Technology vs QS

Emmolina May served as a panelist at the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS) regional event, QS vs Technology, hosted at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Tauranga campus and livestreamed nationwide.

The panel tackled some of the most pressing questions for the QS profession today: Will quantity surveyors be replaced by AI? What role do QSs play in a BIM-driven world? Which emerging technologies should practitioners focus on? May and her fellow panelists, Jake McDell, Daniel McElroy, and Kavinda Yasith, explored the opportunities and challenges these questions present, offering practical insights drawn from their diverse experiences.

The event also marked NZIQS’s first regional livestream, connecting members across Northland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua, and Queenstown. Emmolina observed that this milestone was a reminder that technology is not only reshaping the profession’s tools and practices but also strengthening connections within the QS community nationwide.

She emphasized the importance of staying informed about technological change, encouraging QS professionals to actively engage with innovation while continuing to uphold the core value they bring to the construction industry.