Friday, May 17, 2024 
Friday, May 17, 2024
September 11, 2023
A look at the world of Construction Technology – by Arnie Gess, publisher of Construction Links Network
Editorial submission deadline is every Friday a noon. Ideal for news releases, blogs, podcasts, upcoming webinars, case studies, whitepapers and videos. Always free for members – see media kit.
Technology is transforming every aspect of the construction industry, from design and planning to project management and execution. As new tools and techniques continue to emerge, it’s more important than ever for professionals in the field to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations. This blog series offers in-depth coverage of the most important developments in construction technology. Whether you’re interested in the latest software platforms, the newest building materials, or the cutting-edge research shaping the future of the industry, you’ll find it all here.
Reducing carbon emissions, or decarbonization, will play an essential role in slowing down climate change. As we work to reduce carbon emissions across the globe, the AEC industry must do its part. In 2019, the CO2 emissions of the building and construction industry increased to 38% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions. Until recently, the construction industry’s response to reducing building-related emissions has focused on energy efficiency, which overlooks embodied carbon emissions found in the material and construction processes across a building’s lifecycle. Moreover, a recent report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development revealed that less than 1% of building projects currently assess or measure their lifecycle carbon impacts. Since buildings are a significant contributor to emissions, it is critical that efforts increase to plan, monitor, and evaluate the materials’ entire lifecycle to be used in construction. Keep reading this blog courtesy of SoftwareOne Canada.
Reality capture is one of today’s most innovative technologies transforming construction, making short work of processes like jobsite photo documentation—historically a tedious, time-consuming activity. Reality capture solutions offer a welcome replacement for manual methods by letting builders digitally capture, share, and analyze real-world jobsite conditions to move faster and make smarter decisions. These solutions can leverage laser scans, drone images, smartphone photos, or, in the case of OpenSpace, high-resolution 360° images. OpenSpace has developed this helpful guide to answer these and other questions because we know it can be challenging to keep up with the latest innovation and technology in the construction industry. Let’s dive in.
In an increasingly digital world, the construction industry is not immune to the transformative power of the internet. While the core principles of construction may remain the same – bricks, mortar, and steel – the way construction companies connect with clients and win projects is evolving. Digital marketing is the key to staying competitive and thriving in this changing landscape. Digital marketing is not just a buzzword; it’s a necessity for construction firms looking to grow their client base, increase brand visibility, and ultimately, secure more projects. Read this blog, courtesy of OnTraccr Technologies, and learn about some compelling reasons why digital marketing matters in the construction industry.
The Muse may be a physically small project for Graham Construction, a US$1 million transformation of a century-old timber-company’s offices into an upscale craft coffee house and speakeasy-style whiskey bar on the waterfront in Everett, Washington. But the lovely 6,000-square-foot building, which features nearly every kind of wood cut and milled in the Pacific Northwest, has played an outsized roll in demonstrating an innovative technology combination – newly applied to a construction environment – that promises to increase quality of work, save time and money, and improve the construction experience for building owners. Learn more about this project.
Technology has been evolving quickly, and it isn’t stopping anytime soon. As a result, the equipment used on jobsites has evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of the construction professionals, and the industry must find ways to adopt these new technologies in order to be successful. During his CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 educational session, “Digital Transformation of the Job Site,” Jason Anetsberger of AEM member company Komatsu spoke on the technology that is available to us today, as well as where the industry could be headed. “You see these themes of digitalization, automation and sustainability – in my mind those are not just industry trends, they are a reality today,” said Anetsberger. And the progression of these trends is the medium in which the digital transformation will take root. Read the article by Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
Construction projects are characterized by their complexity and the need to manage vast amounts of data efficiently. The current state of construction data management is outdated and cumbersome, making data collection and sharing difficult. However, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize this field. AI promises to simplify data collection, management, and utilization, eliminating the need for manual data sifting. George Goubran, Co-CEO of Built On Vision, emphasizes the benefits of AI in construction, including improved data accuracy and analysis.
Data security is a paramount concern in the field of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), as highlighted by a survey conducted in August 2023 by Teledyne FLIR, LLC among 733 drone professionals. The survey revealed that 67 percent of respondents worry about potential unauthorized access to the data collected and managed by their drones. Specifically, 69 percent expressed concerns about data accessibility to foreign governments or hostile entities. This underscores the industry’s strong emphasis on data privacy and the need for secure drone solutions.
Beck Technology, a preconstruction data lifecycle company, is hosting its second annual Precon World event in Dallas, Texas on October 12-13, 2023. This gathering serves as a collaborative platform for professionals in the preconstruction industry to network, share knowledge, and explore the latest advancements in the field. The event features educational sessions covering various aspects of preconstruction, including production-based estimating, leveraging AI and ChatGPT for planning, and the power of dashboards. It also introduces a new training day for DESTINI Estimator users, offering coaching on assembly building and dashboard utilization.
Black Buffalo 3D, a prominent provider of structural 3D construction printers and materials, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Readymix Concrete Co., the primary producer of ready-mix and associated products in Saudi Arabia. This MoU signifies their collaboration in producing Black Buffalo 3D’s specialized structural ink using locally sourced materials and jointly developing regional 3D construction printing materials, mixes, and additional 3D construction ink formulas.
3D-printed buildings offer numerous advantages, such as rapid construction, cost reduction, and enhanced safety. Some projects utilize large-scale 3D printers on-site, while others print components in labs and assemble them later. On-site 3D printing requires minimal labor, improving job site safety and potentially reducing workers’ compensation claims and costs. Despite these benefits, questions about the durability of 3D-printed structures remain. Can they withstand extreme weather and everyday wear? Liability concerns also arise. A session at the CLM Construction Risk Conference will delve into these topics, discussing evaluation of claims, coverage, and risk management.
Trusstor, a construction operations platform bringing together a zero-intrusion IoT solution with advanced oversight, reporting and analysis capabilities, has launched a plug and play digital Last Planner project management tool to optimize production processes and ensure timely project completion. Trusstor’s intuitive digital Last Planner uses predefined activities, templates, workflows and activity sequences based on standard construction project management best practice. Users simply select the sequence and timing of activities, before Trusstor’s templates do the heavy lifting by automatically configuring the workplan. Precise and measurable insights are then delivered on the real-time progression of the workplan, enabling resources and activities to be modified to maintain the project’s critical path.
