INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
For many architects, the hardest part of their job starts after they finish designing a building, when the onerous process of code
Written to ensure the safety and accessibility of buildings, codes dictate everything from the height and depth of stairs and where railings
end, to the amount of floor space in front of toilets and the height of windows
Regulations are constantly updated, which means that even the most diligent team of architects often miss violations, resulting in costly
with building information modeling (BIM) data and alerts architects about potential issues
UpCodes AI, which launched to the public last week, currently supports recent versions of Autodesk Revit and will add ARCHICAD, Sketchup
founded in 2016 after Reynolds became so frustrated by traditional code compliance while working as an architect that he switched career
paths and launched the startup with his brother Garrett, a former software engineer at PlanGrid, to fix the process.Building codes change so
municipalities and is updated almost in real-time
This eases a major pain point because many architects who thought they had followed regulations find out too late that they missed an
In worst case scenarios, completed work needs to be torn out and rebuilt, potentially costing tens of thousands of dollars
This is a frequent occurrence and Scott Reynolds points to studies by McKinsey and the National Association of Home Builders that cite the
complexity of code compliance as a major reason for reduced productivity in the construction industry and rising home prices.Automating code
compliance may also make it easier for architects to expand their practices, since regulations can vary dramatically between jurisdictions
UpCodes currently covers building codes in 26 states and the District of Columbia
Though UpCodes AI is still in its early stages, Reynolds tells TechCrunch that during its private beta it identified an average of about 27
violations per project.One of its private beta users was Nicholas LoCicero, a designer with CallisonRTKL, an architecture firm known for
LoCicero told TechCrunch in an email that the company used UpCodes AI on two retail locations that needed brand updates
Accessibility, which includes making sure that there are unobstructed ways of exiting a building from any point within it, is one of the
most important parts of code compliance, and LoCicero said UpCodes AI was able to flag issues with door clearance, depth on stairs and tread
compliance is maintained, he added.So far, UpCodes has raised $785,000 in funding from angel investors, as well as Y Combinator and
It now has over 100,000 monthly active users and recently hired Mark Vulfson, former senior manager of engineering at PlanGrid, to serve as
modeling instead of 2D modeling
Programs like Revit and ARCHICAD, and new developments in APIs, finally made automated code compliance possible.The use of AI in
architecture is still new, but there are already several companies, including Autodesk and CoPlannery, exploring how to apply AI
technologies to solve common problems in design, construction and engineering
Since AI is used in other major industries, including finance and healthcare, to automate compliance, it makes sense to assume that
industry and technical expertise will give it an edge over future rivals
