Author: Constructech Editors
The accepted wisdom is that there would be no Las Vegas as we know it without the invention of air conditioning. And neon lights. It is also true that there would be no skyscrapers without the invention of the elevator. A five-flight walkup is bad enough without trying a 20-story high rise. But early elevators caused concerns about safety and the decades since those steam-powered lifts were installed in the 1800s have included many safety-related improvements. Rarely do we think about the modern elevators as anything but safe and secure. One reason for this is the dedication of elevator companies…
In construction, efficiency, quality, and safety typically come down to having the right data to make informed decisions. Enter technology, and data-driven services all influenced by the IoT (Internet of Things), and digital innovation. Such is the case for tool tracking in construction and the amazing transformation of services and solutions for the industry. In January, Hilti announced the launch of a new platform that reinvents how construction professionals work daily on jobsites. Nuron tackles health and safety challenges, while also giving contractors the data needed to manage their business more efficiently. Launching with more than 70 products, the battery…
They came, they spoke, they left. But did they accomplish anything? Ranking government members—presidents, prime ministers, finance and environment ministers, and agency heads—along with CEOs of major companies worldwide came to Scotland in November 2021 to discuss the future of the planet. Around 120 leaders came together in Glasgow at COP26, the twenty-sixth UN Climate Change Conference of Parties, launching two weeks of global negotiations to help determine, as the conference guide stated, “whether humanity can drive forward the urgent action needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. As the world experiences record temperatures and extreme weather is pushing the planet…
In construction companies there has been an explosion of “R” recently. From the early AR (augmented reality) to VR (virtual reality) to the latest, XR (extended reality). According to computer giant HP, XR—cross reality or extended reality—is a catchall term for several different but related technologies. It rolls together similar acronyms like VR, AR, and MR (mixed reality). MR has indeed become “a thing,” even in the construction field where technology is often considered a necessity—eventually. How can MR help contractors? Trimble, a staple in the industry, has an answer. Trimble is offering a mixed-reality solution for construction layout with the…
July 2021 earned the unenviable distinction as the world’s hottest month ever recorded, according to NOAA’s (National Centers for Environmental Information). July is typically the world’s warmest month of the year, but July 2021 outdid itself as the hottest July and hottest month ever recorded since records began 142 years ago. This new record adds to the disturbing and disruptive path that climate change has set for the globe. Heat—and cold—at extremes present a problem for those who work outdoors. While exterior construction is often postponed during the coldest days—most outside work can’t be done with the added layers of clothing…
A door is a door is a door isn’t true anymore. The industry has gone from plain to elegant to futuristic and is now solidly in the connected and smart realm. Connected as in online with the home WiFi and smart phone app, smart with built-in technology from major vendors of home automation and security. Masonite Intl Corp., a designer, manufacturer, marketer a,nd distributor of interior and exterior doors, has introduced the Masonite M-Pwr Smart Doors, the first residential exterior doors to integrate power, lights, a video doorbell, and a smart lock into the door system. Each door is connected to the house wiring…
Black & Veatch is an employee-owned engineering, procurement, consulting, and construction company with a track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Recognizing the world needs innovative solutions to counter the ongoing climate crisis, Black & Veatch has selected eight promising start-ups to join its IgniteX Climate Tech Accelerator program, which provides funding and support to companies on the cutting edge of climate technology. The eight start-ups were selected from a pool of nearly 100 applicants and are focused on sustainability solutions ranging from carbon capture and resilient distributed infrastructure to textile recycling and fertilizer production. They come from various locations across the…
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught many lessons to many people. In the construction and architecture fields, a new focus on healthier buildings and environments is a positive from all the COVID negatives. No longer limited to healthcare facilities, the concepts of a healthy indoor environment and strong disease prevention are moving into homes and commercial properties, on the drawing board and under construction. While HVAC and air purification lead the charge for healthier buildings, a more robust structure with fewer entry points for viruses and other illness producing particles is also being investigated. At CES 2022, Piana Technology, a…
Construction has always been a job for people; workers who pour the concrete, walk the beams, dive the cranes, and put up the walls. People who hammer the nails, place the wires, and plumb the plumbing. Or not. Manufactured housing is an example of people being more in the supervisory side of construction and machines, including robotics, do the actual building of the roofs and walls, interior and exterior. In some cases, this philosophy is carried all the way to the jobsite. OFFSITEK, a Charlotte-based integrated construction company, is using robots, steel, and creative partnerships with local municipalities to give first-time…
Money makes the world go around, some say. Relationships make the world go around say others. Combine the two and you can get dizzy going around and around. In technology, though, the combination of funding and partnerships does, indeed, make things happen. Construction, being a niche market, often draws less interest from general software companies, leaving the field to the specialists. Once a product has been proven, however, general investors will come aboard, and like-minded technology companies will sign on as partners or integrators. Take StructionSite, as an example. The company is a provider of intelligent project tracking software for…