Hyperscale Data Center Model Accelerated By 8.5x Using AI
E-J Electric Installation Co., an ENR Top 50 contractor based in Long Island City, New York, completed initial model population on a 1M+ square foot hyperscale data center project in record time using Augmenta’s AI-powered design automation platform. The initial population, which was estimated to take about 693 hours, was completed in 82 hours, making the workflow 8.5x faster than traditional methods.
The result comes as data center construction continues to accelerate, increasing pressure on electrical contractors to deliver complex projects on compressed schedules. In April 2026, U.S. data center construction reached a $50.7 billion annual rate, making it the largest single segment of American commercial construction. At the same time, the workforce has not kept pace, with a shortage of 349,000 skilled trades workers and 82% of contractors reporting difficulty filling skilled trade positions.
E-J Electric is among a group of leading contractors addressing labor shortages and tight timelines using emerging AI-native technologies such as Augmenta.
A Step Change in Modeling Speed
E-J Electric’s result shows how AI-powered virtual design automation can help electrical contractors move faster on large-scale, schedule-driven projects. On the hyperscale data center project, Augmenta helped accelerate one of the most time-intensive parts of the VDC workflow: initial model population.
As Tom Kregel, Executive Vice President at E-J Electric, put it:
“Our partnership with Augmenta is transforming how we deliver large-scale projects. The 8.5x increase in modeling speed achieved on our most recent project represents a step change in efficiency and quality.
With less time spent populating the model, E-J reinvested that time where it has the greatest downstream impact. Tom added:
By automating time-intensive modeling tasks, our teams can focus on coordination, shop drawings, and prefabrication, allowing us to deploy larger numbers of field craft earlier in the project.”
For E-J, the result reinforces what made Augmenta stand out from the start: technology built for complex electrical projects, backed by deep construction expertise, with the potential to strengthen collaboration across teams and keep more time focused on delivering VDC work.
Why It Matters for Data Center Construction
Data center construction runs on tight schedules and strict deadlines, with electrical teams that are under pressure to keep every stage on track. The model does more than help teams coordinate; it informs materials procurement, logistics, fabrication, and installation.
With so much work depending on that model, delays can leave downstream teams with less time to get the job done. Completing the initial model population faster gives teams more room for coordination, prefabrication, and field planning, and increasing chances of hitting deadlines without rushing execution.
How Augmenta Fits
Augmenta helps contractors do more with less, and do it faster. Using interactive design tools, the Augmenta Construction Platform (ACP) helps VDC teams analyze available space and obstructions, generate routing options, and refine those routes as project conditions change.
Rather than treating model population as a one-time output, ACP supports a more iterative workflow where teams can review, adjust, and keep moving as coordination evolves. With inputs from VDC teams, the platform can populate 3D electrical models in a fraction of the time required by traditional manual methods.
On E-J Electric’s 1M+ square foot hyperscale data center project, that workflow helped accelerate initial model population, one of the most time-intensive stages of the VDC process.
Built With the Industry
Augmenta was designed in partnership with electrical contractors and clients like E-J Electric. The result highlights what becomes possible when deep field expertise is paired with cutting-edge technology.
As Francesco Iorio, Co-founder and CEO of Augmenta, said:
“Seeing the results from a recent data center project, where the E-J team brought their deep field expertise, showcases what is possible when unparalleled industry experience like E-J Electric’s is paired with frontier technology like Augmenta.”
For contractors working under labor constraints, compressed schedules, and growing project complexity, AI-powered design automation can help expand team capacity while keeping contractor expertise at the center of the workflow.
Go Deeper on E-J Electric's Results
Explore the full announcement for more on the 1M+ square foot hyperscale data center project and the workflow behind the 8.5x modeling acceleration.
