BAM Nuttall has partnered with the Building Research Establishment, Cranfield University, Glideology and Werner Homes to pilot real-time automated construction monitoring at Houghton Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme. This technology could simultaneously streamline estimating, quality assurance, productivity planning, project management, contract administration and carbon accounting.

The partnership brings together the expertise required to deliver this vision under the consortium name ‘One Source of Truth’.

The technology being developed and trialled at Houghton Brook includes:

• Mobile, power-independent cameras to capture footage of large sections of construction sites autonomously through remote control.

• Artificial intelligence to analyse footage received through the cameras and automatically track moving parts on site such as construction plant and people to analyse effort employed.

• Edge-processed personal data masking to collect footage ethically, addressing privacy concerns, and align with GDPR Regulations and BAM Nuttall guidance on the use of cameras.

• Integrating other sensor sources such as machine trackers and weather station data to provide a rich picture of site activity.

• Using bespoke dashboards for different people working on the project to provide tailored information and insights supporting collaboration.

Timeline

One Source of Truth is part-funded by Innovate UK between April 2020 and October 2021

Partners

Building Research Establishment, Cranfield University, Glideology and Werner Homes