LAS VEGAS — Among the world’s top construction tech innovators gathered at the 2024 Trimble Dimensions Conference, Civ Robotics stood out with a groundbreaking approach to site layout and surveying. Founded by civil engineer Tom Yeshurun, the company is blazing a new path for the construction industry by automating a vital but often painstaking process: marking precise points on large-scale project sites. Yeshurun’s journey, from his own frustrations on construction sites to creating a fleet of autonomous robots, highlights a unique story of problem-solving and engineering vision.
CivDot
The concept for Civ Robotics was born when Yeshurun, then a civil engineer on a multimillion-dollar road construction project, became frustrated with the cost and complexity of surveying. “I was building a road and spent about $5 million on surveying work. And they made mistakes. We all do; we’re human after all,” he recalled. He found himself wishing for a tool that could take the human element out of layout work, ensuring speed and accuracy without the constant back-and-forth with survey crews. “I used drones at some points to do photogrammetry, and that was great,” Yeshurun said. “But I thought, what if I had a robot to just do the layout for me?” This inspiration laid the foundation for what would become Civ Robotics.
San Diego, CA – In a world grappling with the urgency of the climate crisis and a surging demand for mobility, a group of engineering students from Germany is determined to revolutionize how we move. At Autodesk University in San Diego last month, Johannes Anton Mootz, the Lead Structure and Packaging engineer for mu-zero HYPERLOOP, shared a bold vision: a transportation future where high-speed, low-emission travel could seamlessly connect cities and reduce the carbon footprint of short-distance flights. Mootz, a PhD candidate at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and former lead structural engineer for the mu-zero Hyperloop team, provided a captivating look at how his team is leveraging cutting-edge technology and an innovative collaborative approach to make that vision a reality.
A Vision for Sustainable Travel
Opening his presentation with a call to action, Mootz emphasized that the climate crisis demands an urgent overhaul of our current mobility systems. The mu-zero HYPERLOOP project, now in its fourth year, is rooted in the idea that mobility can and must evolve toward sustainability. “One solution to the climate crisis could be the Hyperloop,” Mootz explained, describing the concept as a high-speed, near-supersonic transportation mode operating in a vacuum-sealed tube to eliminate friction and drastically reduce energy consumption. With the mu-zero HYPERLOOP prototype, his team has shown that short-haul transportation could be transformed by this technology, minimizing emissions while maintaining, or even exceeding, the speed of air travel.
At this year’s Autodesk University, Egnyte, a leading provider of cloud content security and governance solutions, made a significant impact with the launch of its latest integrations aimed at the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector. These new features promise to reduce data silos, enhance project collaboration, and improve data security—key issues in an industry increasingly reliant on cloud-based workflows.
Egnyte’s strategic integration with the Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) is designed to streamline how AEC professionals manage and collaborate on large-scale projects. By selectively syncing data between ACC and Egnyte’s secure platform, project managers can easily access crucial files without navigating through cumbersome layers of information. This approach not only eliminates duplicate file storage but also ensures that teams working in different locations are accessing the most up-to-date information.
In my conversation with Ronen Vengosh, Egnyte’s Senior Vice President of Industry Solutions, he elaborated on how these innovations are transforming AEC workflows. “At Egnyte, we’ve always been focused on making cloud collaboration secure and efficient,” Vengosh said. “Our new integration with ACC gives our clients in the AEC space greater control over their data, allowing them to seamlessly sync critical documents without manual interventions. This saves time and significantly improves project workflow.”
Mark Coates, VP Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Bentley Systems
The Year in Infrastructure Conference in Vancouver was abuzz with discussions about the future of infrastructure, digitalization, and sustainability. Among the many thought leaders present, Mark Coates, Vice President of Infrastructure Policy Advancement at Bentley Systems, offered a compelling perspective on how global collaboration, digital tools, and innovative policies can transform the infrastructure landscape.
In an exclusive interview, Coates detailed his team’s mission to identify and promote best practices from innovative infrastructure projects worldwide. “We see these fantastic lighthouse projects,” he explained. “The goal is to make sure they don’t remain isolated, but rather become the next level of norm across industries, governments, and financial institutions.” This, Coates believes, is essential to addressing infrastructure challenges in a world increasingly affected by environmental and operational changes.
Propeller Aero, a global leader in drone surveying and site data management, is at the forefront of transforming how industries such as construction, mining, and civil engineering handle their work sites. At the 2024 Commercial UAV Conference in Las Vegas, I sat down with Hamish Hawthorn, VP of Corporate Development at Propeller, to discuss their latest innovations and the growing impact of their technology on the industry.
Revolutionizing Site Management with Smart Survey Solutions
“Propeller is a smart survey solution that allows project teams to map, measure, and monitor their work sites with unprecedented accuracy,” Hawthorn explained. The core of Propeller’s platform lies in its ability to collect high-precision data through drone flights equipped with Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) modules and Propeller’s AeroPoints, smart ground control points thatanchor drone data to the Earth for accuracy. Once this data is uploaded to Propeller’s platform, it generates highly accurate 3D models that allow teams to monitor changes, measure progress, and make critical site decisions efficiently.
Propeller’s technology is designed to be user-friendly, enabling teams with minimal surveying experience to leverage advanced data in real time. “Our platform is built to make things simple, so our users can measure and manage their sites without needing specialized skills,” Hawthorn noted. “It’s about connecting the field to the office and delivering precise insights that can save time and money.”
ClearEdge3D, a pioneering force in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, has once again raised the bar with the launch of Verity 2.0. This new release marks a significant milestone in construction verification, offering seamless integration with Autodesk® Revit® and introducing advanced features that promise to revolutionize QA/QC workflows across the industry.
In a recent interview with Sanjay Gangal, Kelly Cone, Chief Strategy Officer at ClearEdge3D, elaborated on the company’s mission to make point clouds truly useful. “At ClearEdge, we see our role as transforming raw point cloud data into something much more valuable,” Cone explained. “Instead of just dealing with a sea of dots, we aim to make this data actionable, improving accuracy and efficiency in construction projects.”
A Leap Forward with Verity 2.0
Building on the success of its predecessor, Verity 2.0 offers enhanced capabilities designed to close the loop between design and construction. The software allows users to compare point cloud data with BIM models directly within Revit, providing precise, real-time insights into the accuracy of as-built models. This integration is particularly crucial in ensuring that the final construction matches the original design, thereby minimizing costly errors and rework.
Cone, who has been instrumental in the development of Verity, emphasized the importance of this integration: “When we launched Verity, our goal was to provide a tool that not only checks what’s been done in the field but also feeds that information back into the coordination process. The addition of Revit integration takes this a step further, allowing for detailed documentation of deviations and ensuring that these discrepancies are addressed before they become bigger issues.” Read the rest of ClearEdge3D Unveils Verity 2.0: Revolutionizing Construction Verification with Enhanced Integration and Precision
In the ever-evolving landscape of architecture and urban planning, technology continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. One company at the forefront of this transformation is TestFit, a platform dedicated to streamlining the real estate feasibility process through advanced generative design tools. As the construction and development sectors grapple with rising costs and increased demand for optimized space utilization, TestFit’s approach is not just timely but revolutionary.
Founded in 2016 by Clifton Harness and Ryan Griege, who were college roommates, TestFit emerged from a simple yet significant frustration. Harness, trained as an architect and working as a developer, found himself repeatedly drawing apartment units and manually counting parking spaces—a time-consuming and monotonous task. This inefficiency led him to seek help from Griege, who had a background in software development. Together, they automated the process, giving birth to TestFit’s first configurator, which dramatically streamlined the design of apartment complexes.
“At its core, TestFit was created to solve the problem of mundane, repetitive tasks in site planning,” says Laura Paciano, Senior Vice President of Growth at TestFit. “Our goal is to provide an easy-to-use platform for site planning and building optimization, helping developers and architects maximize their potential.”
As the world continues to advance in technology and infrastructure, the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry has become increasingly significant. Esri, a leader in GIS technology, has been at the forefront of this integration. We had the opportunity to speak with Marc Goldman, Director of the AEC Industry at Esri, to delve into the company’s involvement in the AEC sector and its future direction.
Esri’s Evolution in the AEC Sector
Esri is primarily recognized as a GIS company, catering to various industries with a strong emphasis on owner and operator sectors such as Departments of Transportation, utilities, campuses, and airports. However, about five years ago, Esri identified the need to focus on AEC firms that were actively developing and managing GIS solutions for these sectors. This realization led to the establishment of an AEC sector within Esri, which has since become one of the company’s fastest-growing divisions.
Goldman explained, “The infrastructure organizations have been using ArcGIS and Esri’s solutions to plan their projects and manage their assets. We recognized the value in directly supporting the AEC firms who were often implementing these solutions on behalf of the owners and operators. This shift has allowed us to better support the entire lifecycle of buildings and infrastructure projects, from early planning stages through design, engineering, and construction, and into long-term operations.”
At this year’s Google I/O, the electrifying atmosphere was palpable as Google unveiled its latest triumph in artificial intelligence—the Gemini project. This year’s keynote, delivered by Sundar Pichai amidst rousing applause, emphasized Google’s relentless drive to refine and enhance AI capabilities, pushing the boundaries of what technology can achieve in our daily lives.
The conference kicked off with a spirited recap of the year’s achievements and a peek into the “Gemini era,” a bold new phase in Google’s AI development. The introduction of Gemini, a model designed from the ground up to be natively multimodal, capable of processing and integrating text, images, video, and more, marks a significant leap forward. This model is not just an incremental update; it’s a transformational shift that promises to redefine how we interact with technology.
In a demonstration of its prowess, Google revealed that Gemini can handle complex, multimodal tasks with ease, showcasing examples from various Google ecosystems such as Search, Photos, and Android. For instance, the newly enhanced Google Photos now utilizes Gemini to allow users to interact with their photos in revolutionary ways—like asking the app to recall specific details from images without manually searching.
One of the most exciting announcements was the expansion of Gemini’s capabilities into consumer products. Now integrated across Google’s suite of applications, Gemini’s reach extends into everyday use, making advanced AI tools accessible to everyone. The introduction of Gemini Advanced and the announcement of its availability on mobile platforms underscore Google’s commitment to democratizing AI technology.
As it widens its foundry aspirations, Intel’s projects help advance semiconductor manufacturing and technology leadership and build a globally resilient, secure and sustainable supply chain.
For more than 50 years, Intel has been innovating, investing and supporting global semiconductor manufacturing and R&D that propel our digital age.
2023 was no exception as Intel teams across the globe installed new tools, delivered new clean rooms and completed construction of new buildings.
Consider these mind-boggling facts: In 2023, about 145,000 tons of steel was used to construct and expand these new facilities. Throughout last year, construction teams also poured more than 2 million cubic yards of concrete across all of Intel’s projects – enough concrete to build New York’s Empire State Building 32 times over.
“Intel’s global manufacturing network is foundational to our operational success as we build a resilient, trusted and sustainable supply chain for the entire industry,” said Keyvan Esfarjani, executive vice president and chief global operations officer at Intel. “We must continue to invest in the future and plan for success to support the expected increase in long-term semiconductor demand around the world.”
Here’s a recap of Intel’s 10 largest building projects worldwide – in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Ireland, Israel, Magdeburg, Penang and Kulim in Malaysia, and Poland – and what to expect from these construction sites in 2024.
In September 2023, ironworkers lower one of many rebar cages that will make up the main factory floor of one of Intel’s two new factories in Chandler, Arizona. (Credit: Intel Corporation)
Arizona, U.S.: Fab 52 and 62 Concrete Superstructure Completed
Progress So Far: Intel is investing more than $32 billion to build two new leading-edge chip factories and to modernize an existing fab at its Ocotillo campus in Chandler, Arizona, where it will produce some of the world’s most advanced logic chips. In December 2023, construction teams achieved a significant milestone for Fab 52: completion of the “cheese slab” concrete pour, which forms the base of the fab level.
Construction teams have poured over 430,000 cubic yards of concrete to date – enough to fill 132 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Teams have also started installing the fab’s automated material handling system (AMHS). Think of it as a fully automated highway that snakes around the fab, shuttling wafers from one station to another. Read the rest of Intel’s 10 Largest Construction Projects
