Kia ora koutou,
I’m Maria Mingallon, Knowledge & Information Manager and AI Lead for the Asia Pacific region at Mott MacDonald. I also have the privilege to sit on the Executive Council of the AI Forum and of chairing the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Working Group, a passionate community of sector leaders and practitioners working to accelerate AI adoption across our industry.
Since launching the group in September 2024, we’ve moved from vision to action. In under a year, we’ve delivered four national webinars, hosted three sold-out “AI in AEC Innovation” events, and developed six case studies showcasing how AEC businesses are leading with AI. We’ve launched the AI 101 curriculum, initiated the National Digital Twin programme, and are building a sector-specific Knowledge Hub to share tools, insights, and use cases.
We’ve also established the AI in AEC Centre of Excellence, contributed to international standards through the ISO 42000 committee, and are developing AI policy guidelines and board-level value propositions to support ethical and strategic adoption. Our partnerships with Engineering New Zealand and other industry bodies are helping us scale impact nationally. We are also building cross-sector initiatives with the agriculture and environment sectors to support sustainable construction and manufacturing.
Looking ahead, our action plan includes regional AI awareness workshops, a white paper on AI adoption in AEC, and tools to support readiness, governance, and innovation. Our updated section of the AI Blueprint, presented in July, outlines a bold vision for 2030: a sector that is globally recognised for using AI to deliver a smart, sustainable, and resilient built environment.
If you’re passionate about shaping the future of AI in the built environment, we’d love to have you join us. Connect with me on LinkedIn or reach out via the AI Forum website.
More about me Maria Mingallon | Mott MacDonald
Ngā mihi nui,
Maria
