Five takes on the state of AR and VR in construction

In 1974, science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, the brilliant mind behind 2001: A Space Odyssey and Childhood’s End, gave an interview in which he described our modern Internet with eerie accuracy: being able to access bank records, book theater tickets, and more all from a small console (though he didn’t mention smart phones).

Like Clarke’s early predictions of the Internet, the prognostications about the use of augmented reality in construction promise big things: better project efficiency, increased worker safety, and new ways to design structures.

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NASA names top 5 in latest stage of 3D-printed Mars habitat competition

NASA’s 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, which kicked off in 2015, is now well into its third and final phase. The latest stage has awarded five teams a share of US$100,000 in prize money for the best virtual models ahead of the hard part, 3D-printing scale models of their designs. Read more.

Traditionally low-tech construction industry attracts $1.3 billion in venture capital

Move over meal deliveries and mobility startups: The construction industry has become a new focal point for venture capital funds and tech investment. Investment in AEC firms—architecture, engineering, and construction—have blossomed in the last few years, as a once low-tech, staid industry begins to feel the full impact of digital technology, especially when it comes to collaboration software, worksite monitoring, safety, and new design tools. Read more.

Pot legalization raises concerns about TTC’s random drug testing

The impending legalization of marijuana is heightening scrutiny of the TTC’s random drug testing policy, with critics warning that transit workers could be unfairly penalized for ingesting a soon-to-be legal substance outside of work. Read more.

Building a federal framework for prompt payment and adjudication

Canada, like many other jurisdictions around the world, is considering mechanisms to ensure the orderly and timely building of federal construction projects by ensuring that cash flows down the construction pyramid quickly. Read more.

Invitation to Stakeholder Engagement Session – Roadwork

Please be advised that for the month of September 2018, the Nova Scotia Departmentof Labour and Advanced Education’s Occupational Health and Safety Division will againbe focusing activity on “Safe Road Work”. Like previous years, OHS Divisional staff willbe travelling Nova Scotia roads throughout the Province, visiting “road work” job sites toensure compliance with legislative responsibilities and to help promote safer workplaces. Read more.