First, we did look at the use of big data and data analytics in construction. There are currently more and more algorithms developed that are helping in generating new insights. From the huge data pools created both in construction projects and also during the operation phase of existing assets. We also looked at the use of artificial intelligence, AI, and also machine learning, ML, and deep learning DL. We focused a little bit more on the AI and the ML, and their use in construction in general. Usually, AI supports rising technologies and hardware that are used in our industry such as drones and construction robotics. We also identified different applications of AI throughout the project's lifecycle. From the idea, to the design, to the planning, all the way to facility management. Let me share with you an example especially during the construction phase of the application of AI, a rising startup in Silicon Valley called INDUS.AI. The founder usually speaks to my students here at Columbia, about how his company uses certain AI algorithm to turn construction cameras on site into smart cameras. Their artificial intelligence or AI application and service help their clients to identify some main safety issues and alarm the team on site about it. Not only that, they are now trying to integrate this with the big data generated from the site, to propose recommendation on enhancing productivity. Just to name one example. Now, during our work, we also touch base on why we have a rise of the AI applications in construction, or what we call the main drive of it. Some examples we found on this drive are, the increased shortage of young talents in construction, the rise of more and more complex and even bigger projects. Also, the trend and the increased demand in developing more and more smart homes and smart buildings. The increased awareness of safety in the industry. Last but not least, the actual increase of the use of all types of different technologies in general is also a main drive for AI applications in construction. Another area we touched based on a briefly, is 3D printing. 3D printing is expected to have a disruptive impact on the construction industry. It enables the production of purpose built shapes that cannot be produced by any other method. But still 3D printing based on our literature showed, it is in an early stage, but yet changing fast. Also, it has several issues to deal with, such as resolution problems. For example, larger scale printing often produces rough results. Also, the trade of between speed and scale, so still 3D printing remains slow, and also it is still costly. At present, 3D printing is still mostly applicable to low volume and high value parts. But again, it is going to be interesting to observe and witness how quickly companies will be able to overcome such technological challenges and hoping to bring down costs and achieve economies of scale. Now moving forward, I already mentioned to you and talked about the area of modular construction. I'm including it here because I want to combine all that technology and innovations that we looked at in the last, just one to two years from my team, to combine in one slide as promising and rising technologies that are coming in our industry for the coming years. I put them under construction and I want to add more information that at the top mentioned before. I would like to highlight another example under prefabrication or modularization in the construction industry, and how it is a potential distracter in the way we built or actually manufacture a building. Let's take two in specific. The Broad group, in China, a company that was founded by Zhang Yue. What they did, they used a system of modular building components that enables very speedy construction process. They managed to build 57-storey building in only 19 days. They did that by moving 90 percent of the construction work to the factory. By the way, I highly believe a lot of us already saw that in a YouTube video, and if you did not, it is really worth seeing. Go ahead and Google it and find that video on YouTube and watch it. It is really impressive. They also did not only do one project, they did several other projects. For example, they did also a 15-storey hotel in less than one week, and also a 30-storey tower and hotel included in it, in only 15 days. Let's take another example, which is here in the USA for a company in California called Katerra, which is a technology driven off site construction company. It was also founded in 2015, based on the literature, by Michael Marks, who was the former CEO of Flextronics or Flex, and a former Tesla in term CEO. By the way, in these two examples, and based on my knowledge, it is very interesting to see that both founders of the Broad group in China, and also Katerra in California did not come from the construction industry. That to be honest, just made me wonder about how we definitely need to think differently and think outside the box to bring hopefully disruptive solutions to our industry.
