Category: Features
-
Join: Computer Science Meets Construction
Increasingly, projects need to be optimized to create the most value for their clients and users. With the fragmented nature of project teams, decisions can be lost, communication sporadic, and information disjointed. In addition, the rapid pace of innovation means that it’s difficult – if not impossible – for architects and engineers to be aware…
-
The Digital Future of Construction – An Interview with Minister Tiilikainen
Kimmo Tiilikainen is the Minister of the Environment, Energy, and Housing of the Finnish government. He will be speaking at the upcoming World Summit on Digital Built Environment WDBE 2018 in Helsinki. Aarni Heiskanen interviewed Minister Tiilikainen on his views of the construction industry and its digital future. The Ministry of the Environment launched, in…
-
Speeding up Infrastructure Projects with the Cloud
Infrakit, a cloud service developed by a Finnish startup company, is accelerating infrastructure projects both in Finland and, increasingly, abroad. Automatic transfer of information among parties involved in a project saves time, reduces paperwork, and facilitates the work of land surveyors. In addition to excavators, rock drills can now also be viewed on the map.…
-
Duuers: Better Proposals with Less Work
Small contractors, consultants, and design professionals have a love–hate relationship with responding to RFPs. Duuers, a Finnish startup, wants to turn this struggle into an inspiring experience. “We followed a day in the life of a hand-picked group of entrepreneurs,” says Paula Viinamäki, co-founder of Duuers. “We were flies on the wall, observing how small…
-
Human Eye Resolution Virtual Reality for AEC
Virtual reality opens new perspectives for communication and customer involvement in construction. Sweco, Varjo, and Teatime Research are together exploring the possibilities of VR using state-of-the-art technology. “I think that the use of VR in construction is still at a visionary stage and useful practical applications are rare,” says Niina Jaatinen, Service Manager at Sweco.…
-
Better Design of HVAC Systems with VR
Retrofitting new technical systems into an existing building can be tricky. CTRL Reality, a Finnish AR/VR application development company, is completing an experimentation project demonstrating how HVAC design and installation are easier and cost-efficient with the help of virtual reality. “We did research on the business use of virtual and augmented reality for five years…
-
How BIM is Revolutionizing Building Control in Finland
BIM is becoming mainstream in building design, but building control is still predominantly based on paper documents and 2D drawings. A Finnish KIRA-digi experimentation project has demonstrated how BIM can speed up and improve the building permit process considerably. Three Finnish cities–Hyvinkää, Järvenpää, and Vantaa–are in the vanguard of model-based building control. Together with Evolta,…
-
Sweco Boosts Construction Productivity and Quality with AI
Artificial intelligence is a much-hyped technology, but there are only a handful of real-life implementations in construction. Sweco is one of the first in the world to showcase the use of machine learning in structural design. Farinha Ricardo Farinha, BIM Application Development Manager at Sweco, mentions three challenges of the conservative construction industry: “The productivity…
-
Echargie: How to Make Use of Existing Infrastructure for E-Mobility
All major car manufacturers are committed to making hybrids and 100 % electric vehicles (EVs). Consequently, a growing number of drivers will need sockets to charge their vehicles. Echargie solves this problem by turning any power socket into a smart charging station. “Last year, I hosted a group of German automotive manufacturers in Finland. We…
-
How BIM Becomes Business as Usual – An Interview with Marzia Bolpagni
I had the pleasure of interviewing Marzia Bolpagni, an advocate for BIM in business and education. She’s the Strategic BIM Advisor at Mace in London and works actively in the standardization of BIM practices. Marzia became interested in BIM during her studies at the University of Brescia in northern Italy: “I was very lucky to…