Construction Technology

Dive Brief:

• Concord, California-based Swinerton has started the construction of Oxbow, a $97.8 million, mixed-use multifamily development with heavy mass timber elements in Charlotte, North Carolina, the builder announced on April 11.
• Once complete, Oxbow will contain six floors with nearly 14,300 square feet of commercial space, per the release. For residents, it holds 389 rentals that range from studio apartments to four-bedroom units. Amenities include a gym, rooftop patio, bike storage and a resident courtyard.
• The structure will also feature heavy mass timber use — plans call for a two-story concrete podium, which will house below-grade parking, topped with a five-story hybrid structure of stick frame with cross laminated timber slab from Swinerton’s mass timber subsidiary, Timberlab. Approximately 50% of the structure will feature exposed mass timber ceilings.

Dive Insight:

The firm is also embracing technology as construction progresses. Swinerton said it’s using OpenSpace, a 3D modeling technology that collects data via helmet devices during jobsite walkthroughs, to deliver exact models of the space for documentation, reference and planning purposes. 

“This tool is vital to our success on this project by establishing efficiencies and maximizing precision,” said Kevin Smith, head of Swinerton’s Carolinas division, in the release.

Swinerton is building the project for Space Craft, a Charlotte-based multifamily firm, in the city’s Mill District. This is the third time the companies have partnered, per the release, with its most recent project being Joinery in the same area.

In addition to its role as the general contractor and construction manager, Swinerton is also responsible for the design-build of the project’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems.

Plans call for high SEER-rated HVAC systems, energy-efficient appliances and rooftop solar panels to power amenity areas. Tenants will have access to shared electric vehicles, ranging from e-bikes and e-scooters to electric cars. The units also feature in-unit composting, low-VOC paint, low-energy LED lighting and energy-conserving smart thermostats. 

The project will finish in fall 2026, per Swinerton.

ConTech Conversations presents monthly discussions with construction pros who are using technology to improve the way their companies do business. Click here for past conversations.

Milissa Douglas knows accounting — after 30 years in the industry, she’s seen it all, from DOS software to Excel spreadsheets running on Windows, and now, artificial intelligence.

Douglas is the controller of Marietta, Georgia-based construction firm Cork Howard Construction, which performs everything from healthcare and mission-critical work to ground-up building and interiors. 

While Douglas has worked for decades to make sure checks are cut and subs are paid on time, she’s had a little more help recently.

With AI — specifically Douglas’ new helper, Billy the Bot, named and created by Mountain View, California-based software firm Stampli — Douglas is able to cut down on the time, effort and focus necessary to track the litany of invoices that her firm receives and needs to process on any given day.

While the price of the software varies for different tiers, Douglas said at Cork Howard, it works out to about $2 per invoice, and she’s saved about 50% of research and data entry time. 

Here, Douglas talks with Construction Dive about how she adopted her AI assistant, some of the growing pains for the tech and her advice to builders who want to try these technologies out for themselves.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

CONSTRUCTION DIVE: What problems were you looking to solve for your business via AI?

MILISSA DOUGLAS: It wasn't so much the AI part of it, it was more of the automation part that we were looking for. AI was a bonus that came along with that.

We were doing everything manually — our project managers had color-coded manila folders that we sent out each week with all the original invoices, and then they would approve them and send them back. And sometimes, they wouldn’t all come back.

So, I started looking into an automation software that would help alleviate the loss of invoices.

How did you come around to using Stampli?

Stampli was not my first choice. I originally went with [SAP’s] Concur and went through the whole process of getting it set up. When it came time for it to actually work for us, it would not integrate with our accounting software. So I had to pull the plug on Concur, and Stampli was the next place I went to. 

They were really accommodating and easy to work with, as far as getting everything to work exactly how we needed it to work for our accounting software. Billy came along as a bonus when we originally took on the software.

He was not as much of an idea that I was looking for when I agreed to it. I was really just looking for the automation of the software. 

Who, exactly, is Billy the Bot and how do you use him?

Billy has really become like our little animated best friend. He is very helpful and useful.

When you scan an invoice in, or an invoice is emailed in and you put it in there, Billy fills about 90% of the information automatically for you. Really, all you have to do is verify that he did his job correctly.

We went from keying all the information in, to looking up and all the information being there already. It's been a great experience for us.

I will say, when we first started using Billy, he didn’t really know what to do. He didn’t have our information. But the more you use it, the more helpful he becomes.

Billy’s work is traditionally performed by accounts payable departments. What do you do now, since Billy is doing a lot of the legwork?

I don't know that it has changed anything in the way we operate day to day, because you still have to stay on top of the people, make sure that they approve their invoices and get them in, so you can get them in the check grind. It just refocused our attention on different things. 

Instead of keying an invoice, we’re just following up on it to make sure it gets back to us in a timely manner.

Sometimes, for a business, paying out slowly can mean more cash in hand. Was there a business incentive for Cork Howard to streamline this process?

When I was hired in, they were really far behind the times. They were still submitting paper timesheets, still doing the accounts payable manually, and using a lot of paper.

By automating the time and automating accounts payable, we've cut our paper usage down 85% to 90%. It’s really gone down, and got people to start using the server to store files on and quit making paper copies that nobody's ever going to look at again.

It was for multiple reasons — paper, losing invoices that don’t come back. It does speed up the process, too, for us to pay our vendors. We don't have to try to keep track of a paper invoice floating somewhere around the building.

What’s your advice for other builders on adopting this kind of tech?

Be patient. Learning the software, exporting and importing information so it’ll be on your financials, takes some getting used to.

For us if every I is not dotted and every T is not crossed, when we go to try to import into the accounting software, it'll kick it out and it won’t import. 

You'll learn real fast what you're looking for when you start doing your exports to make sure all the information is there.

Try to do it in small batches. Be patient until you get it to the point where it will work 100% of the time for you.

Implementation was extremely easy. We downloaded our vendors, our cost codes, deals and jobs into an Excel spreadsheet. It was super easy to set up. If anybody is scared of implementing the software, they should not be scared of it. Because it was really, really easy.

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Dive Brief:

• As the labor gap continues to widen, builders need to think of different, creative ways to attract new labor and bolster what they already have, according to an April report from consulting firm McKinsey.
• The picture that the firm paints is grim. In skilled trades roles such as construction laborers, welders and electricians, the firm said for every successful new hire in the industry, there will be an additional 20 job openings to fill. Illustrating how robust demand for workers is, average wages in manufacturing and construction have increased by more than 20% since the first quarter of 2020.
• To rectify these issues, McKinsey says that builders must turn to solutions that include collective action across public, private and social sectors, along with technology. The report’s authors pointed to, for example, an engineering firm on an unnamed high-profile project that secured scarce skilled workers with attractive sign-on bonuses and relocation packages.

Dive Insight:

McKinsey noted that construction laborer positions are among the hardest jobs to fill, as about 80% of all construction firms struggle to find workers. This, coupled with the flood of cash from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which could increase the amount of needed positions by 345,000 jobs, according to the report, could potentially worsen the situation as more money disburses from the bipartisan infrastructure law.

“Persistent challenges in filling vacancies are already delaying projects, hampering quality control, and raising costs—and are likely to worsen as demand for megaprojects accelerates,” wrote the report’s authors.

McKinsey’s findings build on its oft-cited report from 2017 about the lack of productivity gains in construction. While certain industries, such as agriculture and manufacturing, have increased productivity 10 to 15 times since the 1950s, the productivity of construction has been stuck in the same place it was at 80 years ago. Worse, the firm found productivity in construction has actually been declining since the 1960s.

To combat the issue, McKinsey cited the engineering firm that enticed workers with high pay packages, as well as the use of robotics. For example, the report referenced a heavy equipment manufacturer that used what it called “cobots'' to automate repetitive tasks and free up workers, resulting in a 40% productivity gain and a 50% improvement in resource utilization. It also pointed to an electronics manufacturer that used digital twins and remote controls, which allowed employees to problem solve issues from anywhere in the world, which reduced vacancies by 25% and nearly doubled productivity.

The idea that technology could fix construction’s labor woes isn’t a new one, but rapidly advancing products, like generative artificial intelligence, could help builders save time and money, according to panelists at the National Institute of Building Sciences Building Innovation Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 20.

Other tech, such as robots, are on the way, but won’t dominate the jobsite in the near future. They can move around, execute simple tasks and have even been successful operating one experimental jobsite on their own.

“In the short term, with labor increasingly scarce and expensive, productivity is the answer to prosperity,” the report’s authors write.

Lena Kenny is safety manager at New York City-based contractor JT Magen & Co. Opinions are the author’s own.

Construction Safety Week is an annual opportunity for people, companies and even competitors to work together and celebrate the incredibly hard work done by people in our industry who make safety the foundation of everything they do and demonstrate their continued commitment to building a stronger, safer industry.

Innovating construction safety involves implementing new ideas, technologies, processes and practices to reduce risks, prevent accidents and promote a culture of safety. At JT Magen & Co., we already implement many steps to innovate our construction safety, including everything from risk assessment and management to training and education.

We also embrace technologies such as wearable devices, drones and artificial intelligence-powered analytics to improve safety monitoring, hazard detection and incident prevention. 

Innovations such as these have the potential to significantly improve workplace safety in the construction industry by providing better risk assessment, enhanced communication and real-time monitoring of workers and environments. By leveraging these emerging technologies, construction companies like JT Magen can create safer working environments, reduce accidents and injuries and improve overall productivity and efficiency in the industry.

Here are some examples of technologies we strive to develop and improve, and how these technologies can contribute:

Wearables: Devices such as smart helmets, vests and wristbands equipped with sensors can monitor vital signs, detect hazardous substances and provide real-time alerts in case of accidents or dangerous conditions. These devices can also track workers' movements to prevent collisions and ensure they stay within safe zones.

Virtual reality/augmented reality: VR and AR platforms can be used for immersive safety training simulations, allowing workers to practice handling hazardous situations in a controlled environment. AR can also provide on-site guidance and visual overlays of safety protocols, equipment instructions and hazard warnings, improving situational awareness.

Drones: Unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with cameras and sensors can conduct surveys of construction sites to identify potential hazards, monitor progress and inspect hard-to-reach areas without risking worker safety. They can also be used for inventory management and security monitoring.

Artificial intelligence: AI-powered algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from sensors, cameras and other sources to predict safety incidents such as falls or equipment malfunctions before they occur. AI can also optimize resource allocation, schedule maintenance tasks and automate safety inspections to minimize risks.

BIM: This type of software enables architects, engineers and construction teams to create digital models of buildings and infrastructure projects. These models can simulate construction processes, identify safety hazards and plan logistics more efficiently, reducing the likelihood of accidents during the construction phase. While already in use, the expansion of this technology can only improve our safety profile.

Robotics: Robotic systems can perform repetitive or dangerous tasks such as heavy lifting, demolition and welding with precision and consistency, minimizing the need for human intervention in hazardous environments. Collaborative robots, or cobots, can work alongside human workers, enhancing productivity and safety.

3D printing/additive manufacturing: 3D printing allows for the fabrication of complex structures and components with high precision. It can be used to create custom safety equipment, tools and building materials tailored to specific project requirements, enhancing worker safety and efficiency.

Predictive analytics: By applying predictive analytics to historical safety data, construction companies can identify trends, patterns and risk factors associated with workplace accidents and near misses. This information can be used to develop proactive safety measures and targeted interventions to prevent future incidents.

Autonomous vehicles and equipment: AVs and robotic construction equipment can perform tasks such as material transport, excavation and site preparation with minimal human intervention. These technologies reduce the risk of accidents caused by human error and improve overall construction site safety.

Remote monitoring and telepresence: These innovations enable supervisors and safety managers to oversee construction activities and provide real-time guidance to workers from a centralized location. This capability enhances communication, facilitates quick decision-making and ensures adherence to safety protocols.

Environmental monitoring and control: These advanced systems can measure air quality, noise levels, temperature, humidity and other factors that affect worker health and safety. By continuously monitoring and controlling these environmental parameters, construction companies can create safer and more comfortable work environments.

Exoskeletons: Wearable robotic devices augment human strength and endurance can help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries by providing support and assistance to workers when performing physically demanding tasks such as lifting heavy objects or working in awkward positions.

Construction Safety Week reminds us that at all times, safety is priority No. 1 for our industry, and that it’s our responsibility to follow, expand and enhance safety procedures every day.

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.

Dive Brief:

• Commercial real estate data and marketplace provider CoStar Group signed a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of Matterport, a Sunnyvale, California-based firm that focuses on capturing spatial data and creating digital twins of built structures, to the tune of $1.6 billion, CoStar announced on April 22.
• The transaction, expected to be completed during the year, is subject to the agreement of Matterport stockholders and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals, per the release.
• Matterport, founded in 2011, leverages 3D-capture to generate photorealistic virtual tours and digital twins of structures. CoStar was one of Matterport’s first adopters, and has almost 300,000 Matterport digital twins available in its information platforms and online property marketplaces. 

Dive Insight:

CoStar and Matterport executed the deal via a cash and stock transaction. CoStar made the purchase at $5.50 per share, and Matterport stockholders will receive $2.75 in cash and $2.75 in shares of CoStar common stock for each share of Matterport common stock, per the release. Matterport’s revenue in 2023 was $158 million, 16% growth year-over-year from 2022.

While a $1.6 billion exit for a 13-year-old startup in the property and contech space might seem like a victory for the sector, the dollar figure is well below the nearly $10 billion valuation Matterport garnered shortly after its IPO in July 2021, according to real estate publication BuiltWorlds.

The firm’s Property Intelligence product uses spatial data, computer vision and deep learning to automatically calculate square footage, including dimensions of walls and ceiling heights from a scanned space. When announced earlier this year, Matterport said that’s a big time saver, as contractors can spend up to 10 hours manually measuring and labeling elements within a 3D model. 

Aside from software, Matterport also produces a line of physical tools to capture data, which include the company’s flagship LiDAR-based Pro3 camera, which can work on spaces both inside and outdoors, per the release. It also boasts Cortex, an artificial intelligence solution that automatically generates the 3D digital twin and virtual tour, and can also provide property dimensions and room layouts. 

Moving forward

Matterport’s portfolio also includes a breadth of data — the company curated what CoStar calls one of the largest and most precise collections of spatial property data worldwide. It contains more than 12 million spaces, captured across 177 countries. Altogether, it represents more than 38 billion square feet of digital property under management, per the release.

CoStar plans to buttress Matterport’s research and development into new solutions via investments. Solutions that the company is looking at include the use of AI and machine learning to extract information from the 3D spatial library, alongside the application of generative AI “to imagine and reimagine physical spaces,” said Andy Florance, founder and CEO of CoStar Group, in the release.

“People now select their next home, apartment, office, store, hotel or warehouse on their mobile devices, often without ever visiting the property,” Florence said. “There is no better way to remotely experience space than via Matterport.”