SW+’s Trey Little, PE, Speaks to Trends and Challenges for AEC Industry in the Carolinas

GroundBreak Carolinas is pleased to share thoughts and insights from construction industry leaders across the Carolinas. We recently caught up with Trey Little, PE, Director of SW+’s Charlotte office, to get his perspective on doing business in 2025. SeamonWhiteside (SW+) is a full-service site design firm with six offices in the Carolinas.

What trends are you seeing in the AEC, particularly in the Carolinas?

Overall, industry optimism is high for 2025 and beyond, following a slower 2024 and the Carolinas continue to offer strong opportunities for growth across multiple sectors. The single-family home market remains highly active across the Carolinas, particularly in Charlotte. Large-scale subdivisions (200+ lots) and urban infill townhome developments near city centers continue to see a strong demand. 

Speculative industrial development, which slowed significantly from its peak in 2021 and 2022, is beginning to resurge, and the industry seems optimistic for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026. A notable shift within this sector is the growing preference for smaller, multi-tenant buildings over large, 300,000+ SF single-tenant facilities that previously defined the market. Commercial and retail development is experiencing a notable surge—an interesting trend as we move further into the post-COVID landscape.

How do you approach creating designs that balance aesthetic value with functionality and community needs?

Achieving the right balance starts with collaborative relationships between civil engineers and landscape architects. The shared understanding between these disciplines ensures our designs are visually compelling and highly functional. We encourage civil engineers to consider aesthetics and landscape architects to prioritize efficiency and usability—allowing us to create cohesive, well-rounded solutions. Ultimately, our role is to bring our client’s vision to life while delivering designs that serve users best.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the AEC industry face in the Carolinas? How do you see that evolving over 2025 and beyond?

The Carolinas present immense opportunities for the AEC industry, driven by strong population growth, business relocations, and expanding industries. With this growth comes the challenge of ensuring it remains sustainable and beneficial for all stakeholders. As an industry, we must focus on smart, long-term development strategies that enhance infrastructure, protect natural resources, and support community needs. Without careful planning, expansion could lead to stakeholder fatigue and resistance to new development. Looking ahead, we anticipate a continued push toward sustainable design, adaptive reuse, and infrastructure improvements that align with evolving community expectations. 

What role does technology play in your work, and how do you see it evolving?

Technology is rapidly transforming the AEC industry, driving efficiency, innovation, and new possibilities in design and project execution. We continuously adopt emerging tools to enhance workflows, improve collaboration, and quickly deliver higher-quality designs. AI has already proven valuable in administrative tasks, allowing our teams to focus more on strategic and creative designs. Looking ahead, the challenge will be leveraging AI as an assistant rather than a replacement, helping designers work smarter while preserving the expertise and critical thinking that drive successful projects.

SW+ has 200+ employees, with offices in Mount Pleasant, Greenville, Summerville, and Spartanburg, SC as well as Charlotte, and Raleigh, NC.