b'TECHNOLOGIES TO WATCH,AND THE IMPORTANCE OFEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS New technologies and techniques will only be effective with quality communication amongst all stakeholdersKEN LANCASTLE, MCA Canada Executive Director, Communications, Industry Outreach and Innovation A cross all sectors of the Canadian economy, new tech- long term, it may become an essential tool when addressing the nologies continue to emerge, which are challenging thequality of design documents.traditional way of doing business. In construction, newAs machine learning continues to improve, and data becomes technologies and innovations seem to emerge almost daily, with the promise of increased efficiencies, better productivity andbetter and more efficiently organized, there is no doubt AI and lower costs. big data may have a significant and transformative effect on the construction industry.The challenge with many of these technologies is determining whether it is the right fit for a project or company, and whetherAugmented and Virtual Realityany new technology is a good return on its investment. At theDiscussions about the potential of augmented and virtual reality same time, technology adoptions require a commitment from allin construction have been taking place for years. Ever since the stakeholders involved, which requires effective and meaningfulunveiling of the original Google Glass, the idea of augmented communication around expectations, needs and outcomes.reality and heads-up displays (HUDs) for construction helmets With that in mind, the following are some technologies andwas not far behind.trends that may have a significant impact in the coming years,Being able to view mechanical systems before installation (or for and which, if implemented properly, may have the potential toservice contractors, after construction) is just one of the many help improve productivity in the industry. advantages that augmented reality can bring. Add to that the Big Data and Artificial Intelligence ability to call up specifications or warranty information in your Any construction project, no matter its size, is teeming with data.line of sight, or even view a repair video in an HUD, and its But this data is oftentimes underutilized, overlooked or, worse,clear to see the potential this technology can have onnot used at all. It can be anything from health and safety reports,the industry.drawings and BIM models, punch lists, or materials and supplies on jobsites.IN THEORY, NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAVE As it is right now, much of this data currently exists in silos; used when called upon, but passively. However, if used effectively, andALLOWED FOR GREATER LEVELS OF in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) to understand how specific data affects a project, this data may becomeDETAIL TO BE ACHIEVED IN DESIGN extremely valuable. Inroads are already being made with respect to AI in theAND MORE EASILY SHARED BETWEEN construction industry. New software technologies are beginning to utilize AI and big data to create efficiencies, improvePROJECT STAKEHOLDERS. NEW productivity and, most importantly, create predictability on construction projects. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES CREATE One example is ALICE Technologies, which was demonstrated at a startup competition at Stanford University in 2013 and is nowOPPORTUNITIES FOR MOREbeing used in the construction industry. By entering data into the software, the AI component is able to provide constructionFREQUENT COMMUNICATIONschedules to teams and adapt as construction progresses. It is also able to showcase how different variables or components can impact the scheduling on a project. It is an early foray into theAND COLLABORATION. field, but a demonstrable tool on how AI and big data can assist the construction industry. With virtual reality, where the user is taking part in a more Another area where AI may provide further efficiencies is inimmersive experience, construction teams can conduct entire design and constructability. Again, utilizing existing data andproject walkthroughs without leaving the comfort of the office or AI can provide faster and more accurate answers when it comestrailer. Virtual reality can also aid in education and instruction, to whether a design meets all construction requirements. In thewhether it is safety training or heavy equipment operation.16 www.mcac.ca'