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Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have emerged as powerful technologies revolutionizing various industries, and the construction industry is no exception.
ML and AI play a pivotal role in transforming how construction projects are planned, designed, executed, and managed. These technologies have the potential to streamline processes, enhance productivity, improve safety, and reduce costs.
To learn more about the significance of innovation, we interviewed Mostafa ElAshmawy, an expert in construction projects.
Who Did We Interview?
Mostafa Elashmawy is Head of BIM & GIS at WSP Middle East, working as the Digital Lead of the Project Management Services Business Unit, providing Digital Delivery Management for some of the most significant construction projects in the Middle East.
Mostafa has a Master’s Degree in Global BIM Management and is certified by many respectful information management organizations. He also has a deep academic knowledge of International Standards, Methods, and Procedures related to Information Management. He uses his knowledge and experience to implement BIM and provide digitalization strategies for his organization and clients.
Mostafa graduated as a Civil/Structural engineer and worked as a coordinator for other disciplines. He has in-depth knowledge of Architectural, Landscape, and MEP works, which helped him work as a global BIM Manager. During the last ten years, he worked on many of the most significant construction projects in the Middle East, delivering, coordinating, and managing BIM, GIS, and CAD deliverables.
I think that 2023 will be a remarkable year for construction. While the construction industry is witnessing an eruption with lots of Giga & Mega Projects ongoing worldwide, we notice the evolution of a theme of a sense of responsibility in most of these projects.
For a long time, humanity has been building without thinking about the consequences of what they build. But nowadays, we consider the environmental impact of our projects and the impacts on society, and we think about how future generations will use the built assets. At WSP, we always try to be Future Ready and have our buildings sustainable and future-proof.
When we speak about environmentally friendly construction, we don’t think only about eco-friendly construction but also about eco-friendly repurposing of buildings. So, we need to build buildings that can change and transform based on the change of future users without demolition. I think these futuristic projects can’t be done without the digitalization of the industry. And while Digital Transformation was seen for a long time as a luxury.
Nowadays, it’s taken more seriously, and that’s because of how digitalization became able to prove the benefits of its implementation. I see a shift in how every construction professional sees digitalization trying to use Digital innovation in daily construction tasks, for example, reality capture to monitor construction sites and 4D for construction sequence planning, etc.
From my point of view, the biggest challenge for construction is cost control and Time management. It’s rare to see a project that finishes on budget and on schedule. And the larger the project is, the more significant the impact is. Looking at the global economic status, Developers will no longer be able to mitigate the impact of such slipovers. Every stakeholder considers higher margins to overcome uncertainty. And usually, the end users of the construction projects pay for such failures as taxes, inflated rates for their accommodations, or higher cost of the services.
I think the construction industry can be more economical if we have better control over the time and cost. Also, I think that Digital Construction is a way for that. If we invest more in Digital Twins for the Construction assets, from Concept to Handover, we can control the project efficiently. I’m talking about a digital ecosystem where you can see the building elements and assign clear responsibilities and a clear timeline and budget for every single part of the project. This can also include construction equipment, temporary works, existing conditions, and all other components that will make the actual construction process just a “Déjà vu” without any opportunity for failure.
I see great potential in Reality Capture solutions where they can be utilized to report progress. When reinforced by Machine Learning and Artificial intelligence, such solutions could detect the materials, measure the changes, and report them in real time.
Construction Management Platforms are also a great tool that’s developing rapidly to become a single source of information and communication for construction professionals. Ai Safety solutions that can detect safety breaches and wrong practices on site. For example, laborers are not wearing safety helmets or workers near heavy machinery. These solutions and many others will for sure enhance the way construction professionals work and increase their productivity.
During the upcoming five years, I see that there will be more implementation of Prefab/Modular Construction, trying to drag the construction into a more controlled space, so construction shall be two stepped process; Fabrication of units in factories or large fabrication yards and then Assembly on site. This concept is not new, but technology makes it possible on a large scale.
I also see a growth in the use of AI and IoT to facilitate the construction process, which will be integrated into equipment and wearables, resulting in better visibility of the construction process and automated or semi-automated site management. Finally, I think carbon emissions will govern all future construction decisions. Not only because of its importance to humanity’s continuation but also because technology shall make achieving Net-Zero possible and trackable.
Digital, Environmental, and Future-Ready
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Mostafa has an excellent voluntary record as he leads and contributes to many regional and international initiatives related to the development of Data Management and Digitization of the AEC industry. With a focus on the Middle East and Arabic community, Mostafa tries to positively influence the Digital Construction market.
Shawn Sauve
VP - Sales Dynamics Practice Lead
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