Microsoft tests deep-sea data centers for energy-efficient cooling, security

Submerging servers in oxygen-free pods could significantly reduce construction and cooling costs while lowering the equipment's vulnerability to attack.

By Chris Wood • March 1, 2017

A virtual 3-D model of Singapore shows one future for data-driven cities

Data on transit, public health, weather, buildings and more are coming together to offer a real-time view of the city-state in action.

By Chris Wood • March 1, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Construction Technology

As construction technology continues to evolve, here’s what savvy contractors need to know.

By Construction Dive staff

Tried and tested: 24 construction apps at work on the job site

Safety, personnel and project management apps promise productivity gains as the last of the paper holdouts are assimilated into a mobile-first work environment. 

By Chris Wood • March 1, 2017

MIT startup Sistine Solar debuts camouflaging photovoltaics

The race to make residential rooftop solar systems more visually appealing — a factor, along with cost, that has been holding back adoption — continues.

By Sean Barry • March 1, 2017

Building virtual houses, bridging the gap between millennials and home buying

Builders are turning to virtual reality to pitch their homes to millennial buyers.

By Chantale Pitts • Feb. 28, 2017

Home appraisals to include energy rating scores

The Residential Energy Services Network and the Appraisal Institute will add Home Energy Rating System scores to appraisals, which could help finance green design.

By Sean Barry • Feb. 28, 2017

Lancaster, CA adds power requirement to rooftop solar rule

New houses in the city already must have solar panels, unless builders pay an opt-out fee. Now, those systems must average 2 watts per square foot.

By Sean Barry • Feb. 24, 2017

Amenities arms race: Developers attract millennial renters with high-end features

From dog-washing stations to yoga rooms to car-charging ports, luxe add-ons are drawing young renters to new developments that tout communal space and walkability. But how long will it last?

By Jeff Marcus • Feb. 23, 2017

DC DOT launches traffic and transportation data website

A new congestion analytics platform could help prioritize road and infrastructure investment in the nation's capital.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 22, 2017

Keeping the planes running on time: How construction tech cuts delays during airport upgrades

Drone flights, laser scanning and digital project documentation are being used to keep major projects on schedule and minimize disruption to airport operations.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 22, 2017

Verizon makes enterprise drone play with Skyward acquisition

The drone company joins a number of other startups partnering with global tech firms and AEC investors for scalability. 

By Chris Wood • Feb. 22, 2017

Skanska UK to test Daqri augmented reality-enabled hard hats

A clear visor on the smart helmet can display remote repair and project instructions, 3-D project and building renderings and environmental thermal imaging.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 22, 2017

Kansas City, MO launches public dashboard for smart city initiative

Cisco and Sprint spent $15.7 million for a sensor array along the city’s 2.2-mile smart district designed to provide insights into next-generation infrastructure opportunities.  

By Chris Wood • Feb. 22, 2017

Disney researchers develop wireless charging room

Power transfer technology could be the first step toward a new generation of lighter, more efficient cordless construction tools. 

By Chris Wood • Feb. 22, 2017

ConExpo-Con/Agg to showcase Trimble's innovative tech solutions

The latest construction tech solutions will help the next generation construction workforce work more efficiently and compete more effectively than ever before. 

Feb. 22, 2017

WA governor allocates $1M for high-speed rail study

Officials aim to explore the pros and cons of a bullet train connecting Portland, OR, Seattle and Vancouver.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 16, 2017

Realtor.com adds iMessage functionality to its mobile app

Real estate listing companies continue to add new and enhance existing mobile tools to aid the home-search process for buyers and renters. 

By Sean Barry • Feb. 16, 2017

MN DOT uses drones to inspect bridges, cut costs

Government agencies and corporate entities are finding that the use of unmanned aerial vehicles can lower capital equipment expenses and reduce inspection-related traffic.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

German researchers develop low-glare LEDs for streetlighting

An innovation in circuitry leads to a high-efficiency lighting array that can help the new lighting technology make inroads in residential areas.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

Researchers push for life-cycle analysis of net-zero water systems

As the world's groundwater supply draws lower, water recycling needs optimization within and beyond buildings.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

Metamaterial film could change the game for cool-roof technology

The residential rooftop continues to draw the attention of energy researchers looking to maximize and minimize the heating and power possibilities from the sun.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

New CO2-eating concrete takes less energy to produce

The process to make the material's production less energy intensive continues, specifically around aggregate production.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

How marine infrastructure tech found its sea legs with reality capture of USS Arizona

The preservation process of the historic battleship in Pearl Harbor has futurists with an eye on sea-level-threatened-infrastructure taking note.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 15, 2017

Get the LED out: Builders warm to new lighting tech, but challenges remain

Lighting is a key conduit of the smart-home features consumers crave, but price and perception woes are keeping LED lamps and fixtures off the spec list.

By Jeff Marcus • Feb. 15, 2017

From vending machines to virtual reality: Inside the 21st-century job site trailer

Collaboration and automation tools are evolving the traditional field office into a centralized project management hub.

By Chris Wood • Feb. 8, 2017