The AEC industry is under growing pressure to innovate. Faster timelines, tighter budgets, and rising client expectations are pushing firms to rethink how they deliver projects, and this usually means using technology to streamline workflows.
But adopting new technology just for the sake of it isn't the answer. True digital transformation involves solutions that enhance—not disrupt—the way teams work.
As Director of Digital Transformation at Ware Malcomb, Justin Ehart is focused on doing just that. His role is all about bridging the gap between fast-moving advancements and the on-the-ground realities of AEC project delivery. His team's approach? Build tools that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows, reduce friction, and give time back to designers, engineers, and field teams so they can focus on what matters most: delivering great work.
We caught up with Justin and discussed his career track, his proudest achievements, and the lessons he learned along the way.
Ware Malcomb is a contemporary architecture and engineering firm with a 53-year history, operating across 25+ offices throughout North America. We specialize in architecture, civil engineering, interior design, and branding, primarily serving the commercial real estate sector with projects ranging from large-scale industrial and logistics facilities to retail and mixed-use developments.
What sets us apart is our ability to integrate creativity, speed to market, and client-focused service— often delivering projects on accelerated timelines that would challenge traditional workflows. Our digital transformation (Dx) efforts are a natural extension of that culture, ensuring our 400+ architects, 150+ interior designers, and 100+ civil engineers have access to tools that enhance rather than complicate their design delivery process.
My background spans both design and technology, starting as a design professional before transitioning into technical roles focused on BIM implementation and process optimization. Over the past eight years, I've held positions that increasingly bridged the gap between creative vision and technical execution — from BIM specialist to my current role.
What drew me to digital transformation was seeing firsthand how small technological improvements could have outsized impacts on project delivery. I've always been passionate about using technology to improve processes, reduce rework, and increase the meaningful work our teams can accomplish.
When I joined Ware Malcomb, I started by focusing on areas like BIM standards and computational design. Over time, that grew into a broader mandate. Now, I lead a cross-functional team focused on AI/ML, software development, automation, and platform integration to support the firm's design and operational goals.
One of my proudest accomplishments is building and scaling our DX team. We've evolved from foundational improvements like Revit automation and template standardization—which alone saved our teams an average of 3-4 hours per week on routine tasks—to creating entirely new tools that didn't exist in the AEC space, like our C# Revit Rapid Building Prototype tool, point cloud-to-IFC to Revit pipeline, and upcoming Civil3D tools.
These tools are now being used across our projects, and we're seeing measurable impacts: faster design iterations, reduced coordination errors, and most importantly, more time for our teams to focus on creative problem-solving and client collaboration.
But beyond the metrics, what truly excites me are the eureka moments when someone realizes, "Oh, what I've built has connected these two other tools!" Watching talented engineers, designers, and developers see how everything ties together and then build upon that foundation—that's the biggest win for me.
A major challenge is striking a balance between the pace of innovation and the realities of project delivery. In AEC, timelines are tight and teams are often stretched. Our approach is to develop tools that meet people where they are—integrating directly into their workflows without adding friction.
Whether it's automating model health dashboards or deploying single sign-on for seamless access, we aim to reduce complexity and give our teams back time to focus on design, client relationships, and business development.
Yes, we're using Autodesk Construction Cloud across several projects that require close coordination between disciplines and remote collaboration.
One standout example is a multi-phase logistics facility where we're coordinating with structural, MEP, and civil consultants across four different regions. Before Autodesk Construction Cloud, version control was a constant challenge—we'd regularly encounter situations where teams were working from outdated drawings, leading to coordination conflicts and rework.
Autodesk Construction Cloud has been instrumental in eliminating these issues. We've seen a reduction in RFI response times and virtually eliminated the version control problems that used to consume hours of project management time each week. We've also integrated Autodesk Construction Cloud data into our internal dashboards to track model health and QA/QC performance in real time, giving us predictive insights into potential coordination issues before they become problems.
The value is huge — especially in reducing handoff friction. Our digital team works closely with both design and field operations to ensure tools like BIM 360, ACC, and our internal platforms speak the same language. This reduces errors, increases accountability, and builds a feedback loop where field insights can directly influence design adjustments. It's helped break down the traditional silos in our industry.
The ability to centralize issues and RFIs has been a game-changer. The visibility it provides across disciplines means we can address problems earlier and more collaboratively. From a digital transformation perspective, it also gives us structured data we can use to spot patterns, improve future project delivery, and reduce risk.
We're focused on three core areas: automation, prediction, and connection. That includes expanding our AI-powered feasibility tools, enhancing our Revit automation suite, and creating seamless connections between our software and external platforms.
We're also exploring machine learning for space planning and sustainability tracking. My team plays a big role in making these tools intuitive and impactful so they can scale across the firm.
Ultimately, if we can automate repetitive tasks and give our teams back time—whether that means working fewer hours or having more bandwidth for creative work—they'll be more effective, more innovative, and frankly, more fulfilled in their roles. That's sustainable productivity, and it's good for everyone: our people, our clients, and our business outcomes.
Be curious, not just about new tools, but about the fundamental problems they solve and the workflows they could improve. Learn to speak both design and tech fluently—it's an incredibly powerful combination that's becoming more valuable every year.
Most importantly, remember that technology should amplify human creativity, not replace it. The most successful digital transformation initiatives we’ve seen have been those that gave our talented designers and engineers more time to do what they do best: solve complex problems, collaborate with clients, and create spaces that truly matter.
