The evolution of construction technology mirrors the transformative journey of the internet. From its early fragmented stages to a more integrated and seamless landscape, innovation has become the cornerstone of progress. Just as the internet revolutionized information accessibility and connectivity, SiteMap® is redefining construction tech, ushering in a new era of integration and efficiency for construction managers and workers everywhere.
The Internet’s Evolution: An Analogy for Construction Tech
Like any science, it takes time to develop. Even the dark ages saw more development in science, arts, and literature than most people are aware of. If there is a society, there is development within that society. The internet has increased the speed at which we can evolve in our society, including the construction industry, though it has been a process.
Fragmented Beginnings
The early internet was a collection of disparate systems—a maze of disconnected networks. Similarly, construction tech historically operates in silos, with different tools managing blueprints, schedules, and resource allocation independently. The first computers were vastly different than what we use today, operating from a system of codes of commands. Similarly, early construction efforts were elementary, using earthly materials to fix and build worlds around us.
Early construction was simple and meant for travelers. The shelter made by nomadic societies was usually only made to last a couple of days. These would later need to be rebuilt. In a cave in southwest France excavated by historians, stone rings were discovered that dated back to 12,000 BCE. The stone was used to hold down tents made of animal hide and wooden poles for early societies.
Once we discovered agriculture, at least in the modern sense, things began to change. When we created the internet, things also began to change. The internet began as a concept in 1962, when a scientist from M.I.T. and ARPA named J.C.R. Licklider proposed a “galactic network” of computers that could talk to one another. This idea was fueled by fears of the Soviets and would continue into the systems we all use today. Without the internet as we know it, SiteMap wouldn’t exist in such an effective manner, and we wouldn’t be able to advance so quickly.
Interconnectivity Emerges
The advent of protocols in the late 70s, like TCP/IP allowed disparate networks to communicate, laying the groundwork for a connected web. SiteMap® parallels this by unifying construction data sources—blueprints, timelines, material orders—into a single, integrated platform. Depending on your subscription, your data is completely connected with your job site, especially after your GPRS locate job has been completed. Your data is layered, mapped, and cross referenced to create an accurate subsurface as built that sees you through planning, prefabrication, and construction.
From the earliest moments of interconnectivity, we arrive at the very first email sent. This email was sent on October 29, 1969, when ARPAnet delivered its first message. The message was a “node-to-node” communication from one computer to another. It was simple, “LOGIN,” and was only partially successful. The Stanford computer only received the first two letters. However, during the 1970s, interconnectivity grew, adding connections to University of Hawaii, and even London’s University College and the Royal Radar Establishment located in Norway. It was these stepping stones that paved the path for SiteMap® to run. By 1979, TCP would further this connectivity even more.
Accessibility and Collaboration
The internet’s growth enabled global accessibility to information, fostering collaboration across boundaries. With TCP, it was transformed into a worldwide network. Throughout the 1980s, researchers and scientists used an early version of this internet connectivity to send messages and data from one computer to another. But by 1991, the internet would change yet again. Switzerland’s Tim Berners-Lee would introduce the World Wide Web, destroying the idea that the internet was an advanced messaging system and instead pushing the idea that it was a “web” of information that anyone could retrieve.
Similarly, SiteMap® promotes collaboration among stakeholders, enabling seamless communication and data sharing, fostering a more transparent and efficient construction process. SiteMap is more than just a way to convey your data, it’s a web of information, accessible by anyone who has access to the account. This, much like the internet itself, allows those who need important information to access it quickly, from a device they know, wherever they need to. The information is easy to read, and is stored safely, eliminating delays or issues with tampering, data loss, and more.
SiteMap®: Redefining Construction Technology
Just like the internet was redefined in the 1990s multiple times, SiteMap® is also redefining how people manage construction. In 1992, students and researchers at the University of Illinois developed a browser that they called Mosaic, which would later become Netscape. This offered a new, user-friendly approach of searching the web. It allowed users to see words and pictures on the same page for the first time, and to navigate by using scrollbars, and even clickable links. That same year, Congress decided that the web could be used for commercial purposes.
Much like Netscape, SiteMap® offers a user-friendly, revolutionary way to access data that is pertinent to your construction job. Billions of lives were changed with the internet, and billions of lives can be changed with SiteMap®, with some even being saved.
Centralized Data Hub
Just as the internet serves as a hub for global information, SiteMap® aggregates diverse construction data, providing a holistic view of projects in a centralized platform. Users can easily access their GPRS data once their locate job is completed. Signing up for SiteMap is easy, and depending on your subscription, you can see your aggregated historical data to provide an instant snapshot – past, present & future – secured in one centralized, accessible database.
Real-Time Insights and Accurate Visualizations
Like how the internet offers real-time access to information, SiteMap® provides dynamic visualizations and predictive analytics, allowing stakeholders to make informed decisions in real time. When you hire GPRS to locate your outdoor utilities, you’re provided with a free PDF and .KMZ file of your located utilities. Further, our Video Pipe Inspection service provides NASSCO-certified photo and video reporting including every pipe defect and its severity. Need more? Our Mapping & Modeling Team can utilize the above information to create anything from a simple GPS-enabled locating map of your utility locate to, in conjunction with 3D laser scanning, complete CAD drawings, or a full 3D point cloud and BIM model of your facility, depending on your needs.
Collaborative Ecosystem
The internet fosters global connectivity, and SiteMap® encourages collaboration among construction teams, architects, suppliers, and clients, creating a cohesive ecosystem for project management. The Internet of Things can completely revolutionize the construction industry, improving safety, cutting costs and time, and more. It also fosters greater collaboration, especially when paired with a comprehensive, interactive underground utilities map, such as the kind that SiteMap offers.
SiteMap® fosters collaboration on all subscription levels. You decide the number of users, their level of access, and how your data is used. With certain levels, you’ll be able to access everything from historical data through current as-builts, you can put the right information into the right hands exactly when they need it. Collaboration is simple and secure with SiteMap®.
Impact on Construction Practices
IoT and SiteMap® have a significant impact on the construction industry and its practices. Even the smallest decisions can hold the largest consequences, creating a very large impact. There are numerous ways in which SiteMap® affects construction practices, such as:
Efficiency and Productivity
SiteMap® streamlines workflows, reducing manual data processing and optimizing resource allocation, boosting efficiency across construction projects. SiteMap® allows you to view your data layer by layer, using it as you need it. When you’re able to effectively use your data, your construction process is sure to go much more smoothly and quickly, increasing productivity and efficiency.
Risk Mitigation
Just as the internet can quickly connect individuals with help as they need it, reducing risks for all types of groups, so can SiteMap®. SiteMap® is powered by GPRS, meaning that the data loaded into your SiteMap® because of a GPRS order, is 99.8% accurate, which just may be the highest accuracy rate on the market. Accurate data is crucial to mitigating risks, as one of the leading causes of utility strikes according to the 2022 DIRT report was incorrect utility data. With almost 200,000 utility strike accidents per year, access to updated, accurate data is lifesaving.
Embracing the Future of Construction Tech
Much like the internet transformed how we access and utilize information, SiteMap® is reshaping construction technology. By breaking down data silos, fostering collaboration, and enabling real-time insights, it paves the way for a more connected, efficient, and innovative construction industry. This means that less accidents will occur, and that sustainable, safe, secure, and smart construction solutions can champion.
Construction is a changing field, and we’ve come a long way since using mud and stones. Modern construction requires modern technology and SiteMap® is perhaps one of the best, offering a comprehensive and accurate solution for all types of industries, even construction.
The analogy between SiteMap® and the internet serves as a testament to the transformative power of integration and connectivity. Both grew from something singular, something elementary, just as a great Sequoia grows from a single seedling. As construction technology continues to evolve, SiteMap® stands as a powerhouse in subsurface management, defining a future where data-driven intelligence and collaboration drive unprecedented efficiency and excellence in construction practices. With the internet came great knowledge and great change, and with SiteMap comes great knowledge, offered in a way that anyone can understand, driving the change in industries everywhere.
To learn more about SiteMap® and how it can help change your industry, contact us today.