TAHA ANSARI uses examples to illustrate how tech-driven solutions can streamline the construction process, reducing time and costs.
The new era of construction will rely heavily on the use of technology—in the form of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, mechanised construction and digital platforms for process management, documentation and communication. All these will become the norm and way to work in future, replacing reliance on unorganised and unpredictable processes, availability of manpower and construction resources. This will ultimately improve productivity, efficiency, quality and predictability of delivery along with optimised cost and reduced project risk.
While these technological advancements are yet to be fully explored and implemented in future, there are certain construction technologies that are not fully utilised to their potential.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led many organisations to think through the construction process and use of technology from a different perspective. Suddenly, there is demand for plans with low density, high flexibility and better efficiency.
In a radiant cooling system, water is used as a cooling medium (at about 17-20°C) directly to cool the indoor air temperature through radiation. Water can carry 3,400 times the energy of air for the same volume. Water is a better heating and cooling agent than air, because air would require a 1,000 times larger volume to transport the same amount of heating and cooling capacity. In this system, radiant cooling tubes (capillary tubes) are embedded inside roof/floor slabs or walls or concealed in ceiling/floor finishes, employing long-wave (infrared) radiation to the cooled surface to remove unwanted heat from the space. Radiant cooling tubes are laid close to each other in a grid and concealed. Cooling in the inside space is achieved when the cold surface absorbs the heat radiation generated by people, computers, lighting and other equipment exposed to the slab. A dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) provides ventilation air and dry air to maintain a healthy environment and to control the moisture inside the space that is addressed as a latent load. The DOAS unit supplies dehumidified air through its air distribution system. The cooling tubes system separates the task of sensible cooling from that of humidity controlled DOAS with no recirculation of space air. DOAS conveys 100 per cent outside air to each conditioned space via a constant volume outside air unit (energy recovery ventilator), aside from delivering ventilation air straight to each space. Its outside air unit uses a total energy recovery ventilator, an enthalpy wheel to cool and dehumidify outside air. It can also reduce latent and sensible load with an additional cooling coil in the unit.
The cooling and heating medium for radiant systems is typically water that may be conditioned by boilers, heat pumps, chillers, geothermal heat pump, solar thermal panels, etc. There are many advantages to radiant systems over forced air systems:
The radiant cooling system has some disadvantages too.
Right now, BIM is primarily used for 3D visualisation and for clash detection services. However, it has the potential for much more advanced usage (4D, 5D, 6D, 7D) that is not limited to design alone. It can be utilised for accurate quantity surveying, developing analytical models, scheduling, progress monitoring, cost management, developing virtual reality (VR) models, facility management (inventory management), and so on.
Looking at upcoming technologies, the use of drones and 3D scanning or documentation of buildings is interesting.
One can document and capture the data of any built structure accurately, which can be used for review and analysis. It can be effectively utilised in tracking the physical progress of a building, as it creates a virtual walkthrough model, which can be used to perform visual inspections to identify defects, dimensional correctness, etc, from a remote location. It also becomes a record of work progress. The complete information can be stored on a cloud server accessible from any location. It can be integrated with BIM for further design development and evaluation. Also, it would be very helpful on restoration projects and archaeological sites.
About the author: Taha Ansari, Director, Colliers International, heads the company’s project management division in North India. With close to three decades of experience, he has managed all aspects of development and construction work in North India, the Middle East and East Africa across diverse asset classes. He has helped clients deliver award-winning projects through remarkable projects such as Select Citywalk Mall (Delhi), The Medicity hospital (Gurugram?), Medanta Hospital (Lucknow), Pullman Hotel (Aerocity, Delhi?) and the OPPO manufacturing unit (????). Other projects include IT parks, hotels, hospitals, commercial complexes, malls and mixed developments, and premium residential developments across the region.