NEW YORK — Artefact has joined forces with Impact Climate Technologies (ICT) to introduce ImpactIQ™, a proprietary artificial intelligence platform designed to transform how commercial HVAC contractors price and bid projects.
The new system automates the takeoff process — the early stage in which estimators analyze blueprints to determine equipment quantities and costs. This phase has traditionally been one of the most labor-intensive steps in construction bidding, often limiting how many projects a team can pursue at one time.
Developed exclusively for ICT, ImpactIQ™ is being integrated directly into the distributor’s internal workflows to accelerate bid turnaround, improve pricing consistency and free estimating teams to focus on higher-value client engagement.
Co-developed platform built on real industry data
Artefact and ICT collaborated closely on the design of the platform, combining Artefact’s AI engineering expertise with ICT’s decades of operational experience in the HVAC sector. Unlike generic automation tools, the system was structured around ICT’s existing standards and long-term growth strategy.
As part of the development, ICT contributed thousands of proprietary data points drawn from completed projects across its national network. Training the AI on authentic drawings, symbol libraries and estimating histories has helped deliver greater accuracy and confidence for users.
“From the outset, this engagement was about building something truly differentiated for ICT,” said Abdul Zamerli, Senior Partner, AI & Strategy at Artefact. “By co-creating a solution that combines ICT’s unmatched industry data and operational expertise with advanced AI capabilities, we transformed a manual bottleneck into a scalable, proprietary platform that delivers immediate business value and long-term competitive advantage.”
ICT leadership said the platform reflects a broader commitment to innovation and service improvement.
“ImpactIQ™ represents how we think about innovation at ICT,” said John Moon, CEO of Impact Climate Technologies. “We are constantly looking for ways to streamline our processes so our teams can focus on what matters most, delivering smarter solutions and better service to our clients. By working closely with Artefact to design a platform tailored specifically to our business, we’ve created a proprietary capability that strengthens our operations today and positions us for continued growth in the future.”
From manual takeoffs to AI-driven intelligence
Before the partnership, ICT relied largely on manual review of drawings — a process that restricted capacity and introduced variability between estimators. ImpactIQ™ now performs automated symbol detection, quantity counts and specification analysis within minutes.
Key features of the platform include:
- AI-driven symbol and label detection that scans complex blueprint PDFs
- Blueprint intelligence and generative AI “chat with blueprint” for instant queries
- End-to-end workflow integration with ICT’s existing business systems
These capabilities allow estimators to shift from repetitive counting tasks to advisory work such as value engineering, client consultation and real-time pricing support.
Plans for continued expansion
ICT said it intends to expand the platform with additional estimating and project-intelligence tools, positioning ImpactIQ™ as a long-term digital backbone for its operations.
The collaboration highlights a growing trend in construction technology: industry-specific AI platforms built around proprietary data rather than generic models. For Artefact, the project serves as a showcase for how tailored AI can generate measurable operational impact.
About Artefact
Artefact is a global leader in data and AI consulting, dedicated to designing AI solutions that positively impact people and organizations. Built on deep data science expertise and cutting-edge AI technologies, Artefact delivers end-to-end AI projects at scale across industries, helping organizations unlock value across their entire value chain.
About Impact Climate Technologies
Impact Climate Technologies (ICT) is a premier HVAC holding company dedicated to uniting top-tier companies to drive innovation and excellence through collaboration. ICT is an Ardian portfolio company.
Originally reported by Artifact in Construction Dive.
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