The Daily Blueprint May 30, 2025

Snapshot

Here is what happened in AEC world the last two days: Spain unveiled its first 3D-printed building in Gran Canaria. Lumina launched its Moonlander electric bulldozer prototype, NV5 secured a $10M drone mapping contract, and Belden introduced compact Cat 6A cables for smart buildings.Seven construction tech startups raised over $60M combined,led by Buildots' $45M round for AI monitoring.

AEC Tech in Action

Gran Canaria debuts first 3D-printed building in Spain: The Agimes Council unveiled a 126-square-meter, fully 3D-printed building funded at €150,000, built by Evocons using local technology. (canarianweekly.com)

New Innovations and Partnerships

Lumina unveils 32-ton electric bulldozer prototype called Moonlander: Lumina's $3 million Moonlander prototype matches a Caterpillar D6's footprint while pushing D9-level loads, charges in 75 minutes, and targets autonomous excavation services starting January 2026. (businessinsider.com)

NV5 announces $10M drone mapping contract for infrastructure: NV5 wins a $10 million contract to provide drone mapping services for infrastructure projects in North Carolina. (dronexl.co)

Belden launches compact Cat 6A cable for smart buildings: Belden introduces a new compact Cat 6A cable specifically designed for smart building applications. (investing.com)

Funding Rounds and M&A Activity

Buildots backs $45M to cut construction delays in half: The Israeli startup's AI-powered platform uses helmet camera footage to monitor site progress, claiming to reduce project delays by up to 50% while expanding across North America and Europe. (calcalistech.com)

CalcTree raises pre-seed funding for engineering calculation platform: CalcTree gets $3.8M in pre-seed funding led by Foundamental to expand its no-code platform that turns complex engineering calculations into reusable templates and workflows. (finsmes.com)

Litehaus raises €1.46M pre-seed for European home building platform: The Portugal-based startup connects landowners with contractors through its modular construction platform. (techcrunch.com)

NavLive raises £3.3M seed for AI-powered handheld building scanner: The Oxford University spinout's handheld LiDAR scanner generates precise site drawings and RICS-grade surveys in real time. (bmmagazine.uk)

Nigeria’s CutStruct gets $1.5M to streamline construction procurement: The round was led by CRE Venture Capital, with participation from E3 Capital, Techstars, and Zedcrest Capital.  (dabafinance.com)

Endra raises €3M to automate MEP design with AI: The Stockholm-based startup automates mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design tasks with AI, delivering 70x speed improvements in pilot projects and reducing months of design work to hours. (tech.eu)

Policy & Regulation Updates

Europe

Germany proposes rent control extension through 2029: The government extends rent controls by four years to cap new rentals at 10% above comparable rents, despite concerns it will hinder new construction amid a 400,000 annual apartment shortage. (reuters.com)

UK

Government streamlines rules for SME housebuilders in the UK: The UK government introduces reforms to simplify planning and finance for small housebuilders, aiming to expedite the construction of 1.5 million homes. (gov.uk)

Oceania

New Zealand proposes major RMA changes for infrastructure and housing: The government releases consultation documents for 12 updated policy statements under the Resource Management Act, focusing on infrastructure, housing, and freshwater management. (1news.nz)

Opinions

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks Shows AI Progress in Construction: Forbes' Angelica Krystle Donati tracks construction's shift from AI skepticism to practical deployment, with Field Materials reporting 90% time savings on invoice processing and multimodal AI interpreting drone scans for real-time coordination. (forbes.com)