“The AR technology is at an inflection point; it’s easy for us to take what we’ve already been doing with coordination of the project through the models and push that platform for use in the field without having to do any other steps.”


- Alan Sanoja, Turner Construction


Turner worker utilizing augmented reality technology on a project.


these integrated platforms,” Sanoja said. “Te technology is at an inflection point; it’s easy for us to take what we’ve already been doing with coordination of the project through the models and push that platform for use in the field without having to do any other steps.” The technology has gained quick acceptance since Turner began employ- ing it earlier this year on a pilot project involving the construction of a Silicon Valley chip manufacturing plant. “Even people who traditionally have never looked at a model have gravitated towards it,” Sanoja said. “It is exhilarating to see everybody on the jobsite, from the project executive to the carpenter fore- man, utilizing this technology in some fashion, whether it’s a job walk to show the client what our plan is, or someone who is actually executing the work trying to develop that plan and make sure it works the first time.” Recent improvements to the applica-


tion have made the technology extremely user friendly, he added. “It is not cumber-


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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023


some, and it is easy to train people on. It re- ally democratizes the model for everybody to use and makes the job more efficient and effective.” Te introduction of LiDAR technology on iPads to track location and movement, rather than simply relying on the camera sensors, has also significantly improved the accuracy and ease of use of the technology on the jobsite.


Looking to the Future From new applications utilizing AI to continued advancements in autonomous equipment, to an ever more connected and digitized jobsite, new technologies will continue to be adopted by contractors who are looking to gain a competitive advantage in the coming years. “Construction technology is ever evolving, and we continually track many different technologies,” Sanoja said. “AR is something we’ve been tracking for about five years, but now it’s at a point where we knew it would be successful when we introduced it to our team. For me, it has felt like there’s been quite a big shift in


the last five years of people [in the field] who formerly kind of kept technology at arm’s length, to now being pulled into it. It’s definitely accelerating, and that’s a cool feeling.” For Blach, being an early technology adopter means the company “continually evaluates solutions that will enhance our ability to deliver successful projects,” Grzanowski said. “Rather than rely on third parties, we were early to create prefabrication and VDC departments in-house. Having such dedicated exper- tise/services directly benefits our clients, partners, and projects. “All of that said, we believe our indus-


try’s adoption of technology is still in its infancy, and there is room for continued innovation,” he added. “While we’re starting to reap some of the benefits technology has on project delivery, we’re keenly aware of its limitations and rely heavily on our expertise to ensure our projects meet the quality standards for which we are known and our clients have come to expect.”


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