The Construction Technology Handbook: Making Sense of Artificial Intelligence and Beyond - Hardcover

Seaton, Hugh

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 111971995X ISBN 13: 9781119719953

Publisher: Wiley, 2021

Synopsis

Tired of new software that doesn't seem to work in the field? Ready to get your teams up to speed and productive with the latest tools?

The Construction Technology Handbook takes a ground up, no jargon look at technology in the construction industry. From clear, quickly grasped explanations of how popular software actually works to how companies both large and small can efficiently try out and onboard new tools, this book unlocks new ways for construction field teams, firm owners, managers, leaders, and employees to do business.

You'll learn about:

• Simple frameworks for making sense of all the new options cropping up
• How software and data work and how they work together to make your job easier and safer
• What artificial intelligence really is and how it can help real companies today
• Tools that are just over the horizon that will, one day, make your job just a little bit easier
• New and practical resources to help you incorporate an attitude of innovation and technology adoption into your workplace

Perfect for general contractors and subcontractors, The Construction Technology Handbook also belongs on the bookshelves of construction technology vendors and construction workers who want to better understand the needs of the construction industry and the inner workings of construction technology, respectively.

About this title

About the Author

HUGH SEATON is General Manager of Adept XR Learning, where he leads a team building virtual and augmented reality software for construction, enterprise, and universities. Hugh is also publisher of the Construction Technology Quarterly, a free companion to this book. He holds a dual MBA from Columbia University and London Business School, as well as certificates in AI, construction delivery, and microservices architectures. Hugh has founded a series of AEC and training startups, and he does non-profit work with the Association of Talent Development, AEC Hackathon, and universities.

From the Back Cover

Work faster, better, and safer by adding new tech tools to your existing toolkit

In the area of technology, the construction industry is just beginning its transformation. Will you be automated out of a job? (You won't.) What tech solutions are worth the money, and how are people using them successfully in the real world? What kind of tech solutions do contractors want and need? How do software, AI, BIM, Prefab, and other technologies work? How will construction look 5, 10, and 20 years from now as new tech explodes?

The Construction Technology Handbook answers these questions and more, so CEOs, contractors, and construction field professionals in construction can stop wondering and worrying and get back to the business of building the world.

In this book, you'll learn about:

• The basics of software tools, systems, and networking
• Construction management software and other field tech
• BIM and industrialized construction, including automation and manufacturing
• What artificial intelligence really is and its limits
• AI products that you can pick up and use in the near future
• Virtual reality, IoT, and other next-generation tech tools
• Effective technology management and profitable, practical innovation

You'll also read real-world case studies, so you can see how construction leaders are using technology in the field today and how you can follow in their footsteps.

From the Inside Flap

For many of us in the construction industry, "tech" is a four-letter word. It promises to make our jobs easier, but in reality, we may spend so much time struggling to learn new software that we wonder, is it worth it? And then there's the threat that AI and robots will make our jobs, and our people, obsolete. Sometimes, it feels like it might be better to give up on technology and go all the way back to pen and paper!

The Construction Technology Handbook shows us that we don't need to return to the stone age to reclaim our confidence. We are already using technology every day, whether we think about it that way or not. New tech tools are just that tools, and tools are a construction professional's friends. When we shift our thinking, we become more capable. This book is a guide to doing just that.

Construction CEOs and contractors know that pulling buildings out of the ground is hands-on work. We often learn our trades on the job, and we need to be able to see exactly how new tools will fit into what we do. To that end, The Construction Technology Handbook contains:

• Clear explanations of how software actually works
• Case studies showing how construction leaders are really using tech
• Frameworks that organize emerging technologies
• Tools to onboard or reject various technology solutions
• A look at how new tech will transform the construction industry

At the end of the day, it's the vendor's job to make sure we know how to use their product and this book will help us ask the right questions and move in the right direction as construction and tech evolve together.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 111971995X
• ISBN 13: 9781119719953
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224