Tech Transforms the Trades

The construction trades, for many, evoke contractors unrolling huge blueprints, or the sound of power tools and heavy equipment. These days, you’re just as likely to encounter a contractor reviewing plans on an iPad, a foreman documenting work on a smartphone and the sound of drones capturing images overhead. 

Contractors and tradespeople are leveraging powerful software and hardware to find efficiencies, reduce costs, prevent injuries and improve the finished product.

“Construction is still very much a hands-on business, and it still needs a lot of people to do the work,” says Geoff Spitzer, vice president of design and development for Chinburg Properties in Newmarket. “When I think of how technology improves that work, the biggest allows for the efficient coordination of all those different people and different parts of the project.”

Architects and designers develop plans and contractors and countless tradespeople work to carry out that vision in the field, often with their own specialized niche, such as plumbing or electrical. Dozens and sometimes hundreds of people must come together to make the project a success.

Now, for a second, consider what happens when someone on the job site discovers a problem with the HVAC design on a half-built building, or a plumber hits a steel beam trying to install a water pipe. Not long ago, such a snag likely would require the creation of new plans, slowdowns on the jobsite waiting for the updates, and likely a dreaded change order that adds cost and time to the project.

Streamlining Flow of Info
New digital tools emerged more than a decade ago to prevent scenarios like this from happening, and they have become common at jobsites. Cloud-based software programs from Procore Technologies and others have revolutionized the flow of information at the worksite.

“One of the ways technology has evolved in our industry is in the management of the data,” says Preston Hunter, vice president of Eckman Construction in Bedford.

Construction is surprisingly paperwork heavy. Large scale projects require reports, documentation of work, tracking of materials and tools, and organization of photos that can be shared with the project owner. Software programs like Procore have streamlined that process.

Crews onsite can access the software on a smartphone or tablet, snap photos onsite and upload reports. The software also allows them to document potential problems in real time and receive plan updates immediately rather than waiting for new paper blueprints to arrive. Tradespeople involved with different aspects of the project can be kept in the loop as the project evolves.

The app also can be used to track tools and equipment, track progress and stay on top of unfinished tasks. Punch-list items that arise at the end of a project can quickly be identified and routed to the right subcontractor. Numerous other tools are available to track the project from start to finish.

“What we are seeing now is the plans are really a living document,” Hunter says. “Now, this web-based technology puts this latest and greatest information at their fingertips so when they are in the field, they know they are always looking at the most current information.”

Imaging Tech and 3-D Models
Changes to the design side of construction have been equally significant in recent years. Consider a project to renovate an old textile mill like the ones that have helped revitalize Dover, Manchester and other NH communities. Now, imagine that whatever plans existed for these century-old spaces are likely long gone, and so are any showing what renovations were completed over the years.

Not long ago, figuring out the interiors of these structures was incredibly labor intensive, requiring lots of time. These days, a single person can perform the same work within a day or two using advanced lidar imaging equipment. These devices use lasers to scan an entire space, capturing the walls, staircases, railings, ductwork and various nooks and crannies. In most cases, the resulting data is accurate to within 1/100th of an inch.

Those scans can be collected using software programs that create 3-D models of a particular space. Lidar scanning of multiple spaces within a single building can be stitched together through a process known as photogrammetry to create 3-D models of a building that can be shared with the customer well before construction starts.

“We are pretty much building the building before we’re actually breaking ground and building the building,” says Jay Eddings, virtual design and construction coordinator at PROCON, a design-build construction company in Hooksett.

These 3-D models are more than just pretty visuals on a computer screen. These reproductions can incorporate critical internal systems such as plumbing, electrical, structural and HVAC. Partners can see how their systems interact with other building components to spot potential design issues—and fix them—long before shovels ever hit the dirt.

Navisworks is a technology that allows users to open and combine 3-D models and to navigate around them in real time to coordinate the project, says Hunter of Eckman Construction.

“This technology is an example of something that is saving time, reducing change orders and costs, and allowing all these different trades to coordinate and collaborate long before ever stepping foot on the jobsite,” says Hunter.

Matterport is yet another technology that allows for the creation of the 3-D spaces used in virtual tours. “It is as if they are walking through the building,” says Rachael Hanlon, building information modeling/virtual design and construction manager for PROCON. “They can see everything in clear color, they can spin 360 degrees and look up or down and even move through the building.”

Drones
Drones, too, have become another versatile tool. Kevin Salemi, the marketing manager for Lewis Builders Development in Atkinson, began using drones in 2016 after acquiring the necessary licenses and training. Initially, he used the drone to capture aerial photos of finished projects. It didn’t take long to recognize other uses beyond just marketing.

These days, Lewis uses drone imagery for surveying and mapping, managing site logistics and calculating the volumes of materials at the worksites, among other uses. Aerial images also can be used for documentation and for tracking progress of a project over time. “It is really helpful to have those references from the sky,” he says.

The Rise of AI
Artificial intelligence also has gained a foothold in construction. Matt Abeles, vice president of construction technology and innovation for the trade group Associated Builders and Contractors, says AI is the “number one topic of interest” among its members.

Existing software programs such as Procore have already implemented Microsoft AI tools to improve safety and efficiency at the jobsite. And ChatGPT, the wildly successful chatbot developed by OpenAI, can review job photos to help ensure crews are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. It also can look for safety violations.

“A lot of these tools are brand new,” says Abeles, noting that AI is still in its infancy within construction but growing rapidly. “It is changing how business development is done, it is changing how people are looking at buildings and changing how people are looking
at safety.”

The construction trades, for many, evoke contractors unrolling huge blueprints, or the sound of power tools and heavy equipment. These days, you’re just as likely to encounter a contractor reviewing plans on an iPad, a foreman documenting work on a smartphone and the sound of drones capturing images overhead. 

Procore has tools that let companies track safety over longer periods. AI tools can review huge datasets to identify and potentially predict what safety issues might arise, according to Chris Russell, director of information systems and process development for Engelberth Construction, which has offices in Vermont and NH.

“Customers can use historical data to start projecting incidents and safety issues based on historic data,” he says, adding that companies also can track their own safety records against industry standards.

Wearable Tech
Wearable technology is also showing potential for construction. Smart hard hats can track workers’ locations within a jobsite, and smart safety glasses with augmented reality capabilities can overlay 3-D modeling right into the lenses to improve accuracy.

“The technology is there, and the ability is there,” Russell says, noting that adoption rates vary widely within the trades. “It is definitely expanding drastically, particularly as the new generation grows up with iPads and iPhones.”