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Introducing “Building: The Future” – A Series on the Opportunities and Risks, of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Construction Industry

Building: The Future – Focussing on the Issues

Through this series, we will interrogate different aspects of the use of AI in the construction industry, with articles and discussions looking at particular issues in detail, including:

Professional indemnity insurance – How might AI use cause friction with professional indemnity? Recent industry press revealed insurers are starting to query AI usage in its questionnaires.
AI Design – Looking at AI in design, we will consider the questions this raises (and how a contract can mitigate the risks), including who is liable for defects in design, is AI a “sub-contractor”, and is it breaching copyright, contractual position and risk mitigation.
Practical use cases and management strategies– We will consider real, practical examples of AI use in projects, and investigate the risks involved.
Horizon scanning– We will be providing updates on AI developments within the industry.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of “Building: The Future”, where we will explore AI and professional indemnity insurance in the construction sector, AI vs. PI.

James Lewis and George Devine are members of Squire Patton Boggs’ Construction and Engineering team and are actively engaged in discussions with stakeholders within the construction industry on their use of AI.

Decarbonizing the Global Shipping Industry – Is Hydrogen Fuel the Answer?

By D. Michael Kaye, Peter Gould, Michael Wray, Ludmilla Kasulke and Michael Cox on August 1, 2024 Posted in Energy, Environmental, Infrastructure

Decarbonization is coming to the global shipping industry. Accounting for nearly one quarter of all carbon emissions from the world’s transportation sector and one billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, shipping stands at a critical juncture in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate its environmental impact.

Among the emerging alternatives to traditional fossil fuels, hydrogen is one of the most promising candidates due to its potential for zero carbon emissions, the relative ease of retrofitting existing ships with hydrogen fuel cells and the high energy intensity needed to propel enormous ocean-going vessels. This article explores the prospects of hydrogen fuel as a replacement for fossil fuels in maritime transport in the context of some of the emerging and overlapping technology, regulatory and public policy issues.

Click here to read the full insight.

Eyes on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Biden Administration Races to Implement Historic Clean Energy and Environmental Programs

By Austin M. Harrison and David Schnittger on June 27, 2024 Posted in Energy, Environmental

With November elections drawing near, the Biden Administration is racing to cement its domestic policy achievements, notably key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – a multi-billion-dollar federal clean energy, climate and domestic manufacturing legislation signed into law on August 16, 2022.

The EU Gigabit Infrastructure Act (“GIA”)

By Francesco Liberatore on June 4, 2024 Posted in Digital Infrastructure

It promises a lot but received mixed views: the GIA[1] will be fully applicable from 12 November 2025 and only time will tell if it can deliver in creating a regulatory environment for faster, cheaper, and simpler rollout of Gigabit networks, addressing hurdles like expensive and complex procedures for network deployment. This paper provides a summary of the main takeaways.

Real Estate Considerations for Work Force Housing

By Scott Thomas on May 31, 2024 Posted in Construction, Infrastructure, Labor, Real Estate

Houses under construction with machinery in foreground.

I always thought that we could benefit from a high school course on real life skills.[1] Things like “how to build your credit,” “how to calculate your taxes,” and “what portion of your income should be used for housing” would be taught in the class. The percentage of renters in the United States that are now considered “rent-burdened” (those paying more than 30% of their income towards rent[2]) has steadily increased over the years from 41% in 2001 to 49% in 2021.[3] Meanwhile, new housing construction has continued to fall short of demand with the United States’s housing deficit estimated to be nearly 4 million homes. Thus, the drive to develop and grow workforce housing has grown, but still faces many challenges to succeed. Whether you’re a developer, investor, or potential resident, understanding the unique considerations surrounding workforce housing is essential.

LIHTC – It’s Not the Only Way to Finance Housing Projects. Benefits of Tax-Exempt Financing Work Force Housing Projects

By Taylor Klavan on May 31, 2024 Posted in Construction, Infrastructure, Infrastructure Projects/Closed Deals

A few months ago[1] Bob Labes and I wrote a blog post about the $78 Billion Tax Bill that includes affordable housing help by reducing the tax-exempt financing requirement for a developer to receive the 4% low income housing tax credit (4% LIHTC) by 40% for a limited time only. This got us thinking about how scarce the state allocation of volume cap is in some states and what if a developer still cannot obtain an allocation of volume cap for its project. Is the developer out of luck? Are there any other options?

Supply Chains Are The Next Subject of Cyberattacks

By Sarah Rathke and Kristin Bryan on April 12, 2024 Posted in Cyber

The cyberthreat landscape is evolving as threat actors develop new tactics to keep up with increasingly sophisticated corporate IT environments. In particular, threat actors are increasingly exploiting supply chain vulnerabilities to reach downstream targets.

The effects of supply chain cyberattacks are far-reaching, and can affect downstream organizations. The effects can also last long after the attack was first deployed. According to an Identity Theft Resource Center report, “more than 10 million people were impacted by supply chain attacks targeting 1,743 entities that had access to multiple organizations’ data” in 2022. Based upon an IBM analysis, the cost of a data breach averaged $4.45 million in 2023.

Click here to read more.

The USDA’s ReConnect Program Is Back in the Broadband Infrastructure Funding Picture—and at a Critical Time

By Eduardo Guzmán on March 6, 2024 Posted in Broadband, Infrastructure, Public Policy

Double exposure the city and clouds technology,Futuristic computer digital Abstract background. Big Data Concept

While the BEAD Program continues to garner most of the attention when it comes to federal funding for broadband infrastructure deployment programs, in this blog we have consistently underscored that (1) there are other sources of funding available and (2) the BEAD Program may not be the best fit for every entity and project. The recent publication of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the fifth round of the ReConnect Loan and Grant Program (the “ReConnect Program”) highlights the opportunities beyond the BEAD Program and the importance of investigating other opportunities. The application window for the ReConnect Program, which opens on March 22, 2024, was extended to May 21, 2024.

The European Commission Publishes a New Master Plan for Europe’s Digital Infrastructure

By Francesco Liberatore on March 5, 2024 Posted in General

The European Commission’s white paper “How To Master Europe’s Digital Infrastructure Needs?” is different from any previous Commission’s proposal in this sector. It is a holistic overview of the opportunities and challenges facing the EU communications industry at the crossroads of a complex converged ecosystem. The Commission invites comments on its proposals through an open consultation until June 30, 2024.