ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
PR Newswire | June 02, 2023
OpenSpace, the global leader in 360°realitycapture and AI-powered analytics, announced today a new strategic relationship to promote greater transparency and coordination in the construction industry with Revizto, the industry-leading Integrated Collaboration Platform that streamlines and centralizes project workflows and communication. Both companies are dedicated to unlocking the potential of BIM on construction sites and improving the exchange of information between VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) and field teams.
While BIM has gained widespread adoption among design and engineering professionals, its utilization in the field has been limited. According to the report "Accelerating Digital Transformation Through BIM" by Dodge Construction Network (2021), contractors using BIM have witnessed significant improvements in quality, health and safety, cost control, schedule control, and overall business results. However, only 44% of general contractors, 35% of specialty trade contractors, and 33% of owners have integrated BIM into their practices, indicating a gap between office and field teams. On the other hand, reality capture technology is becoming widely embraced on construction sites.
To bridge this gap, OpenSpace has made substantial investments in its reality capture platform and BIM capabilities. The technology aims to simplify BIM visualization and make it actionable in the field, strengthening coordination between office and field teams. The company has already observed a 27% increase in users that utilize BIM, indicating a strong interest in combining BIM and reality capture in the field.
Revizto is collaborating with OpenSpace to deliver integrated workflows to their mutual customers. "Through our collaboration with Revizto, we can prioritize the interests of both VDC and field teams," said OpenSpace CEO Jeevan Kalanithi. "By streamlining workflows, we can enhance coordination, save valuable time on a daily basis, accelerate project completion, and enable VDC managers and field teams to be more efficient so they can focus on what they do best."
“We are excited to work alongside partners that share the vision to empower the teams on-site. With Revizto, our customers can use solutions like OpenSpace to help field teams effortlessly capture current site conditions, compare it to BIM models, and explore their sites,” said Arman Gukasyan, Founder and CEO of Revizto. “When combined with our platform, the power to break down data silos and facilitate seamless collaboration among project teams anytime, anywhere, will be easier than ever.”
Further details on the Revizto and OpenSpace collaboration will be unveiled at Waypoint, OpenSpace's virtual customer summit, on June 8, 2023. The event will feature sessions with customers, industry leaders, and innovators sharing insights, best practices, and exciting product announcements under the theme of "Simple & Fast Coordination: Connecting Field & VDC through Reality Capture." For more information and registration, please visit our event page.
About OpenSpace
OpenSpace , the global leader in reality capture and AI-powered analytics, empowers construction and real estate companies of every size to create an interactive 360° digital view of their built environment. Customers have used OpenSpace to operate more efficiently and reduce risk, capturing more than 17 billion square feet of imagery from construction projects across thousands of sites in more than 93 countries.
About Revizto
Revizto is the leading Integrated Collaboration Platform used by professionals from across the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation/Owners (AECO) industry to streamline workflows and communication with all stakeholders in a unified environment throughout the project lifecycle. The Revizto platform is intuitive, adaptable, and fully functional from any device.
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ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
PR Newswire | June 01, 2023
Aurigo Software, the leading provider of capital planning and construction management software for infrastructure and private owners, is partnering with the University of Florida's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering to develop a revolutionary system for underwater surveying, mapping, and inspection, provisionally named Bathydrone.
The current process to gather data for new underwater construction or the inspection of existing assets such as bridges, docks, and levees consists of manual surveying from divers or survey sensors mounted to a boat. With the new, safer, and more efficient Bathydrone system, a drone drags a small vessel on the water's surface, eliminating the need for manual surveying. The vessel is equipped with a COTS sonar unit mounted on its bottom. The sonar unit has down-scan, side-scan, and chirp capabilities and logs data onboard the console, which is located inside the hull. Data can then be retrieved post-mission from the console and plotted in various ways.
"We are excited to be working on this groundbreaking technology with the team at the University of Florida," said Balaji Sreenivasan, CEO and founder of Aurigo Software. "The Bathydrone system will vastly expand the possibilities for underwater endeavors while providing a cheaper, safer, and more eco-friendly alternative for our customers."
Not only is data collected more easily, but the technology can also be operated remotely and autonomously using AI navigation software to overcome obstacles in or under the water, creating a faster and cheaper solution. The system will also integrate with Aurigo's Masterworks Cloud Platform to properly store and categorize project data and route any inspections or other results for approval or further action.
Additional Bathydrone differentiators include:
Fully battery-operated and better for the environment—no fuel or loud noise
Lightweight and easily transportable
Does not require a dock or boat ramp to get in the water
Able to be deployed in a wide variety of water systems, including shallow water and rivers with strong currents
Able to survey a large area on a single charge
"This project supports our department's mission to conduct state-of-the-art research to advance science and technology," said Peter Ijfu, University of Florida's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Excellence Term Professor and Associate Chair of Faculty Affairs. "This pioneering approach to underwater surveying and mapping has multiple real-world applications that are not currently commercially available."
Aurigo will work closely with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering's staff and students to bring this leading-edge solution to the infrastructure market in the next 12 to 18 months.
About Aurigo Software
Aurigo builds software that helps build the world. Aurigo provides modern, cloud-based solutions for capital infrastructure and private owners to help them plan with confidence, build with quality, and maintain their assets efficiently. With more than $300b of capital programs under management, Aurigo's solutions are trusted by over 300 customers in transportation, water and utilities, healthcare, higher education, and the government on over 40,000 projects across North America. Aurigo helps capital program executives make better decisions based on proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. Aurigo is a privately held US corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas, with global offices in Canada and India. Learn more at www.aurigo.com.
About the University of Florida
The University of Florida is a major, public, comprehensive, land-grant, research university. The state's oldest and most comprehensive university, UF is among the nation's most academically diverse public universities. UF traces its beginnings to a small seminary in 1853. It opened its doors in Gainesville in 1906 with 102 students. Today, it is one of the most comprehensive and academically diverse universities in the nation, with an enrollment of some 52,000 students annually. UF is home to 16 colleges and more than 170 research centers and institutes and UF offers nearly 300 graduate degree programs. Only five other universities nationwide have as many programs of study on one campus as the University of Florida.
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CONSTRUCTION
Businesswire | June 05, 2023
The Kleinfelder Group, Inc. (“Kleinfelder”), a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm, announced today that it has acquired Doucet & Associates, Inc. (“Doucet”). The transaction, which closed on May 31, 2023, fortifies Kleinfelder’s commitment to strategic growth and strengthens an already robust client and service portfolio in the growing Texas market.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Doucet provides civil engineering, environmental permitting, surveying, and construction management services to clients throughout Texas. Doucet is focused on delivering these services to public and private sector clients in the land development, commercial, education, healthcare, industrial, municipal, transportation, and water resources markets.
“The Doucet acquisition further establishes Kleinfelder’s presence in Texas,” stated Kleinfelder President and CEO Louis Armstrong. “Doucet’s strong client base, successful project delivery track record, and service capabilities will create near-term revenue synergy opportunities for Kleinfelder. The combination will also create numerous career opportunities for Doucet’s employees.”
With the close of the transaction, the Doucet organizational structure will remain unchanged, operating under the direction of its existing operational leadership team led by John Doucet. The Doucet organization consists of over 110 professionals spread across six offices in Texas and will be incorporated into Kleinfelder’s Central Division business unit, which is led by Executive Vice President and Central Division Director Lisa Millet.
“We are elated to find a perfectly aligned partner in Kleinfelder,” noted Doucet President Amy Doucet. “In addition to the complementary services, market strategies, and long-term client satisfaction, Kleinfelder’s culture and focus on people stood out and will allow our exceptional staff opportunities to grow together.”
Kleinfelder’s Commitment to Strategic Growth
Doucet represents Kleinfelder’s sixth acquisition over the last three years. Kleinfelder remains focused on driving a strategic plan centered on organic growth bolstered by acquisitive expansion, with the goal of acquiring firms with complementary employee-focused cultures and a trusted commitment to clients.
Winston & Strawn LLP served as legal counsel and KPMG provided transaction advisory and tax services to Kleinfelder. Morrissey Goodale LLC served as sell-side financial advisors, MouerHuston, PC as sell-side legal advisors, and PKF O’Connor Davies for transaction advisory and tax services to Doucet.
Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions.
Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm. Kleinfelder now employs more than 3,100 professionals and operates from over 105 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California. Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.
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