A San Francisco startup has developed a software plug-in that scans 3D models created with building information modeling (BIM) data and alerts architects about potential code issues.
Called UpCodes AI, the program uses artificial intelligence, including natural language processing, to create “the spell check for buildings.” By highlighting code errors in real-time, the software acts as a code consultant, UpCodes co-founder and CEO Scott Reynolds told TechCrunch.
Reynolds founded UpCodes to streamline code compliance. UpCodes’ database draws from regulations put online by municipalities and is updated almost in real-time. Recent studies have cited the complexity of code compliance as a major reason for reduced productivity in the construction industry and rising home prices.
UpCodes currently covers building codes in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Reynolds told TechCrunch that during its private beta testing the program identified an average of about 27 violations per project.
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