Why contractors are turning to AI

More contractors are getting an assist from AI. This week, we focus on how this advanced technology can drive gains at your site and in your office. We also take a look at a modular construction forecast and a review of new LEED standards.

Plus, this is how you problem-solve. A Phoenix-based startup is transforming old steel shipping containers into shelters for the homeless.

>>  Now that’s fast! See how Maine Cooperative Development Partners assembled a condo building in a single day!

>>  Speaking of speed...Two pranksters construct a makeshift house in a Home Depot lumber aisle.

>>  Incoming! Redditors are sharing the ways they alert crews that the boss is on site. (There is some cussing.)

>>  The eyes have it! Putting googly eyes on tools never gets old. 

Three ways construction AI levels up your safety game

Construction AI is showing up in every part of the business, according to Reza Norozy, COO for Prism Construction. “These tools are delivering real results, from cost reductions in project planning to measurable improvements in safety and efficiency." Here are three ways you can deploy AI to reduce risk and improve safety.

Toolbox talks are still useful, but for more in-depth training and learning, data show that virtual and augmented reality simulations and AI-based safety modules get better results, driving up compliance by 20%. 

AI-enabled drones and cameras can continuously scan for misalignments and defects faster than a crew member. Construction robotics reduces safety risks for humans by taking on dangerous tasks or working in hazardous locations. 

Computer vision is also used in safety and risk solutions alongside sensors, weather data and GPS coordinates to monitor PPE use, fall risk, natural hazards and proximity to machinery. For example, Shawmut Design & Construction uses AI for gathering and analyzing these data points to identify potential safety risks for immediate action. 

Why it matters: Right now, only about 35% of construction companies are using AI. That means finding the right AI application for your firm can give you a leg-up on competitors still relying on old-school systems. (Unite.AI)

Modular construction poised for market share growth

By most accounts, market share for modular construction is stalled at 3%, but new analysis from the NAHB calls that number into question. “The Census definitions of off-site construction are relatively narrow. In a separate survey, the Home Innovation Research Labs Survey of U.S. Home Builders has a higher share for panelized construction—5% to 12%—due to a wider definition of ‘panelized’ construction,” notes NAHB AVP for Forecasting and Analysis Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington. 

Why it matters: Even the higher estimate leaves a lot of market share available to contractors in areas where the housing shortage is particularly acute. (Eye on Housing)

New LEED standards announced

The U.S. Green Building Council announced new standards with LEED v5. The most significant change concerns decarbonization, which is no longer optional and is the most heavily weighted of the three new categories. (The other two are quality of life for building users and community, and ecological conservation and restoration to limit environmental harm.) The update also includes new prerequisite assessments for climate resilience, social impact and occupant needs.

Why it matters: Though adoption of the new standards will take some time, Tommy Linstroth, founder and CEO of Green Badger, says, “Early planning and adopting new tools and workflows are critical for success and for shortening the learning curve.” (Buildings)

>>  Lumber levy: New analysis of U.S.-Canadian tariff impacts

>>  Summit summary: A recap of the flooring sustainability conference

>>  Building boom: Houston’s first 3D-printed housing breaks ground

>> Money matters: Materials prices on the rise

"The fastest way to write your standard operating procedures is AI. Take a video, narrate it, drop the script into an AI and it will write you a base-level standard operating procedure for anything. I think that the idea that AI can help us build better processes is one of those really positive things…it's doing." 
—Jonathan Marsh, SteelToe Consulting LLC

“The ConTech Crew” podcast recently featured a robust discussion of the good, the bad and the ugly of construction AI.

Moderated by host Jeff Sample, the episode includes comments from Jonathan Marsh, CEO of SteelToe Consulting LLC; Jacob D’Albora, director of digital building operations at VIATechnik; Travis Voss, director of innovative technology and fabrication at SMACNA; and Nathan Wood, founder and chief enabling officer at SpectrumAEC.

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The Level is curated and written by Margot Lester and edited by Bianca Prieto.