Construction Drones

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Flying Across Industries

Over the last fews years, drones have become a common tool throughout many industries. 

Real estate and vacation agencies regularly use them to take photos and videos of their available properties. They’re making a splash in the entertainment industry by capturing footage for documentaries, sporting events, and high-action scenes. 

Just this year, Amazon started using drones to deliver packages lighter than 5lbs as part of their Prime Air service. With the increased commercial use of drones, it’s no surprise that they are becoming more prevalent in the construction industry as well.

Construction Drones

The construction industry as a whole has experienced a 239% growth in drone use since 2018. Their ability to easily and safely collect large quantities of data quickly has made them an integral part of many projects, from the initial planning stages all the way to completion. With their speed and efficiency, they save contractors both time and money.

Fixed Wing vs. Rotary Drones

There are two different types of drones commonly used in construction. 

Fixed wing drones are modeled after airplanes and built for distance. They are typically used for mapping and scanning larger areas. However, due to the fixed status of their wings they can only go forward, so tight areas with obstacles are not a good fit. 

For those tighter areas, most companies use rotary drones. These typically have a dual rotor design that allows these machines to hover up, down, and in place. They are used for photography, surveillance, aerial inspections, and structural scans. 

High Level View

For large-scale construction projects, drones are also commonly used for land surveys and topographical mapping. They can typically survey vast swaths of land in 15-20 minutes to create highly accurate topographical maps. Teams can then combine these maps together to form 3D models, which are used for analysis and project planning. 

The best part? By easily spotting terrain challenges and design flaws early in the planning process, crews can change design plans ahead of time instead of trying to fix them in the moment. This saves both time and money and ends up being 20 times less expensive than traditional surveillance and mapping processes.

Security from the Sky

Similarly, drones can be used to quickly and easily monitor equipment on a large job site, making sure it is where it needs to be, when it needs to be there. If it’s a rented piece of equipment that should no longer be on site, you’ll be able to identify and return it quickly, avoiding additional charges. They can also be used for safety, ensuring secure equipment, and preventing unauthorized access on the jobsite. 

Improved Communications

Drones are also being used to help improve communications, both with clients and other members of the construction team. By providing aerial views of projects, clients get a real-time view of what you are doing and how far along you are on the project. And by sending collected data to connected software, owners, engineers, design teams and workers are updated in real time. This provides a paper trail for future use, allowing the whole team to work together to catch any potential mistakes or design flaws quickly. 

Safety Watch

Drones are also contributing to increased safety on job sites. They can be used to make hard-to-reach measurements without the need for unsteady platforms. This reduces the fall risk for workers, who can operate drones from the safety of the ground. 

Similarly, many companies have started using them for building and property inspection. Instead of using a team of surveyors, heavy machinery and scaffolding, drones are flown around the building or job site to take high resolution images that are later analyzed. They also have thermal sensors that can detect electrical issues, cold spots and heat leaks before they become a problem.

While drone technology is still developing, the increased safety, efficiency, and monetary benefits for workers, project managers and clients are very compelling. We can’t wait to see how this technology will continue to revolutionize the construction industry!

Smart Roads

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With rising gas prices and increased concerns about climate change, many are turning to electric vehicles to protect their wallets and the planet. However, scientists and construction engineers have been working hard on another part of the transportation equation: smart roads. 

While the technology is still being refined by scientists and construction engineers around the world, the smart road concept uses digital technology, IoT, and fiber optic connectivity within their foundation. Using wifi, 5G, the cloud, and in-road sensors, smart roads will allow for a multitude of improvements for all drivers, whether their cars use electricity or gas. Benefits include:

1. Less Traffic and Congestion 

smart roads will be able to collect and analyze data in almost real time. When used in conjunction with smart stop lights, they could adjust lights based on current traffic conditions, decreasing slow downs and bumper-to-bumper traffic.

2. Increased Safety 

Pedestrian deaths have increased by 46% over the last ten years. Using image processing, AI, and object recognition software, smart roads can broadcast information to vehicles on both roads that make up an intersection, allowing drivers increased awareness of pedestrians, bicyclists, and others who may be in danger of being in a turning driver’s blind spot. 

3. Increased Connectivity 

With smart roads constantly connecting data, drivers will be able to get updated information on the best routes to avoid traffic and slowdowns. Smart parking apps could also show drivers where spaces are available, ending the time spent fruitlessly circling city blocks looking for a spot.

4. Decreased Emergency Response Times 

By monitoring traffic and slow downs, emergency responders could know when and where an accident occured, and synchronized traffic lights with emergency vehicles would decrease response times by 20-35%. 

5. Energy Harvesting 

Developing smart road technology would allow energy to be harnessed from the vibrations of passing cars or sunlight. This energy would then be returned to the electric power grid and used to power traffic lights, signs, and street lights.

6. No Weigh Stations 

The development of high speed, weigh-in motion technology would allow for trucks and other large vehicles to be weighed while they are on the move. They would also provide weight enforcement screenings for toll roads, bridge loads, and traffic control data. 

7. EV Charging 

For drivers of electric and hybrid cars, smart roads could also allow charging while driving. This would also increase the availability of public transportation, as electric buses could run all the time without having to stop. Smart pavement, created by incorporating metal coils in pads of concrete, could charge EVs wirelessly as drivers go about their day. 

One of the biggest challenges to the creation of smart roads is the ability to process large amounts of data from multiple sources in real time, but many of these technologies are already in testing and are expected to be released to cities worldwide in the next few coming years. 

As more cities convert to this exciting technology, more workers will be needed to build the roads and other elements of smart cities. When that time comes, Steadfast Entities, LLC will be ready with the latest products, trained staff, and equipment rentals to meet all of your construction needs.

Lunar Construction

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Saying a company’s construction project is out of this world may soon be more than a compliment. NASA recently awarded three companies a total of $19.4 million in grants to fund the creation of solar panel prototypes that will be able to withstand the harsh conditions on the moon. The end goal: to develop a power system deployed to the moon’s south pole by 2030. These systems would then power the construction and establishment of permanent lunar settlements.

Construction Conundrum

While exciting, lunar construction is not new. Scientists have been thinking of developing structures since Neil Armstrong took that one small step on the moon in 1969. The key, according to experts, is to utilize the materials already found there. Bringing materials to the moon is cost prohibitive (launches cost about $81 million per astronaut), and even if it were cost-effective, the moon’s inhospitable environment makes most earthly construction materials unusable. 

Specialized Materials 

To combat this problem, researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio, in collaboration with Astroport and funded by NASA, are working to create concrete out of the moon’s regolith, a layer of unconsolidated rocky material covering bedrock. 

This concrete will then be used to make launch and landing pads, blast shields, and other structures used in travel to and from, and in time, life on the moon. Their current process melts the regolith, forms it into bricks and then places them without the use of any grouts or mortars. To enable the process, multiple machines operate in remote control mode or autonomously, with step sequencing enabled to allow collaboration between machines. 

Of course, to start this chain of events you first need the raw materials. A team at the University of Central Florida has been working to develop a wide range of technologies to extract and process the regolith. They include both rovers and excavators that work as a swarm to extract the regolith, sort the pieces by size, and then compact it for use in the concrete process. 

Reaching for the Stars

To further expedite this process, The University of Southern California has teamed up with Contour Crafting Corporation to make a conveyance system to move the regolith. Known as CraftTram, this autonomous device would be used in the movement of regolith to build sites, much like trucks and loaders on earth. It would also be foldable, compact, and super lightweight for easy transport to the moon via a rocket cargo compartment, and would use only a small amount of energy to move material both uphill and downhill.

Meanwhile, Michigan Technical University, Masten Space Systems and lunar outpost have teamed up to create a wide variety of analytical tools to create the blueprints for lunar structures, calculating parameters like lander size, payload weight, compaction levels, and more. Other technologies, like 3D printing, will also be used in lunar structures, which can then be powered by solar. 

All these technologies are creating a new frontier! 

While Steadfast Entities, LLC currently plans to keep our products, equipment rentals and staffing Earth-side for now, we can’t wait to see where this leads and the changes that will result in construction here on our home planet. 

Green Construction Tech Coming in 2023

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At Steadfast Entities, we’ve seen the many benefits of Green Construction, aka, using technologies and processes that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient. Beyond being better for the planet, in many cases it saves both us and our clients money. We’re not the only ones, either: many industries are finding new materials, processes and technologies to become more sustainable. 

Green Tech at Work

Green Building Technology has two main goals: to reduce waste and to more efficiently use naturally occurring resources. We’ve told you about recycled asphalt and concrete that held up even better to harsh conditions, but that is just one of many ways construction engineers are eliminating waste. 

Butts in Bricks

In 2020, researchers at the School of Engineering at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) released a paper outlining a step-by-step process for using cigarette butts in brickmaking. Since cement production is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas production, and about 6.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded every year, these bricks would be a great way to decrease the carbon footprint and reduce the amount of litter found on our streets, beaches, and green spaces. 

Rockin’ Cement

Many industrial processes result in steel dust or ferrous rock, which would typically be sent to a landfill. However, thanks to scientist David Stone’s new technology they are instead being turned into another cement alternative called Ferrock. Ferrock is not only stronger, more flexible, and cheaper to make than traditional cement, but it is also carbon-negative, which means it absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. The University of Arizona tested Ferrok and is in the process of commercializing its patent to make it available for general use. 

Nature’s Tools

Other materials are also getting a sustainability makeover. New manufacturing processes are being used to create materials like insulation, carpeting, and paint with fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The changes to processes are often less expensive for the manufacturer (for example, using water instead of a chemical solvent or using refillable instead of one-use containers), which in turn can save money for purchasers down the line. 

There has also been an industry-wide movement to use naturally occurring resources more efficiently. Last month we told you about the new use of algae to make concrete and in some places sheep’s wool is also replacing fiberglass insulation. This swap is shown to increase energy efficiency and make homes more soundproof. 

Even plain old wood is getting a makeover. Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, Brooklyn Park, has led his colleagues in using simple chemical processes to change the nanostructure of wood to make it as strong as steel, transparent, bouncy, and moldable. The University is trying various commercial applications for this “super wood”, and it’s expected to be used in various materials throughout the construction industry. 

It’s an exciting time to be in construction, with new products and technologies coming onto the market daily. We can’t wait to see what comes next and are proud to be part of an industry that is blazing the trail into a more sustainable and efficient future!

6 Ways to Beat the Heat

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With temperatures reaching all time highs across the country, many construction teams are trying to keep their workers cool while still moving their projects forward. 

OSHA’s current guidance of rest, hydrate, and shade is only the start to keeping your team safe. Below are 6 simple tips for keeping them cool and protected during the summer months: 

1. Know the Signs of Heat Related Illness

Heat-related illnesses like heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke can come on fast, so it’s important to know their signs. Common signs of heat illness include: 

  • Thirst and/or dehydration
  • Fatigue 
  • Excess sweating, or the inability to sweat normally
  • Lightheadedness or fainting
  • Low blood pressure
  • Nervous system dysfunction
  • Cramping or muscle spasms
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fast or shallow breathing
  • Increased heart rate
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Mental confusion

Train your workers to keep a lookout for these signs in themselves and others, and empower them to take action when they notice something’s not right. Always keep a first aid kit and extra water at every job site. 

2. Have Hydration Stations

Hydration is key! Not drinking enough water when carrying out heavy manual labor is one of the quickest ways to dehydrate. 

Make sure your crew members are drinking water or other hydrating fluids like sports drinks, coconut water, or juices every 15-20 minutes, and avoid large amounts of coffee, sodas, and alcohol, which can lead to dehydration. Encourage your team to bring their own beverage containers to fill with water, and have water bottles or a water station on site. 

3. Be the Best Dressed

Make sure your staff are outfitted in proper clothing for their working conditions. Light-colored, loose fitting, and lightweight garments will help keep workers from overheating. 

Moisture wicking clothing is a great option, as this material draws the sweat off the body, keeping you both cool and dry. Natural fibers like cotton will also absorb moisture and are breathable. If it’s in your budget, providing a few company T-shirts to each crew member is a great way to ensure they have the proper attire while showing them you appreciate them being part of your team. 

4. Wear Sunscreen

Similar to wearing the proper clothing, sunscreen will help your team prevent burns, which are painful and make it harder for the body to regulate temperature. Provide a sweat-proof, broad-spectrum sunscreen on your job sites and encourage your staff to reapply frequently.

5. Start Early and Pay Attention

Temperatures usually peak between 3 and 5pm, so if possible, shift your workday to avoid these hours. Also keep an eye on the heat index, which combines relative humidity with air temperature to find the apparent temperature (aka, what it actually feels like outside). You can download OSHA’s Health Safety Mobile App here and it will tell you the apparent temperature, the risk to workers, and suggested measures to protect your team.  

6. Stay Cool

If the air temperature is near or above body temperature (98.6° F), the blood circulated to the surface of your skin is unable to shed heat. 

The body will begin to sweat, but if the humidity is too high and the sweat is unable to evaporate, it can’t leave your body and cool it down. This can lead to overheating. 

To combat this and keep your internal temperature at a safe level, make sure your crews are taking frequent breaks in the shade or in an air conditioned building, trailer, or vehicle. If you can’t provide an air conditioned space, set up portable, circulating fans. Also provide cool water, both for hydration and for staff to wet rags, which they can place on pulse points like the neck, wrists, elbows, and tops of the feet and quickly bring down their internal body temperatures. Cooling vests and neck coolers are also great ways to keep cool and avoid heat related injuries. 

Worker safety should always be top priority, and knowing how to avoid heat-related illness is one of the best ways to keep them going strong. If you need more help over the summer or beyond, Steadfast Entities, LLC is here to help with all of your staffing needs. Contact us today!

Concrete Made from Algae

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When most people think of algae, they think of cleaning out fish tanks or the floating stuff on ponds. The scientists at Prometheus Materials aren’t most people, though, and they have found a different use for algae: as the key component of their newly developed, zero-carbon cement mixture. 

Hard Impact

Cement is one of the most widely used building materials in the world, but comes with a large carbon footprint that contributes to environmental disasters. The chemical reaction that creates cement releases carbon into the atmosphere, accounting for about 8% of carbon emissions worldwide. It’s also responsible for using 10% of the world’s industrial water, and using large quantities of an ever-dwindling sand supply. 

Concrete Reinvented

Fortunately, Prometheus’s new algae mixture may solve this growing sustainability issue. The mixture, first developed at the University of Colorado Boulder, looked at the natural world for inspiration. Similar to the base material that allows oysters to build their shells and corals to grow their reefs, the process combines microalgae (a microscopic form of algae) with water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide. Instead of the chemical reactions that release carbon into the atmosphere, the algae is dehydrated, causing it to bind without any release of carbon. The product is currently listed as carbon-neutral, but lead scientists believe that with fine-tuning it could be made carbon-negative.

Funding for the creation of the sustainable concrete first came from a grant from the Department of Defense, but other groups quickly took notice of the product. While it has been championed by Prometheus, other investors include Sofinnova Partners, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Amazon, who are working to build their newest Headquarters with low-carbon concrete.

Sustainable Structures

While exact cost is not yet available, in their most recent press release Prometheus described their new cement as “an affordable, strong and durable zero-carbon alternative.” 

Some pilot projects are already underway, and they plan to extend their decarbonized alternatives over the next two years to include precast biocomposite elements (ie, roofing tiles, wall panels, sound barriers, and more) and a ready-mix biocomposite. It is their hope that this new ‘bio-cement’ will transform the construction industry, and will lead the way in making sustainable products that can mirror and even exceed the capabilities of available, high carbon products. 

At Steadfast Enterprises, LLC, we are passionate about both sustainability and quality, and we are excited to see new innovations like the Prometheus bio-cement appearing throughout the construction industry. We will always be dedicated to providing our clients with modern, efficient, and sustainable solutions to their construction needs. Contact us today to get started on your next project.

Robots on the Rise

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Amazon’s Innovation

Amazon broke new ground last month when they introduced the first-ever fully autonomous mobile robot at several of their facilities. The robots, named Proteus, were developed to move heavy, wheeled transports called GoCarts around their fulfillment and sorting centers. Amazon has been working on this technology since 2012 and, according to their company blog, hopes that Proteus will “help reduce the need for people to manually move heavy objects through our facility and instead let them focus on more rewarding work”. 

Robots on the Rise

While Proteus is the first robot of its kind that can move around actively working employees, the use of robots in construction, warehouses, and many other sectors isn’t new. In fact, 2021 was a banner year for industrial robot orders, with companies around the country ordering 39,708 units (up 14% from the previous high in 2017). Those numbers are expected to continue to climb, as many industries are using robotics in the face of worker shortages to complete repetitive tasks that their human counterparts don’t want to do.

Robots in Construction

Along with solving labor shortage issues, robotic technology is helping combat the housing crisis. Automation has allowed increased flexibility, productivity, and efficiency in manufacturing, which can clearly be seen in the construction of manufactured homes. Many of the building components for these homes are now built off-site, allowing them to be mass produced. On site, automated welding is making the process faster and completed with fewer errors. In some cases, 3D printers are now used to build both customized building components and the buildings themselves. 

As industry standards change and builders are facing increased environmental regulation, robots have the added benefit of making worksites more sustainable. Studies show that up to 25% of materials brought to a jobsite ends up wasted. The use of robotics improves consistency and quality, reducing that waste. With the ever-increasing cost of supplies, this sustainability is good for both the planet and the pocket as it saves companies money, from reduced material costs, and time, from faster operations. 

Robots are also making job sites safer. About 108,000 worksite fatalities occur every year worldwide, and construction workers are 4x more likely to have a fatal accident than other industries. 

As shown by Amazon’s Proteus, one way robots can help prevent worker injury is by carrying heavy loads. They can also get into spaces that are unsafe for human workers, and can be used for repetitive tasks that commonly lead to worker injuries over time. Industry leaders are hopeful that this increased safety will entice young people to consider careers in construction, as many are hesitant to go into such a dangerous field.

A Robotic Future

Urbanization, climate change, and a shortage of workers have made the integration of robotics into the construction industry essential. In a May 2021 study, 81% of company leaders said they would invest in robotics and other automation within the next 10 years. 

At Steadfast Enterprises, LLC, you can be sure that we’ll continue to use the most efficient, up-to-date equipment, and continue our focus on sustainability and quality. Learn more about our technology-forward equipment rental and sales here.

Worker Retention

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The average person spends 90,000 hours at work, or approximately ⅓ of their lifetime, and most leaders want that time to be pleasant for our employees. 

While competitive wages and benefits are the first step in employee retention, with today’s labor shortages and changing society, it’s more important than ever to keep staff satisfied. Happier workers tend to take fewer sick days, make better teammates, and are more productive. Plus, finding, hiring, and training new employees takes valuable time and money, especially during busy seasons. 

While no employer can guarantee perfect weather, zero setbacks, and completely united crews all the time, there are several things leaders can do to make workers happier and, ultimately, keep them longer. 

1. Safety First

Safety of your employees should always be your top priority. It may be tempting to relax safety procedures and cut corners, but doing this subtly tells workers that you don’t care about their health and wellbeing. Make sure they have all of the protective equipment they need and they know how to use it. 

2. Maintain Equipment

Nothing decreases morale like having poorly-maintained equipment. Investing in quality, up-to-date tools, materials, and equipment will keep your staff safer and more comfortable, improve work speed, and give your employees the literal tools they need to take pride in their work. This also includes using new technology (drones, AI, and productivity management software, for example) that can help your team become more efficient and learn new things.

3. Cultivate the Culture

Whether you call it culture, feeling, or atmosphere, the general vibe around the workplace needs to remain positive. This doesn’t mean you have to be hyper upbeat or micro-manage; it just means making sure your values and mission are reflected in their work and attitude. Everyone, from general laborers up to the CEO, should feel respected and heard. Make sure your management is supportive, professional, and invested in creating a team atmosphere.. 

4. Be Flexible

For most employees, work isn’t their whole life. Ask staff what they want, truly listen to their responses, and promote a healthy work/life balance. This might look like working 4/10s instead of 5/8s (which has been shown to boost productivity, and gives staff an extra day to recharge), or providing more time off during the holidays for staff to spend with their families and friends. If you do have staff working nights, weekends, and/or holidays, compensate them well! 

5. Appreciate Your Crew

This one might be obvious, but a little bit of appreciation goes a long way to keeping staff. Get to know your staff, and find out what they like. Simple shout-outs, the occasional worksite meal, and holiday bonuses are fairly inexpensive ways to let your people know you appreciate them. Your workers should never feel like they’re just a number or disposable. Once they do, they’ll start thinking of their employer as replaceable, too. 

6. Provide a Path for Growth  

Careers keep people, dead-end jobs do not. Make sure your staff have a clear path for advancement. Develop in-house training programs and offer opportunities to learn new equipment and technologies. Whenever possible, promote internally and show existing staff that they can move into leadership positions if they stay with your company.

Steadfast Enterprises, LLC, prides itself on providing quality staffing and equipment to developers, project managers and general contractors across the country. We’re proud to employ expert operating engineers who are safe, productive, and efficient, and to offer modern, up-to-date equipment that uses industry leading technology. Let us help you complete your project today! Click here for staffing support or check out our equipment rentals here.

Satellite Technology

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When most people think of satellites, they think of television or maybe an object up in space, orbiting the earth. Few, however, realize how important satellite technology has become in the construction industry over the last twenty years. 

Satellite imaging allows workers to review projects in real time, allowing them to monitor material use and damage, and act before it’s too late. In turn, this keeps workers safer, uses fewer materials (because workers know exactly what is needed to fix the issue), and limits the amount of time required to make repairs.

Case Study: Texas InSar

Satellite technology is used throughout the industry in many different ways. State Highway 130 stretches between San Antonio and Austin, requiring near constant maintenance due to the high traffic volume, extreme weather changes, and predominantly clay soil (which expands and retracts quickly due to moisture levels, causing damage to asphalt). Recently, SH130 Concession Co, the group responsible for maintenance, started using remote satellite sensing technologies to evaluate the conditions of the entire roadway within millimeter accuracy. This is now allowing them to identify problems before they affect road safety or rideability, and since they can identify these issues earlier, they can plan for preventative work at times when the road is less busy, causing fewer delays and preventing accidents. 

This project uses InSar (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) technology, which uses radar signals from orbiting satellites to make high density measurements at more than 30,000 points along the roadway. This data is collected every six days, and then is compared to the last seven years of historical data. Using these comparisons, crews can determine which areas to review and in-person teams are sent out to investigate and make any needed repairs. While in-person inspections will always be needed, InSar allows crews to identify high risk areas long before they start to show any visual signs of damage.

Case Study: Chesapeake Bay InSar 

InSar technology has also been used to monitor construction projects that are affected by nearby water levels. The sea level rise in the Chesapeake Bay area is consistently monitored by satellite data, and is used by construction project managers who work on the roads and various building projects along the coast. Those working on the underwater tunnels between Portsmouth and Norfolk, VA also receive InSar data about the Elizabeth River, which flows over the tunnels. It’s important workers know about rising water levels so they can plan for increased pressure, erosion, and other potential structural issues.

Case Study: California & Florida Recovery 

Satellite technology has also been instrumental in the aftermath of disasters. One of the first times it was used in construction was in 1992, after it showed the surface damage of a California earthquake. Since then, it’s proven to be invaluable in the identification of infrastructure damage after natural disasters like earthquakes, sinkholes, and landslides. Most recently, InSar was used to examine the safety of neighboring structures in Surfside, FL, where a condominium collapsed in 2021, killing 98 people and injuring countless others.  

Case Study: Active Projects

It has also been used to monitor infrastructure improvements as they’re progressing. In Pennsylvania, InSar technology was used to monitor the extension of MSE (Mechanically Stabilized Earth) retaining walls. The state of Washington used it to keep an eye on the effects of “Bertha”, the 57.5 foot tunnel boring machine used to make a replacement tunnel under downtown Seattle. In all of these cases, managers were able to make sure citizens remained safe and secure while major projects were completed.

Whether it is monitoring the impacts on roads, buildings, levees, or other infrastructure, the use of satellite technology has become indispensable. As data management and tracking software continues to advance, we expect to see satellite technology become a key part of many building projects and continue to promote safety, sustainability and efficiency. 

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

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Increasing Demand

By 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. 

That’s 9.7 billion people needing places to live, work, shop, play, and do all the things that make up human existence. While the construction industry is recovering from the pandemic and building projects are once again on the rise, operational efficiency is needed more than ever. 

One streamlined approach to improved processes is Building Information Modeling (BIM). One of the newest intersections of technology and construction, BIM is rapidly changing the industry. 

What is Building Improvement Management?

Using the cloud, BIM allows companies to collect data from multiple sources, then uses that data to create and manage information throughout the various stages of a build, from planning and design all the way to construction and operations. It allows builders to create (and, when needed, recreate) detailed digital reconstructions of projects, without the cost or time required of physical models. Plus, since it is cloud based, people from across disciplines and regions can collaborate in real time, improving communication between partners and providing immediate feedback to builders.

Every Step Improved

In planning stages, BIM focuses on real-world data capture to create complex models. During preconstruction, this data is used to inform scheduling and logistics. Fabrication starts using BIM specifications, which are then shared with investors, contractors, and partners in the project. This continues throughout the build as BIM is used in operations, maintenance, future renovation and, if needed, deconstruction. The increased availability of information to all those working on the project greatly increases efficiency, safety, cost reduction, and better decision making. 

Beyond efficiency and improved communication, Building Information Modeling also increases resilience and sustainability. The data collected and shared through the cloud can help builders choose the best materials for their projects, based on what has worked (or failed) for other builders. Less material waste not only improves sustainability, but also decreases costs. This makes for happier clients and crews that are ready to move onto the next job faster than ever before. 

New Future Opportunities

As Building Improvement Management becomes more common, the availability of software and apps are increasing. A number of BIM startups have been funded by venture capitalists over the last few years, and many construction tech companies are expanding into the world of BIM. With the increased accessibility, improved communication between disciplines, and improved workflows, it’s no wonder that BIM is picking up speed in the construction industry.

Steadfast Enterprises, LLC is dedicated to streamlining workflows and improving our efficiency and sustainability. We’re thrilled to see all the ways BIM is helping improve the industry, and can’t wait to see how it will continue to improve and grow as more data continues to be collected!