Contact: Donna Reichle (202) 595-1782             [email protected]

For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 18—Technology-rich equipment, tools, drones, robots and vehicles are revolutionizing how America’s commercial and industrial construction projects are built, according to the July/August issue of Construction Executive magazine. Improved safety, productivity gains and expedited schedules are driving industry-wide investment in technology acquisitions and upgrades among contractors of all sizes.

“Contractors are looking to deliver value to their clients using BIM, 3-D design and visualization, fabrication, mobile and cloud collaboration and other new and emerging technologies,” said Michael D. Bellaman, publisher of Construction Executive and president and CEO of the affiliated trade group Associated Builders and Contractors. “Today, our members embrace intelligent machines and intelligent jobsites to develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably.”

Following are some of the trends Construction Executive reported on jobsites:   

• Heavy equipment, such as excavators, aren’t just connected to the Internet; they also employ optical positioning and GPS technology for precision accuracy at lower costs, and can be operated remotely.
• Telematics give workers real-time vehicle performance statistics, location and speed via mobile apps.
• Drones offer advanced safety and data gathering capabilities.
• Semi-automated robots can speed physically demanding work, such as masonry.
• Ultrasound technology can predict equipment failures.

Following are the benefits of some cutting-edge technologies that have begun appearing on construction jobsites:

• Wearable technologies, such as exoskeletons, reduce fatigue for workers wielding heavy power tools, smartglasses offer see-though holographic displays, and wireless sensors pinpoint the repetitive movements that increase the risk of injuries.
• With virtual reality, users can visualize and experience 3-D models and create 360-degree videos.
• Augmented reality allows users to see an overlay of building plans in real time and space.

Construction industry professionals can visit subscribe.constructionexec.com to subscribe to the print or digital edition of the magazine and its eNewsletters on Tech Trends, Risk Management and Managing Your Business for free. Follow the magazine on Twitter (@ConstructionMag), Facebook and LinkedIn.