Pickens Technical College Construction Technology Pathway: Innovations Improving the Industry

It’s an exciting time to be enrolled in Pickens Technical College Construction Technology Pathway, not only because you’ll have many opportunities to enter the lucrative and growing field of construction, particularly in the Denver Metro Area and the state of Colorado in general, but also because of new technological innovations changing the industry.

Technology in the construction field is quickly improving to give everyone involved, from cost estimators to inspectors to carpenters, masons, and electricians, the chance to wildly improve their work and participate in the changing construction and development industry. Here are three examples of technology improving the construction sector right now:

Data Security

For years now, construction project management software has streamlined the planning and preparation process and made it steadily easier for project managers to track the progress of projects and adjustment budgets, work schedules, timelines, and much more.

Of course, with more data available, project managers have to work harder to keep it secure. With new innovations in this software, confidentiality is easier to assure, and data breaches rarer. Cloud technology is allowing managers to organize and track their files easier and creating secure communications and integration of construction devices and monitoring equipment.

Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) technology refers in the construction industry to wearable devices and sensors that are used to help managers and workers avoid occupational risks like construction defects, property damage, and general liability. According to a report by the research firm Dodge Data & Analytics, about 75% of contractors rely on IoT technology. The report also found that wearables-including biometric monitoring devices and even augmented reality headsets—were one of the two most common emerging technologies that add value to the risk management sector. Visual auditing, a blend of job site photos and videos with artificial intelligence to detect plan deviations and risks difficult to assess by the human eye alone, was the second-most important technology cited by the study.

3D Scanning

The Notre Dame fire could have been much worse. Still, it was sad to see an 800-year-old structure that had survived various bombings and invasions over the centuries in flames. The day after the fire, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron claimed it could be rebuilt to its former glory in only five years. You might scoff at that prediction (I did at first), but with 3D scanning technology, it might be feasible to rebuild the cathedral in that short time.

In 2015, architectural historian Andrew Tallon used a 3D laser scanner to map and record the entire structure to create a precise, digital image of the cathedral. The detail included in this digital model will give architects and construction experts a ‘head start’ in the restoration and rebuilding process. Notre Dame is a big-time example of how 3D scanning is improving construction technology, but it’s already being used on job sites around the world.

These exciting technological advances will only continue and improve construction safety and efficiency as you enter the industry.