologies to move forward. This is where the Constructech Top Products comes into the equation. Every year, the Constructech Top Products awards spotlight the technologies that are shaping the built environment. The aim is to give construction professionals a list of tech tools available to them to help shape their digital transformation strategy for the days ahead. The Constructech editors and a panel of judges do the due diligence to determine what products stand out.
If you are a technology provider, equipment provider, tool provider, materials provider, or have a new innovation you would like to be recognized, consider submitting for the Constructech Top Products.
As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, it is time to consider the shift to greater digital transformation. Let’s be bold, forward-thinking, and make the move to greater digital transformation. The future of construction is here. Let’s build it, together.
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