ABC’s 2022 Tech Report Features Real-World Journeys in Construction Innovation

Associated Builders and Contractors today released its second annual construction technology report comprised of case studies that spotlight specific technologies and innovation best practices that ABC member contractors are utilizing to strengthen their value proposition. The report also features safety technology survey data from ABC contractors.

“ABC’s 2022 Tech Report showcases how our members’ commitment to exploring technology and innovation has led to more profit, higher productivity, safer jobsites and more work,” said Matt Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation. “The case studies in this report highlight how our members deliver the most robust value proposition to their clients by telling the stories of a select few of our members and how they chose and implemented technology and innovation. ABC creates the conditions for construction companies to innovate, differentiate, attract and educate their top talent, ultimately to win and deliver their work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.”

“Throughout the 2022 Tech Report, you will read case studies about various innovations within our industry and how the construction industry is evolving,” said Jack Hineman, chair of ABC’s Construction Technology and Innovation Committee and vice president of business intelligence at Gaylor Electric, headquartered in Indianapolis. “It is inspiring to see in these case studies how ABC member companies are innovating in various ways, and my hope is that these will provide inspiration for your next innovation.”

Some technologies and innovative practices by ABC contractors found in the 2022 Tech Report include:

• Robotics: Thanks to a suite of robotic solutions, HITT Contracting, Falls Church, Virginia, and its subcontractor drilled 262 anchors in four hours, ultimately resulting in a pace that allowed a 10-day task to be completed in just four days with no safety incidents.
• Drones: Harkins Builders, Columbia, Maryland, enhanced its drone program to be an all-encompassing application of hardware, software and processes to help the project teams deliver the project safely, easily, rapidly and cost-effectively.
• Analytics Software: Using data software to drive decisions, Gaylor Electric developed a “hindsight report” analyzing data to create the recipe for a successful project by measuring metrics like travel time, purchasing and work breakdown structure.
• Project Bidding Software: Nexen Construction, Julian, Pennsylvania, went from 378 bids in 2020 to 921 bids in 2021 when bidding software was fully implemented.
• Total Human Health App: Working with mental health professionals, The Cianbro Cos., Pittsfield, Maine, have created a construction industry-specific set of virtual tools to enhance mindfulness and mental well-being.
• Safety QR Codes and Data Sheets: Embracing safety and health as a core value, T.W. Frierson, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, provided hard-hat stickers to every employee-owner so they could access specific guidance for chemical products they are working with by accessing safety data sheets on environment, health, safety and sustainability, operational risk management and product stewardship.

Other technologies discussed include reality capture, emerging glass and window systems, safety monitoring, payroll and timesheet software, analytics dashboards, building information modeling, project management tools, equipment management tools and more.

The 2022 Tech Report is made possible by the ABC Tech Alliance, a consortium of firms that create construction technology and innovative solutions for ABC contractor members, the majority of which primarily perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors. The 2022-2023 Tech Alliance members are Arcoro, Autodesk Inc., BuildOps, Field Control Analytics, KPA, OpenSpace, Procore, Safesite, Safety Evolution, Sage, Smartapp.com, SmartBuild, SubHQ and Tenna.

ABC continues to invest in helping our members select high-quality construction technology available to them through its Tech Alliance, Tech Marketplace and Safety Tech Guide. Visit abc.org/techreport to read the case studies.