Data technology is finding its way into the construction industry

It’s no secret that data is changing the world as we know it. Like any other industry, more data is coming into architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) from more sources.

>> Read more in the data pipeline <

Toric uses data and analytics to transform the AEC industry. They provide real-time insights to help AEC companies and owners and operators reduce waste and increase sustainability. This data platform enables construction professionals to make better, data-driven decisions much faster than previously possible.

data under construction

I worked in the construction industry from 2007 to 2010. Back then, few of the most advanced companies used data and technology to improve business processes.

Over the past 10 years, AEC companies have hired more people who have grown up with technology and are comfortable using technology in their jobs.

COVID-19 has further awakened a sleeping giant. Leading AEC companies and their project managers have recognized the critical need to collect data from construction sites remotely.

Every construction company is at a different point when it comes to using data and digitization. The use of ERP, scheduling, project management, BIM, drones, scans and photography for open space varies by company. More data and technology solutions are introduced to industry every year. Procore pioneered two decades ago. Today, Turner Construction uses robots to complete dangerous jobs on construction sites.

Data challenges in AEC companies

Most AEC companies that use data today do so with old data. As data is collected, it must be cleaned, structured, and analyzed to improve safety, quality, productivity, and profitability. The data value and accuracy will decrease over time. For example, a photo of an active construction site on Monday is no longer correct on Tuesday.

Ad hoc processes lead to a number of challenges for AEC firms:

• Data is buried in proprietary software and formats.
• Data is fragmented in space, silos and time.
• Project history is lost, so data cannot be compared from one project to another.
• Analysis requires significant software development skills.
• Wasted money, with more than $2 trillion in construction waste due to bad data.

Toric is at the forefront of this data-driven transformation. The company is working to address the above challenges by providing real-time data for real-time decisions to reduce errors, errors, costs and risk.

Data-driven transformation

The data landscape is chaotic. There is more data, more sources, tools and solutions including artificial intelligence/machine learning, data mining, data science, predictive and prescriptive analytics etc. Toric has created a no-code data platform to leverage all of these tools.

The platform integrates, transforms, visualizes and automates data across projects. The data is then consolidated in a workspace for analysis. You have more than 100 tools to clean, transform and enrich data. Additionally, the data is updated in real-time, allowing project managers to make instant, informed decisions to properly equip the project for progress.

The construction analysis platform helps provide more accurate bids, track progress and improve digital delivery by referencing all past project data. It integrates Procore, Autodesk, ERP systems and spreadsheets. Estimating and project tracking are all analytics driven. Historical data is used for data applications.

Architecture and engineering firms can create an analysis model for their BIM design process. To do this, they leverage BIM models and other data sources to support data-driven design, quality assurance, quantification, and change management. Users can perform continuous data modeling, track design to project requirements, and create data apps to enhance customer experience.

Owners and operators use Toric to track key building metrics during design, integrate and compare bids with design, and create a complete data lifecycle for digital twins.

Extract value from data

The average AEC firm with 100 projects adds 1PB of data every year. Much of this data is unstructured. It’s expensive and hard to find data analysts and scientists to add value to the data in addition to collecting, cleaning, and integrating it.

Suffolk Construction is a 40-year-old, $3.9 billion Boston-based company. It is one of the most mature companies in terms of its data strategy and employs 30 data scientists. Suffolk has integrated three of its 20 systems into Toric’s platform, replacing their proprietary data acquisition and data collection systems.

Hensel Phelps, a construction management company founded in 1937 with 2,000 employees, employs a data analyst. With Toric, your data analyst will be able to automate thousands of projects with just one tool.

Data quality, data cataloging and real-time data analysis for the AEC industry did not exist three years ago. Advances in the industry will see data leaders make a significant impact on multiple fronts. Environmental issues are a key issue today and can only be addressed with data. More sophisticated and precise proposals result in lower costs and a stronger competitive position because data tools are used to assess and forecast costs.

Data will drive green building

Conscientious owners/operators who own many properties and care about the health and environmental sustainability of their properties. They require designers, engineers and contractors to know how much carbon goes into constructing a new building.

Embodied carbon is an important issue for owners who want to be environmentally conscious. They want to see the carbon footprint analysis and know if it is more efficient to build their new or renovated building with steel or concrete. You want to know the environmental impact of a design change.

In the past, information about embodied carbon was subjective. Nowadays, it is a goal and obligation for AEC companies to have a firm grip on their data in order to be competitive.