An example of OpenSpace’s BIM and reality capture technology

With the forward march of technology, electrical contractors get inundated with tools promised to optimize current workflows. With all this new software and hardware, how do you narrow it down to just a few? I’ve put some thought into this and have selected three I believe are greatly affecting the industry and are within reach for almost every contractor: Reality capture, artificial intelligence (A.I.) and cloud storage.

Reality capture

Reality capture is used to document progress throughout a project using 360-degree cameras, which enables a thorough view of field conditions on multiple jobs from the office. Beyond the standard project manager review, more people can see the status and layout of the work site.

According to Dwayne Pique, a superintendent from Big State Electric Ltd., Austin, Texas, “The cost of the hardware is minimal when implementing on new jobs, and with utilizing the safety personnel to capture progression during their scheduled safety walks, the labor impact is minimal as well.

“They wear the camera on their daily walks, spot and document safety issues and capture job progression at the same time. They are able to capture issues such as damage, trade stacking and schedule conflicts. Even with foremen using the camera, a daily walk is still preferred during the portion of the job where frequent handoffs are being made, then moving to weekly walks during overhead and in-wall installation,” he said.

Pique is able to review jobs daily, which enables him to spot red flags early and get ahead of potential issues.

With the incorporation of building information modeling (BIM) overlays and the improvement of A.I. in reality capture, the industry will be seeing continual progress. OpenSpace, San Francisco, and Cupix, San Jose, Calif., currently lead the industry in this technology. The learning curve is minimal for the field personnel and viewer. The person on the job site will tap a button on their phone and then walk. The viewer will visit a website with a map interface. This technology is affordable and can have a significant effect on existing workflows.

Artificial intelligence

You cannot attend a conference or pick up a publication without hearing about how A.I. is changing the construction landscape, so I am not going to dive into that in this article. I will, however, give you a specific example and brief explanation on how to incorporate it into your workflow.

Creating a basic A.I. chatbot is not magic, and you do not need to be a super coder to implement one. It is pretty straightforward, and, all things considered, takes about 10 minutes. Let me guide  you through an example. I’ll use OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform, and the goal will be to upload a particular set of documents, use the tool to answer questions based on the information and generate an email based on it.

With a paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus, you can create your own chatbot in a few steps. Click on your user profile on the upper-right corner of the window, click on “my GPTs” and then on the plus sign next to “Create a GPT.” You then name your GPT, give it a description and type instructions. 

Giving instructions is known as preprompting, which in essence gives the A.I. specific parameters to search and respond with. Here’s an example: “I will be using this chatbot to review project specifications. I want answers that are clear and reliable. I want all answers to be generated from the attached documents; if no answers are found, please let me know. All answers should be in a professional tone and kept short unless I have specifically requested a long answer.”

Ensure you give the GPT a role, purpose, constraints and tone. Next, upload the knowledge base (documents), by clicking on the “upload files” button. The standard practice is to upload PDFs; however, I found through trial and error that converting PDFs to a text file and uploading both will increase the response accuracy.

As with all digital files, security and privacy are top concerns when dealing with A.I. Click the “additional settings” option once the files have been uploaded and uncheck “use conversation data in your GPT to improve our models,” which will prevent your data from being shared and uploaded to the program. This is critical in keeping your documents private.

Now you can ask the A.I. questions such as, “What are the MC conduit requirements on this job?” and “Write a two-paragraph RFI on the maximum length of MC conduit that can be used and summarize in an email.”

Use the A.I. as a means and not an end. I use this example: you cannot put a screwdriver on a screw and expect it to do anything. You need to use the screwdriver to turn the screw. A.I. can help with writing and searching documents, but it can’t replace the writer.

I had lunch with a representative of a large company that does not allow its employees to use A.I. due to privacy policies, which I totally get. That being said, A.I. use is becoming more mainstream, and you will only be able to avoid its implementation for so long before you start to fall behind the proverbial technology curve.

This is a prime opportunity for company innovators to find ways to resolve the issues causing these fears. Jeff Elwell, chief technology officer for mechanical contractor EM Duggan Inc., Canton, Mass., summed up A.I. in construction this way: “You may not lose your job to A.I., but you could lose it to someone who knows how to use A.I.”

When setting up a custom GPT using ChatGPT Plus, it is important to convert files to the appropriate format to ensure the most accurate responses, and to uncheck the box for sharing your data to protect the privacy of you and your clients.

Cloud storage and file transfers

Cloud storage and file transfers are changing the way office and field personnel interact. By using cloud file storage software, such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore and OneDrive, the office and field personnel are never more than a couple of clicks away from sharing documents, uploading changes from a design team or sharing a BIM model.

With this tech, users can get changes from the design team and review them for cost impact. With a digital copy, as opposed to hard ones, personnel can use software to auto detect changes between versions and color code the differences. Then users can export those results and apply pricing based on the changes. Finally, uploading the revised drawing to the cloud can share it with the field personnel to ensure they are getting the latest version while archiving the previous version with just a couple of clicks.

Another example is uploading shop and prefab drawings for QA/QC, planning, logistics and building. You can upload and track status of individual prefabricated components by applying schedules to the build using the cloud software. Then you can track it through the various stages of production and delivery. Finally, with BIM and a coordinated model, the virtual design and construction team can share a current version of the BIM model on a weekly basis, giving the field team the ability to compare what was designed versus what is installed on an almost live timeline.

Controlling the rate at which technology is rolled out and implemented across the company is one way to innovate. Sometimes you must inventory and consolidate the software you currently have, implement and train on it and then decide how it is helping the organization before moving forward. Prioritize implementing current technology, but always keep an eye on what is coming in the future. Innovation is born of necessity. With the advancement and availability of new technology, and the decline in number of personnel in the workforce, it seems the necessity is accelerating with every new technology released.

big state electric Ltd. // stock.adobe.com / ijeab / Infini Craft // Jared christman / chat GPT