How Summit Steel Buildings incorporates innovation and new technology into projects

New technology continues to emerge – seemingly on a daily basis – constantly changing our lives as we learn to acclimatize these changes into our everyday activities. The construction business is no different when it comes to showing ingenuity and being flexible in adopting new technology into the business plan. At the same time, we need to be smart and aware that not every “cool hip thing” needs to, or should be, embraced. 

Summit Steel Buildings makes a conscious effort to ensure the new technology we use is not about impressing the client, but improving the results they receive, from start to finish. Bells and whistles are great; however, if they don’t save time, money or resources for our clients, the latest trend can quickly become a wasteful drain for everyone involved.

Here are some of the ways Summit Steel Buildings is using technology to serve our clients.

Building Information Modeling 

Real-time, 3-D dynamic building modeling increases productivity in building design and construction. We’ve got that technology covered.

The Building Information Modeling (BIM) software we use at Summit Steel Buildings more effectively designs, details, manufactures and erects steel buildings. BIM also generates and manages building data and its various components throughout the project’s life cycle. Encompassing geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, quantities and properties of building components, BIM is able to construct a conceptual model of your building. It is then scaled to represent the dimensions and requirements of materials used to construct your building.

This allows us to create certain projects digitally before building them in reality, thus reducing conflicts, saving time and money. Combined with Tekla Structures, another software platform that incorporates building materials like steel, timber and glass to its 3D design to generate required 2D construction drawings, clients get a full impression of how their final project will look in realistic visual terms.

Virtual Reality 

Want to walk through your building to get a sense of space, organization and traffic flow? Summit Steel Buildings is using virtual reality (VR) technology and the Oculus system to provide an immersive and interactive experience for clients. The platforms provide a real sense of how the final building will feel, look and work, long before it’s ever built.

RFID Tracking 

Being organized is key for every business. There’s a place for everything, and everything in its place. In collaboration with our suppliers, by using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, Summit Steel Buildings is better able to manage shipments and assets to reduce theft and focus on improving supply chain management. 

RFID allows construction companies to track the materials, tools and equipment stored on site and where they’re being used. Items are imbedded with RFID tags so they can be quickly monitored in real-time through a mobile job app. Jobsite efficiency makes for a well-oiled machine and ensures our clients’ work stays on schedule.

Remote-Tracking Security 

A construction site can be easy pickings for would-be thieves. Thousands of dollars in material and machinery offer criminals a quick buck. These days, everything from motion sensors, infrared cameras and high-definition devices (continuously but remotely monitored) are letting petty criminals know they are being watched at all times.

High-visibility security cameras are the best ways to deter thieves from getting their sticky fingers on equipment. Multiple cameras from multiple angles (and many that are hidden) are outfitted with Wi-Fi or cellular communication to allow video or still images to be monitored and stored for reporting and insurance purposes. Live alerts notify the company, through a text message, that something is awry so we can take immediate action.

While the main use is for security and to ultimately keep costs of loss down, security cameras can also provide real-time feedback on the progress of the work being done. The fun is watching a time-lapse video of the building construction once it is completed.

Drones

Getting a bird-eye view of a construction site has gone beyond being just a cool new gadget. An overhead view has become a necessity when it comes to everything from progress tracking, communications and security, to mapping and modelling and site inspections.

The affordability of drones now means surveying a jobsite can be done in a fraction of the time and, more importantly, a fraction of the cost. Plus, who wouldn't want a professional drone video to add their company’s website?

Good engineering is built upon tradition, new technology helps

Technology continues to change the construction landscape in so many ways – literally and figuratively. From design and engineering software to on-site geo-fencing, GPS tracking, keyless ignition systems, augmented and virtual reality design, and robotics, new advances are improving how buildings get completed. Summit Steel Buildings is always prepared to use any innovation that empowers the industry and enhances capabilities for the greater safety and timely completion of projects. 

About the author

Frank Melo has a construction civil engineering technology and business background with over 25 years of experience as a business owner and contractor. He was born and educated in London, Ontario and now divides his time between projects primarily in Ontario and British Columbia. He can be contacted at Summit Steel Buildings at (778) 951-4766 or by email at frank.melo@summitsteelbuildings.com or on LinkedIn.