From identifying delays before they derail a project to allowing engineers and designers to get all the dirt on geographic information system maps, technology advances continue to drill down into the pain points builders face every day.
Here are five recent announcements from software makers and other tech providers about new offerings or updates to existing products that are designed to smooth out construction for contractors:
Buildots
Tel Aviv-based Buildots, which claims artificial intelligence powers its construction management platform, has launched its Delay Forecast feature. The functionality can predict schedule risks and alert construction teams when they are falling behind before issues get out of hand, the company said in the news release.
Beyond that prediction capability, the tool also provides activity-level insights to surface root causes of delays, allowing project managers to adjust their strategy and output, the company said.
The firm claims the feature has already facilitated a 50% reduction in delay times during beta testing at several global construction sites, when combined with the performance driven construction management method.
For example, at a large-scale Danish government complex, Scandinavian contractor NCC Denmark used the tool to scale resources up and down to meet goals.
"Using Delay Forecast, not only can we now identify risks very early, but also inform our trades of the exact pace required to meet the schedule,” said project manager Niels Frank Jensen in the release. “We're finally able to back our instincts and prioritize activities based on actual performance and what's really at risk."
Leica Geosystems
Leica Geosystems has introduced the Leica iCON gps 120, a smart antenna designed to provide construction professionals with scalable and flexible machine control solutions.
Integrated into the existing Leica MC1 solution platform, the new product extends the machine control solution offering to more applications and machine types, according to the release.
With the new product, construction machines like compaction rollers can now be equipped with a tailor-made Leica MC1 machine control solution, allowing for streamlined operations and consistent workflows between heavy construction equipment that vary in application requirements, the firm says.
“The iCON gps 120 Machine Smart Antenna expands the machine control technology possibilities on the construction site by offering scalable solutions to even more machines and applications,” said Leica Vice President Tommi Kauppinen in the release.
Esri
Redlands, California-based geographic information system software maker Esri said it has integrated its ArcBIS Basemaps with Autodesk’s Civil 3D and AutoCAD systems. The new combination helps AEC pros use detailed geospatial data and mapping capabilities within GIS and BIM applications.
That, in turn, allows architects, engineers, planners and contractors to make more precise decisions from a geographical perspective to foster more sustainable built environments.
Bridget Brown, geospatial and information management director at Omaha, Nebraska-based HDR, said the tool helps her team drill down on site details, without performing the heavy lift of drawing maps from scratch.
“These carefully styled basemaps not only offer vital location context but also liberate our teams from creating them from the ground up, allowing us to concentrate on project-specific data,” Brown said in the release. “Additionally, the capability to customize these basemaps using the vector tile style editor empowers us to unlock new realms of cartographic creativity when needed.”
Bluebeam
Bluebeam announced in April that it has updated its flagship desktop solution, Revu 21. The software lets users organize, collaborate, markup and do takeoffs on PDF files.
Revu 21.1.0 delivers advanced artificial intelligence-powered functionality, powerful search preference features and seamless access to learning materials for increased productivity, according to the release.
A major highlight of the update is the Auto Align function for drawing overlays and comparisons. The feature reduces the tedious, error-prone steps of manually aligning three points on each drawing revision so users can understand the differences between them up to 80% faster, the company says.
This latest Revu 21 release also boosts productivity by adding a new search feature in Preferences that allows users to quickly locate features and options without interrupting workflows.
Imaginit Technologies
Imaginit Technologies has released Clarity 2025, the latest version of its task automation and analytics tool for Autodesk Revit and BIM 360 products, according to a May news release.
New features include Revit error resolution to allow users to bypass non-critical errors for uninterrupted workflows and a programming module that eliminates the need to export data to external tools like Excel.
In addition, integration with Oracle’s Aconex — a separately priced module designed for firms with large-scale construction projects — synchronizes files with BIM360, ProjectWise, Procore and other platforms.
The company claims Clarity has helped automate over 36 Revit print and export tasks for customers to allow them to focus on design work instead of repetitive functions.
