How Automation in Construction Management Is Changing the Game

You're juggling a million things on your construction site, and all around you, there's a relentless buzz about robots, drones, 3D printing, and virtual reality. It's enough to make you feel like you're caught in a twister of frustration, overwhelm, and curiosity, all at once.

With all of this readily available information, a new problem emerges — information overload. By strategically implementing automated workflows, we can reap the benefits of all of this new data without the additional processing time. Data analysis and basic communication are two important areas that our industry will need to constantly revisit with the introduction of new technology.

It's about reshaping your daily operations in the office, your interactions with your team, and the way you manage projects, transforming them into a symphony of efficiency. In this article, we'll guide you through automation in construction, revealing why adding digitalization to your people and processes is the key to improving the construction management workflow through optimizing their strengths.

The Untapped Potential of Automating Analysis

Dealing with immense volumes of data in traditional construction analysis can be a headache.

For instance, let’s say you’re handed thousands of photographs from a construction site, chaotically mixed up without any discernible pattern. Even when tagged or sorted, finding the information you need remains a daunting task. Not to mention the long, tedious hours spent trying to find the data you need when you could have been on-site or focusing on analyzing the photos themselves. Imagine if there was a way to reduce the time spent on data analysis while still gaining the insights you need.

Here's where Avvir comes in to break the cycle and elevate your construction workflow. Without proper context, progress photos, videos, and even point cloud scans provide little value. Reality capture generates so much data that inspecting it is simply too big of a lift. This is an example where Avvir can help. Through AI and machine learning, we automate the analysis of your reality capture data so that construction workers can glean meaningful insights without having to comb through terabytes of data. In other words, automation technology is transforming the construction process, improving efficiency, and addressing the labor shortage. 

Transforming Communication Through Automation

Sometimes it can feel like you're playing a game of telephone on your construction projects. Because, let's be honest, traditional communication methods can be downright frustrating. First, inconsistency in communication channels is a major problem. Endless emails, phone calls, and meetings upon meetings — with so many different mediums, it's no wonder information gets lost or misinterpreted.

Another issue is the difficulty in documenting and organizing information. We've all been there — spending hours hunting for that one crucial document, only to find it buried in a mountain of folders. The struggle is real, but there's a way to streamline communication and keep stakeholders on the same page.

With a centralized platform, your entire team can access, share, and collaborate on project lifecycle information. As a result, communication becomes a breeze, and everyone's on the same wavelength. 

For instance, the Avvir Reality Analysis Platform aids in overcoming any skepticism regarding the tracking and reporting of reality capture data. The platform presents accurate, comprehensive, and easy-to-understand data to stakeholders, promoting trust and transparency. The technology allows you to show project owners real-time OAC (Owner-Architect-Contractor) meeting progress compared against actual reports. This way, they get a tangible sense of the project’s progression, contributing to their confidence and satisfaction.

But it doesn't stop there. RFI (Request for Information) management tools can also help speed up document approvals. RFIs, submittals, change orders — they all need approvals, and they can slow projects to a crawl. With construction document management software, these files can be routed directly to the right people, speeding up the authorization process and keeping your construction projects on track.

Maximizing Resource Efficiency in Construction Projects

Resource allocation in construction management can be riddled with inefficiencies. One of these is the countless time-consuming repetitive tasks, such as data entry and updating schedules. These activities take up valuable time that could be better spent on more important aspects of your project. Additionally, manual processes can lead to errors. We're all human, and mistakes happen. But in construction, even small errors can have significant consequences. Reducing manual systems is crucial to avoid such issues.

The exciting reality is that targeted automated construction tools, such as Avvir, are streamlining resource efficiency in innovative ways. For example, Avvir automates the traditionally time-consuming process of matching built conditions against building models. By replacing manual checks with precise laser scans, the automated systems save significant man-hours, enabling your team to allocate their energy to more complex tasks.

Avvir's Real-Time Progress Monitoring is another game-changer. Rather than manually updating schedules, this feature automates the process, providing up-to-the-minute data on construction progress. The result? More time for your team to focus on strategic planning and problem-solving, optimizing overall productivity.

Overcoming Compliance Challenges with Construction Technologies

Staying compliant in the construction industry can often feel like a never-ending uphill battle, but it doesn't have to be. One of the key challenges in meeting compliance requirements is maintaining proper documentation. Construction projects require a plethora of paperwork, including permits, safety reports, and more. Ensuring that all these documents are organized and up-to-date can be a real headache. 

Accuracy is obviously crucial, as mistakes in documentation can lead to compliance issues. Manual processes make it all too easy for errors to slip through the cracks.

One such key feature revolutionizing the industry is the Building Information Modeling (BIM) review. This model-based code compliance process is not only quicker but also more efficient than traditional human-driven reviews. Automated BIM reviews free up your team's time, enabling them to address detected compliance issues more effectively and efficiently.

Take, for example, the scenario of a permit being rejected, necessitating the resubmission of plans. In traditional systems, this could mean painstaking back-and-forths, with considerable lag in communication and action. But with BIM, the resubmittal time can be significantly reduced. Your team can swiftly make the necessary adjustments while permitters can become an integral part of the live design process. They can review and incorporate comments instantly, making for faster resubmission and a smoother overall process.

Even better, Avvir connects the BIM to the realities of the job site in a systematic and accurate way. As a reality analysis platform, the software offers crucial insights and keeps your BIM updated throughout the project lifecycle.

The Magic of Automation: A Real-Life Success Story

Wondering how automation can make a real difference in construction management? Let's take a look at a real-life success story using Avvir.

AECOM Tishman, a subsidiary of world-class infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, set their sights on the best Reality Capture Analysis solution on the market for their Manhattan West mega-build. Tasked with evaluating automated progress tracking solutions, the team at AECOM Tishman saw this project as an ideal opportunity to pilot Avvir's reality capture analysis platform, stretching over seven mechanical floors and 236,966 square feet.

Christian Peña, the Project Manager, believed Manhattan West would be the ultimate battleground to test Avvir's capabilities, recognizing that managing reality capture data sets is like wrestling a lion. Project Director Moheb Beshara, meanwhile, sought to conquer three pain points: tracking progress, identifying deviations, and managing ongoing design changes throughout construction. Together, they were determined to proactively address deviations and capture discrepancies between field installations and the Building Information Model (BIM).

Avvir's Reality Analysis Platform provided a custom-tailored solution for AECOM Tishman. The new technology successfully integrated the testing of Avvir Inspect deviation analysis and Avvir Progress tracking into their operations, yielding customized reports tailored specifically to AECOM Tishman's requirements. In addition, a weekly reality capture regimen was executed with Structionsite photo capture and terrestrial scans, enhancing their data's accuracy and reliability.

The pilot solution was built on three innovative elements:

1. Progress tracking: This system allowed the team to measure their progress dynamically by juxtaposing weekly 360-degree photographs with the BIM. The resulting data was then manipulated to create an array of custom reports, giving AECOM Tishman a broad yet detailed understanding of their progress.
2. Rework prevention: In order to minimize costly and time-consuming rework, Avvir's platform compared the BIM with laser scans of existing conditions, automatically spotting discrepancies between design and reality. This preemptive measure ensured the high accuracy of their work and a significant reduction in errors.
3. Accurate as-built: Lastly, the system identified mismatches between the BIM location and the as-built reality, automatically pushing model updates based on current conditions. This not only improved the accuracy of their records but also enhanced their ability to plan and predict future work.

Embracing the Future of Construction

We get it. Change can be intimidating, especially when you've been doing things a certain way for years. And yes, the construction industry will continue to evolve and construction automation will revolutionize both off-site and on-site activities such as robotic excavators and heavy equipment. Now imagine the possibilities if you embrace the power of construction automation. The efficiency, effectiveness, and peace of mind it can bring to your projects are worth exploring, don't you think?

We're not saying you have to toss out everything you know and start from scratch. It's about integrating automation into your existing construction processes, taking advantage of its potential to make your job easier and your projects more successful. So, what are you waiting for? 

It's time to dive into the world of automation and see how it can revolutionize your construction projects. The future is here, and it's brighter than ever. As a starting point, consider Avvir's offerings. Our AI and machine learning solutions automate the analysis of your reality capture data, making it easier for project teams to extract meaningful insights without sifting through mountains of information. We're here to help construction companies take the plunge into automation, and we're confident that you'll be amazed at the impact it can have on your construction management process.

Reach out to Avvir today and let us show you the incredible potential of automation in construction management. Together, we can build a better, more efficient future for the industry.