Author: Constructech Editors
Diesel engines have a bad reputation for smoking. Over-the-road trucks have been running Diesel engines for decades and the smoke, especially from earlier exhaust pipes, are a distinguishing characteristic. With the massive shift to electric power units for everything with wheels, from bicycles to buses, those smokers are directly in the crosshairs of the environmentalists. Major engine manufacturers, both independent and OEM (original-equipment manufacturer), are seeking ways to minimize the pollution from all engines, especially those that run continuously or for long periods of time unattended. For example, MAN Engines reports all off-road engines from the current product portfolio can…
https://youtu.be/_zRkRlhvn2k AEC (architectural, engineering, and construction) firms and the infrastructure sector are at an inflection point. With the unprecedented demand to address aging infrastructure and new infrastructure investments to drive social and economic benefits worldwide, combined with a growing shortage of talent and skilled labor, AEC firms across the infrastructure lifecycle must do more with less. New technology is a natural place to turn for increases in efficiency and effectiveness—digital transformation promises the ability to work better, faster, with fewer resources, and with better outcomes. According to AEC Advisors, the global AEC market size for all software (not just digital…
While pirates reportedly, in fiction anyway, denoted the place on a map where they buried their treasure as “X marks the spot,” that is hardly the only use of the letter in literature. For example, Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully investigated the “X-Files:” marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. The show kept viewers enthralled for 218 episodes—and two feature length films. The premise was, if nothing else, a view into the present when it was still the future. And the present has its own X, XR (X Reality).” Short for extended reality, it is the convergence of the…
The trucking industry is a critical part of the economy, transporting 71.6% of U.S. goods, totaling $10.4 trillion according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But trucks are also a significant source of pollution, having emitted 7% of U.S. GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions in 2020. The EESI (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) predicts electric trucks can reduce GHG emissions, leading major fleets to commit to transitioning at least 30% of their new heavy-duty truck purchases to be zero-emission vehicles, including electric models, by 2030. For example, Volvo Trucks has signed a letter of intent to sell 1,000 electric trucks between now and 2030 to Holcim, a building…
Construction companies are under intense pressure to run programs efficiently. Increasing costs and complex schedules make it hard to complete projects on time and within budget. Traditional management techniques can’t always deliver the right result. Industry leaders are seeking better methods for managing programs—such as implementing lean construction, which is something Constructech has been writing about for a couple of decades in both manufacturing and construction. Still, if you’re new to this concept, here’s a quick guide to lean construction. Keep reading to learn what it is, why it’s a good idea, and how you can introduce lean construction to…
The growing trend towards green building has been focused on improving the materials used as well as the designs and technology employed. It is no longer thought that technology—the smart- building approach—is enough to prepare for the future and assure there is a future. New and old materials are explored, changes to them experimented with, and the results shared across national boundaries. This is becoming the norm across the world and particularly in Asia where research universities are leading the way to a greener future. Rated one of the “smartest cities,” Singapore is a city state that gained independence from…
Companies in the technology arena are often more flexible than the old-line machinery-oriented firms. “Inter” is a byword: interoperability, interface, and interlocked technologies make each partner benefit. When a big job comes along, find a ready partner and bid. Aberdeen, Scotland-based DDK Positioning is a case in point. DDK Positioning offers delivery of precise GNSS positioning services to a number of markets, including marine and offshore survey, construction, and IoT (Internet of Things). The GNSS (global navigation satellite systems) correction solution enables clients to precisely locate and track their assets globally. While standard positioning accuracy through a system like GPS…
Race car drivers and motorcycle riders wear them. Many sports—hockey, football, even baseball—require them. Even kids on bicycles wear them. So why aren’t helmets—brain buckets in the vernacular of racing—a part of the construction jobsite safety program? The first response is usually, “We do insist on hard hats.” Every day at jobsites around the globe, construction workers walk past a “Hard Hat Required” placard—a reminder to put on their protective headgear before proceeding into areas where falling debris, low beams, or other perils could be lurking. It was in the 1970s, when OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Admin.) was created, that the hard…
The construction industry has had its share of challenges in recent years, including supply-chain issues and price increases all while navigating a qualified worker shortage. Meanwhile construction projects are becoming increasingly complex, leading to contractors taking on increasing levels of risk. Luckily, technology can help bridge the current skills gap. The problem is many contractors are not taking full advantage of the technologies that are available to them. Technology utilization has long been a pain point in the construction industry. Construction has historically been slower to invest in new technologies and when contractors do invest in new technology, they often…
Finding ways to heat and cool residential and commercial buildings while maintaining environmental and climate concerns is a balancing act that many contractors must deal with. Architects design; engineers, academics, and scientists research and develop; contractors build; and consumers hope the end results will be efficient and affordable. And the research goes on. With about 12% of the total global energy demand coming from heating and cooling homes and businesses, the field is both dynamic and fluid. And fluid is a good word for it as a new study suggests that using underground water to maintain comfortable temperatures could reduce…