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6. Adoption of (new) technologies

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Return to September 2020 Update

Length: 16 min read; 3235 words. Includes the following 6 subcategories:

Note: The following paragraphs summarize the category of Adoption of new technologies observed in September. More information about the specific category from September (and previous months) can be found in the downloaded report(s). The number in square brackets (e.g., [X]) refers to a reference where the reader can find more information about a specific statement.  The references can be found in the References list below, Systematized References page or in the downloaded report.

The interest in this category has increased 10% from August (from 23% to 25.2%) as digitalization and automation continue to be the most important strategies for the successful future. Overall, the interest in this category remains on the relatively same level since June. In September of the 6 subcategories, two are experiencing interest increase (Virtual communication & collaboration Zoom, BIM360, etc., Virtual site inspections, AR/VR etc., and other concepts VDC, management, blockchain, smart contracts; etc.); while remaining 4 subcategories are showing decline in published volume (such as COVID-19 related solutions for public; contact tracing, etc.; since this subcategory was showing peaks in previous months). The trend of accelerated digital transformation starting in April continues in September in it will permanently continue in the future (e.g., International Code Council (ICC) offers new guidance for remote virtual inspections [167]).

CIFE Summer Program 2020 at Stanford [139] provided insights about the state-of-the-art of AEC digitalization and brings bountiful discussions about digital technologies specifically virtual design & construction (VDC), integrated project delivery (IPD), BIM integration, robotics, AI, IoT, management and data automation methods, all through countless building examples and systematized in the following sections: High performance buildings through innovation; Delivering digital and physical workplaces; Making projects successful through innovation; VDC in Latin America project examples; Examples of emerging technology (IoT, blockchain, robotics); Managing innovation initiatives; Integrating project design, fabrication, and construction; Robotics research; and Project examples from across APAC. A poll during the event asked attendees how they are revisiting their digital strategies in response to COVID-19, showed that 63% of respondents are investing in technology supporting WFH, 13% are using VR and other technologies for remote design review, 12% are using digital signature solutions and 12% chose “other” methods, while 0% are deploying robots for on-site activity. [139] Another multiple-choice poll showed that the main sources for technology innovation in organizations for now are: 42%: In-house R&D teams; 45% Initiatives from operation teams; 28% External entrepreneurs; 18% Research Institutes / laboratories; and 14% Other. When asked which should be the main source for technology innovation in your organization for future: 52% responded In-house R&D teams; 48% Initiatives from operation teams; 28% External entrepreneurs; 35% Research Institutes / laboratories; 9% Other. [139] Innovation lead to higher productivity, but construction is not innovation led business. [139][271] Main reasons for low innovation in AEC: highly fragmented, careful in investments (project economy, R&D seen as overhead instead of investment); traditional roles (not updated to current reality); low IT experience; not industrialized enough. How to start with innovations: start with Why – tell the story of your success; Invest in innovation (separate R&D from overhead costs); management attention; innovation leaders within the organization; organizational learning; startup accelerator (your own or participate); close collaboration with universities and PhD students. [139][271] “If innovation does not pay on the first project we put it on,  it is a non- starter; others noted: if innovation has to pay on the first project, it is a non-starter.” [139][198]

There is a growing demanding trend for big-data IT professionals in construction. While the AEC hiring managers feel they can teach VDC skills to builders, and building skills to technology-minded professionals, when it comes to data-oriented coders, they are competing with the Facebooks and the Amazons of the world for people who really understand data (Woolley Nelson, Skanska). [202]

6.a) Virtual communication & collaboration (Zoom, BIM360, Virtual site inspections, AR/VR, etc.)

Virtual communication and collaboration is booming. Together Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and Cisco Webex now have well over 300 million users. [163] Even before the pandemic there were numerous companies with the workforce working remotely. We can learn from their examples. Gitlab, a software company, has been “all-remote” since it was founded in 2014. With no offices, it gathers together its 1,300 team members, who live in 65 different countries, at least once a year for get-togethers and team bonding. Similarly, companies such as Teemly, Sococo and Pragli offer “virtual offices”, making it easier to communicate with colleagues, rather than going through the rigmarole of scheduling a video call. Using video messaging from Loom, a worker can record her screen, voice and face and instantly share it with colleagues—more useful than a conventional video call, as the video can be sped up or rewound. Gitlab’s workers follow a “nonlinear” workday; interrupting work with bouts of leisure. Rather than talk to their colleagues over live video calls they engage in “asynchronous communication”, which is another way of saying they send their co-workers pre-recorded video messages.

More frequent WFH will also demand the use of new hardware, while some will be less used. At present, many companies host large data-centers, but these have proved less efficient as more people WFH. Goldman Sachs considers that investment in traditional data infrastructure will fall by 3% a year in 2019-25. In its place, companies are likely to spend more on technology which allows workers to replicate the experience of being in the same physical space as someone else (higher-quality cameras and microphones, for instance). The more utopian technology analysts predict that within five years, people will be able to put on a VR headset and immerse themselves in a virtual office. [268] To select appropriate tools for virtual communication & collaboration the companies must refine their goals and ask appropriate questions about a) the flow of information (Are you informing the public or inviting new ideas? If you’re primarily sharing information, a Zoom webinar could be a great tool, whereas if you need to generate ideas, an interactive, collaboration platform like Miro or Mural might be more effective.); b) data (Do you need to gather quantitative metrics or to hear qualitative stories? Online and call-in surveys and live virtual polling with tools such as Mentimeter and Slido provide strong quantitative metrics, whereas a video call for interviews or remote video journaling activity are some other ways to gather qualitative information.) and c) timeframe (Do you need to hear immediate, real-time feedback, or can you wait a few weeks to hear from as many people as possible? For an immediate response, a live virtual event might be the best choice, whereas an interactive, virtual mapping exercise or survey that is open for multiple weeks can help you reach a broader base.) [190]

International Code Council (ICC) offered guidance for remote virtual inspections. [167] Supply chain news are filled with new digital technologies for supply chain optimization and forecasting; such as Port of Los Angeles launched dashboard to break down forecasted volume for incoming cargo - showing what volume is expected to move via rail and the size of the containers making landfall. This can help the port's supply chain partners properly plan labor and other resources in advance of the container's arrival [272]; and Uber Freight enters enterprise software game, extending visibility to loads off the platform - launching two enterprise software products aimed at bringing deeper visibility to shippers managing loads across carriers; Uber Freight Enterprise and Uber Freight Link, are intended to complement existing warehouse and transportation management systems [273].

MIT Senseable City Lab is using social media to unveil segregation within a city; investigating the intricate interactions between physical space, digital communication, and productivity (“This study will help us better understand how our communications evolved over the course of the COVID pandemic and will also shed light on the long-term impact of fully virtual communications on innovation and productivity.”); exploring City Veins: the sensing potential of cities. [274]

6.b) Robotics, Automation, Mobile Unmanned Systems (MUS); 3D printing (additive manufacturing); etc.

A poll during the CIFE Summer Program 2020 at Stanford asked AEC companies to what extent are currently using robotics. Only 5% have worked with robotics; 29% are aware of a project that used robotics; and 65% never used or considered robotics.[139] Application of robots in warehouses and distribution centers substantially increased during pandemic to address the increased e-commerce and COVID-19 physical distancing guidelines. For example, Kindred Sort robots use AI to continuously improve they abilities, and they grow more intelligent as they pick more items. These pick-and-place robots use AutoGrasp, a robotics intelligence platform that identifies items and puts them in a compartmentalized wall with slots for each order. As products are fed into the bin, Sort picks the appropriate ones and places them in the appropriate order bin in the put wall. The technology combines vision, grabbing and algorithms to identify, pick and drop things like clothing, poly bags and other small items. [243] Another example from supply chain journals is FedEx’s collaboration with Reliable Robotics to pilot the use of an unmanned single-engine aircraft for cargo delivery. [275]

Australian defense will use swarms of tiny autonomous underwater vehicles, highlighting a global trend. [276] Drones are taking the center stage with major carriers (Amazon Prime Air) [245] and retailers (Walmart) [246] getting clearance for testing drone deliveries; Pentagon offering a list of secure (non-Chinese-made) drones [247]; Amazon's Ring sells a $250 security drone that flies around your home [277] with webinars teaching how to make profit of drones [278].

The latest forecasts in the Additive Manufacturing with Metal Powders 2020 report expect the metal AM market to barely squeeze out some single digit revenue growth after an already weak 2019, dependent on the execution of new market strategies to capitalize on the building wave of interest in supply chain innovation in the post-coronavirus world. [279]

6.c) Smart buildings: IT+OT; IoT, digital twin, big data – analytics & processing, sensors, AI, proptech, etc.

Smart buildings start with an intelligent, fully connected infrastructure that goes beyond the base building network, integrating multiple generations of technologies, including server, controller, edge and cloud options. Besides a unified strategy that supports a well-connected, integrated and interoperable network of building systems and controls includes physical infrastructure of the building and an information infrastructure that can access and interpret data from the different systems to optimize building operations and enhance occupant experiences. The perfect solution for a NextGen smart building may not be available yet. [122] ExxonMobil deploys three concepts for building infrastructure strategies to transfer digital strategies into IT architecture strategies: 1) unlock data and continue to evolve as a data driven organization --> heavily IoT focused with an infrastructure supporting real time data feeds; 2) standardize BMS data flows to reduce commissioning costs and time --> modernize our site BMS deployments to enable secure and optimal data flow; and 3) remote accessibility and regional support – not only a single site but the whole portfolio --> cloud-first approach – to support our global scale. Best practices: 1) start with your data needs first (IoT has the power to unlock your data, but that data is only as valuable as you can make it); 2) enforce security by design (when possible, keep BMS networks isolated from corporate networks – end-to-end encryption is a must); 3) do not assume connectivity is easy (various ways to setup outbound connectivity – wired, wireless, LTE, 5G – there are limitations to each) ; and 4) get IT involved early in design (when considering a modernized BMS deployment, a crucial step to ensuring success is to involve IT experts early on in the BMS design phase).[122]

Sabine Lam from Google highlighted during the Realcomm’s webinar that building infrastructure is about accessing data and enabling data driven execution; how to adapt the space for the occupant. The goal is to have agnostic technology solution where we are pulling the data from all devices into a centralized data platform – but data need to be organized to makes sense. Travis Perkins from Join highlighted that the process is still fairly manual and costly and to alleviate the risks we need to bring the problems earlier in the process and automate. Sonu Panda from Prescriptive Data claims that smart buildings need to have three strategies: 1) for secure collecting and storage of data; 2) making resulting datasets actionable; and 3) vision how to use and drive infrastructure to have meaningful and lasting business outcomes. [122] “The more granular data we collect the more value we can create for ourselves and the customers.” [123] Key drivers for LPWAN/IoT infrastructure: scalable, robust and reliable, and secure infrastructure; and control and management of data. [123]
ALICE [280], an AI-driven construction planning tool, is increasingly applied in construction. The tool combines the expertize of contractors with an AI-powered simulation engine that allows project teams to quickly explore a multitude of different construction schedule plans. On average, ALICE provides 10% savings in time or money in comparison to traditional scheduling methods. For example, a proposed solution to add more space on site (considered contra productive with traditional scheduling methods) had brought 600% improvement on excavation productivity and 20% improvement on concrete productivity. Three major product adoption curve challenges: fear (of unknown, of AI); speed (proactive, reactive); visibility of benefits (time savings, value shift). The company should prepare a foundation for ALICE application: every member of value chain should work with BIM and 4D process; while demo days and access to tool founders can speed up the assimilation of the tool into workflows. [139][195]

6.d) Other concepts (VDC, management, blockchain, smart contracts)

Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) has been taught for over 20 years at CIFE at Stanford. The AEC practitioners who are applying VDC methods are harvesting benefits; e.g., VDC levels correlation with fee erosion show that the greater VDC levels mean greater fees. [139][271] Recordings of the CIFE Summer Program 2020 at Stanford [139] provide numerous successful examples of VDC application in construction. Integrated digital delivery (IDD) strategies: strengthening IDD capabilities & enterprise development; 2) widening adoption through public and private sector clients; 3) nurturing R&I and piloting new IDD solutions; 4) developing collaborative procurement approaches; 5) identifying & encouraging adoption of vertical applications; and 6) developing & promoting collaborative platforms and common standards. [139][281]

Blockchain’s benefits for construction have been repeatedly published. It is automated bookkeeping, with a twist: Not only does it get rid of physical documents, it performs the digital paper pushing without any human interaction. “A blockchain is just a list of transactions copied so many times that a human being cannot go in and make a modification to a ledger without causing a lot of alarm bells to go off,” says Bassem Hamdy, CEO of Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Briq, a maker of construction financial forecasting solutions. “Just imagine an Excel spreadsheet where every time you made a change, it copied itself over 100,000 times across 100,000 machines so that it’s always in synch and up to date.” The immutability and the final result provide a single source of truth - created by all the participants on a given project, that’s plain for everyone to see. There have been only a few real-world use cases of blockchain in construction. For example, Minneapolis-based contractor Gardner Builders, with the help of Briq, delivered a digital twin of a building to its owner on a blockchain. Doing so created a record of every component used in the structure, for all time. According to Harvard Business Review, blockchain has also been leveraged by Amsterdam-based HerenBouw to create an audit trail for a large-scale development project in the city’s harbor. Briq (then known as Brickschain) also helped Australia’s Probuild ensure the authenticity of panels built in China, by recording all interactions in the supply chain along the way. That’s a key step to preventing counterfeiting or ensuring quality control of materials sourced globally, another potential application for the technology. Stephen Mulva, director of the Construction Industry Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, highlighted that the technology has also been used in residential building for payment settlement to be triggered when certain milestones are met. There is yet to be a wide-scale rollout of the technology for the building industries. Blockchain could facilitate a rapid transfer of money, which removes the issue of trust. But it also takes control away from the clients - clients do not like losing control. [282]

6.e) COVID-19 related innovations (for public); contact tracing, etc.

September highlights for COVID-related new solutions include an all-girl coding team known as AlGIRLithm designed an app to review restaurants' Covid-19 precautions — helping customers stay safe while…” [283] and a new class at Stanford ME233: Data-Driven Modeling of COVID-19 explores how to safely reopen a campus during COVID-19 using machine learning to explore various policy strategies for bringing students on campus [284]. Furthermore, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub at Stanford University launch low-cost COVID-19 testing and surveillance platform. The technology, known as Vera [285] was created as part of a public-private partnership between Stanford and several other institutions, including the CZ Biohub and Microsoft. It was designed as an expanded testing platform that’s nationally scalable, rapidly deployable and more affordable than other current options. In the hope that the platform can aid in the effort to reopen schools, workplaces and communities more broadly, Stanford intends to make it available, under noncommercial terms, to academic institutions, public health departments, laboratory providers and other organizations interested in offering expansive testing. [18] South Korean electronics company LG creates face mask with a battery-powered air purification system.[20]
Contractors are utilizing innovative approaches to slow COVID-19 spread on jobsite (previous reports list numerous technologies). An example published in September is a $40,000 Opti-Clean cubes from Xtreme Cubes Corp. used by Nevada contractors SR Construction and W.A. Richardson Builders. The cubes come with a patented solution that sprays a dry mist on workers or other people walking through the cubes at a normal pace. The spray is a medical-grade hypochlorous (HOCL) solution. [235]

6.f) Cybersecurity / Privacy

For contact tracing in buildings privacy is less important than cybersecurity because we do anonymize the data: I don’t care who is coming but how many are coming, when, where, and if they are distancing.” Data storage and data release are the most important. [123] In the real estate business rebuilding trust is a new business imperative for owners; creating amazing experiences for tenants and their employees will be next; owners and tenants need to be more open to sharing data; data security and privacy policies need to be upfront and transparent. [122]

According to the 2020 Phishing Attack Landscape Report, commissioned by GreatHorn and conducted by Cybersecurity Insiders, the frequency of phishing threats has not slowed down during the past months. Organizations across the globe experienced an average of 1.185 attacks per month. Additionally, 38% reported that co-workers had fallen victim to an attack during the last year. As a result, 15% of organizations are now left spending anywhere from one to four days remediating malicious attacks during what is already a precarious and strenuous time for many. Phishing remains one of the most important attacks companies need to prepare for. [286] Cybersecurity tips for recognizing and avoiding phishing emails: 1) Beware of online requests for personal information; 2) Check the email address or link; 3) Watch for spelling and grammatical mistakes; 4) Look for generic greetings: 5) Avoid emails that insist you act now; and 6) delete them all. [287] Cybersecurity attacks and related news are exploding globally (the attack rates in APAC are at 3%, in comparison to 1.4% globally [288]). From the September news we highlight: a) The world’s first fatality from a cyberattack may have happened when servers at University Hospital Düsseldorf were attacked by ransomware, crashing systems and forcing the hospital to turn away emergency patient – one did not survive when being sent to another hospital; b) New Zealand stock exchange shut down in wake of offshore cyberattack; c) National Australia Bank experiencing nearly three million cyber threats per day [289];  d) Swiss data protection authority determines the Swiss-US privacy shield does not protect data sent to us; and e) the European Data Protection Board's guidance on joint controllers and social media. [290]

In the U.S. cybersecurity is more important than ever, especially with recent data breaches at Capital One, Baltimore, Riviera Beach City, and Equifax. The DHS has warned organizations to strengthen their defenses against ransomware attacks as mandated by the National Cyber Strategy. Based on the report's recommendations, the federal, public and private sectors need to secure their networks and devices in a unified way, which is where Desktop Central, ManageEngine's Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solution, can help. [291]

Previous August Category Summary

References

[18] S. University, “Low-cost coronavirus testing, surveillance”, Stanford News, Sep. 30, 2020. (accessed Nov. 25, 2020)
[20] “LG creates face mask with battery-powered air purification system”, Dezeen, Sep. 02, 2020. (accessed Nov. 23, 2020)
[163] “Is the office finished?”, The Economist, Sep. 12, 2020.
[167] “ICC offers guidance for remote virtual inspections”, Construction Dive. (accessed Nov. 19, 2020)
[190] J. Butler, M. Mizuhara, and A. Wong, “Empowering Citizens to Transform Their Cities | Dialogue Blog | Research & Insight”, Gensler. (accessed Nov. 16, 2020)
[195] CIFE Summer Program 2020, “Project Examples from Across APAC: Alan Landau, Ananda Development - Bangkok, Thailand (Project-Examples-from-Across-APAC--Alan-Landau.mp4)”, CIFE, Stanford University.
[198] CIFE Summer Program 2020, “Leading Innovation: Moderator: Martin Fischer Cesar Guzman. PRODUKTIVA; Larry Pace, FactoryOS; Jes Pedersen, Webcor (Leading Innovation.mp4)”, CIFE, Stanford University.
[202] “The most in-demand tech jobs in construction”, Construction Dive. (accessed Nov. 18, 2020)
[246] “Walmart pilots drone delivery for groceries with Flytrex”, Supply Chain Dive. (accessed Nov. 19, 2020)
[247] “Pentagon offers list of secure drones”, Construction Dive. (accessed Nov. 13, 2020)
[268] “Covid-19 has forced a radical shift in working habits”, The Economist, Sep. 12, 2020.
[271] CIFE Summer Program 2020, “Managing Innovation Initiatives: Joakim Örn, Veidekke (Joakim-Orn--Managing-Innovation-Initiatives.mp4)”, CIFE, Stanford University.
[276] “Australian Defence to Use Swarms of Tiny Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, Highlighting a Global Trend”, Data Privacy + Security Insider, Sep. 03, 2020. (accessed Nov. 29, 2020)
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[280] “ALICE – Construction planning meets Artificial Intelligence.”, ALICE – Construction planning meets Artificial Intelligence. (accessed Dec. 08, 2020)
[281] CIFE Summer Program 2020, “Project Examples from Across APAC: Tai Fatt Cheng, Singapore Building and Construction Authority (Project-Examples-from-Across-APAC--Tai-Fatt-Cheng.mp4)”, CIFE, Stanford University.
[282] “Tech 101: Blockchain’s benefits for construction”, Construction Dive. (accessed Nov. 13, 2020)
[284] “A new class explores how to safely reopen a campus during COVID-19”, Stanford School of Engineering, Sep. 18, 2020. (accessed Nov. 24, 2020)
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