UAE contractor ALEC and global consultancy firm Cundall recently launched the Project of the Future initiative designed to engage young professionals at both companies to come up with innovative ideas to contribute towards a better future for the construction industry and overall built environment.

Three teams presented their ideas to senior members of ALEC and Cundall, including the chief executive officer at ALEC, Kez Taylor and managing director Hercu Viljoen, the Cundall's managing director and partner Richard Stratton, as well as Construction Week’s editor Ashley Williams.

The winning group, which included Calum Perey, structural engineer for Cundall and Shaun Mahlungu, contract quantity surveyor for ALEC, developed an innovative model called BRAINS - the Built Environment Ranking Artificial Intelligence Network System, which leverages ubiquitous computing and "artificial intelligence fed by global information", applying it for the built environment and the construction industry.