POWER September 2020 - 42

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Technology in Construction:
Matching Solutions to
Specific Challenges
This is the last of a three-part series on technology in construction. In the May issue,
Part I focused on predicting and adapting to change. Part II-in the July issue-
examined choosing and implementing solutions. This month, Part III looks at a few
common issues facing power plant projects and the ways they are being addressed
using technology.
Weston Tanner
T
echnologies are created and developed
to solve specific pain points.
Therefore, companies should not
adopt " tech for tech's sake, " but should
identify problems or inefficiencies in existing
processes and focus on the technologies
that can solve those problems.
Identifying helpful technologies is
complicated by the fact that many have
proven track records in some applications
but are not living up to expectations
in others. This is because technology
adoption does not happen in a steady,
linear fashion. The tendency is for new
products to hit the market in waves. With
each wave, consumers get overexcited
in the short term, while underestimating
long-term effects.
Gartner, a leading research and advisory
company, offers insights on how
a technology is initially perceived, how
it is adopted, and how it matures. Gartner
captures those insights in its " Hype
Cycles " curve. According to Gartner,
each new technology trigger is met with
a period of inflated expectations-the
" hype. " Because optimism and imagination
outpace reality, the hype is followed
by a " trough of disillusionment. " During
this trough, despite the public losing
faith that their initial expectations will be
realized, the underlying technology continues
to grow. Eventually the technology
begins to demonstrate its real value
and progresses beyond the trough, a
phase Gartner calls the " slope of enlightenment. "
Finally, the application or product
enters a mature, productive phase of
adoption known as the " plateau of productivity. "
Once it has reached this plateau,
a technology is in widespread use.
When a company or facility owner
first begins to research tech tools, it
can be very useful to consider where
42
a given tool currently falls on Gartner's
conceptual curve. The following areas of
construction business practice are faced
with significant pain points. Fortunately,
several of these areas have maturing,
plateaued technologies that can significantly
reduce jobsite challenges. There
are, however, many nascent technologies
whose immediate return on investment
may be less certain.
Site Analysis and Existing Conditions
Real-world or as-built conditions introduce
many
variables-and
headaches-into
construction projects. Team
members often make assumptions that
are double-checked and rectified too late.
This not only has a negative impact on
project cost and schedule, but also results
in project team members backpedaling,
resolving issues reactively instead
of proactively.
Digital photography has made it
cheaper and easier to take photos and
video of a jobsite. New photo formats-
such as 360-degree globe views or photogrammetry
(in which software tools
are used to create a rough 3D model
using photographs taken from multiple
angles)-improve the amount of information
captured. These technologies
have mostly plateaued, offering a great
improvement to jobsite productivity.
Light detection and ranging (LIDAR),
also known as laser scanning, creates
accurate point clouds of real-world conditions.
When attached to drones, both
LIDAR and cameras further automate
the capturing of data, and footage can
be used to create a realistic 3D model of
an entire site. Laser scanning of as-built
conditions also improves efficiency on
renovation projects. When unknown conditions,
such as hidden ducts or walls,
are discovered during demolition, they
www.powermag.com
1. Project scheduling software is widely used
throughout the construction industry. Much of
the technology is mature, but new features are
being added regularly. Courtesy: Graycor
can cause a schedule delay, but LIDAR
data can be analyzed by an outsourced
party to identify variances ahead of critical
paths. Unlike digital photography, LIDAR
and drones have not quite matured
into widespread use, but they are well
on their way to doing so.
Design and Design Assist
When project documents are handed off
from designer to contractor, a lot of information
and background can get lost.
Contract structures are to blame for
much of this; however, when operating
within trusting environments and collaborative
contract structures, several technologies
can have a big impact.
When contractors are allowed to add
layers of information to a building information
model (BIM), estimating and
constructability analyses are easier. Contractors
not only get the benefit of being
able to utilize information they can trust,
but they know more about why design
decisions were made and can offer valuable
insights. BIM is currently the most
advanced technology providing design
assistance beyond the more traditional
2D drawing and PDF technologies.
POWER | September 2020
http://www.powermag.com
POWER September 2020

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