There are, of course, more esoteric offerings from technology companies like augmented reality modelling platforms, drones and imaging solutions, robotics, and IIoT. But it’s important to recognise that the phrase’ core functionality’ is not the same as ‘basic functionality’ in this context. Take, for example, the following list of core capabilities for any piece of technology for the majority of AEC workers:

• Manage drawing sets and navigate quickly through links and labels on a mobile device,
• Make comparisons of revisions quickly and accurately so no changes get missed,
• Reduce time spent co-ordinating and calling project team members because markup and comments can be made by everyone at the same time,
• Invite external partners to collaborate on project documents in real-time,
• Create measurements and take-offs for accurate estimates without needing to click around multiple apps,
• Store information anywhere, wherever it’s needed (from Google Drive to Box to cloud storage),
• Access documents in the field through mobile apps and get deeper access to information at a desk .

Those core capabilities are certainly non-trivial for AEC software to accomplish reliably and easily in industry settings, yet a solution that does is like an irreplacable tool: software that’s focused on achieving essential work, every time.

Focused AEC software is useful for the people who need it, does its job(s) well, and does it/them reliably, day in and day out. If we take as an example the PDF-centred nature of many workflows in the AEC industry, equipping a workforce with some kind of PDF editor/viewer seems logical. But not only does general PDF software tend to ship with multiple features that will never be used, but those capabilities that will come into play are not designed for workflows in construction and engineering. Almost all were created for graphic designers and print shops. (The PDF format is a wrapper around an encapsulated PostScript file, PostScript being the language used by hardware printers.)

For over 20 years now, Bluebeam’s offering has addressed in software the problems encountered in work solely in the AEC industry. It’s iterated on its product over this time, refining tools and functions so they are practical, fast, fantastically useful and simple to use in any environment. It’s the epitome of software that’s focused on a specific vertical. Over the course of its evolution, Bluebeam has taken feedback and suggestions from its user base as to what would work, what doesn’t, and how the platform could be polished. Its features revolve around a PDF workflow, but to compare it in the same breath as, for instance, PDF-Xpress, is like comparing general-purpose Excel with the specialist accountancy software in NetSuite or SAP.

Bluebeam’s tools and features are designed for markup, collaboration, version control, estimation and take-offs, all built in a platform that is simple to use yet solves many of the challenges experienced by people in the industry over the last two decades.

Source: Bluebeam

When we spoke to David Rekker, a senior manager at Bluebeam, he said that his customers, “Learn it in the morning, use it in the afternoon.” The usability piece of the puzzle is a critical part of focused software. A platform like AutoDesk can offer the user too much complexity presented on screen in tools that are sub-optimal on site.

Despite its apparent simplicity, intuitive-to-use software does not mean limited software. The power of Bluebeam can be discovered in lessons from the Bluebeam University, a self-guided training program that helps teams learn features and workflows at their own pace, over and above the basics. Courses have step-by-step videos, interactive exercises and quizzes designed to get the most out of the software.

Practicality also has to mean adaptability. Every company has its own preferences as to where data and work are stored, like it has its own workflows and ways of tackling a project. Rather than confine files to a proprietary ecosystem, users can work with just about any other platform, storing and sharing files wherever they’re needed. “The point here is that users can simply open their PDFs and drawings in Bluebeam, do their work, and save it back to their system. Bluebeam doesn’t force them to keep all their work inside a Bluebeam ecosystem,” Rekker said.

All over the world, Bluebeam is helping create great companies. Over in Dublin, Ireland, ClearTech now wins 50% more contracts than it did before it started using the software, including household name companies like Facebook, Salesforce and Amazon. “The other companies that we work with, they use Bluebeam as well. And we communicate using the same software so we have more concise and accurate comments and reviews on the drawings,” said Thiago Tamm, a structural engineer at ClearTech. The company has now expanded into the APAC and Saudi Arabia.

Closer to home, Anchored Height Safety’s Mark Anderson said, “[Bluebeam] is now one of our key tools for documentation for our quoting markups, installations and re-certifications and for demonstrating to our clients exactly what we have delivered.” The company uses Bluebeam’s markup capabilities and templates to produce quotes, reports and drawings. It’s also integrated with the company’s job management system so workers don’t need to transfer data manually from system to system. Project management information is constantly up-to-date, and there’s better collaboration between people in the field and office teams.

Conclusion
The features we listed at the top of this article as the ideals for a piece of AEC industry software are those present in the Bluebeam platform, ready to start using today, and starting a free trial is the best way to begin. You can find out more about its available tiers and how easy it is to use from the company’s website.

The post Why focused software makes the difference in the AEC industries appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

In the ‘Digitisation in Construction Report 2023’, published by the UK’s Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), only 12 and 18 percent of construction professionals said they used digital technologies on all or most of their projects, respectively. However, according to Usman Shuja, the CEO of building solutions software company Bluebeam, attitudes are changing.

He told Tech Wire Asia: “The construction industry has been a laggard, but macro events such as inflation, labor shortages, and sustainability pressures have accelerated significantly. We are seeing the construction-related digital and software markets growing at a lot higher rate than the construction industry now.” The global construction management software market’s value is expected to reach $16.6 billion by 2028. “Digital solutions have also demonstrated value in the industry, so there is acceptance to adopting them,” Mr Shuja added. “Additionally, we see more digitization in off-field work, so there is higher adoption in companies’ offices.”

The top technology buzzword of 2023 has to be AI, and no industry is exempt from its impact, including AECO, which is gradually embracing its potential for innovation and efficiency.

“Accelerated digitization will pave a path for AI,” said Mr Shuja. “Especially generative AI, which has the potential to add creativity, reduce rework, and increase compliance. I am particularly excited about how generative AI, when combined with machine learning and computer vision, can impact the industry’s productivity.”

Source: Shutterstock

Some tangible examples of how generative AI can be used in the AECO industry include streamlining the design process by rapidly generating multiple design options based on defined parameters. It also helps in optimizing structural configurations for maximum efficiency, and predicting potential maintenance issues through analysis of complex datasets. Despite the potential, introducing a new tool to an owner or senior manager of an AECO company that would involve some kind of operational change can understandably be met with hesitation. After all, there is always an element of risk involved in altering workflow, even with the promise of efficiency and innovation.

Mr Shuja said: “My explanation to them is that they will be able to do more projects, with reduced rework and in a shorter timeframe. Additionally, they will enjoy the benefits of compliance and better planning. This should result in more revenue, higher profits, or more leisure time.”

Bluebeam is already a leading provider of digital PDF management software specifically tailored for the AECO industry. It aims to facilitate collaboration, streamline workflows, and enhance productivity throughout the various construction phases. However, in the near future, it plans to take its solution’s capabilities a step further by introducing AI.

Mr Shuja said: “Bluebeam will apply AI pragmatically to help our users be more productive and solve everyday challenges faster and more effectively. For example, Revu users will soon be able to use AI to automate the tedious, error-prone task of aligning multiple drawings to compare the differences. This one task alone can take dozens of clicks and up to two minutes. Plus, our customers currently use that feature around five million times a year. With the feature upgrades and AI integration, we will save them time each time they use it by making it less clicks so it takes as little as 15 seconds.

“The main thing that differentiates our approach to AI is that we are creating our new features in conjunction with our customers and to address challenges they have brought to us over the years. Bluebeam has always been focused on our customers’ challenges, and the implementation of AI into our solutions doesn’t change that.”

Bluebeam stands out from other AECO software companies because of its commitment to providing users with ongoing training and support. Customized education sessions ensure the customer uses the product to its full potential.

“Bluebeam has been helping AECO companies transform and do more digitally for more than 20 years, and we will continue doing that,” Mr Shuja said.

“We continue to improve Revu’s core capabilities and value proposition of digital markups, measurements, and collaboration, and we continue to develop our Bluebeam Cloud solution so our users can do their work anywhere on the web and mobile. AI is really just one way—albeit a particularly exciting way—that we will deliver new capabilities to help our customers take it to the next level.”

Source: Shutterstock

Alongside efficiency benefits, AECO companies can use digital tools like Bluebeam’s to meet their sustainability goals. According to the United Nations 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, the buildings and construction sector accounted for around 37 percent of energy and process-related carbon dioxide emissions and over 34 percent of global energy demand in 2021. There is a growing urgency to decarbonize the sector, particularly since scientists have determined that 2023 will be the warmest year on record thanks to human emissions. Over half of respondents to the RICS survey agreed that digitization could help them achieve their net-zero goals. Simulation and analysis tools can track key metrics such as energy consumption and emissions throughout projects and the structures built. This data can inform decision-making regarding materials, design choices, and construction methods for reduced environmental impact.

Mr Shuja said: “Digitization will play a significant role in decarbonization. One of our clients mentioned that Bluebeam has eliminated printing paper completely, which they believe is equivalent to several thousand trees. Digitization is going to play a pivotal role in reducing rework and waste, which will improve the industry’s sustainability posture significantly.”

AI-driven efficiency and sustainability benefits will revolutionize the AECO industry through resource optimization, streamlined workflows, and reduced environmental impact, to name just a few benefits. Discover how embracing digitization could futureproof your business by trying Bluebeam for free today.

The post How AI could change the architecture, engineering, and construction industry – if given a chance appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.