Five ways technology assists with construction
actually getting to construction. My tools were just software and talent,” says Dell’Orto. It is a serious concern for the construction industry that many anticipated projects are deemed unaffordable or are built without a focus on sustainability. These issues have been exacerbated by the past few years of inflation, supply chain disruptions and shortages of raw materials. Most of the time, AI cannot solve the problem by looking to past solutions. Many data from the past are inaccessible. “They’re stuck in Excel spreadsheets in people’s old laptops and desktops. That data is not public. They are not on the internet nor organized or labeled well to make them available for use. Even the companies that generated such data on past construction projects usually have a hard time accessing and using them now,” says Dell’Orto. Going forward, the shift to new software programs and the cloud might make data from past projects available for builders to use, first by the companies that generated them. There is the possibility that companies might share data and even make them available to AI programs on a wider basis. First construction firms would need to agree on the terms of accessing and using project data. Dell’Orto says ConCntric is learning how builders are using its Software as a Service (SaaS) platform locally because some of his customers have projects in the North Bay. “They’re saying ConCntric helps them design projects to be more cost-efficient, accurate and on time. Our software particularly helps with building budgets, which must anticipate a lot of unknowns, like increases in supply costs,” says Dell’Orto. ConCntric also makes it possible for a builder, design team and owner to view and make notes on the same documents. “This unifies all the parties on a project. It helps them be in close, immediate contact about affordability and options,” says Dell’Orto. 1. New resource hubs help put suppliers like Stony Point Rock Quarry in Cotati and Canyon Rock Quarry and River Ready Mix in Sonoma County on the map, giving them greater visibility to reach more customers. 2. On-the-ground workers can use GoPros to film progress as they walk around a site. They can also mount them on a car to film progress on a group of buildings. 3. Project management software programs like HCSS’s HeavyJob “manage anything with a dollar sign,” from employee hours and wages to increases in supply costs.
4. Satellite internet services such as Starlink assist with ensuring connectivity for devices like tablets, in both rural areas and urban dead spots. 5. Photos and videos from drones help team members quantify progress and material needs. Then a team can determine what supplies need to be ordered.
—Jessica Zimmer
On-the-ground applications of technology Landscaping projects that involve trees and foliage are part of the construction sphere as well. Jordan Pech, co-owner of Mayan Climber Tree Service in Novato, frequently relies on the methods he learned from earning a B.A. in mechanical engineering to engage in arboriculture. “To remove and modify trees, we use SENA Bluetooth devices with an integrated microphone and speaker in our Pfanner Protos work helmets. The Bluetooth devices can connect between four to six helmets at a time. This way, people on the ground handling ropes can talk to and direct climbers on top without screaming,” says Pech. He adds residential customers may have noticed the welcome, quieter change in how landscaping is being done from a few years ago. Arboriculture is also aided by relatively simple devices like laser pointers. A manager can use these from a distance to show a worker how to get to a branch and what to cut. “Tools like these help workers communicate instantaneously and quietly. Then residents in homes and yards can continue their work and daily activities with fewer interruptions,” says Pech. Even arboriculture relies on software programs, like ChipDrop. This app helps homeowners pick up mulch made from wood chips. “We also use other software programs, like SingleOps, to keep a list of all our clients, information about their arboriculture and landscaping work and estimates. This allows us to easily track costs and services people will need,” says Pech. “Deconstruction” firms utilize technology as well. Greenlynx, a Santa Rosa-based business, specializes in deconstructing houses and outbuildings like barns and sheds. It then sells the reclaimed materials at its reuse store and lumberyard.
August 2024
NorthBaybiz 55
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