photo by Arvell Dorsey Jr, CC BY 2.0
Last Monday, 1 construction workers was killed and 5 others were injured after a section of newly placed concrete collapsed on a downtown Cincinnati construction site.
Read moreAnother year is about ready to wrap up as the holiday season is upon us. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be stressful for those in your life that are hard to buy for, especially those in the construction trades. Our goal is to make that process easier for you or your loved one with our top picks for gifts every year!
For more gift ideas, be sure to check out our Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guides from 2015, 2016, and 2017, 2018 or our past Father's Day Gift Guides from 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Read morePhoto by Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0
Being a construction worker is truly satisfying, because at the end of the project you have a tangible product you can admire for all your hard work. You get up early, you work long hours in less than ideal conditions, and you sweat a lot. But, even though many find it satisfying, the main reason we work is for money.
Read moreLast year, Autodesk went on an acquisition rampage, gobbling up field productivity software company, PlanGrid, for $875 million; preconstruction software company, BuildingConnected, for $275 million; and BIM software company, Assemble, for an undisclosed amount. Up until yesterday, all of those companies remained relatively separate from each other.
At Autodesk University 2019 (AU 2019), Jim Lynch, vice president and general manager of Autodesk Construction Solutions, announced a new cohesive platform that will bring all of their acquired software -- as well as some key internal software -- together under one platform: Autodesk Construction Cloud.
PlanGrid, BuildingConnected, Assemble, and BIM360 will now live under the roof of the Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC). Combined with Autodesk’s clear stranglehold on design software, the ACC will connect construction teams through all phases of the project life cycle, from design, to planning, to building, and operation.
“With Autodesk Construction Cloud, we’re introducing a new era of connected construction and offering unrivaled integration between headquarters, office and field teams. We’ve never been more dedicated nor clearer in our mission to empower designers, contractors and owners to meet the world’s rapidly expanding construction needs, while helping to make building more predictable, safe and sustainable,” explained Jim Lynch, in a press release.
In addition to the ACC, Autodesk also announced 50 new product enhancements at AU 2019. I plan to do a more in-depth look at all of those enhancements, but the highlights include electronic quantity takeoffs inside BuildingConnected, the ability for field teams to now take video within the PlanGrid app, and Design Risk Management, which identifies possible sources for RFIs and change orders originating in the design stage.
Although Autodesk has been working diligently for the past year in creating integrations and product enhancements for all of their construction software offerings after the acquisitions, the announcement of the ACC feels like just the beginning of their concerted effort to make a huge impact on the construction industry.
More to come on this and other news from Autodesk University 2019, but in the meantime, you can check out the Autodesk’s announcement video of the ACC below:
In October, an 18-story under construction Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana suddenly collapsed, killing 3 of the construction workers on site. A few days later, two unstable tower cranes were imploded for safety reasons. Next, the city plans to have what’s left of the building completely demolished, although there are still 2 of the 3 bodies of victims inside.
Read moreIn March of 2018, an under construction pedestrian bridge on Florida International University’s (FIU) campus collapsed onto an open street below, killing 6 and injuring several others. Roughly 19 months after the tragedy occurred, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released their final findings.
Read moreIn August, OSHA released an RFI regarding possible revisions to the construction silica dust standard looking to get feedback from the industry. The deadline for submittal was a little over a week ago, but one construction industry group filled us in on the comments they have submitted.
Read morevia Toggle
Placing, bending, and tying rebar can be an extremely labor intensive process. It can also be very repetitive, which makes it a candidate for robotic automation. A relatively new construction technology startup is hoping to break into the space after raising some substantial seed funding.
Read morevia the Seattle Fire Department
In April, a tower crane being dismantled suddenly collapsed onto an open street in Seattle, Washington killing 2 workers and 2 civilians. Recent violations issued by the state of Washington have confirmed theories that prematurely removed pins were to blame for the incident.
Read moreOn October 12, tragedy struck at a construction site in New Orleans, when an 18-story under-construction hotel partially collapsed, killing 3. Due to the unstable tower cranes on site, crews have yet to be able to recover 2 of the bodies inside the building.
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In the midst of fierce discourse over the bipartisan infrastructure bill lies a unique opportunity for the United States.