It’s the year 2038 and inside the Newtecnic Construction Lab additive manufacture is used to make replacement façade panels for the King Abdullah Financial District Metro Hub in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Each component fits perfectly because it is developed from data collected using LiDAR scans from the as-built structure.
ing tomorrow’s industry leaders the chance to get ahead now. Once introduced to the dynamism that Newtecnic’s methodology generates, they continue to innovate, invent, and actively share new ways to work better. I am proud that many of our employees also contribute to train- ing the next generation, thereby developing the skills that are needed to sustain the industry. Newtecnic promotes the practice of manufacturing components on- site rather than in remote production plants. This entails facilitating Construction Labs equipped with advanced manufacturing equipment including 3D printers and additive manufacture facilities. This enables mass-customization which, for façades in particular, is economically very advantageous as it reduces transportation and materials cost and provides assured quality by producing components that perfectly fit the as-built specification. It also up-skills the workforce through access to the most advanced technologies available. Having stayed ahead of the technology curve for several decades means we have the experience to know what works and also what does not. This is important in terms of cutting waste. Currently between 25 percent and 40 percent of all waste in the U.S. is produced from construction. The cost to the environment and the economy is huge, but with the application of appropriate technology and skill it can be dramatically reduced. This is achieved with early-stage planning
and introduction of engineering design aimed at producing building components and devising new construction methods that, like efficient product manufacturing plants, produce very little waste of materials or labor. The U.S. construction industry knows that it must improve. And the companies that we work with are often amazed at the positive effects of building system and methodology changes. When combined and rolled-out across projects and enterprises, this not only produces eco- nomic advantages but also manifests in a change of attitude that takes construction from a wasteful, dangerous, dirty, and inefficient occupa- tion and makes it a truly 21st century data-driven activity — one that makes clear and sustainable contributions to the American economy and is an exemplar of efficiency, productivity, and social and economic benefit. ANDREW WATTS, FICE, FIED, FIET, FRSA, RIBA, is CEO of Newtecnic (www.newtecnic.com), an engineering design house that undertakes the engineering design of building structures, façades, and MEP installations in partnership with leading international developers, architects, and contractors. In partnership with the Engineering Departments of Cambridge University, Newtecnic’s R&D team analyzes, develops, tests, validates, and specifies new building technologies and methods. Newtecnic has offices in the U.S., UK, and Saudi Arabia.
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june 2018
csengineermag.com
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