Construction Technology

Dive Brief:

• Retail giant Walmart is hopping on the 3D-printing train, after partnering with Greeley, Colorado-based Alquist 3D to build an addition on its retail location in Athens, Tennessee.
• Alquist created a nearly 8,000-square-foot, 20-foot-high expansion of the retailer’s online pickup and delivery space at the store, according to a Sept. 10 news release. It marks the first time Walmart has utilized 3D printing technology at this scale, and the addition is one of the largest freestanding 3D-printed commercial concrete structures in the U.S., according to the release.
• Walmart claims its decision to use 3D construction printing in its expansion aligns with its broader goals of becoming more environmentally friendly, leveraging cutting-edge technology to attract customers and accelerating the construction process, according to the release.

Dive Insight:

Walmart picked Alquist due to its experience with 3D materials and robotics and a desire to take on a project of this scale, said Mike Neill, vice president of new construction for Walmart, in the release.

"Walmart is always looking to innovate and leverage developing technologies, and we looked at several new building methods and companies for this project," Neill said.

Commercial properties that leverage 3D printing are few and far between. Patti Harburg-Petrich, principal in the Los Angeles office of U.K.-based engineering firm Buro Happold, told Construction Dive last year that building codes were hampering progress on the technique.

Nevertheless, some builders in the space are betting on the tech. Last September, Canadian builder WSP announced that it was researching new applications for 3D printed concrete, including infrastructure and clean energy projects.

“The technology is impacting the housing sector and its reach is expected to eventually expand into heavy infrastructure,” said Markus Wernli, vice president of the maritime division at WSP in the U.S., in a news release announcing the move. “The use of 3DPC will first grow in less challenged structural and non-structural components before finding application in components for large infrastructure.”

Outside of terrestrial construction, 3D printing is finding a use as well — a team from New York City-based Turner is working with AI SpaceFactory to test the capabilities of off-world 3D printing here on Earth.

Dive Brief:

• Skanska unveiled a generative AI chatbot last month that it calls Sidekick to help employees at the company plumb the firm’s collective expertise on projects and problems, the company told Construction Dive.
• Built on the same technology as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, users can ask the large language model questions, to which it responds with answers based on a collection of internal data that will remain within Skanska’s proprietary cloud, per the company.
• The product is intended for internal use by Skanska employees and will not be sold commercially, the company told Construction Dive. The firm has been using the chatbot across its enterprise since December.

Dive Insight:

Will Senner, the data solutions leader for Skanska USA Building, told Construction Dive the company’s emphasis on the chatbot’s security came amid high-profile breaches at other corporations, such as Samsung’s data leak on ChatGPT. 

The team’s goal when designing the model was to allow users to ask questions without the fear of accidentally leaving sensitive information in the public domain.

“We really wanted to focus on getting a tool available to our people where we could provide a secure environment,” Senner said.

The company said employees across market sectors and projects are leveraging it on jobs and projects. It also plans to build out functionality and add more features and use cases as time goes on.

Skanska isn’t the only company that has looked at emerging technologies like artificial intelligence — the tools have dominated builders' attention across the country. 

In addition, organizations including Associated Builders and Contractors and firms such as DPR Construction are sharing Skanska’s cautious approach to using the technology. DPR recently issued a report advocating for careful application of AI in construction. 

Sponsored content

By IMAGINiT

As the construction industry increasingly embraces digital solutions, the ability to effectively manage project data across multiple platforms has become essential for maximizing efficiency and minimizing errors. Many construction organizations rely on Procore for project management, while others have adopted Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) to streamline their workflows. However, the disconnect between these two platforms often leads to inefficiencies, duplicate data entry and missed opportunities for collaboration.

For construction firms seeking to either migrate from Procore to Autodesk Construction Cloud or integrate the two systems, IMAGINiT Technologies offers a comprehensive solution that ensures seamless data transfer, preserves data integrity and enhances project collaboration.

The challenge of multi-platform project management

As construction projects grow in complexity, they often require input from multiple stakeholders, including owners, designers, engineers and contractors. These stakeholders frequently use different software platforms, leading to fragmented workflows. A common pain point is the need to re-enter data into different systems, which consumes time and increases the risk of human error.

Adam Jurczak, a Construction Solutions Expert at IMAGINiT, notes that many teams rely on multiple software programs to deliver a single project. “This leads to disconnected workflows,” Jerczak explains, “where information is fragmented between teams, causing inefficiencies and risks in project delivery.”

IMAGINiT's solution: Streamlined migration and integration

IMAGINiT tackles these challenges with its Procore to Autodesk Construction Cloud migration and integration solutions. Powered by IMAGINiT Pulse, a proprietary data exchange model, this solution enables construction teams to migrate or integrate their data between platforms without losing any essential information.

According to Vince Daniele, IMAGINiT’s Construction Team Manager, “We’re utilizing our proprietary data exchange model IMAGINiT Pulse to move the information from the Procore system into the Autodesk Construction Cloud.” Whether you are transitioning to ACC or seeking to integrate the two platforms, Pulse makes it easy to manage project information efficiently, ensuring data is seamlessly transferred and workflows remain uninterrupted.

Key features of IMAGINiT's Procore to ACC solution

IMAGINiT’s migration and integration pathways offer a host of powerful features designed to simplify project management and maintain the integrity of your data:

• Comprehensive Data Mapping: Project information, including names, numbers, values and addresses, as well as documents, RFIs and cost management data, are mapped from Procore to ACC with complete status preservation.
• Custom Field Support: Specialized workflows are maintained by accommodating unique data fields, ensuring no loss of critical information during the migration process.
• Intelligent Issue Mapping: Procore’s punch lists, instructions and observations are intelligently mapped to Autodesk’s Issues module, ensuring continuity in issue tracking and resolution.
• Cost Management Integration: Budgets, contracts and change orders are mapped in detail, providing accurate financial management between both systems.

While the current solution focuses primarily on one-way migration from Procore to ACC, future development includes plans for bi-directional integration, enabling real-time synchronization between the platforms. This will allow for more dynamic collaboration and ensure that data flows seamlessly between systems as projects evolve.

White-glove service for a smooth transition

IMAGINiT goes beyond technology by offering comprehensive, hands-on support for construction teams looking to migrate or integrate their platforms. This white-glove approach includes:

• Planning: A detailed review of your current Procore usage to assess workflows and identify opportunities for efficiency.
• Configuration: Custom setup of Autodesk Construction Cloud project templates tailored to your organization’s specific needs.
• Pilot Testing: Thorough testing with sample projects to ensure smooth data transfer and identify potential issues before full implementation.
• Go-Live Support: Full-service support during the migration or integration process to ensure continuity and address any challenges in real time.
• Ongoing Optimization: Post-migration, IMAGINiT offers continued support to help you optimize your workflows and fully leverage ACC’s powerful project management tools.

The future of construction data management

As the construction industry continues to adopt advanced digital tools, the ability to maintain data integrity and streamline project workflows will be crucial to staying competitive. IMAGINiT’s migration and integration pathways from Procore to Autodesk Construction Cloud provide construction firms with the tools they need to remain agile, efficient and collaborative in today’s fast-paced environment.

IMAGINiT is your trusted partner for ensuring a smooth transition and continued project success. With personalized support, sophisticated data mapping, and a future-forward approach, IMAGINiT helps you take control of your project data and focus on what really matters—delivering successful, well-managed construction projects.

For more information on how IMAGINiT’s Procore to Autodesk Construction Cloud solutions can benefit your organization, contact us today for a personalized consultation.

Construction has a reputation of being a Luddite industry, but there are firms defying that image with groundbreaking technical innovations.

For some of them, their efforts have been recognized on a list of innovators by business publication Fast Company, which grouped winners by the category of their work. 

Here are the eight construction-adjacent companies that earned the recognition as one of “The World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024.”

Interplay Learning
Applied AI

Contractors are aware of two constant truths in the industry — that workers are hard to come by, and that training the ones who make their way to the jobsite takes time.

Austin, Texas-based workforce education firm Interplay Learning hopes to help builders retain and train their workers on jobsite processes. It uses 3D and virtual reality training simulations to educate workers on the necessary knowledge they need in their respective trades via its product, SkillMill, according to its website.

What sets the firm apart, according to Fast Company, is an AI-based assistant that it calls SAM, which lets builders receive instant answers to questions they may have while using the product.

ZGF
Architecture

ZGF, an architecture firm based in Portland, Oregon, drew Fast Company’s eye with its approach to mass timber projects.

How? It built its own mass timber supply chain.

The architect received acclaim for its work on the Portland International Airport and its use of mass timber on the project. However, Fast Company noted that ZGF was also careful in its selection, and targeted suppliers who were within 300 miles, heavily favoring local and Indigenous operations.

Arcadis
Architecture

In the wake of disasters like the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse, infrastructure safety is top of mind for many AEC professionals. Fast Company recognized Amsterdam-based contractor Arcadis for its work in developing an AI-based safety app for bridges.

Arcadis partnered with infrastructure assessment firm Niricson to develop Bridge Health, an inspection service that uses AI, machine learning and robotics to check bridges for defects and other issues that could lead to failure and catastrophe.

The program, which uses drones, is capable of discerning data that is invisible to the human eye, Fast Company writes.

Transfr
Education

Virtual reality skills training platform Transfr earned recognition from Fast Company for its efforts to train healthcare professionals amid a shortage, but the program has broad applications for the construction industry as well.

The New York City-based business’s training offerings serve a wide range of professions — from government workers to healthcare professionals to skilled tradesworkers — and uses VR technology to train jobseekers in the ways of their new professions.

For builders, Transfr partners with employers and provides simulations that are in compliance with industry standards, according to the company’s website.

Holcim
Manufacturing

Cement manufacturing giant Holcim made its mark on Fast Company’s list for its efforts to create a more sustainable cement and concrete product for the construction industry.

Fast Company pointed to the Swiss firm’s continued efforts to lobby governments for green legislation, along with a one-of-its-kind plant that produces Europe’s first low-carbon calcined clay-based cement.

The industry stalwart also turned its research center in Lyon, France, into a startup incubator focused on businesses that are working to reduce emissions across the construction industry.

Nucor
Manufacturing

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor earned recognition from Fast Company for its efforts to mitigate emissions at its plants and sites across the U.S.

In 2023, it made several moves aimed at reducing its carbon footprint. These include a switch to battery-powered electric trucks for deliveries, commissioning the first LEED v4 certified steel mill and deploying carbon capture and storage tech at a Louisiana plant.

Teleo
Robotics

Palo Alto, California-based robotics firm Teleo made waves on the Fast Company list for its technology that turns regular heavy machinery into autonomous robots.

Fast Company called out Teleo’s retrofit kit, which can be installed on existing machinery. The technology also allows one operator to run multiple devices simultaneously, with training taking anywhere from a just few hours to a just few days.

Dusty Robotics
Robotics

Dusty Robotics, a Mountain View, California-based construction robotics firm, earned its spot on Fast Company’s list of innovators for its FieldPrinter, a proprietary piece of tech that takes the arduous task of laying out a jobsite and gives it to a robot.

Its FieldPrinter automates the process of imposing digital floor plans onto physical construction sites by printing them on the floor through a combination of hardware, software and services. The process is faster than hand-made layouts, Fast Company writes.

Altogether, Dusty has printed over 70 million square feet of building layout on more than 1,000 projects, according to the company.

Editor’s Note: Construction Dive parent company Industry Dive was recognized as one of Fast Company’s winners in the Media category.

Dive Brief:

• In an effort to bridge the divide between academics and the construction field, Michigan State University has kicked off its post-graduate certificate in BIM, the institution announced in a news release.
• The East Lansing, Michigan-based university partnered with Technostruct, a BIM- and VDC-focused firm with headquarters in San Francisco, to create the online-only curriculum. The firm’s education arm, TechnoStruct Academy, is Michigan State’s industry partner in the effort.
• Over six months, participants will learn from nine modules, including two international projects. Upon completion, certificate holders will be qualified as BIM coordinators, regardless of their background in engineering or architecture, according to the release. These roles draw an average salary of $95,671 per year, according to Glassdoor.

Dive Insight:

The two institutions also offer a dual certification, which includes an experience certificate from TechnoStruct, and a joint certification from MSU and TSA, per the release. 

Participants will learn to use programs from contech giant Autodesk, which include Revit and Navisworks, along with BIM Track, according to a program brochure. Students will also learn to model different facets of a building’s interior infrastructure, which include fire protection, plumbing and electrical systems.

Twenty-six students populate the first cohort, and it costs $1,600 per person for the first two groups, according to Armin Yeganeh, assistant professor in the construction management program at Michigan State. After the third iteration, the fee will increase to $2,000.

Yeganeh expects the program to recruit 240 to 360 students per year.

“This program goes beyond the basics offered in a bachelor’s degree, equipping graduates with advanced, industry-specific skills through the use of cutting-edge software and practical project experience,” Yeganeh told Construction Dive in an email. “Such a specialized skill set is crucial for today's fast-evolving Building Information Modeling field and is not attainable in a standard undergraduate curriculum."

Other universities have also partnered with private industry to bridge the gap between academia and the construction industry — Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana, Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, and Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, established Trimble Technology Labs on their campuses to train students in architecture, engineering and construction.

Angus Frost is a senior IT consultant at Chicago-based Burger Consulting Group, a firm focused on construction technology. Opinions are the author’s own.

Businesses have become fixated on artificial intelligence, and the heavy civil construction industry is no exception. As someone who monitors this industry, I fully agree that AI's integration into this sector is not just a good idea but really a necessity, driven by the need to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and improve safety. 

But in an area where mistakes can cost lives, how do you navigate the hype-cycle to determine where AI innovation is mature enough to provide value? 

What sets heavy and civil contractors apart from other construction firms is an even bigger reliance on labor, large fleets of equipment, material manufacturing and trucking. All of these areas show tremendous potential for improvement through AI, but progress has been uneven. Here’s a look at the maturity of various AI use cases in heavy civil construction and how these technologies are reshaping the industry. 

Planning and design

One of the earliest applications of AI in heavy civil construction is in project planning and design. AI-augmented scheduling tools provide the ability to perform what-if analysis and identify potential project risks more quickly than could be achieved before. 

For example, a large GC working on widening 8 miles of highway on the East Coast was able to net more than $25 million from completion bonuses and savings on labor and materials through scheduled optimization.

AI-powered design tools such as BIM systems leverage machine learning algorithms to create detailed 3D models of construction projects. These models facilitate better visualization, allowing stakeholders to identify potential issues before construction begins. 

Conclusion: Although the use of BIM in heavy civil construction in the U.S. is still underutilized, its value has been proven in many countries outside the U.S. Adoption of these types of tools is slow, yet increasing, with vendors in the space demonstrating a growing level of maturity. 

Safety management and risk assessment

Safety is a paramount concern in the heavy civil construction industry. AI enhances safety management through real-time monitoring and predictive analytics. For instance, AI-driven cameras and sensors can detect unsafe behavior or conditions on site and alert supervisors.

Indeed, a large U.S.-based heavy civil contractor recently reduced recorded incidents by 28% and cut lost time by 35% using this technology. 

Trench safety is of particular interest to OSHA and the National Utility Contractors Association. It’s an area where early warning from AI-assisted technology can have a significant impact. Much like adaptive braking in cars, AI-driven sensors on heavy equipment can detect workers in the path of machinery and alert the operator to stop the equipment.  

Additionally, with good cumulative inspection data, AI algorithms can analyze historical data to predict and mitigate potential risks. Factors such as weather, employee turnover, frequency of safety training and a project being behind schedule all have an impact on potential safety incidents.

Conclusion: While the technology itself is advanced, widespread adoption is still growing. The primary barriers include the high initial cost of implementation and the need for comprehensive training for the workforce. However, companies that have adopted AI for safety report fewer accidents and improved compliance with safety regulations.

Automated construction equipment

Automation in construction is rapidly advancing, with AI playing a crucial role in the development of autonomous equipment. Drones, robotic arms and autonomous vehicles controlled by AI are being used for tasks such as site surveys, material transport, optimized cut/fill and even construction tasks like bricklaying and welding. 

Florida-based Ajax Paving is using autonomous vehicles to address labor shortages. A single operator is able to manage multiple machines at different jobsites without losing time driving between each.

Certainly, the machine-control technologies that have been around for a while now are an early example of automation.

Conclusion: Automated equipment is an emerging technology with significant potential. Current applications are mostly in pilot stages or used in controlled environments. Although greater adoption exists outside of the U.S. As AI technology advances and becomes more cost-effective, its adoption is expected to increase. 

Supply chain optimization

AI is transforming supply chain management in construction by optimizing logistics and inventory management. Machine learning algorithms can predict demand for materials, identify the most efficient supply routes, and manage inventory levels in real time. 

For example, AGIS, a large infrastructure and mining contractor in Brazil, uses supply chain automation to optimize material delivery to jobsites. 

This reduces delays and ensures that materials are available when needed. This use case is a good example of how important it is to have good data, since the advantage you get goes out the window if your data is bad.

Conclusion: AI-powered supply chain optimization is gaining traction, especially among large construction firms. While the technology is mature, its implementation requires integration with existing enterprise resource planning systems and collaboration with suppliers.

Quality control and assurance

Ensuring high-quality construction is critical for project success. AI assists in quality control by analyzing images and data from construction sites to identify defects or deviations from the project plan and specifications. For instance, computer vision systems can detect cracks in concrete or inconsistencies in structural elements. While AI-based solutions exist for vertical construction, tools for use in heavy civil are still new. One example is Drexel University, which has made great strides in pavement imaging technology for crack detection.

Conclusion: AI for quality control is relatively mature and is being adopted in various projects. The main challenge is the integration of AI systems with traditional quality assurance processes and the need for skilled personnel to interpret AI-generated data. 

AI-driven decisions

The number of decisions a project team has to make in any given day to keep their project on track, on budget and safe is staggering. These decisions get made with or without good data or decision support. 

AI-driven decision support systems provide construction managers with insights and recommendations based on real-time data analysis which can include external data sources. 

These systems can predict project outcomes, suggest resource allocations and identify potential delays or budget overruns. Industry associations are using generative AI to assist in providing their members with more detailed and specific information needed to support their activities through virtual assistants.

Conclusion: The availability and effectiveness of these varies greatly, with much depending on the quality of the data input and the ability of managers to understand the data presented, trust it, and act on AI-generated recommendations.

While the potential of AI in heavy civil construction is significant, several challenges hinder its full adoption. These include the high cost of AI technologies, the need for skilled personnel, data privacy concerns and resistance to change within the industry. However, the continued evolution of AI in this sector suggests that many areas of AI use will extend beyond the hype-cycle.