By Daniel Martinez, SVP and Division President, Large Format Printing, HP

The construction industry is at an inflection point. Despite its scale and importance, the industry continues to grapple with a decades-long productivity challenge as projects grow more complex and coordination becomes more demanding. Studies estimate that up to 10% of project costs are lost to inefficiencies and rework, amounting to billions of dollars spent a year that could be avoided.

The issue is not a lack of digital tools. It is the disconnect between digital design and physical execution, as teams work across multiple systems that do not always communicate with one another.

For more than 30 years, HP has supported construction professionals with printing, scanning, and computing solutions. Today, we are extending that legacy by building a more connected workflow that bridges the office and jobsite in real time.

This builds on the direction we introduced in October, when we aligned HP DesignJet, HP Build Workspace, and HP SitePrint under a unified Large Format strategy for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals. We are deepening that integration by extending into layout, intelligent printing, and AI-enabled workflows.

Closing the Gap Between Digital Design & Physical Execution

Projects are designed in advanced digital environments, yet execution takes place on-site. At the center of both sit the paper plans, still one of the most trusted and effective collaboration tools in construction.

Paper provides detail and context in one place, enabling teams to collaborate and act with confidence. However, it remains disconnected from the pace of digital change. While digital plans evolve rapidly, paper drawings remain static. This forces manual updates and creates version mismatches. The result is errors, delays, and rework, as well as avoidable material waste and costs when outdated plans are used or replaced.

The opportunity is not to choose between paper and digital. It is to connect them.

Turning Paper Plans into Connected Plans

This vision is embodied in HP Build Workspace, our cloud platform designed to connect the construction workflow, enabling teams across trades to collaborate more seamlessly while improving productivity.

With the introduction of HP Build Workspace Version Control, drawings are no longer treated as static files. Teams can upload new versions of drawings, track changes over time, and compare drawings to quickly understand what has changed. When printing from HP Build Workspace, QR codes can be embedded in plans to allow instant verification of the latest approved version. This helps teams confirm they are working on the correct drawing, reducing the risk of mistakes, rework, and waste.

Annotated paper plans can be scanned back into the system, ensuring that field updates are reflected digitally. When using HP scanning devices, those plans are automatically archived as new versions, with changes tracked and tasks created from written annotations.

These capabilities transform paper plans into connected plans. They retain the clarity and familiarity of paper, while linking drawings directly to the digital workflow. This is the foundation we are making available first: drawing management, drawing-based collaboration, and connected plans that help teams work with greater confidence and consistency.

Extending Integration Across Large Format Portfolio

Alignment must extend beyond the drawing itself to the execution of plans on-site.

HP DesignJet multifunction printers (MFPs) are evolving from standalone output devices into connected workflow tools. They help ensure printed plans remain aligned with their digital source and that field updates flow back into project documentation, helping to prevent outdated or incorrect prints that contribute to unnecessary material use.

We are also expanding the role of AI across the ecosystem. HP Z Workstations will support AI-driven processes, such as vectorization at the edge, to enable teams to work more efficiently with complex drawings while maintaining control over project data.

Together, these advancements reflect our longer-term direction of connecting devices, data, and workflows into a more unified experience for AEC professionals. By connecting drawings, devices, and workflows across the office and the jobsite, HP helps bring construction teams together to execute projects with greater clarity and coordination.

The future of construction is not about choosing between paper and digital. It is about connecting them across the entire workflow.

At HP, our commitment is to meet construction teams where they are, support how they work today, and help them build a more productive future – one connected plan at a time.

More information on HP Imagine can be found here.