Author: Constructech Editors
In recent years, there has been an uptick in funding for construction-technology ventures. Investors recognize construction is an industry that needs technology—and innovators are rising to the occasion. In some cases, the investors themselves are also in the construction-technology community. Consider the recent example of EVERCAM, which announced a financial investment by Bentley iTwin Ventures, a part of Bentley Acceleration Initiatives, which is the internal incubator for strategic investments by Bentley Systems. Here’s how it works in this case. The investment will accelerate EVERCAM’s development of digital twin capabilities in the construction camera space. First, all little bit of background:…
Reports of major cyberattacks make the evening (and online) news all too often. Identity theft in the millions, ransomware demanding millions, millions of people left without electricity due to an attack on the grid. Where do these attacks come from? And how? The usual suspect is an undiscovered—until now—fault or vulnerability in a common program. The 2021 SolarWinds attack is a case in point. It was one of the most sophisticated cyberattacks ever conducted, an example of a digital supply-chain attack, in which hackers insert malicious code into trusted third-party software, thus infecting potentially all of the hacked software company’s…
Construction cranes are everywhere as business picks up and projects resume or begin. The OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) estimates approximately 225,000 cranes are in operation across the country on any given day. All crane operators and workers on sites where cranes are used, more than 250,000 individuals nationwide, are at risk for crane-related injuries and fatalities. Technology can help remove some of those risks by moving the positioning crew out of the swing and drop area, eliminating taglines completely. Whether in the skyscrapers of New York City or the prairies or Texas, hard working cranes are…well, they are working hard.…
As the pandemic restrictions are being lifted, projects are being renewed, rebid, and restarted. New work is being opened and owners are making contracts for the future. Construction is, by most measures, regaining lost opportunities and beginning to look like it was in 2019, pre-pandemic. January 2022 saw total construction starts increased by 4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $923.4 billion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts increased 4%, and nonbuilding starts rose 18%. The only major construction segment to decrease was residential which saw starts fall 1%. In nonbuilding construction, highway and bridge starts rose 33%,…
Most people think first of San Francisco when the conversation turns to earthquakes and their destructive effects. Indeed, the deadliest earthquake in U.S. history was in that City by the Bay. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake hit the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, killing more than 3,000 people. However, further East, the New Madrid Seismic Zone is one of the most active seismic areas east of the Rockies. According to the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey), until 2014, when the dramatic increase in earthquake rates gave Oklahoma the number one ranking in the conterminous U.S., the most seismically…
In the 1980s, large manufacturing companies were exploring a new software solution, an integrated package of applications called ERP—enterprise resource planning. While the elements were mostly familiar, the selling point was that they all worked together, seamlessly integrated. If you bought the package, one company would be your point of contact for support and updates. The idea caught on and the ERP vendors saw value in moving the packages down stream to fit the needs of small and mid-sized firms. In 1996, Builder Software Tools was founded in Canada to provide an ERP solution for construction companies, primarily residential and…
Sustainability starts with the right design, plan, and execution. A major focus is on carbon emissions and their impact on climate. Agencies and organizations worldwide are funding and doing research on ways to mitigate CO2 emissions from existing buildings and those under construction as well as those in the drawing stage. Major suppliers are joining such groups and investing in their research. Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, for example, supports the World Economic Forum in launching the Net-Zero Carbon Cities Building Value Framework, an investment framework for decarbonizing buildings. The purpose of the…
Major construction companies invest significant amounts of money, time, talent, and energy in providing their crews with the latest technology, both in the office and in the field. Understanding the importance of addressing all of the elements of the project in a holistic manner, many companies are including their subcontractors and trade partners in their technology plans. By investing in a blanket licensing agreement so that recurring partners are covered, collaboration is easier and the projects more productive. As an example, Touchplan, a collaborative construction planning technology platform, and The Boldt Co., entered into a definitive enterprise-wide agreement that provides…
Variations of the scuba diver’s motto, “Plan the dive and dive the plan,” have value in many activities. If you can plan it properly, you can anticipate what will happen at every stage of the project. With the ongoing digital transformation of most activities, planning projects with a computer is even easier. Cranes are complex, mechanically and functionally, so having a way to plan their operation in a lift is highly beneficial. For that, welcome Crane Planner 2.0 from Liebherr. Crane Planner 2.0 is the professional lift planning and visualization program for lifting work of all kinds. With the new version,…
New personal technology usually starts out focused on either helping people or entertaining them. Commercial and business applications have higher hopes, perhaps, but in the end, helping people—through companies, governments, and other enterprises—is still the goal. To better help their customers, developers often go the collaboration route, integrating with other segments of the industry to create an even greater value. Done right, the combination can be impressive, helping individuals, companies, and even governments. As people return to their normal activities as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, auto traffic is booming and, as usual, drivers are seeking places to park while cities,…