Construction technology Where research intersects with construction equipment and materials, applications of machine learning and knowledge-based systems, robotics, 3D Printing, internet of things, wearable computing, applications of drones to construction, safety systems//www.pjbjkak.com/rss/587-construction-technology en-us Autodesk Goes Into the Wild With Latest Acquisition yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Purchase terms for The Wild, a technology firm with an immersive virtual/extended reality environment for industry professionals and a dedicated virtual meetings tool, were not disclosed. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53818 Thu, 24 Mar 2022 08:04:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53818-autodesk-goes-into-the-wild-with-latest-acquisition Breaking Through the Digital Void in Construction

The struggle within the construction industry to embrace digitalization, what it means for bottom lines, and how to quit skirting around the cloud.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53763 Fri, 18 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53763-breaking-through-the-digital-void-in-construction construction site
Q&A: Procore CEO Tooey Courtemanche Reflects on 20 Years in Business yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

When the software firm's founder and chief started the company, he and his initial employees offered free jobsite WiFi to potential customers to get them to use their platform.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53776 Wed, 16 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53776-qa-procore-ceo-tooey-courtmanche-reflects-on-20-years-in-business Procore ringing the closing bell Procore rings the bell at the New York Stock Exchange after its IPO in May 2021. Photo courtesy Procore
Quantum Gravity Sensor Tests Point to Better Subsurface Mapping reina@btinternet.com (Peter Reina) 通过消除“噪音”的阅读,新的年代ensor device developed at the University of Birmingham is more accurate and up to 10 times faster than current instruments, its developers claim. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53728 Tue, 08 Mar 2022 15:19:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53728-quantum-gravity-sensor-tests-point-to-better-subsurface-mapping Drone-Mounted LiDAR Brings Fresh Data to State DOTs

In recent years contractors have seen the advantages of employing light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology with unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also known as drones.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53704 Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53704-drone-mounted-lidar-brings-fresh-data-to-state-dots LiDar.jpg LiDAR is able to penetrate dense vegetation for a clearer view of ground conditions.Image courtesy NDDOT
Tools Gaining Industry Traction to Manage Building Carbon Emissions reina@btinternet.com (Peter Reina) UK and Finnish technologies provide designers quicker reads of embodied carbon impacts of their structural and materials choices. "We've been waiting for [something like this] for as long as I've been in the industry," says one engineering firm manager. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53650 Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:39:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53650-tools-gaining-industry-traction-to-manage-building-carbon-emissions Site Intelligence Provider Eyrus Raises $12M, With Autodesk an Investor yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders) Alexandra McManus, CEO and co-founder, says startup's platform, which automates workforce data collection in real time, has been used on more than $220 billion worth of construction projects. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53644 Thu, 17 Feb 2022 19:07:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53644-site-intelligence-provider-eyrus-raises-12m-with-autodesk-an-investor Infrastructure Act Can Drive Digital Twins, Says Bentley Systems rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

Software firm leaders say funding law has encouraging boosts for upfront engineering and opportunities to expand construction and lifecycle digital twin use. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53597 Thu, 10 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53597-infrastructure-act-can-drive-digital-twins-says-bentley-systems ConstructSecure Raises $96M, Plans Sustainability Risk Management Product

A platform for assessing contractor risk factors will now add sustainability as a criteria.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53591 Thu, 10 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53591-constructsecure-raises-96m-plans-sustainability-risk-management-product
Trimble Mixed Reality Headset Now Offers Workflows for Layout rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

Walking a jobsite with a total station in tow to perform layouts can be a time-consuming task, if only because getting survey locations just right can come down to juggling a tablet and a prism pole at the same time.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53584 Wed, 09 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53584-trimble-mixed-reality-headset-now-offers-workflows-for-layout 特林布尔连接 Trimble is using tablet overlays and HoloLens for onsite tasks.Photo courtesy Trimble
WSP USA Pilots Emerging Tech in Target Markets With Partnership Four startups will gain support to “refine, optimize and scale" tech solutions for design giant's work in climate, resilience and sustainability. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53534 Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53534-wsp-usa-pilots-emerging-tech-in-target-markets-with-partnership Contractors Seek Out Latest Machines at World of Concrete blairs@enr.com (Scott Blair)

After a few uncertain years and a truncated event in 2021, the World of Concrete trade show brought together tens of thousands of contractors and construction equipment gearheads in Las Vegas on Jan. 18 to 21.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53499 Thu, 27 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53499-contractors-seek-out-latest-machines-at-world-of-concrete Concrete World While down from past highs, World of Concrete drew 37,000 attendees to Las Vegas.Photo by Jeff Rubenstone / ENR
More Contractors See Benefits of Drywall Finishing Robot rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

The hard work of hanging, taping and finishing drywall remains one of the more physically demanding tasks in building construction. While other trades in the industry have seen tools and equipment take the strain out of work, drywall work remains largely unchanged. And contractors are well aware of this.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53423 Thu, 13 Jan 2022 14:30:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53423-more-contractors-see-benefits-of-drywall-finishing-robot 1_V155568-copy_ENRready.jpg Canvas’ robot is able to apply finishing compound and smooth out drywall on its own.Photo courtesy of Canvas
Hilti Standardizes Cordless Tools on Nuron, Its New 22V Battery Platform rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

The 22V Nuron battery platform will be compatible with 70 new Hilti tools, from the lightest to the most-demanding applications.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53413 Wed, 12 Jan 2022 17:36:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53413-hilti-standardizes-cordless-tools-on-nuron-its-new-22v-battery-platform HiltiNuronOpen.jpg Hilti's 22V Nuron battery is the new standard battery for the manufacturer's entire cordless lineup going forward. Photo by Jeff Rubenstone / ENR HiltiNuronLineup.jpg The refreshed, Nuron-compatible cordless tool lineup includes 70 tools, refreshing existing tool categories and even getting into some new building trades. Photo by Jeff Rubenstone / ENR HiltiNuronDrills.jpg Hilti Nuron batteries can be used in demanding applications, such as rotary hammers. The TE 6-22 SDS Plus rotary hammers and the SDS Max TE 30-22 and TE 60-22 combihammers will be available at launch. Some new Nuron-compatible tools, like the TE 4-22 rotary hammer seen here, will be available later this year. Photo by Jeff Rubenstone / ENR HiltiNuronHammer.jpg Nuron-powered tools can even tackle applications that normally required corded or pneumatic power, like the TE-2000-22 jackhammer seen here that can crack concrete on two Nuron batteries. Photo by Jeff Rubenstone / ENR HiltiNuronBattery.jpg The Nuron batteries use lithium-ion cells with a new design for heat management. They also feature electronic controls at the point of contact with the tool for power management, allowing the tools to draw up to 100 amps. Photo by Jeff Rubenstone / ENR
欧特克获得职业,将Estimatio集成n Tool Into Construction Cloud yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

As estimation during preconstruction grows more important, Autodesk acquires San Diego's ProEst and adds it to its Construction Cloud.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53346 Tue, 28 Dec 2021 15:50:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53346-autodesk-acquires-proest-will-integrate-estimation-tool-into-construction-cloud
Roadworks Documentation App Revs Up on Project Sites choa@enr.com (Aileen Cho)

OnStation, a mobile app that allows road construction crews to easily locate people, assets and physical conditions, is gaining traction on projects throughout the U.S.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53328 Wed, 22 Dec 2021 12:05:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53328-roadworks-documentation-app-revs-up-on-project-sites a hole and a highway OnStation应用程序允许用户快速、所以他们的rately document and track activities and issues along often-lengthy or congested roadway (or runway) alignments.Photos courtesy of Corre
Suffolk Tech Accelerator Boosts Construction Startups jriceenr@gmail.com (Justin Rice)

The venture capital and technology investment arm of Boston-based contractor and real estate firm Suffolk started a startup accelerator to bring construction technology companies together to expand their networks and raise funding.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53231 Mon, 13 Dec 2021 16:29:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53231-suffolk-tech-accelerator-boosts-construction-startups Suffolk Demo Day Suffolk Technologies hosted its second annual Boost Demo Day, concluding a six-week program that supports tech startups focused on addressing industry challenges. The venture capital and technology investment arm of Boston-based contractor and real estate firm Suffolk started the startup accelerator to bring construction technology companies together to expand their networks and raise funding. Photo Courtesy of Suffolk
Honda Autonomous Vehicle Carries Payloads on Solar Site rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

When building solar farms in remote locations, driving materials around the often sprawling sites can be time consuming.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53202 Thu, 09 Dec 2021 15:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53202-honda-autonomous-vehicle-carries-payloads-on-solar-site A001_09011001_C002.jpg The Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle can transport loads off-road on preset routes.Photo courtesy of Honda
New York City Dept. of Buildings Explores Drones for Facade Inspections rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

New report sees potential for drone use in city building inspections, recommends further study of the issue before restrictions are lifted.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53115 Mon, 29 Nov 2021 18:41:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53115-new-york-city-dept-of-buildings-explores-drones-for-facade-inspections NYCDOBdrone.jpg Image Courtesy NYC Dept. of Buildings
Remote Operation Coming to More Caterpillar Equipment rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

The risks posed to heavy equipment operators in certain situations can often limit the type of work they can perform.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53035 结婚,17Nov 2021 16:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53035-remote-operation-coming-to-more-caterpillar-equipment remote control workers Photo courtesy of Caterpillar
Q4 Tech Report: Moving On to the Next Normal rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

At this point, well into the era of working with COVID-19, questions over remote work, remote collaboration and better awareness of the workforce on construction jobsites can seem like settled issues.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53029 结婚,17Nov 2021 14:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53029-q4-tech-report-moving-on-to-the-next-normal Gilbane With virtual collaboration now a standard practice, tech adoption has accelerated.Photo courtesy Gilbane Building Co.
Is It Time to Start Building a Space Superhighway? yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

NASA, U.S. Space Force compare space "superhighway" concept to U.S. Interstate System as they plan major investments to develop the infrastructure system.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53021 结婚,17Nov 2021 03:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53021-is-it-time-to-start-building-a-space-superhighway
Hilti Acquires Startup Fieldwire in $300M Deal rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

The move broadly expands the tool manufacturer's presence in the construction software space.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53015 Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:20:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53015-hilti-acquires-startup-fieldwire-in-300m-deal FieldwireApp.jpg Fieldwire's app is designed with building trades in mind, making sure that the latest documents and task lists are provided to field workers as needed. Image Courtesy of Fieldwire
ProjectWise—Now for Small-and-Medium-Sized Businesses

As one of Bentley Systems’ flagship applications, ProjectWise is well-known in the engineering, architecture, and construction (AEC) industry. In fact, many of the ENR Top 100 companies rely on Bentley Systems’ enterprise collaboration solution ProjectWise Design Integration.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52887 Thu, 04 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52887-projectwisenow-for-small-and-medium-sized-businesses man at a computer on the phone
What it Takes to Bee a Good Land Surveyor

 For land surveyors, interactions eventually bring us face to face with nature in unexpected ways.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53272 Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:59:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53272-what-it-takes-to-bee-a-good-land-surveyor
Welcome Back, Construction Crew. Here Are Your New Safety Monitoring Devices.

Through contacts with Silicon Valley firms, Volpatt Construction is embracing a major technology upgrade. Is it a sign of industry-wide changes?

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52796 Wed, 27 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52796-welcome-back-construction-crew-here-are-your-new-safety-monitoring-devices
In a Bid for Better Data, Turner Takes Crane Sensor Companywide rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

Turner Construction has signed a multiyear agreement to deploy Versatile's CraneView sensors to project sites across the U.S.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52639 Tue, 12 Oct 2021 15:34:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52639-in-a-bid-for-better-data-turner-takes-crane-sensor-companywide TurnerVersatile.jpg Image Courtesy Versatile
Dodge Data and Analytics, Blue Book Network Combine as Dodge Construction Network yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Combined brand offers contractor database of Dodge Data and Analytics with subcontractor contacts of the Blue Book Network.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52594 Tue, 05 Oct 2021 18:51:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52594-dodge-data-and-analytics-blue-book-network-combine-as-dodge-construction-network
Autodesk Releases New Water, Micro-Climate Tools, Construction Cloud Capabilities yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Autodesk CEO says more open data sharing is the future of construction, while insisting Autodesk design products will not go away as a result of sharing those capabilities and data.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52591 Tue, 05 Oct 2021 14:06:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52591-autodesk-releases-new-water-micro-climate-tools-construction-cloud-capabilities
Gilbane and NeXtera Robotics Form JV to Boost Robots on Jobsites rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

Contractor will jump from pilots to full deployment of a jobsite robotics platform developed with robotics startup NeXtera.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52574 Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52574-gilbane-and-nextera-robotics-form-jv-to-boost-robots-on-jobsites GilbaneNexteragravel.jpg The rover robots that make up the first iteration of the Gilbane-Nextera joint venture's robotics platform can document jobsites autonomously via 360° cameras and point cloud scans. Photo Courtesy Gilbane Building Co. GilbaneNexterastairs.jpg A variant of the rover robot uses treads and can climb stairs on its own. Photo Courtesy Gilbane Building Co. GilbaneNexteraImaging.jpg Nextera Robotic's neural networks can analyze and classify the visual imagery captured by the robots, providing marked-up documentation of work progress. Image Courtesy Gilbane Building Co. GilbaneNexteraMap.jpg Setting up the robots' documentation schedule is done through a straightforward interface based on the building plans. Image Courtesy Gilbane Building Co.