There is widespread acknowledgement that technology is transforming Calgary’s construction sector. And training programs like SAIT are in overdrive to meet the needs for the new construction technology skills.
Calgary construction experts agree that the timing for the construction industry to embrace cutting-edge technologies is perfect, given existing construction sector worker shortages and construction’s skilled trades crunch, combined with a strong demand for housing, development as well as private and government investment in new roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure projects.
For the business of construction, various types of innovative technology are empowering Calgary construction professionals by boosting collaboration, improving efficiency and meeting the intricate demands of complex Calgary construction projects.
No doubt about it! Technology is revolutionizing the Calgary jobsite. New materials and new methods are impacting efficiency and productivity, and allowing job sites to be more interconnected than ever before. Most importantly, technology in construction makes the jobsite safer.
“The construction industry has seen an increase in focus from technology vendors in the past several years,” explains the focused Matt Gramblicka, vice president of IT & Enterprise Applications with Graham Construction, which has been building landmark developments, transportation and civil infrastructure in the Calgary area for decades.
“Technology is also being used by construction to improve quality control, predicting and planning when process should be completed, taking the guesswork out of construction and reducing wait times while increasing productivity.”
“We’ve been able to invest in a few products that have immediate payback, such as visual site capture. Using 360-degree cameras mapped to a blueprint or the model, we’re able to document a site in a fraction of the time, allowing project teams to focus on construction versus administration.
“Automation and AI are commonplace and essential factors in Calgary construction projects. They also enhance safety and identify potential hazards on construction sites, analyzing images and videos flagging potentially unsafe behaviors or an unsafe environment, equipment misuse and other issues and risks that occur in real time,” he explains.
“I think it will be possible in the near future for site personnel to speak instructions into a device and AI will take over.”
“As safety and productivity have been, and will continue to be, key drivers for success on a project, a lot of these solutions have targeted those aspects. Construction AI systems enhance safety and identify potential hazards on construction sites, analyze images and videos to flag potentially unsafe behaviors or an unsafe environment, equipment misuse and other issues and risks that occur in real time.”
Construction professionals acknowledge that while construction technology is a positive game changer impacting construction productivity, efficiency, accuracy and profitability, there is a caveat. “Focusing on desired outcomes, designing efficient processes and only then applying the best technology to support those processes, is where we really see the gains,” Gramblicka points out.
“We are at a really momentous time, where technology like AI transitions to real opportunities that drive value. Whether it is automating repetitive tasks, summarizing mass amounts of data or acting as a copilot for our project staff.”
While the construction sector is already dealing with labour shortages and a skilled labour crunch, (a recent industry report showed that the province will need at least 22,000 new workers to sustain the construction industry into the year 2033), qualifications are critical. Embracing technology for construction and project site functions makes skills training and upgrading timelier and more important than ever.
There is an intense and dramatic transition for the complex and specialized training of relevant construction technology skills, and increased demand for skilled construction professionals who can build, design and maintain energy-efficient buildings, through reduced operating, maintenance and energy consumption costs, and increased security.
The experience and contemporary construction know-how of industry-savvy experts like dean Jim Szautner, and Lindsay Lafferty and Patrick Johnston, academic chairs of SAIT’s School of Construction help make the skills training happen. Because, more and more, technology skills are basic requirements in Calgary construction.
“They are bona fide skills required across the construction sector,” Jim Szautner points out. “But it’s also true that the technology is only as good as the person wielding it. If professionals don’t have the appropriate skills to operate, calibrate or maintain a piece of technology they are working with, the benefits of technology are significantly diminished.”
According to Patrick Johnston, “The application of new technologies is fundamentally changing how professionals design and build. Technology has supported the realization of relatively complex building designs and construction processes, and is changing how professionals across the industry can work collaboratively to develop and realize projects.”
A vital aspect of the warp-speed emerging construction technology is constantly evolving and innovative systems and programs. “New technologies are redefining the industry,” Lindsay Lafferty explains. “Construction technologies help streamline project management, design and drafting, while reducing errors during the planning phase.
“Building Information Modeling (BIM) supports detailed planning, model coordination, improves efficiency, accuracy and safety throughout the construction process. Construction management software helps manage schedules and documentation. Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) are used for visualizing and interacting with models. And point cloud technology delivers accurate 3D data collection.”
The technology is complex and intricate but, even for construction insiders, it is exciting and often fascinating.
“The newest major in SAIT’s Civil Engineering Technology program is Virtual Design and Construction,” Szautner says, “which brings the digital and real world together through enhanced 3D modelling combined with the use of augmented reality and virtual reality. Equipping Geographic Information Systems technologists with drones carrying advanced sensors on a construction site has reduced the time it takes to survey and calculate qualities, density and quality of materials from days to in real time. This advanced equipment is capable of mapping large areas producing high resolution images, increasing productivity, sustainability and productivity.”
Johnston emphasizes that the confluence of construction technology tools makes this a particularly interesting time in the broader scope of architecture, engineering and construction. He cites BIM processes which represent a paradigm shift where architects and engineers no longer draw with lines, they model with information.
Technology continues to impact two vital construction priorities: safety and sustainability.
“It dramatically improves construction safety through training simulations, and promotes sustainability through improved material management,” Lafferty adds. “It also boosts profitability by reducing errors and expediting the construction process.”
Graham is experimenting with some exciting safety AI capabilities where pictures of a worksite can be analyzed in real-time and workers can be alerted to safety concerns before they start. “By no means a replacement for people managing the risks,” Matt Gramblicka cautions, “but it is a second set of eyes that we believe will reduce SIFs (Severe Incident Frequency) on sites.”
He is revved and positive about the impact of technology on Calgary construction and its potential to be an industry game changer. “I think we’re early and there are a lot of point solutions that claim to add value by increasing productivity, but if they’re not connected to the entire workflow, there is a lot of time spent configuring these tools, and possibly duplicating data entry.
“We’re taking a more structured approach with connected systems. By focusing on the processes we need to be successful and then on the software tools that can streamline those processes, we focus on the end-to-end data flow. This is allowing us to increase visibility and leverage quality data to inform decisions.
“By collecting information consistently, we can use predictive analytics to further drive productivity gains, quality and ultimately profitability.”
