Category: <span>Technology</span>

Category: Technology

Most contractors believe technology can help with risk management

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By NRCA.

A new report from Dodge Data & Analytics in partnership with Triax Technologies and the International Risk Management Institute shows about three-quarters of contractors believe technologies such as wearables and sensors can help them prevent occupational risks, including construction defects, general liability and property damage, according to www.constructiondive.com.

Among the 135 contractors surveyed, 80 were general contractors, construction managers or design-builders and 55 were specialty trade contractors.

The Using Technology to Improve Risk Management in Construction study found wearables—which include movement sensors, biometric monitoring devices and augmented reality headsets—were one of the top two emerging technology types that can add value regarding risk management.

One respondent said: “Going forward, it is going to be standard operating procedure that when you show up to work, you get issued your wearable, and go along as you’ve always done, but there’s data being collected that will be used to mitigate those risks.”

The second emerging technology was visual auditing, which involves pairing job-site photos or videos with artificial intelligence to detect deviations or risk sources—sometimes in real time—that a human worker may not notice.

Although nearly 60% of respondents are “highly engaged” with technology to conduct employee training, other areas of risk management lack wider technology adoption; technology use ranges from 44% to 47% for safety documentation, job hazard analysis and worker certifications.

Nearly all respondents said they want to be able to digitally collect and analyze safety and risk data, but more than one-third still do not. Resources appear to be the main barrier, and only 19% of respondents include data analytics as part of their budget.

The report found 90% of contractors do not specifically budget for innovation, which can lead to inconsistency in the way companies handle new technology expenses. Regarding technology, firms are most attracted to ease of use (79%), costs (73%) and the training or support that accompanies the product (51%).

Source: NRCA

Construction industry uses simulations to help recruit young workers

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As the construction industry works to build a younger workforce, it is trying to attract teenagers with realistic computer simulators of heavy machines such as bulldozers, cranes and excavators, according to www.sfgate.com.

As Baby Boomers retire, the construction industry continues to face a labor shortage as construction projects are booming. More than three-quarters of U.S. construction firms said they were having a hard time filling some of or all their positions, according to a survey released in January by the Associated General Contractors of America. Thirty percent said worker shortages were the biggest concern for their firms—by far the most pressing of 16 issues presented.

And the industry is facing another challenge as it tries to fill positions by recruiting younger workers—many are not interested. Many young people have been encouraged to consider college as the only option after high school, and others are wary after the industry was hit hard by the Great Recession. To appeal to the younger generation, some construction companies, unions and schools have turned to simulators that replicate jobs done by heavy equipment, such as pushing dirt or lifting steel.

Simulators are made to offer immersive experiences. Most have real controls in the proper locations to help users develop muscle memory, and the sounds are reproduced accurately.

Trey Henry, a 17-year-old senior at the Academy for Career Education trade school in Reno, Nev., attends a simulator program at the Nevada chapter of Associated General Contractors that serves as training for him and scouting for his instructors, who work for area construction companies. Rather than simply pushing a button, to start an excavator simulator, Henry must turn a key, increase the throttle speed, engage the hydraulic lock and buckle his seat belt.

“I was on the excavator and digging a trench, and I got stuck a little bit, and it jerks you like you’re stuck,” Henry says. “You actually feel the chair moving when you pull the dirt.”

The excavator has three screens and also can be used with a virtual reality headset that produces a 360-degree view. Two pedals operate the tracks, and joysticks move the boom and open the bucket.
Henry has spent about seven hours on the simulators and says his experience has persuaded him to pursue a career working with heavy machinery.

Several students at the Fulton Schools College and Career Academy outside Atlanta said they determined the construction industry was not for them after challenging experiences using a crane simulator, which required precision, depth perception and hand-eye coordination.

“You had to understand people’s lives were in danger,” says Christopher Sparks, 17. “I felt like every time you hit something, it would move in a certain way so you would have to restart every time. It was like a video game on hard.”

Source: NRCA.

New construction strategy is to build the roof first and raise it floor by floor

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By Karen L Edwards, RT3.

The technology offers the installation of the roof as soon as possible followed by a lift system featuring modern and safe handling tools.

Building Design + Construction reported that ‘this alternative process for building tall concrete or steel buildings consists of a mobile permanent roof, a roof lifting mechanism, a protective enclosure, and a high-capacity hoist.’

According to information on the company’s website (upbrella.com) the technique allows for the construction of multi-story buildings without cranes and starting with a mobile, permanent roof. The roof can then be raised by a lift system which allows for the creation of a construction area. A carrier is used to transport workers and materials to the construction area.

Next, a protective enclosure made of metal and canvas is installed up to the parapet, sheltering the construction site against adverse weather while the roof lifting mechanism allows for the roof to be moved upward as each story is completed.

In theory, this allows for floors to be built, sold and occupied while construction of additional floors can continue in sync with the sales cycle or pause if needed. The mobile, permanent roof can remain on the building if it has the desired geometry or it can be adapted at the end of the project. See the technology in action in this company video.

Upbrella says that this new technology brings many benefits to the project, including:

  • Eliminating irritants of open construction
  • Reducing business risks associated with pace of sales
  • Lowering insurance costs
  • Taking weather out of the equation with no lost work days
  • Reducing disruption and allowing the occupation during the construction process to optimize occupation rates.

Upbrella Construction is a subsidiary of 3L Innogenie and a certified general contractor for Upbrella Technology. 3L Innogenie is a team of engineering specialists who develop products and technology for the construction industry.

Stay up-to-date with the latest technology stories related to the roofing industry when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief e-news.

Finding the right combination of tech for your business is an ongoing process

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RCS Influencer Heidi J. Ellsworth says to take the time to constantly evaluate your company’s software.

What is our technology stack at the Coffee Shop? Well let me tell you, it has changed a lot in the last three years. First of all, when we asked our RCS Influencers what their technology stack is, we wanted to know what software they were using for their business and how it all works together. For Vickie and me, it has been a challenging road to find and utilize the right combination of software for our business and we are still working on it.

I share that because we are technically a technology company, but we are also a publishing company and, in the end, Vickie and I always say, we are in the roofing industry. So, as you look at the multiple hats that all companies in roofing wear it means finding several solutions to get the right fit. For contractors, as many of our RCS Influencers have noted, it takes time.

One of the interesting challenges we have is working with the dual systems of Microsoft and Apple. It is so frustrating when they do not communicate well – especially with meeting notices. So, then someone says “just use Google calendars” but now that is three systems. Where does it end?

RoofersCoffeeShop® is a virtual company with our team living across the United States so we have to look at how we can all communicate without going crazy. We have adapted to make it work for both Microsoft and Apple, focusing on cloud-based systems like Basecamp (project management), Google Docs and Dropbox. That stack is just about communication and projects.

Then we look at the website and a whole new stack of software comes into play including our new custom website software, Google Analytics, Mail Chimp and Survey Monkey. It is a lot to manage and we have an amazing team that keeps it going in the right direction under the leadership of Vickie Sharples. But it has taken three years to find the right combination and we are still tweaking it.

My advice overall is to constantly look at what is working and what is not working. If software systems do not play well together, figure out how to make a change so it works. We can waste an incredible amount of time trying to put a square software in a round hole. Taking the time to make changes to your stack to make it work for your employees is critical for your business and sanity.

Heidi Ellsworth is owner of HJE Consulting Group and a partner in RoofersCoffeeShop.com.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop.

Wearables can improve worker safety and health

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At this year’s International Roofing Expo, there was plenty to see on the show floor with technology being a key focus. In fact, the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) presented a contractor panel where they discussed emerging technologies as well as existing ones and how these solutions are making an impact on their businesses.

Discussions focused on how augmented reality will change field service, how robotics and automation both on the roof and in the air will impact the industry, how GPS and other tracking can save thousands and how technology will change the way the industry interacts with home and building owners as well as with insurance companies.

One solution that has a promising outlook for the industry is the use of wearable technology to improve worker safety. The wearable technology can be as simple as a GPS tracker in a safety vest that can send an instant alert when a worker enters a predefined danger area on a job site, such as being within so many feet of the roof perimeter. There are exoskeletons that have been created to assist workers with lifting heavy loads, thus reducing the chances of back injuries or strains.

While visiting Microsoft’s Internet of Things (IOT) lab last fall with RT3, we saw smart helmets that could detect impacts and wearable monitors that could track workers’ vital signs such as heart rate and body temperature – valuable information that can let you know when a worker should stop and take a break.

While all of this data can be lifesaving, contractors implementing the use of these devices should be prepared to ensure that their workers’ privacy and data is protected. The good news is that most companies that are providing a technology solution should have the infrastructure in place to make sure that the data is protected, and privacy remains intact. However, as we have seen time and again, data breaches are not uncommon in this day and age.

RT3 member Trent Cotney of Cotney Construction Law said that contractors using new wearable technologies to keep employees out of harm’s way should revise their employee manuals to provide information on how to properly use the wearable technology. Further, contractors should include in employee manuals that the wearable technology will better assist in keeping employees safe, but that it is not a guarantee and the workers should still exercise caution when performing dangerous activities or working in hazardous areas.

The World Wide Web just celebrated its 30th birthday and we have seen so many changes over those 30 years. We’re excited to see what’s coming next and how worker safety will benefit from new, emerging technologies. Stay up to date on the latest news in the industry when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief newsletter.

Roofing manufacturer’s robotic arm improved safety and created a more diverse workforce

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By David Huval, RoofConnect and RT3 member.

OMG Roofing Products recently hosted the RT3 Live Meetup at its headquarters in Agawam, Massachusetts where RT3 members were treated to hearing from employees Todd Emmonds on the company’s use of robotics and automation in production and Peter Shadwell on their rapid prototyping process in their research and development department.

Sometimes you have to take a leap

RT3 members learned that OMG dedicated massive resources into becoming one of the most innovative manufacturers of roofing products in the industry. They decided to “take a leap of faith” and buy a robotic arm they could study and develop even though they didn’t have any previous experience with robotics.

The company was searching for a way to eliminate the repetitive motion that an employee was subject to by removing six pounds of fasteners from the production line every few seconds and placing them in the packaging. They put massive effort and resources into coding, programming and developing the robotic arm.

After rigorous testing, the robotics were introduced on the production line, creating increased productivity while simultaneously making a safer and healthier environment for their employees.  OMG’s use of automation and robotics created new career opportunities for women and older workers in roles that used to be filled by men, due to the physical nature involved.

3D printing for prototypes

OMG has an innovative and dedicated research and development department that encourages “wild ideas” from all employees. The company uses industry-leading innovation and techniques to develop new products for the industry in-house. Using computer programs like CAD, paired with 3D printers and CNC machines, they can develop and test new products much faster and with less capital investment than ever before.

After prototypes are 3D printed, they are subject to rigorous testing in OMG’s in-house testing lab which simulates all kinds of conditions and stresses that the products could potentially be subject to in the field.

Headquartered in Agawam, Mass., OMG Roofing Products is a leading manufacturer of commercial roofing products including specialty fasteners, insulation adhesives, drains, pipe supports, edge metal systems and innovative productivity tools. The company’s focus is delivering products and services that improve contractor productivity and enhance roof system performance. For additional information please visit OMGRoofing.com.

Learn more about membership in RT3 at www.rt3thinktank.com.

David Huval leads the marketing efforts for RoofConnect.

First-time attendee’s perspective of an RT3 Live Meetup

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By Ryan Bogert, Estimating Edge.

Each and every person in the room was passionate about technology and making the industry a better place.

I recently had the opportunity to attend my first meeting with the RT3 group, at the OMG facilities in Agawam, MA. As someone who has been involved with the roofing industry for close to 20 years and who works for a technology company, I was very excited to join this group.

I was asked to submit a document describing my top 5 takeaways from the meeting with OMG. I first want to just say that being in the room with so many roofing industry professionals who are all so passionate about the industry as well as passionate about incorporating and taking advantage of technology within the industry was astounding. Having the ability to have face-to-face interactions with these people was worth the trip itself. It is also amazing to really see the thought process behind this group and the mission that each and every person in that room has, to make the roofing industry a great place to be and to make it attractive to others that may be looking for a new future.

That brings me to my first takeaway from the meeting itself. It was a pleasure to meet Reid Ribble, NRCA CEO, and to hear him speak about the NRCA and what they have been working on. Among many other things, Reid described an initiative that the NRCA is working on to create a professional certification program that will become available to roofing professionals.

The idea behind this program is directly tied to the idea of making the roofing industry a more attractive industry to recruit new workers to. Giving people the ability to become certified and eventually becoming a “Master Certified Roofing Professional” will certainly be a great step in drawing highly qualified candidates into the market and I look forward to seeing this initiative take off.

Below are just a few of the takeaways that I had the privilege of learning directly from the OMG team:

  • The idea of giving the freedom to all of their employees to come up with “Wild Ideas” about how to better the company. This could include things that may make for a better working environment or even as far as new product ideas. The fact that they listen to their employees and even have a standard path set for them to share their ideas was really great to see.
  • I enjoyed seeing the methods that are used at OMG to take a new idea from conception all the way through to the finalization of the product/process. The methods that they use can really be utilized for any type of company and really seem to make sense for a streamlined decision-making process.
  • They talked about introducing robotics into their manufacturing process and how they came to the realization that they needed to just “take a leap of faith” and jump into it to try to solve some of the problems that they were dealing with. I thought that this mentality really fit perfectly, when it comes to incorporating new technologies into any business, there certainly can be a need to ask people to take a leap of faith that this new technology is going to work and learning from others experiences can certainly make that leap just a bit easier to make.
  • It was quite impressive to see the resulting efforts that the incorporation of LEAN manufacturing and Six Sigma methods have added to the efficiency of daily operations at OMG. It was very clear to see that these efforts have created a very well-oiled machine, I’m sure, resulting in less downtime and higher productivity.

Once again, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to join RT3 group and I look forward to continuing to learn from and hopefully contributing to the success of this group and helping to make our mission a reality for the entire roofing community.

Ryan Bogert is Director of Product and Customer Success at Estimating Edge and a member of RT3.

Use technology as leverage to grow your roofing business

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RCS Influencer and RT3 member Wendy Marvin says that when considering technology, ask around.

Technology is the leverage we use in our roofing businesses. It can administer tasks faster, store data, provide calculations, and so much more. Technology and all the changes and headaches that it can bring, is necessary for a growing business.

We live in a world of information. Where names, details, numbers, and data are just plain too much for our brains to hold and still remain functional. Ever have someone say, you have too many balls in the air and you’re dropping some? Technology can be a handy helper to eliminate this problem.

In business – technology is necessary. You need an accounting mechanism, even if it’s an excel spreadsheet, to assess the health of your business. We started with the standard accounting software that’s available online and desktop. It’s robust for reporting and keeps accounts payable and accounts receivable updated. You can balance your checkbook here too. Problems arise however, as you grow with data growing exponentially with your company growth. Slogging through all that data to give you daily information takes a robust backend program. Most starting programs just can’t handle the load. Moving to a new system means hoping you chose an old system that allows exporting of data in a manner that’s usable by your new system.

All in all, although difficult and frustrating, I recommend that when choosing technology for your business, you consider your future growth and try to head off the frustrations of working with multiple systems that don’t talk to each other. Currently, my office has three places they have to place information before a bid can be processed. The process is inefficient and costly. We are designing our own system, to hold massive amounts of data, and then add apps around that data to allow us to run our business with efficiency and exceptional customer service.

In operations – technology is also necessary IF you want to remain competitive and grow your business.

  • Distribution: We work with an app that confirms time and site of deliveries, show us pictures of the load and gives us the ability to pick up additional materials and add to the PO for a current job. Most larger distribution companies now produce such apps for free.
  • Estimating: We use satellite-based apps that gather accurate information for us. Our program notifies the customer when we’re on the way, it gives our estimators a GPS map to follow, and sends and receives notes and pictures live. We are also currently in working towards our Drone pilot certification. We see drones as a “get going or get left behind” type of technology in our industry.
  • Payroll: We’re moving to an app for payroll. Instead of messy, water spotted and poorly written time cards, our data will now be supplied via geo-fencing (address is gathered when they’re on site) and show that the roofing professionals has done the “clock in, clock out” onsite. Yes, we still have to verify data, but it won’t be ten hours of trying to get the information we need to process payroll. Again, efficiency and cost savings for our company.

When considering technology, ask around. Identify the needs of your company (ask employees), and then find a company that meets most of those needs. Expect customer service, as you’ll need help setting up your company with whatever they offer. Technology is expensive and choosing incorrectly can be frustrating. Most of all, be patient with yourself, and with your employees. We all have barriers to learning new things, but by sharing the payoff, and savings of technology, our employees often become advocates and assist us through the process.

Wendy Marvin is CEO of Matrix Roofing. See her full bio here.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop®

Study suggests autonomous robots working together are the industry’s next big thing

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By Karen L. Edwards.

Collective robotic construction (CRC) specifically concerns embodied, autonomous, multirobot systems that modify a shared environment according to high-level, user-specified goals.

A Science Robotics study published this March states that ‘the increasing need for safe, inexpensive, and sustainable construction, combined with novel technological enablers, has made large-scale construction by robot teams an active research area.’

The study notes that 54% of the human population currently live in cities and that number is expected to grow to 66% by 2050. The researchers feel that collective robotics can help meet the construction demand in the midst of an ongoing labor shortage. CRC could also make construction safer for workers, with the Department of Labor citing that 20% of all worker injuries occur in construction.

The researchers were inspired by the extensive use of collective construction in nature for building nests, protection barriers, traps and mobility scaffolds. Where animal construction relies on reactive behaviors and ‘low-bandwidth communication,’ robots can rely on high-resolution sensors, high-speed communication and GPS to communicate their exact location for completing specific tasks.

Construction materials used in CRC are divided into two categories – discrete and continuous. Discrete materials would be square, rectangular or homogenous bricks, struts and sandbags. Continuous materials would be things like two-component foam, concrete and fibers.

The study says that “challenges pertain to CRC hardware, especially in relation to coordination, communication, and multimodal sensing.” The robots need to be able to adequately communicate and coordinate with nearby robots for success. “As more advanced sensors such as radar, depth cameras, laser imaging and ranging systems, and GPS become cheaper and more readily accessible, they may play a bigger role in the field. ”

The researchers reference two published systems, UAVs and climbing robots,  that can be used to develop a metric that measures constructed volume relative to time, the number of robots used and the volumetric size of each robot. “A flying robot [UAV] has higher energy expenditure and lower payload than a climbing robot but may fly directly between material cache and deposition sites. Reversely, climbing robots can carry more but have to traverse through previous construction.”

The study is the first step in really determining how robotics can make an impact in construction. Further study is needed to develop performance metrics, evaluate the reliability of CRC and it’s ability to adapt to changes in movement, or expected behaviors of the other robots. There also needs to be more research in order to determine where humans fit into the CRC picture to oversee work, make adjustments and corrections when there is an error and in the support and maintenance of the robots.

Read the full study here.