“Only Connect” 

Sam Hough, Construction Business Manager (UK), KOREC Group, reports from this year's prestigious BITA (British and Irish Trading Alliance) Gala Ball and Awards Celebration

Sam Hough, Construction Business Manager (UK), KOREC Group, reports from this year’s prestigious BITA (British and Irish Trading Alliance) Gala Ball and Awards Celebration

On Saturday 19th October, I was delighted to join KOREC’s Group Leadership Team at the biggest event in the BITA (British and Irish Trading Alliance) calendar, the Gala Ball and Awards Celebration. Held bi-annually at a prestigious location in London, this year the Raffles Hotel, the event is a fabulous coming together of prominent figures in the construction, property, financial, and hospitality industry providing opportunities for networking whilst also supporting charitable causes. 

As one of the headline sponsors of the evening, it was an excellent opportunity for KOREC to connect with key figures across various industries such as Laing O’Rourke, John Sisk and Sons and Kelly Communications, and share the our ‘Measure, Map and Manage’ message with relation to the connected construction site, expanded on in the latest release of BITA’s publication ‘Networks’ with this piece below:  

Imagine a construction site powered by real-time data, a truly connected construction site enables a reduction in errors, the latest models are used for setting out, enhanced team collaboration, clearer communication, significant time and cost savings and increased project visibility. But how can that be achieved? 

It’s a widely published figure that the cost of construction rework is estimated to represent between 2% and 20% of total costs, according to the Construction Industry Institute (CII) (average of 12%). Whilst we’re never going to live in a perfect world, consider how significantly that figure could decrease if every team member – from finance and design to engineering, surveying, and construction – worked from a single source of easily accessible, up-to-date data, including models, schedules, and documents? 

Two Trimble solutions enable just that: 

Trimble Connect is a cloud-based platform that allows project teams to share, view, and coordinate on construction models and data in real time. With an emphasis on collaboration, it supports the entire lifecycle of a construction project by providing a space where stakeholders can review 3D models, 2D drawings, 3D laser scans and other project files. 

Trimble Viewpoint is a cloud-based construction management solution designed to integrate various aspects of a project, from accounting to project management, into one unified platform. 

Together, they provide a seamless flow of data between project management and project execution. 

KOREC specialises in the development, and subsequent roll-out of field to office workflows (using Trimble Viewpoint and Trimble Connect) and the integration of all your Trimble measuring and surveying equipment. The latest Building Safety Act imposes stricter requirements for as-built documentation. Trimble Connect can assist here covering all setting out data irrespective of the sensor used whether a total station, laser scanner or augmented reality.  

A recent XYZ report, Constructing Tomorrow, states that the two main ways the industry is addressing errors and rework is through using advanced technology and equipment and better communication protocols, something that we are seeing increasingly backed up by KOREC customers, for example:  

Mercury Engineering enhanced communication, minimised model errors and saved time across global teams by using Trimble’s XR10 mixed reality headset technology. The XR10 enabled the creation of sharable videos and images for a large-scale, three-floor data centre project, allowing the team to quickly identify potential issues and efficiently collaborate with remote members, who were often in different countries. 

Walsh Steel Detailing (WSD) saved invaluable time on a recent large project using a Trimble X7 laser scanner and the XR10 mixed reality headset. Trimble Connect allowed for the seamless sharing of 3D models and real-time data, enabling remote and on-site teams to identify issues, ensure model accuracy, and collaborate efficiently, reducing errors and improving project delivery. 

The team felt that the two technologies complimented each other perfectly with the X7 allowing WSD to bring the site to their office so they could model around it whilst the XR10 allowed them to verify the model on site and gain total client confidence in the work they were doing before any material was cut. 

Laing O’Rourke used Trimble’s Connect AR augmented reality app to give their building construction workers even greater accessibility to 3D models in the field. The app runs on tablets and smartphones and via QR markers allows for easy positioning of 3D models whilst on the job site. 

Trimble Connect AR has been designed to revolutionise QA/QC workflows through the viewing of digital models at 1:1 scale onsite and in context. This enables the Laing O’Rourke project team to validate the build, observe omissions, and visually collaborate to resolve issues. 

They recently used the system on the prestigious Whiteley redevelopment in London. The versatility of the system was proved by positive feedback from three different teams, MEP, Structural and Design Engineering. 

Trimble Viewpoint, Trimble Connect, and Trimble’s construction measurement portfolio are revolutionising the construction industry by enhancing efficiency, collaboration, and visibility. As technology advances, these platforms will be essential for the success of construction projects.  

The construction team at KOREC is dedicated to empowering our customers to develop workflows that fully utilise these transformative tools. 

Trimble’s innovative technology is paving the way for more efficient and accurate building processes. Let’s build better together!