In 2025, AECOM takes a major new step in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) at the heart of engineering by acquiring Consigli, a Norwegian startup specializing in automating design and project management processes. Equipped with a technology called “the Autonomous Engineer,” Consigli disrupts traditional methods by handling up to 80% of the classic technical tasks in real estate projects, thus freeing engineers to focus on creativity and strategic decisions. This acquisition, valued at 390 million dollars, illustrates AECOM’s ambition to integrate AI innovations capable of sustainably transforming industry professions. As the engineering industry undergoes profound change, mastering tools like those developed by Consigli becomes an essential lever to improve performance, reduce costs, and meet increasing environmental requirements.
The Norwegian startup impresses with a comprehensive solution that combines spatial analyses, unit optimization, advanced BIM modeling, and automatic management of data related to the planning phase and tender calls. By eliminating a large part of human errors and accelerating the generation of technical documents, Consigli not only enables significant time savings but also a reduction in material consumption, a crucial issue in a tense economic context. The arrival of this technology within AECOM signals a new era where artificial intelligence becomes a key player in addressing the complex challenges posed by tomorrow’s infrastructures.
- 1 Acquisition of Consigli by AECOM: a major strategic turning point in automated engineering
- 2 How Consigli’s artificial intelligence revolutionizes engineering planning
- 3 The impact of automation on engineering professions and industrial processes
- 4 Cost and environmental impact reduction thanks to Consigli’s AI platform
- 5 The evolution of architectural methods due to AI integration at AECOM
- 6 Consigli in the global context of AI in construction and engineering
- 7 Future prospects: how AECOM and Consigli shape the engineering of tomorrow
Acquisition of Consigli by AECOM: a major strategic turning point in automated engineering
The integration of Consigli by AECOM represents much more than a simple buyout; it is a true milestone in the global strategy of the worldwide infrastructure giant to strengthen its technological leadership. Founded in the early 2020s, Consigli quickly established itself in Northern Europe thanks to its ability to automate engineering tasks that are usually long and repetitive. AECOM’s interest in this startup stems from a successful collaboration on several projects, which allowed assessing the effectiveness and robustness of the AI tools developed.
For AECOM, a publicly traded company among the world leaders in engineering and consulting services, integrating such technology in-house offers a unique opportunity to optimize workflows while responding to growing pressure on deadlines and costs. With an investment of 390 million dollars, this operation marks a strategic shift, strengthening AECOM’s offering in digital design and automated planning.
Beyond the figures, it is also a recognition of the startup’s disruptive potential: Consigli is dubbed “the Autonomous Engineer” for its ability to make intelligent and adaptive decisions in space management, MEP calculations (mechanical, plumbing, electrical), BIM modeling, and preparation of regulatory files. By aligning these capabilities with its own expertise, AECOM aims to accelerate digital transformation in a sector long marked by complex manual processes.
How Consigli’s artificial intelligence revolutionizes engineering planning
At the core of the revolution brought by Consigli is an AI system specially designed to lighten the workload of human teams during critical planning phases. The main objective is to drastically reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks, often sources of errors, to allow engineering staff to focus on innovation.
According to the data provided, nearly 80% of traditional technical work can now be automated by Consigli’s algorithms. This automation notably affects MEP calculations, where the AI can analyze and adjust simultaneously the volumes and the necessary technical loads. For example, by optimizing the organization of rooms and equipment in a building, it avoids redundancies and minimizes cascading errors, resulting in a visible improvement in the overall quality of projects.
The precision of AI-generated models is also a key element. The plans produced by Consigli are not mere sketches but complete documents, ready to be used for tender calls or phase 3 BIM modeling with systematic detection of potential conflicts. This speed in deliverable creation brings direct added value to real estate developers who must meet tight schedules and increasingly stringent standards.
Finally, this technology plays an essential role in waste reduction through optimized material management. Thanks to precise needs analysis, consumption can decrease by 20% despite strict quality and durability requirements. In a context where raw material prices fluctuate sharply, these concrete savings particularly appeal to construction stakeholders.
Concrete benefits offered by Consigli automation:
- Automated MEP calculations with high reliability.
- Dynamic spatial analysis for maximum volume optimization.
- Accelerated production of complete tender documents.
- Advanced BIM modeling without detected conflicts.
- Significant reduction in material consumption.
- Freeing engineers for higher value-added tasks.
The impact of automation on engineering professions and industrial processes
The widespread arrival of artificial intelligence in the engineering marketplace deeply changes the nature of traditional professions. Tools like those offered by Consigli enable the reallocation of human resources towards more creative and strategic areas. As modeling, calculation, or documentation tasks become digitized, the engineer increasingly becomes a supervisor and innovator.
This shift also leads to better project management. The speed and accuracy of automation not only reduce costly errors but also accelerate the time to market for constructions. Companies gain competitiveness and can respond more effectively to new environmental and technological standards.
On the ground, teams notice a significant cultural change. Engineers are encouraged to master new sophisticated digital tools and to collaborate closely with intelligences capable of handling most calculations. This human-machine collaboration opens the door to unprecedented innovations but entails new skills and training in return.
More broadly, automation promotes a reduction in indirect costs linked to managing non-conformities, late modifications, and material losses. The construction and engineering sector thus becomes fertile ground where smart technologies play a major role in overall process optimization.
Cost and environmental impact reduction thanks to Consigli’s AI platform
In an economic context where the surge in raw material prices weighs heavily on budgets, the solutions provided by Consigli prove a strategic asset to reduce expenses related to construction projects. The AI’s ability to analyze volumes and needs in real time optimizes material consumption, which generates a direct and positive impact on costs.
Beyond the purely financial aspect, this optimization helps reduce the ecological footprint of sites. By optimizing quantities, avoiding waste, and limiting errors, the platform contributes to a more sustainable approach to construction. This synergy between economy and ecology has become an essential demand from developers and public authorities.
Some figures clearly illustrate this dynamic:
| Indicator | Before AI | After automation via Consigli | Estimated gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average engineering time (hours) | 100 | 20 | 80% |
| Material consumption (in tons) | 50 | 40 | 20% |
| Document production deadlines | 10 days | 3 days | 70% |
These gains perfectly illustrate why AECOM invested nearly 400 million dollars to integrate such a high-performance technology. By improving project profitability while meeting ecological expectations, Consigli embodies the technological revolution shaping modern infrastructures.
The evolution of architectural methods due to AI integration at AECOM
Architects and engineers see their ways of working profoundly transformed by the integration of AI tools like those developed by Consigli. Automated data management, rapid and error-free modeling, as well as the ability to perform complex analyses in real time foster increased creativity and better exploration of possible options.
The “Autonomous Engineer” technology acts as a digital partner, capable of simulating variants or optimizing scenarios according to multiple constraints. This collaboration paves the way for constructions better adapted to uses, more innovative, and technically more efficient. Furthermore, increased efficiency allows dedicating more time to aesthetic choices and sustainable innovations.
Many firms are beginning to adopt these tools, as evidenced by the rapid increase in pilot projects using AI in the design phase. Experts emphasize that the future of architecture will inevitably hinge on the ability to leverage smart technologies to push beyond traditional boundaries.
Consigli in the global context of AI in construction and engineering
The construction sector is one of the most promising for the application of artificial intelligence, and Consigli stands out as a major player in this revolution. At a time when automation is advancing rapidly, many startups are emerging, each offering innovative solutions. However, few have succeeded in convincing a giant like AECOM to integrate them.
This acquisition reflects the consolidation of a market where AI becomes a standard, altering traditional value chains. It also highlights a dynamic to open technical professions to hybrid profiles, combining skills in engineering and data science. For large groups, appropriating this type of tool represents a necessary investment to maintain competitiveness in the face of pressure from new technologies.
Finally, Consigli illustrates how big data and artificial intelligence can together solve complex problems while promoting sustainable resource management. The Norwegian startup thus serves as an inspiring model for other sectors seeking functional and environmental improvements.
Future prospects: how AECOM and Consigli shape the engineering of tomorrow
The union between AECOM and Consigli is not limited to the integration of software; it symbolizes a shared vision of intelligent engineering. Together, they are preparing the arrival of a new generation of tools combining advanced automation, machine learning, and predictive analytics to cover all stages of a project, from design to operation.
In the coming years, these technologies are expected to become more widespread, notably thanks to cost reduction and continuous improvement of algorithms. For example, automation could soon include real-time management of energy resources, fine analysis of environmental performance, or proactive maintenance planning.
Moreover, collaboration between human teams and AIs will take a central place, pushing to rethink professional training and project governance methods. AECOM, with its strategic choice, thus embarks on a transition towards a model where innovation and technology are intrinsically linked, guaranteeing both economic competitiveness and respect for sustainable challenges.
