Author: Constructech Editors
Innovation requires support to effect execution. If the infrastructure isn’t available to support new transportation methods—electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles, for example—the ideas might stay on the shelf or in the parking lot. Given enough time, though, the support facilities can be ready by the time the innovation goes into production. An innovative concept for green aviation is the fully electric aircraft. One example is the use of electric engines for propulsion and helium cells for lift—an electric airship instead of an electric airplane. The design of a hybrid aircraft, combining buoyant lift from helium with aerodynamic lift and vectored thrust,…
For those who don’t live there, Maine has a reputation as being a cold place in the winter. Actually, those who live there think that, too. Snow? Average about 70 inches. Temperature? The average for January is 7 degrees. Needless to say, buildings are weather proofed as much as possible, and heated as economically as possible. Mainers have another reputation to uphold: they are thrifty and conserve energy. Maine became a state in 1820 and, like Maine itself, the Maine National Guard has the distinction of having existed as an organization prior to the existence of the United States itself.…
Metaverse. The metaverse is still more of a buzzword and vision than a fully-fledged end goal with a defined arrival date. Despite all the headlines and investments, the metaverse will not arrive in 2022 or, for that matter, within the typical 5-year forecast window. What we have today are tech companies building their version of a “multiverse,” but this is not fully interconnected, does not yet widely employ open standards, and certainly has not fully embraced XR (extended reality)—all tenets of the metaverse vision. ABI Research predicts, however, that by 2024, the XR market will hit $4.84 billion, up from…
“Houston, we’ve had a problem…” When Apollo 13 encountered trouble with an oxygen module explosion in 1970, ground controllers in Houston faced a formidable task. Completely new procedures had to be written and tested in the simulator before being passed up to the crew. As the astronauts slept in the lunar module, the command module had to be powered down to preserve the batteries. NASA engineers used a simulator, what amounted to a twin of the command module, and a separate twin of the module’s electrical system to devise a series of steps to power up the frozen space craft…
Green building. The green light has traditionally meant proceed, go, continue moving forward. As we move forward in our search for better living conditions, the building industry has adopted the term “green” as well. We are not referencing, except in rare occasion, buildings colored green. Yes. They may have greenery covered exterior walls—and in some case, interiors—but that is not where the “green” comes from. The general focus on green buildings has been on energy conservation, emissions control, and efficiently using water and other resources. To paraphrase the words of Kermit the Frog from the Muppets, “It isn’t easy being…
While light duty trucks, pickups, and delivery vans, are popular with consumers they are vital for construction companies. Heavier trucks are just as important for moving material and supplies from site to site. The transportation network that is the major link in the supply chain depends on heavy vehicles. But those larger trucks are also a significant source of emissions and pollution. The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is proposing new, stronger standards to promote clean air and reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in model year 2027. The proposed standards would reduce emissions of smog- and soot-forming NOx (nitrogen oxides) from heavy-duty gasoline and…
Metaverse. What will the metaverse eventually provide to construction businesses? Is there, in fact, such a thing as the metaverse? The metaverse is still more of a buzzword and vision than a fully-fledged end goal with a defined arrival date. And the impact for construction companies is even less defined. What we have today are tech companies building their version of a “multiverse,” but this is not fully interconnected, does not yet widely employ open standards, and certainly has not fully embraced XR (extended reality)—all tenets of the metaverse vision. Despite all the headlines and investments, the metaverse will not…
Time to think powerless tools. And for good reason. During the month of March alone, the price of gasoline has been rising steadily and by March 7, the U.S. had hit an average gasoline price of $4.17 per gallon, far surpassing an all-time high, and even higher in small cities that lack competition, according to the AAA. And as the month is coming to a close gasoline prices have continued to rise surpassing record highs. The first thought is to save gas on transportation, but the second is to look to gas-powered equipment in use on and off jobsites that…
Today’s challenging global landscape is weighing on an already competitive construction market. As a result, commercial contractors have accelerated their adoption of technologies to protect and grow marketshare, differentiate project delivery, and “future proof” their businesses against what is likely to be more tumultuous times ahead. In order to achieve their objectives, contractors require reliable, secure, and scalable systems that deliver data-driven decision-making and collaboration between jobsites, backoffices, and third-party vendors. With the right ERP (enterprise resource planning) software solutions in place, their goals are quickly becoming realized. Business Intelligence, Business Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence What used to sound like…
The image of a large truck going down the highway with no one in the cab was once a science fiction staple—usually in a horror movie. Today, it is becoming more of a reality, although there is often a human in the cab, just in case. But in the rough world of quarrying, where few vehicles are working at any time, the idea of autonomous trucks is taking hold. BTA (Bell Trucks of America), Houston is known for providing North America best-in-class articulated dump trucks and tracked carrier products, service and support via a network of national dealers. The company…