Author: Laura Black
We are in the middle of a “Hot Construction Technology” series where we are uncovering some of the latest technologies to infiltrate the construction jobsite. So far, we have looked at 5G and AI (artificial intelligence). Today, let’s narrow in on AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), MR (mixed reality), and the metaverse—all of which will change the way construction professionals do business in the years ahead. First, let’s define each, look at some growth projections, and then identify how these technologies will impact the construction industry specifically. Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of a 3D image or environment…
Construction technology is heating up, as the labor market and economy are cooling down. In this blog series, we have already looked at how 5G and AI (artificial intelligence) are directly impacting construction, with very specific examples. Today let’s narrow in on digital twins. Of course, we can’t really talk about digital twins without first talking a bit about BIM (building information modeling), which we have been covering here at Constructech for more than two decades. As we have always said, BIM is a process, which is enabled by technologies to plan, design, and construct homes and buildings. At a…
It can easily be said that AI (artificial intelligence) is one of the most disruptive technologies of this decade, as it is impacting nearly every vertical market—and construction is no exception. For today’s blog in our “Hot Construction Technology” series, let’s narrow deep into the wide world of AI, with very specific examples for construction. Broadly, AI is set to impact nearly every industry, with Gartner forecasting worldwide AI software revenue will total $62.5 billion this year, up 21.3% from 2021. The top five use cases across all industries include knowledge management, virtual assistants, autonomous vehicles, digital workplace, and crowdsourced…
Summer is heating up. Let’s talk about the hottest technologies for construction in a new blog series that will stretch the rest of the summer. Everything from AI (artificial intelligence) to digital twin is having a profound impact on the construction industry—and will continue to do so in the months ahead. We will explore what the future holds and how the technologies will impact construction specifically. Perhaps there is no better place to start than 5G. Without connectivity, most technology won’t work as effectively as possible. At its core, 5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks. Quite…
The supply chain is failing across nearly every vertical—and construction is no exception. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to realign efforts with digital transformation. Or at least that is what one new survey recommends. The report by Sapio Research on behalf of Sana Commerce shows a big disconnect between buyers’ expectations and their actual customer experiences, with more than half of B2B construction buyers reporting suppliers’ websites were missing the mark when it came to meeting their needs. The biggest frustration came in the form of usability and misinformation, with only 25% of respondents having faith in the ability…
As we wrap up our short blog series on time management, time blocking, and time tracking, we must consider what the future of scheduling—and the accompanying technology—will look like for the construction industry in the months ahead. But first let’s look back to look forward. Historically, there have been several different methods used for scheduling construction projects including line of balance, resource-oriented scheduling, the Gantt chart, and more. Perhaps one of the most common still to this day in construction and in other industries is CPM (critical path method). CPM was developed in the late 1950s by James E. Kelley…
Time tracking in construction is not a new concept—the technology has been around for more than two decades, and the practice has been along longer than that. But are construction companies really leveraging the data that comes along with time tracking? Let’s take a look. Naturally, one of the main reasons many construction firms track time is for payroll purposes—but the benefits extend much further than that. Raken App sums the potential benefit up in one sentence: “The whole story, collected from the field.” Using the app, construction professionals can track time, safety talks, production, and more—all from a mobile…
Time blocking is a principle that is as old as time—or at least as old as Benjamin Franklin who was known to be an early adopter of the practice. Franklin detailed the activities he would undertake every hour of the day, including rest and chores. This practice has reportedly been repeated today by people such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Cal Newport, just to name a few. So, what exactly is time blocking and how might it be helpful in construction? The whole concept behind it is you give every hour of the day an activity. Time blockers, as…
Today on The Peggy Smedley Show, I am sitting down with Peggy to discuss my new book, Becoming Resilient Parents, How to Thrive as a Caregiver with a Disabled Child. I have been thinking a lot about some of the principles in the book and how some might apply in construction. The book is divided into two halves: take care of you and take care of your child. While the second half of the book is about the basics of caring for a disabled child (i.e. – IEPs, (individualized educational plan) long-term planning, etc.), the first half is all about…
Inflation is on the rise, and that leaves many businesses with a big decision to make—including those in the construction industry. In order to deal with the steep rise in inflation, is your company increasing prices or investing in the analytics that will ultimately increase productivity and lower labor costs? One analyst has weighed in, with results from a recent survey. In December 2021, Gartner surveyed 400 finance executives. Here’s what it found. The most selected combination of value and technology was self-service data and analytics as a driver of employee productivity. Roughly 49% of respondents indicate this perception of…