Revolutionizing Lab Construction: How AI is Transforming Project Design and Efficiency
Associated Builders and Contractors has released its fourth annual construction technology report, studying the impacts of artificial intelligence in the construction industry. The report includes a case study and thought leadership from ABC’s Tech Alliance to showcase how ABC is strengthening members’ understanding of AI.
Lab Design News spoke to Patrick Scarpati, ABC director of construction technology and innovation, about the findings of this report and what the advancement of AI technology means for the laboratory construction field.
Q: What specific AI technologies do you think could streamline the construction of complex laboratory projects?
A: As-built and progress monitoring: By utilizing visual documentation captured by tools like 360-degree cameras, laser scanners, drones, and video cameras, we can lean on AI to automatically create construction progress reports and flag any scenarios that may not sync with the original design.
Project management: By implementing built-in AI capabilities, construction project stakeholders gain access to a ‘virtual assistant’ that interacts with construction documents by retrieving and generating high-impact data on demand.
Q: What are the most significant challenges in integrating AI into construction workflows for lab projects?
A: Understanding if using AI is the right tool for the job. As is the case for most other technologies in the construction environment, you must understand the problem you are trying to solve before adopting a new tool. Technology advancements tend to move at a quick pace, so the contractor, owner, and/or architect should always consider the importance of education and upskilling.
Q: Could predictive AI play a role in optimizing the energy efficiency of laboratory buildings during construction?
A: Yes. AI can analyze vast amounts of data from previous projects, local climate conditions, and materials performance to suggest energy-efficient building designs. This includes optimizing the orientation of the building, window placement, and insulation materials to maximize natural lighting and reduce the need for heating and cooling. One thing to consider prior to relying on AI for predictive analytics is how your data is stored, cleaned, managed, and protected.
Q: In what ways can AI enhance collaboration between architects and construction teams in laboratory settings?
A: One concept is the use of generative design. This can be particularly beneficial through design-build agreements where owner, architect, and builder stakeholders are all at the table during the design phase. Generative design uses AI to automatically create and optimize design solutions based on specific constraints like materials, budget, and space requirements. It generates multiple design options, analyzes them for efficiency, and suggests the best solutions.
Q: How can AI-powered tools help manage the unique regulatory requirements of constructing laboratories?
A: Risk assessment: AI can analyze construction plans, materials, and processes to proactively identify potential risks related to hazardous materials, ventilation, fire safety, and other lab-specific concerns.
Code compliance: AI can continuously monitor construction plans, designs, and progress against a comprehensive database of building codes, safety standards, and regulatory requirements for laboratories. This helps to ensure continuous compliance and identify potential issues early.
Q: What role does AI play in helping to optimize/improve lab facilities, for those unable to undergo a major renovation or a new build?
A: Insights and recommendations provided by AI can help lab managers get the most out of their existing facilities. Two examples come to mind: space utilization and predictive maintenance.
Q: Could AI reduce labor shortages in the construction industry, particularly for specialized lab facilities?
A: Yes. By automating repetitive or mundane tasks, AI can help optimize the allocation of resources and enhance workers’ skills and capabilities.
Q: How does AI contribute to identifying design flaws or inconsistencies during the preconstruction phase?
A: BIM coordination has become a big part of the pre-construction phase, particularly for complex projects like science labs. AI tools paired with clash detection software can check for the various trade disciplines virtually running into each other. There are tools that can take it a step further and recommend alternative pathways to ensure an efficient layout while preventing costly rework.
Q: Could AI-powered simulations improve the design of lab spaces to meet specific research needs?
A: Yes. One example is leaning on AI to optimize a layout based on the field of research. Areas like biotech, chemistry or even physics demand their own unique setups. If AI is trained on specific needs, such as equipment, environmental conditions, and safety, then the end product will be a diverse layout catalogue that is compliant with the design requirements.
