Software, sustainability and scale define hsbcad’s next chapter

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At a time when the construction industry is under pressure to build faster, reduce waste, and meet ambitious sustainability targets, Belgium-based software company hsbcad is positioning itself as a central enabler of that transformation. Under the recently appointed leadership of CEO Hilde Sevens, the company is refining its strategic focus, expanding its capabilities, and putting a greater emphasis on environmental responsibility. (main image: hsbView software in use on the factory floor, linking digital design directly with timber fabrication.)

Built Offsite caught up with Sevens at LIGNA 2025 in Hannover — the world’s leading trade fair for timber processing and manufacturing technology — where she shared her vision for the company’s future and the wider role of software in offsite delivery.

Founded over 35 years ago, hsbcad is a global software provider specialising in design-to-manufacture solutions for the offsite construction sector. Its highly configurable platform supports timber and light gauge steel construction and is built around Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) principles. The software is compatible with a broad range of CNC machines and integrates seamlessly from early design through to shop-floor production, on-site assembly, and logistics. The company services customers across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and other markets, including modular builders, prefabricated panel manufacturers, architects, and structural engineers.

According to Sevens, the company’s strength lies in its end-to-end workflow capabilities. “We’re not just creating geometry,” she said. “We support the entire workflow — from designing how the parts fit together, to how they move through the factory, and how they’re loaded onto trucks in the right sequence for site delivery. That complete DfMA chain is where our value lies.”

Bringing software and manufacturing together
Sevens joined hsbcad in 2023 after initially being engaged to assess the company’s growth opportunities. Her prior experience includes senior roles at Siemens PLM and Autodesk, and six years as CEO of SCIA, a structural engineering software business within the Nemetschek Group. While her background spans both manufacturing and AEC sectors, Sevens said she was looking for a role that aligned with her personal values.

“I wanted to do something meaningful — something that was good for the world,” she said. “hsbcad is exactly that. Offsite construction is a better way to build. It’s more sustainable, more controlled, and far less wasteful.”

That focus on sustainability is a constant theme. “The construction industry is responsible for around 30 percent of global CO₂ emissions,” she noted. “Much of that is due to inefficient processes and high levels of on-site waste. It’s not just the concrete and steel — it’s also the way we still build. If you go to most construction sites today, they look like they did 50 years ago.”

Highlights from Built Offsite’s interview with Hilde Sevens, CEO of hsbcad, discussing software, sustainability and scale in offsite construction.

Aligning culture with purpose
Sevens is clear that technology alone isn’t enough. “Software is only part of the equation. The other part is people,” she said. “A company — particularly in our industry — is only as strong as its team.”

One of the reasons she accepted the role was the culture she found at hsbcad. “There’s a long-standing team here. The average tenure is nine years, which is extraordinary. Some staff have been here for 20 years or more. That kind of commitment only happens when people believe in what they’re doing.”

The company’s global structure is another advantage. “We operate internationally, which is important to me. Every country has its own offsite methodology. What works in Sweden might not work in Australia. Our role is to support each approach with tools that are flexible and scalable.”

Flexible tools, material-agnostic delivery
While hsbcad has traditionally focused on timber, it also offers solutions for light gauge steel and is investing in that area further. “There are strong similarities between timber framing and light gauge steel,” Sevens explained. “We’ve had steel capabilities for some time, but we’re now expanding that.”

The company has developed a proof of concept and a minimum viable product for light gauge steel, which is being tested with selected customers. “The demand is there, and some of our clients work across both materials. It makes sense for us to support that.”

Being material-agnostic is part of a broader strategic direction. “Whether it’s volumetric modules, panels, or hybrid solutions — we want to enable manufacturers to choose the approach that suits their project, not the one that suits their software.”

Digitisation at every level
One of the recurring challenges in offsite construction is the need for greater digital fluency on the factory floor. For Sevens, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

“We visited a customer in the Netherlands recently whose factory workers had never used a computer — not even at home. At first, they were hesitant about going digital. But within a month, they didn’t want to go back. They found our software clearer and easier to use than paper-based systems.”

She refers to this transition as “the move to a paperless factory” and believes it reflects a broader shift in thinking. “Even experienced workers, once they see how much more intuitive it is, don’t want to go back. But leadership has to commit to it — digital transformation only happens when management backs it.”

Watch an hsbcad client testimonial from MAKAR.

Adoption through incremental change
While modular construction attracts media attention, Sevens emphasises the importance of incremental change. “Modular construction requires a significant investment — in machinery, systems, and volume,” she said. “That can be a barrier. But many companies are starting their offsite journey by prefabricating just a few elements.”

That gradual approach can be more realistic and sustainable. “We had one customer who started as a carpenter. He built a few prefabricated components to save time on site. It worked so well that he expanded, and now he’s fully offsite. But it was step by step.”

For Sevens, that kind of transition is key to mainstream adoption. “It’s a conservative industry. You won’t convince people with revolution — but you will with results. Efficiency, cost savings, and workforce stability are what get people on board.”

Workforce transformation and industry engagement
Part of the broader shift also involves attracting a new generation of workers — and that includes rethinking how the industry engages with education.

“Some of our team already teach at universities, but we need to do more. Students coming out of school now are the future users of these tools. If they’ve never seen what’s possible with DfMA software, they’ll never think to use it.”

That educational responsibility goes hand in hand with industry transformation. “If we want to reduce our reliance on labour-intensive, site-based construction, we have to create factory environments that are safer, more attractive, and more stable. That’s the future.”

Positioned for growth 

Under Sevens’ leadership, hsbcad is focused on consolidating its core strengths — timber and steel workflows, machine interoperability, and end-to-end platform integration — while expanding its environmental impact and global footprint.

“We’ve got the right foundations,” she said. “We’re well known for our design capabilities, but the future is about connecting design, manufacturing, and assembly in one continuous process.”

With sustainability, workforce change, and digital transition all accelerating across global markets, hsbcad appears set to play a central role in how offsite construction evolves.

“We’re helping people build better,” said Sevens. “That means better buildings, better processes, and better outcomes for everyone involved.”

See: hsbcad