Emil Alberts is Head of Digitalisation at Enemærke & Petersen, but the title matters less than where the role sits. He works closely with the company’s operational director, embedded directly in the production line rather than in a central staff function. “When we talk about digitalisation,” Emil says, “it’s out there with the people who actually build.”
From specialist to organisational capability
Emil joined Enemærke & Petersen five years ago after working at sister company MT Højgaard. Earlier in his role, he worked hands-on with individual projects as a BIM or ICT specialist, helping teams adopt digital tools. Over the last two years, that approach has been deliberately replaced with something more strategic.
“My job today is actually not to be involved in projects. If production needs me to function digitally, then we haven’t succeeded.”
Instead, his focus is on training the organisation so digital competence becomes a basic requirement of working in production. This shift is closely tied to the company’s project portfolio. Enemærke & Petersen delivers many small and mid-sized projects, often through long-term partnerships with municipalities and social housing providers. Digitalisation, therefore, must work across dozens of projects, not just shine on one flagship job.
“Digitalisation often becomes a prestige exercise on big projects. Our challenge is making it work everywhere, even on the small ones.”
When 3D becomes a prerequisite
One of the clearest signs of progress is how 3D models are used on site. What was once optional is now essential. Emil recalls asking site managers what would happen if they lost access to the model.
“Most said they wouldn’t be able to do their job anymore. That’s a massive change. A few years ago, many didn’t think 3D was useful at all.”
Today, the model functions as a shared dialogue tool. Teams navigate it, clip views, and use it to clarify scope and sequencing.
“It’s not advanced workflows. It’s simple things. But instead of being an extra layer, the model is now a prerequisite.”
That shift also changes expectations toward advisors. When models become essential for execution, usability matters.
“Now we’re not just selling 3D. We actually need material we can build from.”
In some cases, the biggest challenge is still basic: file exchange and accessibility.
“When we say we need to navigate the model, not everyone in the industry is ready for that requirement.”
Production first, not model first
Despite the strong focus on models, Emil is clear that Enemærke & Petersen does not define its core competence as design control. Tracking quantities or model deltas may make sense on some projects, but it is not where the company’s value lies.
“We’re not here to control design. We’re here to manage construction.”
The model’s primary role is communication. When issues arise, the key question is how clearly they can be shared and acted upon.
“If there’s a design issue, the important thing is how you communicate it so the project can move forward.”
Measuring what actually matters
Rather than framing digitalisation around BIM maturity, Emil frames it around a production system built on planning, quality, and economics. Digital tools support that system by making interactions more transparent.
What interests him most is measurement.
“The big question for me is how we create data from our core competence.”
Quantities and design issues matter, but they are not the essence of construction management. Production data is. Technical queries are a good example: how many are raised, how fast they are answered, and whether construction proceeds without responses.
“That’s production safety data. That’s where real risk lives.”
Even simple indicators can be powerful.
“How often do people actually open the model?”
These signals are discussed in regular improvement meetings, where project leaders are trained to spot trends rather than chase perfect benchmarks.
“We don’t know exactly what ‘good’ looks like yet. But we train leaders to recognise patterns and react.”
AI, but on construction’s terms
Emil sees AI as inevitable, but only valuable if trained on the right data.
“If you want to use AI in construction, you have to train it on something meaningful.”
Advisors will train AI on design. Contractors must train it on production behaviour: bottlenecks, delays, and recurring issues across projects.
The real bottleneck: exchange and responsibility
If Emil could change one thing in the industry, it would be how models are exchanged and versioned between parties.
“It should be simple. Press a button, and it’s there.”
Technology is not the real barrier. Legal uncertainty is. Advisors are understandably cautious about sharing live models, fearing liability if someone builds from incomplete information.
“The rules simply don’t support that level of transparency yet.”
Until responsibility, versioning, and contractual frameworks catch up, Emil believes digital construction will remain constrained, not by tools, but by the systems surrounding them.
“Digitalisation has to be part of the core process. If it lives as a support function, you have already lost.”
This article originally appeared in ONSIGHT Magazine Issue #01 2026, the magazine for digital transformation in the construction industry, published by Vitus. Download the full magazine for free. More from ONSIGHT: Some Bridges You Have to Build Twice and Architecture Must Rediscover Its Purpose.
