b'TECHNOLOGYThe following day, he carried out the same process using aAt BuildingPoint, the Trimble XR10 is handheld smartphone app. It took 54 minutes, because Iscience-fiction technology available now. didnt have to drive back to the office, he says, adding thatIt uses mixed reality to really change the time-saving could have been much greater if the first dayshow project managers can monitor transportation had not been carefully scheduled outside rushproductivity, says Davidson. Its hour, and luckily fallen during good weather and with a safety-compliant hardhat with a clear roads. semi-transparent visor that casts a 3D model of whats supposed Ironically, the very fact that mobile technology is reshaping theto be built over the existing workday is one of the reasons it has not yet been more widelyinstallation. If the hangers for adopted. Rogers comments that the key barriers are notthis duct are in the wrong as much a question of the technology as the habits and theplace, I can message the behavioural aspect of embracing technology. subcontractor and let him know in real time. I can even mark these things in the For those who are ready to move to the next level, mobilemodel. The ability to share technology is continuing to evolve, offering ever more complexdata and collaborate online and innovative capabilities. Theres a lot going on with regard tois probably one of the 3D imaging in the field, being able to tie that in with whats beenbiggest tools for contractors installed and being able to capture productivity in the field withto prevent problems and be 3D cameras that are talking to back-end solutions, Rogers says. more productive.DRONES, BIM AND MIXED REALITY Among other apps currently in use, adds Since deregulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),Davidson, are products that can monitor a job the use of drones has been increasing in the U.S. Theyresite remotely, track tools or create a workforce registry with data having the operators certified as pilots and theyre using theiron every worker, from medical issues to certifications. It allows videos to produce what is called a point cloud. They buildthem to manage their subs or their employees as the project the model, and its like a Hollywood movie: they fly you overramps up and down, Davidson says. It can also verify billed the earth, the building comes out of the ground, they can takehours and even monitor employees locations within the site or you inside and show you what it looks like in the morning or atkeep workers out if their safety credentials have expired; it could sunset, says McKinney. be used to track exposure to illness.Also, you are seeing BIM become more commonplace on job sites; you can now open up an entire model or sections of a model, adds McKinney. The analogy is opening up an hour-and-a-half movie on Netflix; a 2D file is like a photo as comparedINTEGRITYSERVICEQUALITYto a BIM file. This is still an outlier in our industry, but its becoming more commonplace.Fieldwire has just released our BIM viewer, and thats something thats being embraced by companies, especially now, when workers might not be able to be onsite, says Callinan. Youre able to get a 360-degree view of your site without actually being there. AI is going to become extremely important as we try to move forward as an industry. One of our customers, Ford AV, is leveraging AI analytics on security cameras to count the number of people on the job site at any one time. This could be a game-changer in a post-pandemic world.SHEET METAL WORKERS & ROOFERSLOCAL 30 Delta Elevator is pleased to announce that it 190 Milner AvenueToronto, ONM1S 5B6 has received the Certicate of Recognition Tel: (416) 299-7260 Fax: (416) 299-7734 2020 (COR 2020) from the Infrastructure Website: www.smwia-L30.com Health & Safety Association (IHSA)SHEET METALROOFINGAIR BALANCINGCOPING & FLASHINGSIDING & DECKINGSolidarity & Craftsmanship for over 115 years sales@delta-elevator.com 1-800-265-6348 www.delta-elevator.comBUILDERSDIGEST Quarter 3 202029'