Technology is changing the way crews work on construction sites.
Such advancements — artificial intelligence, cobots, virtual walkthroughs and more — can enhance productivity and improve safety. Job site innovations are integrated into our design-build/engineer-procure-construct (EPC) processes to provide seamless, efficient and quick project execution.
The technologies we use on our project sites are tested and implemented with a focus on adding value for project owners and construction teams on-site.
Technology Benefits on Construction Sites
The advantages provided by evolving technology implementations on construction sites are numerous. We have seen technology:
- Improve communication between team members because it provides a seamless way to work through details anytime and anywhere.
- Optimize resource allocation by analyzing complex schedules and workflows and guiding the team to allocate labor and equipment resources for timely completion.
- Predict maintenance issues and support structural health by analyzing historical data, which extends the life span of infrastructure and minimizes the risk of failures.
- Improve construction automation by identifying patterns of behavior and guiding adaptation to make tasks like assembly and excavation more efficient and effective.
- Increase safety by identifying risks and hazards before incidents occur.
Augmented Reality
Assisted reality (AR): AR glasses, like the original Google Glass technology, overlay information on one lens to enhance the user's view. Controlled by voice, touchpad or handheld devices, these glasses are being employed at project sites for tasks ranging from material check-in to asset management.
Mixed reality (MR): MR glasses and headsets — more advanced than AR glasses — display information to both eyes, allowing users to interact with their environment and the device simultaneously. They combine assisted and virtual reality, enhancing communication among team members to facilitate collaboration across distances.
Virtual reality (VR): VR headsets immerse users in a computer-simulated environment where they navigate through gestures and movement. In construction, they help train workers in areas like high-voltage environments where traditional on-site learning is impractical.
Computer Vision
Computer vision is all around us. Anything a human can see, we can train a computer to see. That means we are able to train a computer to monitor construction progress or detect safety concerns before an incident can occur. Data about a job site creates a digital fabric that connects information from people, equipment and structures that can help project teams make more informed decisions, take proactive steps and create efficiencies.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
UAVs, also known as drones, play a crucial role on construction sites, providing valuable aerial photography for site assessment and monitoring. They document site conditions and equipment status for planning, and they can help identify safety and maintenance needs. Drones can give construction teams a clearer view of precise conditions in remote or hard-to-reach areas of a job site before they head out, helping confirm equipment needs.
Cobots
Cobots — robots designed to assist welders and other trades in construction work — enhance the work of craft laborers by increasing precision and repeatability of key tasks.
Repetitive Process Enhancement
Many construction sites — especially utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar panel installations — have tasks that must be repeated thousands of times with great precision. We developed a process that combines a geospatial survey of the site with AutoCAD data to calculate precise data about foundation piles, grading and trench locations. Then, the data is used to install and verify conditions, preventing component failure due to improper alignment.
