Young Leaders Redefine Construction Automation

Automation is moving from the shop floor into the design studio. That shift is exactly what Manufacturing AUTOMATION captures with its 2026 Top 10 Under 40, led by Nicholas Hamel, vice president of engineering and automation at Intelligent City Inc. Hamel’s portrait is more than a personal accolade; it signals a turning point in construction where automation is no longer a late add on but a driver of how projects are conceived, detailed, and built. His work on the nine-story Chief Leonard George Building in Vancouver and the nine-story Halsa project in Etobicoke embodies a philosophy that ties digital design directly to fabrication. Parametric design systems, CAD-to-fabrication workflows, and robotic assembly sit at the core, with variability managed through system design rather than manual intervention.

The practical promise is clear: when automation sits at the design table, cycle times shorten and throughput grows. Hamel argues that the biggest gains come when automation is baked into product development from the start, not strapped on after the fact. In Intelligent City’s projects, CAD models feed fabrication equipment and robotic assembly processes, creating a smoother handoff from digital intent to physical reality. Deployment data shows the value of this approach in terms of predictability and schedule adherence, a critical consideration for developers, contractors, and facility owners who once faced a gap between design goals and on-site reality. The case studies Hamel points to illustrate how a manufacturing-minded design language can reduce rework and align construction workflows with the pace of modern product engineering.

For plant managers and CFOs weighing automation investments, the takeaway is tangible but precise: ROI hinges on transforming project workflows, not just deploying a new gadget. The emphasis on manufacturability means the ledger is balanced not by flashy capabilities alone but by the ability to turn complex, multi-disciplinary designs into repeatable fabrication and assembly steps. The improvement is not simply faster erection times; it is a tighter digital thread that links design intent, fabrication capacity, and on-site execution. When automation is treated as a design constraint with measurable impact, the project’s cost of ownership includes shorter cycle times and higher throughput, even if upfront capital is higher. In Hamel’s view, that is the essence of moving from a DIY automation mindset to a disciplined, product-development oriented approach.

From a risk perspective, industry leaders watching these shifts should expect two realities. First, automation deployments are not plug and play; they demand alignment across design software, fabrication equipment, and site logistics. Two weeks of debugging is a common milestone many teams experience as they reconcile data formats, tolerances, and process parameters in real time. Second, the integration requires collaboration with skilled trades, not a blanket replacement of craft labor. Automation augments the roles of engineers, fabricators, and site teams, shifting some tasks toward high repeatability and precision while leaving critical quality checks, installation coordination, and inspection to human oversight. The result is a more resilient workflow, provided leadership commits to an integrated plan that weaves digital design, fabrication, and field operations together.

In essence, Hamel’s recognition underscores a broader industry reality: the most compelling automation stories in construction come from those who design for automation from day one. The aim is clear for plant managers and executives alike: optimize for manufacturability, invest in a robust digital thread, and accept that ROI emerges from reducing rework and accelerating delivery, not from a single "wow" machine. The Top 10 Under 40 class signals that this is no longer a niche pursuit but a strategic mandate for modern construction.

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