From helmet recognition to cost-effective programs: how IT products solve builders' global challenges

The growth of computerization has led to the fact that more and more construction companies are implementing IT solutions to restore order in documents and on construction sites. As a result, it is possible not only to optimize processes, but also to save significantly. On the eve of the VIII International Construction Forum and the 100+ TechnoBuild exhibition, IT experts told us what tools are currently being developed specifically for construction companies and how they help in their work.

According to Dmitry Poskrebyshev, head of Pilot development, information modeling technology, BIM, is actively gaining popularity today, so there is a growing demand for products related to working with this tool.

"The competition is high, but at the same time, information modeling scenarios are constantly expanding in the industry. These are good conditions for the successful coexistence of many different solutions. At the same time, the openBIM concept helps technologically build the joint use of different tools based on open standards," he says.

For example, the Pilot-BIM product brings order to the information and processes of companies practicing information modeling. It combines all project data into a single structured environment, allows you to connect all project participants to it and build effective workflows around the data. At the same time, the product is constantly being improved: minor updates are released every month, global updates are released at least four times a year.

Another popular segment in the IT solutions market for builders is programs for calculating the estimated cost of work. They have much more functionality today than they did a few years ago.

"Now it's not enough to just calculate the cost. It is necessary to automate expertise, calendar planning and much more," says Nikolay Samopal, Head of the Information Modeling Products Promotion Department at WIZARDSOFT CJSC. – Over time, programs are required not only to increase functionality, but also to reduce the number of operations required to obtain results. The popularity of cost-based programs has only grown over the years."

More "practical" IT products related to order and safety on construction sites are also being developed. Neural networks are being created that can distinguish between faces and allow only "their" people to enter the construction site, record the presence of helmets and uniforms, and so on. Such a "Construction site Safety Concept" has been developed and has already been implemented at several sites by Nedremlye Oko LLC. It not only increases discipline, but also brings economic benefits.

"Before the introduction of the system, workers often passed access cards to each other or pushed two at the entrance at once, recording extra shifts for themselves. We have automated the recording of working hours through the recognition of persons entering the construction site. Lateness and absence from work also began to be recorded automatically," says Leonid Starikov, head of the Nedremlyane Oko LLC. – Recognition of uniforms and helmets greatly increased discipline on the construction site, as the customer began to fine contractors for every employee without a helmet on the site, which also accelerated the payback of the system. The percentage of theft and damage to property has decreased, as facial recognition has made punishment inevitable."

The company plans to train the neural network to monitor the technological processes in construction, so that the sequence of actions and the amount of materials are precisely observed.

More information about IT solutions for the construction industry will be presented at the Russian BIM Technologies Forum, as well as at the Smart City session during the International Forum and Exhibition 100+ TechnoBuild, which will be held in Yekaterinburg from October 5 to 7, 2021. You can already register for the event by following the link. In addition, the best IT solutions for builders will be rewarded as part of the first All-Russian Engineering and Architecture Award 100+ AWARDS.