In a recent article, Bloomberg, reported that, “for the first time in 20 years, renovations have overtaken new construction in architectural billings in the US.” These new fiscal trends within renovations and remodeling pose new and exciting opportunities within the construction industry.

The popularity of renovating older buildings in US cities reached a record high in the spring of 2022, with “the majority of architecture firm billings [coming] from renovation work, not new construction,” according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

For reference, this is the first time in the 20 years AIA has collected this kind of data that renovations have surpassed 50% of ongoing construction projects within the United States. Prior to this year, “renovations made up approximately one-third of billings” in 2005 near the end of a pre-recession building up-tick. That percentage has been steadily growing, beginning at 44.4% in 2017 and reaching 52% this year.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of these findings, according to AIA’s Chief Economist Kermit Baker, is the link this trend has to the pandemic. He says, “as far as our respondents are concerned… this rebalancing of new construction versus reconstruction is a much bigger trend,” than originally expected as “[renovation rates] didn’t really go down after the industry recovered in the last decade.” The trend Baker explains here is widely distributed across a variety of different building types and geographic regions.

For the first time in 20 years, renovations have overtaken new construction in architectural billings in the U.S. SiteMap®, powered by GPRS, offers facility managers the most innovative solutions for any renovation project.

Why choose SiteMap powered by GPRS for your next renovation/remodeling project?

With these exciting new trends in mind, SiteMap®, powered by GPRS, offers facility managers the most innovative solutions for any renovation project. This is especially true for our 3D Laser Scanning and Concrete Scanning capabilities.

3D Laser Scanning Benefits for Renovation Projects

Whether the project at hand is a full building renovation or smaller scale facility maintenance, as-built drawings, maps and models generated via GPRS/TruePoint 3D laser scanning provide you with the most detailed and accurate information concerning your site’s current conditions. This thorough data collection process creates a database composed of millions of points in a 3D coordinate system, generating what is known as a point cloud. This allows for an unparalleled accuracy, which is within millimeters, to fully capture and generate a comprehensive digital record of the given job site.

Be it for restoration or new construction, 3D laser scanning provides many benefits including…

• ‍Efficient and Accurate Data Collection
  ‍With just one laser scan, millions of 3D data points can be captured per second. This modern technology generates comprehensive as-built information of a project site that would otherwise take months to create using more traditional approaches.

• ‍Streamlined Sharing Across Project Teams
  ‍The datasets generated through this process are not only dimensionally accurate, they are also easily measurable and shareable across a team, especially when utilizing SiteMap®’s innovative digital planning tools to expedite the project planning and execution process.

• Cost and Change Order Reduction
  By maintaining accurate design plans from start to finish, field work efficiency and off-site prefabrication is maximized, and the need for additional change orders, delays, and/or costs is significantly reduced.

• ‍Enhanced Safety 
  Safe and Non-Contact: The 3D laser scanning process can collect data on tripods from a greater distance to the project site compared to other measurement methods. This is especially beneficial for locations that are hard to reach or potential hazardous locations. The non-intrusive and non-destructive nature of this data collection process helps to keep your workers safe, as well as avoiding any unwanted contact with historic sites and their valuable artifacts.
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• Customizable Deliverables
  There are numerous technologies available that can report, map, and/or model the results collected from 3D laser scanning, which allows the process to be customized to the specific needs of any given project and team. This can include 2D CAD drawings, 3D mesh, 3D BIM models, and/or TruViews and fully detailed virtual tours of the site.‍
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• Better Communication
  ‍Through this process, team communication is greatly improved because  project planning and execution can be addressed across the board with easy access to the same up-to-date information. This creates a more dynamic, streamlined, and efficient working environment.

Whether the project at hand is a full building renovation or smaller scale facility maintenance, as-built drawings, maps and models generated via GPRS/TruePoint 3D laser scanning provide you with the most detailed and accurate information concerning your site’s current conditions.

Concrete Mapping Benefits for Renovation Projects

The concrete scanning & mapping services provided by GPRS are not limited by the size of your project. Using industry-leading locating, measuring, and mapping technologies, GPRS can completely scan any concrete structure and provide comprehensive structural analysis for a variety of sites. Regardless of surface type, be it concrete slabs, walls, columns, or beams, we can provide you with the most accurate, detailed results you need to ensure your project’s success.

Once the concrete scanning process is completed, a clear visualization can be rendered of the vertical and horizontal position of any existing impediments such as post-tension cables, rebar, beams, pipes, and conduit.

It is critical to identify, record, and accurately map any hidden features within concrete slabs prior to initiating and renovation. Concrete scanning and mapping can locate structural and utility components prior to any further coring or saw cutting is initiated. With an accuracy of +/- ¼” to the center of the object we locate in concrete, and of +/- 10-15% the precise depth of every object we locate within the concrete, our GPR scanning, mapping, and modeling capabilities allow you and your team avoid the risk of hitting any unforeseen objects within the concrete slab, as well as the major costs and change orders that would follow.

Using the services provided by SiteMap®, powered by GPRS, you can rest easy knowing all your important information is easily organized and maintained. Our approach greatly improves communication and safety across teams looking to better Visualize The Built World™.

To learn more about how SiteMap® can provide your project with the complete facility visualization and unique digital tools it needs for success, download our brochure and contact us for a quote today!