With the rise of AI (artificial intelligence), many young workers are now considering a switch from white-collar jobs to blue-collar jobs—or at least that is the most result of a new survey, suggesting Gen Zers are now rethinking where they work. Perhaps this just might be a good opportunity for the construction industry to find the humans they so desperately need to get their projects completed! Intelligent.com has conducted a survey of 1,000 respondents between ages 16 and 26 in the United States. According to the numbers, roughly 48% of respondents plan to work in the white-collar field, 32% plan to work in the blue-collar field, and 20% are still unsure. This is a stark contrast to Millennials, who revealed they spent more of their time investing in higher education than ever before. The percentage of young people who immediately enrolled in college after graduating from high school rose from 49% in 1980 to 70% in 2009. Now, Gen Z is a little bit less sure about that career path, it seems. Of note, even Gen Zers who are choosing to work in a white-collar career field are still somewhat or highly concerned about AI’s impact on the white-collar job market—in fact, 62% claim this specific fact. Another 53% say they are somewhat or highly likely to switch to a blue-collar career, as AI is less likely to affect the skilled trades. Additionally, the recent layoffs in the technology industry are also impacting this younger generation, with a whopping 82% saying they are somewhat or highly concerned about the recent layoffs and 76% saying their career goals have somewhat or majorly changed within the past six months. Some write-in responses for jobs that Gen Z is considering include firefighter, construction, healthcare, business owner, and CEO. Interestingly, of those still in college or planning to attend, a small but mighty percentage—24%—say they intend to major in business in an effort to create their own boss. Perhaps these young workers are on to something. There is a huge need for more workers in the skilled trades—and a lot of opportunity that exists there. Those who work in the construction industry know this. Results from the Skillit Craft Intelligence Report show continued construction spending and hiring demands will lead to a hot labor market in the year ahead. In fact, there is a big demand for trades in Texas, Calif., and other areas of the country, as infrastructure and manufacturing investment pick up. All this to say, we need skilled workers now more than ever before, and it seems the younger generation recognizes the opportunity that exists here. Now, how will we encourage and entice these young workers to consider a career in construction—and stay in the career long-term? That is the question at hand—and one I have been studying and discussing in depth recently. In a roundtable discussion with some powerhouse women from Bentley Systems, we determined young workers need the right guidance, which requires buy-in from everybody—parents, schools, corporations, government, and more. We need everyone to come together to make a difference. What will you do this week to encourage young workers to consider construction? How can we bring more women into this workforce? How can we leverage technology to attract young workers to the career? It seems these young workers may already be a little interested. Now construction needs to draw them in and keep them there. Want to tweet about this article? Use hashtags #construction #IoT #sustainability #AI #5G #cloud #edge #futureofwork #infrastructure #workers #workershortage #whitecollar #bluecollar #GenZ The post AI Sends Young Workers Back to Construction appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/ai-sends-young-workers-back-to-construction/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/ai-sends-young-workers-back-to.html
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Construction is a unique industry in that work often needs to be done on site. But does it? Just because it has always been done that way, should it continue to be done that way? There are huge opportunities that exist if we can identify how best to move to offsite construction. With offsite construction, work can be done more efficiently, in a manner that is safer for workers, and has the potential to provide more affordable housing to all. Sounds great, right? So, why then aren’t we building more projects offsite yet? Markets like the United Kingdom, Japan, and Sweden are much further ahead than the United States. So, what is the hold up? Like anything else, there are hurdles that stand in the way—but the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, in partnership with the National Institute of Building Sciences and MOD X, are looking to address this here in the United States. Together the organizations have released the Offsite Construction for Housing: Research Roadmap, which aims to present the key knowledge gaps and research needs for offsite construction in an effort to overcome those barriers. The Research Roadmap covers six topical areas in need of coordinated research efforts, with sub-topics and specific research questions listed to help answer the knowledge gaps.
It is important to note this is not the first concentrated effort to better understand the state of offsite construction here in the United States. Back in 2013, the National Institute of Building Sciences established the Off-Site Construction Council to serve as a research, education, and outreach center for relevant and current information on off-site design and construction for commercial, institutional, and multifamily facilities. Much has changed in the past decade and much has stayed the same. The hope is this new research roadmap will align programs and partnerships, while offering a roadmap for governments, universities, and offsite companies to advance offsite construction for housing. What are your thoughts? Will we see greater progress in the next decade? What still stands in our way? How will we overcome those hurdles? Want to tweet about this article? Use hashtags #construction #IoT #sustainability #AI #5G #cloud #edge #futureofwork #infrastructure #offsiteconstruction #offsite The post The State of Offsite Construction appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/the-state-of-offsite-construction/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-state-of-offsite-construction.html The construction industry has always been quick to adopt new technologies that can help increase efficiency and cost effectiveness. BIM (building information modeling) is one process to enter the fray, and it has the potential to revolutionize the way construction projects are planned, executed, and monitored. Here’s a look at how BIM can help improve efficiency and cost effectiveness in the construction industry. What Is BIM? BIM is a process that uses three-dimensional computer modeling to generate and manage information about a construction project. The model can be used for everything from design and construction to facilities management and maintenance. BIM allows all project team members to view and collaborate on the same model, ensuring that everyone is working from the same data set. The benefits of BIM include increased accuracy, improved communication, and reduced costs. In addition, BIM can help to optimize building performance and sustainability. As the construction industry adopts new technology, BIM will become an essential tool for delivering high-quality projects on time and on budget. How Can BIM Improve Efficiency in the Construction Industry? BIM has been shown to improve construction industry efficiency by minimizing errors, completing jobs faster, and identifying areas where prefabricated components can be used to cut costs. In addition, BIM can create simulations that help workers plan for potential problems and disruptions. As a result, BIM can help projects run more smoothly and efficiently. How Can BIM Improve Cost Effectiveness in the Construction Industry? Construction is an industry with many moving parts. To build a successful project, construction managers must coordinate the efforts of architects, engineers, subcontractors, and materials suppliers. BIM can help improve communication and coordination among all stakeholders, resulting in cost savings. BIM provides a three-dimensional model of the construction project that can be shared among all team members. This allows for more efficient use of resources and results in fewer change orders. In addition, BIM can create more prefabricated and boltable components, further reducing construction costs. When used effectively, BIM can help to improve the cost-effectiveness of construction projects. What Are the Four Benefits of BIM? The four main benefits of BIM are better decision-making, greater visibility, more sustainable options, and cost savings. Better decision-making is possible with BIM because all stakeholders have access to the same information about the project. This allows for more open communication and collaboration between architects, engineers, contractors, and owners. In addition, with everyone working from the same model, it is easier to identify potential problems and find solutions that work for everyone. Greater visibility is another benefit of BIM. Because all stakeholders can see the 3D model of the project, they can better understand the project’s scale and layout. This can help to avoid misunderstandings and costly mistakes. More sustainable options are possible with BIM because of the ability to simulate different design choices. For example, you can test out different orientations for a building to see which one will result in the best energy performance. You can also experiment with other materials and systems to find your project’s most environmentally friendly option. Finally, BIM can lead to cost savings on AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) projects. For example, BIM can avoid expensive redesigns and rework due to errors and miscommunications. You can also save time on-site by better understanding what needs to be done before construction begins. In addition, BIM can help you to optimize building performance by finding ways to use less energy or water. All of these factors can lead to significant cost savings on AEC projects. Are There Any Potential Drawbacks to Using BIM in the Construction Industry? One issue is that not all building professionals currently use BIM, which can lead to compatibility issues. Another potential problem are the legal implications of using BIM; the full extent of these implications has not yet been investigated or resolved. Finally, BIM carries a high cost, necessitating a significant investment in cutting-edge equipment. Despite these potential drawbacks, BIM offers many advantages that make it a valuable tool for construction professionals. What Are the Prospects for BIM in the Construction Industry? The construction industry has increasingly recognized the benefits of BIM in recent years. By using BIM, the industry can improve built-environment outcomes, develop technology-enabled processes, and deepen its understanding of a project. Furthermore, BIM makes it easier for construction and design teams to interact with one another, clients, and the general public when necessary. As a result, the use of BIM is expected to continue growing in the construction industry in the coming years. In addition, BIM is expected to become more sophisticated as new technologies are developed. As a result, the construction industry will realize even more significant benefits as BIM becomes more widely used. How BIM Is Used for Cost Estimation BIM cost estimation has been a gamechanger for the construction industry. In the past, contractors relied on 2D drawings to estimate the cost of a project. This method was often inaccurate, as it was challenging to gather all of the necessary information from the drawings. BIM cost estimation changes all that by allowing contractors to add cost data to the BIM model as the project progresses. This way, they can see exactly how much each component will cost, down to the last brick. This level of detail is invaluable for ensuring a project stays on budget. BIM cost estimation has revolutionized the construction industry and is quickly becoming the standard for estimating project costs. How Is BIM Used in Construction Management? BIM is a powerful tool increasingly used in construction management. BIM allows managers to create a digital model of a construction project, incorporating data on everything from the building site’s dimensions to the materials used. This model can then be used to make various assessments and analyses, such as identifying potential problems and evaluating different construction options. In addition, BIM can be used to generate detailed instructions for the execution of the project. As a result, BIM is becoming an essential tool for construction managers who want to ensure a smooth and successful build. Conclusion BIM can potentially increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the construction industry. First, however, companies need to invest in training their employees on how to use BIM correctly. Additionally, continued research and development of BIM are necessary to keep up with advancements in other industries. By following these guidelines, construction companies can improve their competitiveness and bottomline. About the Author ![]() Anna Liza Montenegro is a trained architect and an accomplished marketing professional in the AEC industry. She possesses both strategic and execution of marketing initiatives, go-to-market plans, and execute product launches. The post BIM: Efficiency and Cost Effectiveness in the Construction Industry appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/bim-efficiency-and-cost-effectiveness-in-the-construction-industry/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/bim-efficiency-and-cost-effectiveness.html From homes to buildings, green structures can make a big difference for our sustainable communities. They make our air cleaner, our land greener, and our homes healthier to live in. One of the key ways to track this is with the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system. First, a little bit of background about this rating system. To achieve LEED certification, a project earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality. Projects go through a verification and review process by GBCI (Green Business Certification) and are awarded points that correspond to a level of LEED certification. The advantages are clear: healthier air quality, reduced pollution, reduced waste, and less energy use and carbon emissions. To be clear, homes and businesses can still achieve these benefits without a certification. Still, LEED is a good way to track where green buildings are going up around the country. Looking back, in 2022, USGBC surpassed 100,000 LEED-certified projects globally, totaling more than 11 billion certified gross sq.ft. In fact, the USGBC took this data and released its annual ranking of U.S. states leading the way with green buildings in 2022. The ranking is based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita throughout the past year. The top 10 states included Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, California, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado, Virginia, Texas, and Oregon. In 2022, the top 10 states certified 1,225 projects and nearly 353 million gross sq.ft., under LEED. Looking a bit closer at some of the top states, in Massachusetts, 96 buildings encompassing over 26 million sq.ft., were LEED-certified in 2022, equating to nearly 3.7 LEED-certified sq.ft., per resident. In comparison, Illinois was 3.47 sq.ft., per capita, New York was 3.17 sq.ft., per capita, and California was 2.43 sq.ft., per capita. As a federal territory, Washington, D.C., does not appear in the official top 10 list of states, but it consistently leads the nation in LEED-certified square footage per capita, in part because of the federal government and the District’s ongoing commitments to green building. It will be interesting to see what states come out on top for 2023. With many energy-conscious consumers flocking to warmer climates like South Carolina, it will be interesting to see how this list shapes out in the next 12 months. Green building is anyone’s opportunity—if we are willing to step up and take it. Want to tweet about this article? Use hashtags #IoT #sustainability #AI #5G #cloud #edge #futureofwork #digitaltransformation #green #ecosystem #environmental #circularworld The post Green Buildings Go Up—But Where? appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/green-buildings-go-up-but-where/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/green-buildings-go-upbut-where.html As the world becomes “smarter,” finding ways to connect data points along the IoT (Internet of Things) highway is becoming a stress point. Berg Insights has compiled a database covering the 500 largest cellular IoT deployments worldwide, including various types of projects and product categories deployed across all types of vertical markets including OEM (original-equipment manufacturer) automotive, aftermarket automotive, transport and logistics, utilities, infrastructure, buildings and security, retail, industrial, consumer electronics, healthcare, and others. The database includes project size and geographical distribution by the end of 2021 as well as a five-year forecast for each individual project. The projects included in the top-500 list together account for approximately 480 million active cellular IoT subscriptions, corresponding to as much as 22.8% of the total number of cellular IoT connections worldwide at the end of 2021. The 500 projects on the list are forecasted to grow to 949 million units by 2026, corresponding to an overall CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 14.6%. More than 90 deployments on the list have surpassed 1 million subscriptions and the top-10 projects alone account for over 159 million units. Transport and logistics represent the largest vertical in terms of the number of projects that made the top list, followed by aftermarket automotive, retail, utilities, OEM automotive, buildings and security, healthcare, and industrial. OEM automotive is the largest vertical in installed base, accounting for 157 million units, ahead of utilities at 89 million units and transport and logistics representing 96 million units. Using data from Europe and North America, Berg found the number of connected EV charging points reached an estimated 3.3 million units in 2021. Europe represents the largest share comprising around 2.6 million of these charging points, corresponding to a connectivity penetration rate of 57%. In North America, about 0.7 million of charging points were connected, equivalent to a connectivity penetration rate of 52%. Growing at a CAGR rate of 40%, the number of connected charging points in the two regions is expected to reach 18 million in 2026. But transportation is only one of the IoT categories Berg follows. Their databases include such esoteric applications as EM (electronic monitoring) of offenders. The number of participants in EM “ankle bracelet” programs daily in Europe (50,000), North America (371,000), and Latin America (96,000) is estimated to grow to 77,000 in Europe, 821,000 in North America, and 184,000 in Latin America by 2026. The total market value in the three regions combined is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 10.8% from $1.2 billion in 2021 to $2.1 billion in 2026. Another example on the IoT highway, the installed base of smart gas meters in Europe amounted to 45.9 million units in 2021, equal to a penetration rate of 38%. The installed base will continue to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% between 2021 and 2027, reaching 75.9 million units at the end of the period. Annual shipment volumes amounted to 6.6 million in 2021 and are expected to gradually decrease in the coming years with the completion of several large-scale nationwide rollouts. France, the U.K., Italy, and the Netherlands were the most active markets in 2021, together accounting for close to 95% of all smart gas meter shipments during the year. While the rollouts in Italy, France, and the Netherlands will soon be completed, the U.K. market is expected to ramp up yearly installations to reach a high of 3.4–3.6 million units per year during 2023–2025. Belgium and Ireland are two other markets that are expected to contribute with significant shipment volumes in the next few years. The smart gas meters deployed in Europe have not been networked in quite the same way as their counterparts in the electricity sector. A common model, observed for example in the U.K., the Netherlands, and Belgium, is to use a local wireless or wired interface to transmit gas data via the customer’s smart electricity meter. A mix of 169 MHz RF and 2G/3G cellular communications has been the primary model for the largest projects in which smart gas meters have been deployed independently of smart electricity meters, such as in Italy and France. A change of the status quo might be coming as new types of LPWA (low-power wide-area) technologies have become more readily available. The Italian gas sector became the first in Europe to initiate large-scale adoption of NB-IoT (narrow-band IoT) as a primary smart meter connectivity choice and in 2021 the installed base of gas meters with NB-IoT connectivity almost doubled in the country to reach 1.7 million. The composition of communication technology in the installed base of smart gas meters is expected to shift in the coming years. In 2021, 169 MHz RF was the most common communications technology with a market share of 40%. By 2027, Zigbee is expected to surpass 169 MHz RF to become the most prevalent connectivity option with an installed base of close to 24.9 million units. NB-IoT/LTE-M is expected to grow with a CAGR of 35.6% during 2022–2027 to reach an installed base of 10.7 million units in 2027, making it the third most common connectivity option on the European smart gas meter market. Another emerging technology trend is the anticipated increase in the use of hydrogen in European gas supply operations. As the properties of hydrogen differ significantly from those of natural gas, meter vendors will have to put in place relevant technological and strategic roadmaps in order to position themselves in the new European renewable energy sector. Meanwhile, the penetration of smart electricity meters in North America reached 74% in 2021. Overall, the installed base of smart electricity meters will grow at a CAGR of 4.8% during 2021–2027 to reach a total of 173.4 million units by 2027. Over the next six years, the penetration of smart meters in the U.S. will reach a level of 93% while the comparable figure for the more advanced Canadian market will be slightly higher at 94%. According to the study, yearly shipments of smart electricity meters in North America will grow from 10.7 million units in 2021 to 17.3 million units in 2027. The Covid-19 pandemic had a obvious impact on deployments during 2020 with a year-over-year decrease of around 13% in annual shipment volumes. The market has since experienced an increase in shipments and the number is expected to peak in 2024 at 18.4 million units and thereafter slightly decrease to a level of 17 million units until the end of 2027. Meanwhile, second-wave rollouts for early adopters are now also ramping up and will grow their share of annual shipment volumes from around 12% in 2021 to around 75% by 2027. Alongside the increase in replacement smart-meter projects, the development of smart metering technology in the North American market has shifted focus to serving new demands beyond smart metering. The utilities are now looking to leverage their existing networks for a wider range of smart city applications while also trying to figure out how to cope with the integration of the rapidly increasing number of electric vehicles and distributed energy resources into the grid infrastructure. Besides increased computing power and edge analytics capabilities that enable a new set of benefits, utilities are more and more looking to integrate multiple smart city applications into a single solution. With the increased deployment of smart gas and electricity meters, along with the growth of cellphones and other data instruments, the cellular networks in the EU and U.S. will likely become stressed. The continuing rollout of 5G will help alleviate this bottleneck but the anticipated introduction of 6G in 2028 can’t come soon enough for IoT projects. Want to tweet about this article? Use hashtags #construction #sustainability #infrastructure #IoT #AI #5G #cloud #edge The post IoT: By the Numbers appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/iot-by-the-numbers/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/iot-by-numbers.html ![]() Creating an accent wall without painting the walls has become more accessible thanks to sticky wallpaper. The post Add a Touch of Nature to Your Walls with Floral Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper appeared first on At Home in the Future. from At Home in the Future https://athomeinthefuture.com/2023/02/add-touch-nature-walls-floral-peel-stick-wallpaper/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/add-touch-of-nature-to-your-walls-with.html Guidehouse Insights says the global market for energy as a service is estimated to grow to more than $2 billion by 2031. The post Fact of the Day – 2/24/2023 appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/fact-of-the-day-2-24-2023/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/fact-of-day-2242023.html ![]() Traveling can be exciting, but it can also affect your health. Follow this guide to get yourself back in shape and feel healthy after your trip. The post Get Your Health Back on Track After Traveling appeared first on At Home in the Future. from At Home in the Future https://athomeinthefuture.com/2023/02/get-health-back-track-traveling/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/get-your-health-back-on-track-after.html Forrester says global tech spend will reach $4.4 trillion in 2023, despite a turbulent macroeconomic environment. The post Fact of the Day – 2/23/2023 appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/fact-of-the-day-2-23-2023/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/fact-of-day-2232023.html Juniper Research says 5G IoT connections will surpass 100 million for the first time globally by 2026. The post Fact of the Day – 2/22/2023 appeared first on Connected World. from Connected World https://connectedworld.com/fact-of-the-day-2-22-2023/ via IFTTT Via https://theartofallen.blogspot.com/2023/02/fact-of-day-2222023.html |
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