Tag: <span>Construction</span>

Tag: Construction

How an idea at a homebuilders association meeting grew into a statewide skilled trades initiative

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By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

Iowa Skilled Trades was started in 2017 to address the labor shortage and encourage youth to consider a career in the trades.

We love learning about new initiatives that will have a positive impact on the future of the roofing industry so when RoofersCoffeeShop® partner, Vickie Sharples, shared with me an organization she came across on Instagram, we knew we wanted to know more about them. The group she found is called Iowa Skilled Trades.

A visit to their website told me that this group is “A Team of Industry Pros Bringing Initiatives, Education & Awareness to Skilled Trades in Iowa.” We wanted to know more – what were they doing, how were they doing it, how did they get started?
To answer these questions, I had the opportunity to have a phone interview with Brandon Patterson CSP, CGP, CAPS, Workforce Development for the Home Builders Association of Iowa (HBAI), the group behind the Iowa Skilled Trades initiative. Brandon only recently joined the staff at the HBAI after having served on the board and as a volunteer for many years. He grew up in a family plumbing business and that is how he came to be a board member at HBAI.

Brandon said that every year, they would get together for their board meetings and talk about the need for builders, tradesman and craftsman, but that no one ever really seemed to do anything about it. “We are fans of the programs out there that support the development of interest in the trades, such as SkillsUSA and Keep Craft Alive, but we felt like our investment in those programs wasn’t making an impact in Iowa and we wanted a local initiative,” explained Brandon.

“A few years ago, we kind of got this crazy idea to make something happen. We got together with our local industry and started privately funding a program at one of our schools here in Des Moines called Central Academy that does industry-specific training for high schoolers. It could be nursing, aviation, pathology, CSI but they didn’t have an organized skilled trades program, so we raised the money to provide the funding to establish a skilled trades curriculum there.”

Their goal was to raise $900,000 to cover the first three years, but after getting started they realized they were going to need a little more for classroom build outs and other costs. They ended up raising $1.6 million and the school now has plumbing, HVAC, drywall, flooring, welding, framing, roofing and more. “We are in the process of switching over the curriculum to NCCER, which is a more of a widely utilized curriculum by both unions and non-unions,” said Brandon. “Year one will be core classes and the second and third year is where they specialize in a trade.”

Brandon said that after they raised the money to get the program in place, he was frustrated that so many people had no idea that the program existed and wanted to get the word out. They invited Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame to visit and speak about not only the need for skilled trades but to talk about what he saw at Central Academy and other Iowa programs. They organized a fundraising event that brought more than 1,600 people together and raised enough money for the group to continue their momentum. They put the nearly $90,000 that the event raised into scholarship funds to help cover costs for smaller programs such as the Professional Women in Building’s summer day camps for kids.

Their next initiative is called “Build my Future.” These are hands-on construction career days that are being held in four cities across the state of Iowa. The goal is to reach 4,500 youth and adults in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapid/Iowa City and Quad Cities. “It’s a career fair but it’s hands on,” explained Brandon. “We’ve got roofing, plumbing, carpentry, welding, heavy equipment and we also have AR and VR. We want people to understand there is a tech component to it as well.”

The kids come from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the day and then from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. the event features an adult job fair. “We partner with other groups including the FFA, Scouts, SkillsUSA and other groups to try to bring the kids through the doors. Our goal is to expand next year into two or three additional locations.”

“Like everything we do at Iowa Skilled Trades, this event is not just builder specific,” Brandon said. “We have collaborated with union shops, commercial and residential associations, department of education, workforce development programs and others to make sure we are representing everything this industry has to offer. We like to make sure we are making a big lasting impact on the students with our events and from there let the student decide which path best suits them.”

They’ve also gotten very involved in supporting Professional Women in Building, partnering with them to host educational events, an award-winning girls’ construction camp and to develop tool kits for schools – including visits to the schools by members.

Iowa Skilled Trades began in 2017 under the HBAI educational corporation and their goal is to establish themselves as a separate entity so they can expand their reach beyond the community of HBA members. In just two years’ time they have seen tremendous interest and success.

Learn more about them at www.iowaskilledtrades.com.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop

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

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. 

Get your employees on board with roofing technology

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By Meghan Breem for AccuLynx.

No one likes change. It takes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to basically re-learn everything you already knew. But in the world of technology, change is inevitable. Everyday there’s some app or newfangled gadget designed to make like a little simpler. And the roofing industry is no exception.

While these changes for roofers are helpful (and necessary), some team members aren’t always the most excited when it comes to updating their processes. This kind of resistance can make it hard to fully implement new changes as well as affecting morale across the office. Here are some ways you can help implement these changes without scaring off employees.

Explain the Benefits
Before anyone can shoot down the idea of new technology, it’s important to be able to explain why you are making these changes. Employees may not see the need for any upgrades if they are unaware of current performance and overall business goals.

Take some time to prepare an outline of where the company currently is and what you would like to see in the future. That could mean anything from adding more locations to increasing revenue.
When you are able to provide your employees with these kinds of details, they are able to have a better understanding of just how important implementing roofing technology is for the business. You can also explain that the more the company succeeds, the more money that goes into their pockets.

Provide Education
Making sure your team understands how your new roofing software works is the first step to being successful. This can range from providing one on one training with team leaders for department specific functionality to educating the entire company on each feature.

Start off by addressing the updates to all of the employees who will be using the new software. Plan to give them a high-level demonstration so they are aware of how each part affects each team. You should then meet with each team separately to give them a more detailed description, go over functionality and explain how it will affect their day to day activities.

Promote Consistency
The hardest part of implementing new roofing technology is making sure everyone is using it. Some team members can easily fall into old habits, leaving more room for missing or duplicate information.
Maybe you have an office staff member who prefers tracking project statuses with Excel spreadsheets and isn’t comfortable with any type of tools that use automation. Remind them of the benefits by letting them know that while the process is changing, they no longer have to stress about errors, working late to meet deadlines, or waiting for someone to submit missing paperwork. All of these things are added in the system instantly.

Stay up to date on the latest roofing technology news when you sign up for Smart Brief.

Source: AccuLynx.

Hackers Take Over Construction Cranes

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By Karen L. Edwards, RoofersCoffeeShop® Editor.

Implementing technology on worksites has many advantages but its important to be aware of the risks and take steps to prevent malicious attacks.

Forbes reported recently that research hackers successfully took over a large construction crane using just a laptop, some code and some radio hardware. The hackers, Federico Maggi and Marco Balduzzi, saw their first successful takeover happen in Italy where they convinced a construction site manager to let them try to take over the crane.

The manager turned off the transmitter used for controlling the crane and put it into a stop state. The hackers went to work and seconds later they were operating the crane. Working on behalf of Japanese cybersecurity firm Trend Micro, the hackers made it into 14 locations where they successfully hacked into devices that controlled the cranes and also other equipment such as excavators, scrapers and other large machinery.

It became clear that the companies manufacturing the tools are going to need to take steps to secure the equipment from attacks. The hackers pinpointed a vulnerability in the communication between the equipment and the controllers. The data packers traveling through the airwaves had very little or even no security at all. In fact, the two stated in their paper about their findings that remote-controlled toy cars or remote door locks contained more security than the equipment controllers.  They even found that they could check traffic over various radio frequencies and detect what devices were currently in use and whether or not they were vulnerable to attack.

According to Forbes, there were seven manufacturers whose devices were vulnerable to the attackers: Saga, CircuitDesig, Juuko, Autec, Hetronic, Elca and Telecrane. This research presents a potentially very dangerous situation to construction sites and workers using automated equipment or remotely controlled devices.

It’s good to note that fixes have been rolling out over the last year thanks to Trend Micro’s work with the U.S. government-funded Computer Emergency Response Teams that are alerting manufacturers to the risks so they will patch the vulnerabilities.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop

Keeping Up with Roofing Technology in 2019: Mobile Applications & Software Integrations

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A Q&A session with Lynn Foster, RT3 Member and Director of Operations for AccuLynx.

By Kate Foster.

New technology is continuing to shape the roofing industry, but it can be difficult for contractors to evaluate and implement the right solutions for their business.

There are many options to consider, but specifically for small to medium roofing companies, AccuLynx Director of Operations, Lynn Foster, believes growth can be achieved by focusing on mobile applications and software integrations.

Mobile Applications:

From cell phones, to tablets, to e-readers, there really is an app for everything.

Of course, the next place they are taking over is the business world, and that includes the roofing industry. The ability to work out of the office or while on a job-site saves companies time and money as well as providing flexibility for both employees and customers.

What are some apps that roofers should be using the field?

Roofers should be using the apps that help them do their job more efficiently. CRM mobile apps (like AccuLynx), aerial measurements, tracking expenses, time clocks, PDF scanners, notes, call recording – all of these individually can make contractors more productive.

How do CRM’s with mobile applications like AccuLynx help roofing businesses?

Roofers no longer need to rely on their paper files to get access the information they need. They don’t even need to carry around a laptop. Having shared access to all of your estimates, aerial measurements, material orders, contracts, warranties – all in one place – means you’re never digging for the information you need.

When your business information can be transferred instantaneously from device to device, person to person, you eliminate down-time and ensure that you’re never working off of outdated information.

What is a real-life example?

Let’s say you’re on the job, and a homeowner has a question about a change order they placed. But, you don’t have the paper copy with you. While this may have once caused a problem, necessitating someone to go to the office and pick up a copy, it is no problem when you have mobile access to your office. Being able to access all of the documentation associated with a job right from your phone gives roofers the ability to answer homeowner questions, check material delivery schedules, find insurance information – everything, right at your fingertips.

Software Integrations:

The other upcoming technology trend for the roofing industry is software integration. Now that many roofing technology companies, such as AccuLynx, SkyMeasure, EagleView, and SalesRabbit have emerged and found their footing, they have begun to partner to create platforms that fulfill all your roofing needs. Just like a toolbox, these partnerships combine countless uses, from organizing your information and directly ordering supplies to taking aerial measurements and improving your sales techniques, into to one easy to use kit.

Aside from having all of your tools in one spot, the biggest benefit of integration is the efficiency it creates. When all of the companies you use are integrated, you can electronically share information between them, eliminating the need to re-enter information into each different platform. Automated processes also help you cut down on errors because information gets directly transferred from one application to another. Not only does this improve your accuracy, but it also saves you the time you would have wasted locating and fixing the mistakes.

What are the challenges roofers are facing when it comes to technology?

One of the greatest challenges regarding technology in the roofing industry is getting people to convert. Many people, especially those in the older generation, are wary of making the switch. They claim that the pen and paper methods they have used for years work fine. However, these are the people who will start to get passed by as the competition adopts new technology that makes them more efficient, and ultimately, more profitable.

How can roofers start to adopt technology?

If you are still concerned about the transition to technology, it can help to start out small. Decide what you want the technology to do for you, whether it be organize your files, enable you to make direct orders from suppliers, or manage your business more efficiently, and start with that. Once you get used to that part, you can start adding in more and more. This way, it will not seem as overwhelming as it would if you did it all at once.

Any more advice?

It is important to make sure you are committed – only embracing limits the potential that technology can give you. Partially committing won’t result in the benefits you are hoping for and can only do so much in helping you stay ahead of the competition. Fully committing is sure to skyrocket you to success and profit.

Staying ahead the competition is a priority for any roofing business. Who doesn’t want to be the best at what they do and reap the profits from it? Right now, that means taking advantage of technology. With the flexibility, savings in time and money, and the boost in efficiency that technology provides, it would be difficult to not rise above everyone else.

Source: AccuLynx

Roofing Technology Think Tank Goes to Microsoft HQ

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By Jill Bloom, RT3 Member and Publisher, Roofing Contractor.

 

The Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) met Monday at the headquarters of Microsoft Corp. to talk tech and how roofing contractors can embrace the exciting opportunities it offers today and in the future.
The day consisted, in part, of a series of “Tech Talks” starting with Ken Kelly, president of Naples, Fla.-based Kelly Roofing, RT3 board member and winner of the Microsoft Modern Small or Medium Business category of the 2015 Visionary Award.

Kelly presented an overview of Microsoft’s Dynamics platform — how it’s changed his business by streamlining operations while growing, and has the potential to do even more. Microsoft Dynamics is a line of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software applications.

He used elevators made by Thyssenkrupp by example. Kelly said some of the elevators made by the company are equipped with technology that can run a test, create a service ticket, find a tech with the best credentials for fixing the problem and automatically schedules a service call – all without a human involved until the problem is actually being fixed.

Kelly said, “we can let our minds run wild on how we could use this technology in the roofing world.”
Kelly wasn’t the only one presenting at the RT3 meeting. Others included Scott Dwyer, business development director at Microsoft Power Objects, and Bill Kramer director of product marketing for Microsoft Business Center. They, too, addressed the potential of technology on various industries. At one point, a video demonstrated how a service technician could guide another person on how to perform a repair (in this case on a four-wheeler ATV) with both parties wearing virtual reality goggles.

The day also included a tour of Microsoft’s Internet of Things lab, where attendees of the RT3 event were able to see some of the amazing technology in the works — many aimed at addressing health and health care needs.

In the second part of the day, participants broke off into groups to develop a task list of how to promote RT3 and what members are learning about, along with ways to inform others in the industry about new technology for the industry.

RT3 was formed to act as a conduit for curating knowledge on technologies that can help contractors and the roofing industry overall. Formed in July of 2017, the group has grown from 20 founding members to more than 60 and incorporated as a 501c6 in 2018.

Source: Roofing Contractor

4 Key takeaways from 2018 Projects LA Conference

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Industry experts, startups, and technology innovators gathered in Los Angeles, California last month to explore how the process of planning and executing construction projects has been forever altered by emerging technologies.

With the growth and development of new technologies including drones, IoT, advanced software, A.I./machine learning the way construction projects are planned and executed is rapidly changing. Here are four key takeaways from the conference according to BuiltWorlds’ Matt Gagne.

1 – Industry and technology are in sync when it comes to innovation.

Gagne reports that industry and technology panel discussions showed that each side understands what is needed for success. APiO EVP and GM Tom Lineen said that in his company they “strive to make the user experience so easy that users can’t mess it up.” Stephen Knapp, VP of IT for Hollister Construction Services said, “these technologies need to bring some kind of value and it needs to affect the bottom line.” Companies want solutions that don’t disrupt their daily workflow but provide the ROI to justify change.

2 – A call for data standards.

A groupwide discussion took place on the value of connected job site technology. There is more data being collected from many, many sources that all have different formatting, requirements and standards. With new solutions arriving every day, the industry would benefit from one set of standards so the data can be analyzed on a broader scale.

3 – A strong assertion that interoperability and open API’s are the way of the future.

Gagne reports that “Enterprise-wide systems that don’t have API’s or interoperability with smaller point solutions are going to become challenged and fazed out in the world of the connected job site.” With the large amounts of data being gathered and communicated tech companies must focus on integrations first.

4 – We must address the needs of every stakeholder.

This was apparent in the Tech Ridge panel, which is a planned community that is attempting to be the first paperless job site. The entire project is being facilitated by busybusy, a tech platform based in St. George, Utah that collects data for the construction industry so companies can make better, more educated decisions. The company provides time and equipment tracking solutions, which are set to be used across the entire Tech Ridge construction project.

According to Gagne, it was apparent that everyone in the room was in agreement that they want to align specialty contractors, architect and engineers so that all stakeholders in the project are engaged with every system in use.

Source: BuiltWorlds.

 

6 Technology Trends in Construction

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By Cotney Construction Law.

Industry innovators are using tech to transform the way construction companies perform a variety of tasks from land inspections to creating structures. Look for new technology to move from something seen at trade shows and in magazines to an essential part of cost effectively building structures and keeping workers safe. They may also become an active part of avoiding disputes.

This article discusses a few of the exciting technological developments that are changing construction sites, both now and in the future. It’s worth investing in one or two of these technologies now to stay ahead of your competition.

Drones

With recent changes in FAA policy regarding drones, expect this technology to be plugged into the construction process in a variety of ways. Drones can be used to inspect construction sites to give quick and efficient insight on potential risks prior to the start of a project. It can give you an overhead view of progress on a construction site and spot issues rapidly. Drones are also being used as surveillance on projects, making it easier for contractors to ensure that jobs are correctly and safely being done.

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Tech-forward construction companies are using BIM tools to create 3D simulated models of the structures that are being produced. By doing this, construction professionals can identify potential design issues before projects break ground.

Project Management Apps

The smartphone is already becoming a mainstay on the construction site. Its use will continue to widen with tools like project management apps and digital blueprints. As we all know, general contractors have to juggle a variety of tasks at once. Now, from their phone, they can manage project schedules, send reports, take pictures of potential issues, and compare project data with financial information. Digital blueprint apps allow multiple people to view documents, compare them with collected data, and make changes quickly. It turns the blueprint into a collaborative tool and saves companies money by avoiding costly changes and the type of disputes that may require a construction attorney.

Smart Helmets

The hard hat is now taking head protection to the next level. Smart helmets are devices that can help users detect hazards around them. This is done through the use of cameras and sensors within the helmet that create a 4D augmented reality.

Automated Robots

Automated robots are being programmed to perform a number of tasks on the construction site, including drilling, bricklaying, and constructing beams. Eventually, these robots will be able to construct structures without people on site. This can greatly reduce the cost of onsite workers and reduce safety concerns.

Driverless Trucks

Another automated technology, driverless trucks are also making construction sites safer by hauling materials independent of a driver. These trucks are controlled remotely using GPS technology. They are more fuel efficient and experience fewer delays than trucks with human drivers. This can make the construction site safer and reduce the type of disputes for which a Sarasota construction attorney is needed.

Note: This first published on Cotney Construction Law’s website and can be viewed here.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.