{"id":6953,"date":"2012-06-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insulation.org\/io\/articles\/cloud-computing-and-the-construction-industry\/"},"modified":"2012-06-01T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2012-06-01T00:00:00","slug":"cloud-computing-and-the-construction-industry","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/insulation.org\/io\/articles\/cloud-computing-and-the-construction-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloud Computing and the Construction Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>What is cloud computing? What can it do for me?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Being
\n“in the cloud” is the latest catchphrase in technology discussions, but the
\nterm has many definitions. According to some, it refers to virtual servers that
\nallow users to access stored data via an Internet connection. Providing access
\nin this manner is frequently referred to as using cloud-based or web-based
\nservices. <\/span><\/p>\n

Others expand the cloud to include any application used
\noutside of a company’s firewall. As InfoWorld has noted, moving to the cloud
\ncan mean anything from increasing data capacity without having to invest in
\nadditional infrastructure to licensing new cloud-based software. This can be
\nfurther expanded to include the use of mobile devices such as smart phones
\n(e.g., Blackberry, and iPhone) or tablets (e.g., iPad).<\/span><\/p>\n

Cloud computing
\nand the construction industry<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

But
\nhow does this relate to the construction industry? <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The construction industry balances back office
\nfunctions?billing, paying invoices, running financial reports, payroll,
\nplanning logistics?with the physical presence needed on the job site or in a
\nclient’s office. Today’s technological solutions must be able to serve users in
\nboth work settings. <\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, making mission-critical business applications
\navailable remotely is a hot topic these days. Remote access allows staff to work
\nfrom any location without being tied to a specific physical location. With the
\namount of consolidation, decentralization of offices, travel-based positions,
\nand project work being done in different regions of the country or even
\ninternationally, being able to offer solid, remote-access technology to
\nemployees is critical for a construction company’s success.<\/span><\/p>\n

For many companies, solving this challenge means moving some
\nof its applications to the cloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

One construction company, True Value
\nHomes (TVH), is able to give any employee with proper credentials access to
\nthese applications through a secure, web-based environment. Before the move,
\nTVH was running operations on 17 sites; and employees could only work in the
\noffice, so all papers needed to be brought into the central office for
\nprocessing and approval. Whereas TVH once had 100 personal computers for 100
\nemployees, now 500 users can access its web-based applications.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We want to make sure that our employees get the best out of
\ntheir workplace,” Arun Nehru, TVH’s director, said. “What we are telling
\nemployees is that [wherever you need to work], the applications are available
\nfrom office, home or outside. They need not come to [the] office to work.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Collaboration
\nbetween contractors, owners\/clients<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Leveraging
\ncloud-based services also extends beyond the workings of a single construction
\ncompany. As Constructech’s 2011 IT survey notes, “Today’s construction
\nprofessional also needs to be highly collaborative. The word ?team’ has taken
\non a whole new meaning in the construction industry. Every team needs to obtain
\na high level of transparency and accountability for the property owner.
\nOverall, construction companies will be more collaborative, using technology to
\nconnect all project team members?from subs to general contractors to owners?in
\none central location.” <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, it is highly unlikely that each of the project team
\nmembers utilizes the same back office business management applications. So, as
\ngeneral contractors, subcontractors, and owners individually look to the web to
\nleverage its capabilities, it will be critical to look at ways that technology
\ncan ensure the secure and timely exchange of project information between them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mobility<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

As
\nnoted by Constructech’s 2011 IT survey, contractors will then take project
\ninformation “out to the jobsite with mobile devices as well as applying a host
\nof applications on these mobile devices.” As the survey reports, construction
\ncompanies are reporting from the field as well as “carrying out project
\nmanagement, scheduling, punchlists, and time tracking tasks in the field
\ntoday.” <\/span><\/p>\n

This is evidenced by the growing momentum in the use of
\nmobile technologies in the construction industry. Yet, the type of device
\nvaries as much as the job sites do. According to the survey, “the smart phone
\nis still one of the most commonly used devices at the jobsite (81% of survey
\nrespondents). Laptops (69%) and tablets (26%) also receive a significant
\nresponse.” Given the advances in and adoption of tablets such as Apple’s iPad
\nover the past few years, growth is anticipated in the use of the tablet in the
\nconstruction industry as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Given the fast moving area of mobility,
\ntoday’s business management solutions need to support the highly mobile
\nworkforce of the construction industry today and into the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leveraging
\ntoday’s technology for the future<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Does
\nthat mean that your construction company needs to scrap everything it’s using
\ntoday for new cloud-based applications? In today’s economy, many companies are
\nlooking more towards extending the applications that they are using today into
\nthe cloud, where it makes the most sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is cloud computing? What can it do for me? Being “in the cloud” is the latest catchphrase in technology discussions, but the term has many definitions. According to some, it refers to virtual servers that allow users to access stored data via an Internet connection. 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