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Thinking clearly about technology in the built environment

Practical articles on managed IT, cyber security, Microsoft 365, AI governance and virtual desktops, written for the people who run architecture, engineering and construction businesses.

FeaturedAI Governance

AI Governance for AEC Firms: Put Policies Before Pilots

AI tools are arriving in design and construction workflows faster than policies can keep up. A short, practical governance framework protects your IP and clients without slowing experimentation.

8 October 2026 Read the article

AI Governance2 September 2026

Copilot Readiness: Sort the Permissions Before You Buy the Licences

Copilot surfaces whatever a user can already reach, at conversational speed. Why the permissions and sharing review comes before the licences and how to pilot without oversharing.

What a Private AI Model Actually Costs to Run

Per-seat AI licensing never stops. A private, open-weight model on infrastructure you control has a very different cost shape. Here are the honest lines to price it on.

How to Answer the AI Question in a PQQ

Frameworks, client audits and insurers now ask how you govern AI. The answer that scores is records, not adjectives: policy, register, named owners and review dates.

Co-Managed IT: When One Internal IT Person Is No Longer Enough

Growing practices often reach a point where a single IT manager cannot cover support, projects, security and strategy alone. Co-managed IT keeps their knowledge while adding depth, without the disruption of replacing them.

VDI or High-End Workstations? Choosing the Right Model for Design Teams

Physical workstations and virtual desktops both have a place in AEC. The right choice depends on how your teams, projects and offices actually work, here is a practical framework for deciding.

Phishing and Payment Fraud in Construction: How the Attacks Really Happen

Construction and design projects move large sums between many parties on tight schedules, exactly the conditions payment fraud thrives on. Understanding the playbook is the first step to defeating it.

Backup vs Business Continuity: What AEC Leaders Need to Know

Having backups is not the same as being able to keep working. Understanding the difference and knowing your real recovery times is one of the most valuable conversations a practice can have before anything goes wrong.

Microsoft 365 for Architecture Practices: Five Setup Mistakes to Avoid

Most practices run Microsoft 365, but few run it well. These are the configuration mistakes we see most often when reviewing AEC tenants and what good looks like instead.

Revit Running Slowly? Why Your Hardware Might Not Be the Problem

When Revit slows down, the instinct is to buy faster workstations. But in our experience, model health, storage, networking and worksharing setup are just as often the real culprits and cheaper to fix.

What Is Cyber Essentials? A Plain-English Guide for AEC Firms

Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed certification that more and more clients and frameworks expect design and construction businesses to hold. Here is what it covers, why it matters and how to approach it without disrupting project work.

Five Benefits of VDI for AEC Firms

The digital landscape of the AEC sector is changing rapidly. With AI-assisted tools, flexible working and distributed project teams, many firms are finding their old IT solutions no longer fit for purpose.

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