How AI is revolutionizing construction: New builds embrace emerging technology

by sadia_badhon | April 16, 2020 12:26 pm

By Matt Man

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Artificial intelligence (AI) influences most aspects of everyday life. While the complex technology appears somewhat ambiguous, it can be generally defined as the simulation of human intelligence by machines. Computer vision, for example, represents one of the most powerful and compelling types of AI. This science replicates the human vision system and enables computers to identify and process objects like humans. Until recently, computer vision only worked in limited capacity.

However, advances in AI, deep learning, and neural networks have propelled the field ahead of human capabilities in detecting vehicles, labelling workers, and identifying safety hazards on construction sites.

Each day, it seems as though another sleek-looking building, bridge, or apartment complex is under construction. Despite adhering to the latest criteria and esthetics, the working crews are not necessarily taking advantage of the available technology, hence companies are losing millions in productivity as a result of using outdated tools[2].

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Not a moment too soon, AI is emerging on jobsites and reshaping and redefining the construction industry[4]. Although it is early yet, the influence and impact of AI can be seen in the industry.

For tangible insights into the significance and practicality of such technology, one can explore the 32-storey 700 Bay Street project[5] under construction in downtown Toronto. The structure will serve as a residential condominium, and is being constructed adjacent to an existing 24-storey commercial tower. Constructing a new building is difficult. Building a new one on top of an existing structure without damaging the adjacent facility is next to impossible. Factoring in risks, scheduling, budget, and safety goals simply add insult to injury.

Further, four stories of residential and amenity space are being added to the existing building, making this complex project a costly venture. It is one of the first Toronto-based projects to utilize AI technology in its construction process, but will surely not be the last.

AI streamlines onsite communication

Loud machinery, hundreds of workers, and stacks of loose paperwork all contribute to the stigma that construction sites are the pinnacle of poor and ineffective communication. Efficient communication has the potential to increase onsite productivity, prevent delays, eliminate injuries, and streamline payments. Despite the demand for impeccable attention to detail, the construction industry has lagged in overhauling its onsite communication efforts. The emergence of AI provides a glimmer of hope for developers and construction workers alike.

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Establishing thorough and consistent communication among all stakeholders from the onset of a project is very crucial. With multiple personnel operating several equipment in an expensive project, there is no such thing as over-communication. Since many variables are at play, poor communication is a massive concern for stakeholders, as it may manifest itself to the tune of millions of dollars. An executive working on the 700 Bay Street project asserted the job is “essentially five projects in one. The new tower coming up[7] is one project, the overbuild is another project because you have to extend the elevators another six floors and demolish the existing roof, all the sidewalks is a separate project, and the ground floor renovations is another project. The biggest thing on this project is communication. There are a lot of stakeholders [involved].”

All stakeholders, including representatives from neighbouring businesses and buildings, convene at 6:30 a.m. to meticulously map out the day ahead. However, this daily meeting merely scratches the surface in terms of necessary communication. While it certainly serves as a crucial starting point for the day, AI has ensured the project does not unravel.

On any given day, the jobsite will host nearly 75 workers ranging from mechanical and electrical personnel to demolition and concrete specialists. To successfully co-ordinate a project of this magnitude, AI is a necessity. AI-supported cameras provide all stakeholders with round-the-clock feedback of anything and everything happening on the jobsite. Smart cameras relay real-time video streams, which provide site views and actionable insights to stakeholders. Now, project managers have unprecedented capabilities to determine the number of workers and vehicles onsite at a given time, how long subcontractors worked on the jobsite, how many safety violations occurred, and gauge the overall progress.

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Not a single worker, truck, or piece of equipment will make its way to the jobsite without the stakeholders getting informed in real time. From the top to bottom, everyone involved with the project is kept in the know with valuable information. Lost paperwork and misinformation are no longer factors, as AI keeps everyone up-to-date.

The maintenance of a common and consistent understanding among all stakeholders is crucial to the success of a project to generate more trust and improve decision-making. AI establishes newfound workplace transparency. It is also helping to  improve the efficiency of construction and development. By leveraging innovations like video recordings, jobsite analytics, and real-time insights kept all stakeholders, KingSett Capital developers, and PCL general contractors up-to-date with the most accurate information available. Such insights will play a pivotal role in the final project meeting its schedule, budget, safety, and quality goals.

AI improves productivity

Despite the fact the Bay Street project will take an estimated 32 months to complete, stakeholders are tasked with operating under a tight timeline. Project managers must adhere to these timelines to ensure all stakeholders are satisfied with the progress, and to prevent spending extra time or money unnecessarily. With an estimated cost of $150 million, those working on the 700 Bay Street project have little to no room for error. While costs and building difficulties are certainly not limited to the 700 Bay Street project, the incorporation of AI to complete the structure serves as a north star for future projects facing similar challenges.

Although mistakes are inevitable, AI is playing a major role in increasing project efficiency while reducing the overall number of errors. As mentioned earlier, AI provides developers and general contractors (GCs) enhanced jobsite awareness, safety alerts, and real-time insights for better operational control. A 2017 McKinsey report[9] predicts construction firms could boost productivity by as much as 50 per cent through real-time data analysis. As AI continues to rise and shine in the construction industry, it will become commonplace to see jobsites with AI-supported systems.

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An increasing number of new projects in large urban centres, including the 700 Bay Street project and One Manhattan West project in New York City, are relying on AI to streamline efficiency and cut costs. Construction challenges on 700 Bay Street have ranged from designing the entire complex as a single structure able to resist wind and earthquakes to developing cost-effective foundations. To further complicate this already massive undertaking, design professionals and contractors are also tasked with brainstorming ways to integrate the new tower structure at 700 Bay Street without disrupting the functionality of the below-grade parking.

Stakeholders have relied on various construction intelligence tools, such as AI-powered monitoring solutions, real-time analytics, and tracking software to maintain control over this challenging jobsite. With real-time data and actionable insight from AI-driven platforms, site managers are able to understand which strategies work and what needs to be improved. The heightened levels of transparency eliminate surprises, allowing projects of this size to get completed on time and on budget.

Data facilitates efficiency

Data drives the world. Building a foundation with actionable data allows users to make informed decisions more efficiently. This concept is doubly true for those working in construction as minute details are the crux of every project. According to the 2017 McKinsey report, AI-supported analytics platforms can cut costs, prioritize preventative maintenance, and prevent unplanned downtime. The slightest miscalculation can result in a faulty structure that must be completely torn down and rebuilt, wasting time and money.

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Previously, construction managers lacked real-time visibility into site activity, limiting their ability to predict and eliminate risks. Leveraging AI-powered solutions with computer vision allows managers to monitor personal protective equipment use and safety violations and track worker movement. Additionally, project managers are able to watch weekly video playbacks to review the data and make safety predictions moving forward. The ability to anticipate problem areas keeps projects moving forward on schedule and minimizes waste.

AI’s assistance is a welcome addition to the 700 Bay Street project, due to the multiple variables contributing to this complex undertaking. Site managers have benefited from the additional levels of control, as they have worked to take apart the parking garage and install tie-backs at vertical angles to hold the earth in place. From there, a 45,359-kg (100,000-lb) caisson machine was lifted in place by a 400-tonne mobile, and the machine set to work drilling down into bedrock 900-mm (35-in.) deep before installing 49 caissons to support the new residential tower. Even with AI, this project was demanding, to say the least. However, the enhanced visibility with AI-supported computer vision made the project much more achievable.

Further complicating matters, demolition crews were aiming to avoid chipping in order to get rid of the concrete on top of the existing tower. Once again, AI made its presence felt, paving the way for AI-operated robotic demolition equipment using a crushing technique, which will be lifted to the roof. The AI-operated demolition machine strikes at over 406 joules of force, far exceeding the power of any human worker. AI not only allows for such robotics to be developed and programmed, but these AI-enabled machines can also operate in unique and complicated situations that would be difficult for humans. These machines play major roles in completing unusual tasks quickly and with relative ease, which goes a long way toward mitigating overall construction costs.

Improving site safety

It should come as no surprise the construction project at 700 Bay Street comes with inherent safety risks. Generally speaking, risk mitigation remains at the top of the construction industry’s most challenging problems, and the project taking place in downtown Toronto is far more complex and dangerous than most. The sheer volume of subcontractors working on this site simultaneously opens the door to thousands of safety issues.

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The data indicates just how dangerous construction sites can be. As identified by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the number of onsite deaths[13] where a worker is struck by an object, vehicle, or piece of equipment have spiked by 34 per cent over the last decade. AI’s presence will be especially felt here moving forward, as AI solutions have the potential to learn and identify safety risks.

Contractors are tasked with not only brainstorming how to effectively maintain and develop a project, but also ensuring the work site is properly equipped and secured with the appropriate safety systems. Managers must stay aware of potential risk areas. Advanced technology provides stakeholders more options and increased convenience when it comes to supervision, safety, and management. Construction companies have incorporated AI-powered, 360-degree cameras, drones, and smartphone cameras mounted on hard hats to detect hazards and risk areas with greater efficiency and visibility.

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The downtown Toronto construction includes two demolition jobs, a pool, parapets as well as other structures at the top of the building that have to be removed before the overbuild is constructed. Given the tight space, and the neighbouring Hospital for Sick Children, additional precautions must be put into practice to secure this site. Additional vision provided by AI is able to detect problem areas that arise anywhere onsite, keeping workers and nearby pedestrians safe.

Computer vision coupled with deep learning equips onsite cameras to offer the visibility and thoroughness required to keep workers safe. The gathered data will show managers what has been problematic up to a particular point, and will also allow them to make informed decisions about how to proceed with limited risk potential. The ability to anticipate problem areas is crucial to establishing the requisite onsite safety. In fact, these insights allowed stakeholders to make the decision to employ two luffing cranes that move vertically to perform construction near the top of the building instead of regular hammerhead cranes, which will not only keep workers safe, but will also ensure nearby buildings and civilians are safe.

A luffer was used because Sick Kids Hospital is close to the site. A hammerhead crane would have spun into the hospital. Such predictions would not be possible without leveraging the data insights provided by AI technology.

Conclusion

AI learns the complexities within a construction site and is improving outdated processes by automating previously monotonous tasks. Instead of manually counting delivery trucks, tracking labour hours, or photographing safety violations, AI completes such tasks automatically and presents workflows with actionable data. Using AI, managers can automatically identify and assign priority to issues. The algorithms facilitate understanding and anticipation of complex problems, allowing managers to make informed decisions and mitigate risks.

It is an exciting time to be a part of the construction industry, as emerging technologies like AI are opening the doors to new possibilities. AI has the capability to revolutionize the entire industry[15] and is paving the way to the construction of more complex, yet significantly safer, projects with an improved efficiency.

[16]Matt Man is the founder of Indus.ai. Man is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for inventing disruptive technology solutions. He also has an affection for developing products that break down industry silos and redefine user experience. Man earned a B.A.Sc. in engineering sciences from the University of Toronto before attending Stanford University, where he earned his M.S. from the Department of Management Science and Engineering. He can be reached via e-mail at matt.man@indus.ai.

Source URL: https://www.constructioncanada.net/how-ai-is-revolutionizing-construction-new-builds-embrace-emerging-technology/

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