In the last 20 years, global productivity in the construction industry has grown by a measly 1 percent. By comparison, manufacturing productivity has increased by about 4 times that amount. In financial terms, productivity is the measure of output for a production…
More Than Hype: The Reality of Reality Capture
I know what you might be thinking: “Yawn. Another story about drones. Skip!” and usually I’d agree with you. There are so many stories, so much…
From the Editor: Infrastructure (and Humans) Under Siege
On Aug. 24, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, as a Category 4 hurricane. For the next five days, the storm dumped a historic…
Hydroseeding Takes Root at the Panama Canal
In a country that receives more than 100 inches of rain per year, on slopes as steep as 45 degrees, controlling soil erosion is crucial. In 2006, when the $5.7 billion Panama Canal expansion project kicked off, headlines were awash with news about the engineering…
From the Editor: There’s No Replacement for ‘Learning by Doing’
I recently visited a job site of a friend of mine who is a construction manager. I met with him to discuss the use of emerging drone and reality-capture technologies, but I ended up tagging along as he crisscrossed the site, solving one problem after another.…
Penguin Perfect: Providing a Picturesque ‘Penguins Plus’ Path and Pavilion
Consultants employ the latest in design technology to create a non-invasive world-class viewing area and walking path for the Penguins Plus View Experience at Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria, Australia. Every evening at sunset on the coastal beaches…
From the Editor: Variety and the Growth of Community
Infrastructure Week (May 15-19; infrastructureweek.org) was recently held in Washington, D.C., and several other cities across the United States. Infrastructure Week was founded and is led by a bipartisan Steering Committee that includes leading business groups,…
From the Editor: Infrastructure Report Card Again Near Failing
Like for many students across the country, my kids’ school semester ended earlier this year. They each worked hard, doing their homework, studying for quizzes and tests, and preparing for finals. Also, like most kids, they would rather be spending their…
Make a Steel Building Sail: BIM and VDC Bring Church of the Resurrection to Life
When people think of churches, what often comes to mind is a square white building with a triangular roof and a steeple on top. When the congregation of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection envisioned its new place of worship, they imagined something…
From the Editor: Start the New Year Looking Back to See Forward
With 2016 in the rearview mirror, it’s a great time to reflect on our accomplishments and failures as well as look ahead at the potential 2017 holds for us as individuals and for our industry as a whole. Look Back Professionally, 2016 was a busy and exciting…
