TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION

Bay Area Tech Forum Offers Insights Into New Trends in Construction Technology

Mobile Apps, Big Data, and Virtual Design is where it’s at

By Sophia Taft AGC of California hosted its inaugural

Bay Area Construction Technology Forum on July 8 in Fremont, CA. The event at- tracted more than 60 local construction professionals

in the San Francisco Bay

Area. Participants had the opportunity to network with leading and emerging tech- nology companies that offer innovative solutions from integrating mobile apps, labor productivity reporting, document management and storage to automated safe site collaboration. Sponsored by ARC Document Solu-

tions, the Technology Forum was held at the ARC Document Solutions Technology Center, located 40 miles southeast of San Francisco in the core of the Silicon Valley. The fast-paced event began with rapid-fire technology demonstrations from eight industry-leading solution providers that showcased their innovative apps and plat- forms on 84-inch PlanWell SmartScreen displays provided by ARC. Here are brief descriptions of the tech- nologies that were presented.

Mobile Timekeeping for Construction Co-founded by U.S. Navy Veteran Zach

Scheel, Rhumbix combines wearable sen- sors with big data analytics — the com- pany’s solution to data and project man- agement that allows companies to build smarter, build safer, and put workers first. (https://www.rhumbix.com/)

PlanGrid’s Mobile Platform As a leader in construction field enable-

ment software, PlanGrid’s mobile platform is becoming the construction industry standard. PlanGrid’s David Barden ex- plained how its mobile platform is build- ing the largest digital blueprint repository

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Rob McKinney is a self-taught construction technologist. His highly successful blog, proclaimed as the “ConAppGuru,” provides personal reviews for new apps and technology to improve the construction industry.

in the world and offers construc- tion companies complete collabo- ration. (http://www.plangrid.com/en)

More than 60 local construction professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area attended the Bay Area Construction Technology Forum.

The Construction App for the Field Fieldwire takes on task management

Daily Reporting for Contractors As the fastest daily reporting app,

Raken was named the #1 Daily Reporting Software & Top 5 Mobile App for Con- struction by AGC National. Raken’s Brad Brennan demonstrated how the app allows users to detail daily job site activities and distribute reports to its team in just min- utes. After completing reports, these items can be converted to a PDF and emailed to the office. (http://www.rakenapp.com/)

Easier Environmental Compliance Mapistry offers a solution for contractors struggling with the cost and hassle of stormwater permit compliance. Founder Ryan Janoch demonstrated their easy to use mapping tools which can quickly produce site maps and SWPPPs, as well as conduct inspections. (http://www. mapistry.com/)

with a mobile-first collaboration platform that enables project managers and foreman to create a list of tasks and rank them based on priority. Fieldwire co-founder and CEO Yves Frinault said the app was designed to make construction workers more efficient by making sure the foreman and workers in the field know exactly what they need to do next, eliminating back and forth infor- mation by phone or walkie-talkie. (http:// www.fieldwire.net/)

Safety Management Simplified Peter Grant, CEO and Founder of

Safesite, devised a technology solution for the process of dealing with safety is- sues onsite, which require time-consum- ing paperwork and running between the construction site and office. His product, Safesite, is a mobile-based platform that allows construction sites and high-risk in- dustries to record, communicate, and re- solve safety issues on the go using mobile devices. (https://safesiteapp.com/)

Building Enterprise Networks With a vision for more effective and

efficient ways for the construction indus- try to do business, BuildingConnected is designed to make the pre-construction process more efficient by allowing pro- fessionals to communicate their specific needs and qualifications through free en- terprise grade RFP hosting. CEO Dustin DeVan touts his solution as the “LinkedIn of Construction.” (http://www.building- connected.com/)

California Constructor