Skanska and Bouygues: Top 5 Construction Stories This Week
McLaren Deploys Autonomous Robots via FieldAI Partnership
McLaren Construction has partnered with FieldAI to deploy autonomous quadruped robots across its UK construction sites. The deal marks FieldAI's entry into the UK market, after deploying tech across hundreds of sites in Europe, Asia and North America.
The robots will initially capture 360-degree site imagery and generate point cloud data, supporting progress verification, model-to-site deviation analysis, safety compliance patrols and quality assurance. Further capabilities are expected as the technology develops.
McLaren has already trialled the technology on its Passivhaus refurbishment of the London School of Economics' 35 Lincoln's Inn Fields building, using a Boston Dynamics Spot robot fitted with FieldAI's software.
Compass Joins Meta and Google in Trades Funding Push
Three major infrastructure players have committed funding to skilled trades training programmes within weeks of each other.
Compass Datacenters donated a US$12.6m building to Texas State Technical College (TSTC), following Meta's US$115m America's Workforce Academy announcement and Google's US$50m AI Opportunity Fund pledge.
The construction industry has faced a shortfall of more than 500,000 skilled trade professionals each year, according to Compass Datacenters.
Data centre construction requires mechanical, electrical and piping specialists in volumes that existing recruitment channels have failed to supply.
Each programme targets the same trade disciplines but deploys different delivery models and job guarantees.
Top 10: IoT Devices for Construction
Construction sites generate constant streams of data, from equipment usage, to worker location to concrete curing times. It was not that long ago that all of that valuable data would go uncaptured.
IoT devices have changed that, giving contractors real-time visibility into conditions that had to previously be tracked manually, if they were tracked at all.
These devices cover all aspects of the jobsite. Wearables monitor things like worker safety and gas exposure, while telematics platforms track equipment health and utilisation.
Sensors embedded in materials themselves are able to report back on structural readiness.
Construction Digital has ranked the Top 10 leading IoT devices and platforms used across construction today.
Bouygues Construction Expands US Partnership Network
French construction conglomerate Bouygues Construction has now completed its procurement of US construction company Vannoy Construction.
The deal aims to further strengthen Bouygues Construction’s presence in North America.
Skanska Completes Phase One of US$400m Miami ER Job
Skanska has completed the first phase of a US$400m expansion and renovation of the emergency room at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, according to the company. The new addition spans 178,000 square feet, which is three times the size of the original facility.
The expanded ER includes 60 general exam rooms, four resuscitation rooms, six triage rooms and 12 fast-track rooms. A dedicated second floor for patient care contains 50 observation rooms and seven acute care rooms.
Patients will also have access to a new onsite pharmacy and a full radiology suite, which features MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound capabilities.
Skanska demolished two existing buildings to make way for the expansion, having won a US$90m contract for the work in 2023.
