Africa Surveyors March-April digital issue 2020

March - April issue 2020

Volume 3 issue no. 8

Africa Surveyors Impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s construction industry

In this issue......

Trenchless technology to curb floods, gridlocks....pg 30

March-April issue l 2020

Opinion: Artificial Intelligence in Construction ...pg 14

The Best Construction Estimating Software of 2020....pg 36

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Contents

Managing Editor

NEWS

pg 2-7

Francis David

Rwanda deploys drones to raise COVID-19 awareness in communities

Editor-in-Chief

Hexagon introduces visualisation platform for the accurate digital presentation of the real world

Augustine Rang’ondi

Editor

Institute pushes for geospatial education in Nigeria

AVEVA’s software update for ship and engineering design

Dorcas Kang’ereha

Writer

Violet Ambale Harriet Mkhaye Irene Joseph Innocent Momanyi

XAG fights the coronavirus using drone disinfection operation

Jimmy Mudasia Lydia Kamonya Caiser Momanyi Vincent Murono Sheila Ing’ayitsa

South Africa

Paul Nyakeri Sean Masangwanyi Lisa Brown Thembisa Ndlovu

Artificial Intelligence in Construction

FEATURES pg Windfall Geotek selects Draganfly for drone based landmine detection solution

Western Australia: World’s top mining destination 2020

Published by:

Nailex Africa Publishing P.O. Box 10109, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.

Fourth GeoMEast 2020 congress

Impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s construction industry

ARCHI HIVES: Celebrating 30 years of expertise

pg 26 -29

Zaha Hadid Architects to build new OPPO headquarters in China

technology

pg

30 - 33

Nigeria: Trenchless technology to curb floods, gridlocks

INTERGEO 2020

PRODUCTS

20 -25

Industry REVIEW

Events pg 18-19

Nigeria

Emelda Njomboro Uche Maxwel

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Delair and BASF join forces for agricultural solutions using drones

Sales Executives East Africa

Opinion pg

pg

10 - 13

Doka launches formwork planning in BIM software

Leica BLK2GO named CES 2020 Best of Innovation winner

Industry Tips pg 34 - 37 Measuring and Surveying tips for interior spaces

The Editor accepts letter and manuscripts for publication from readers all over the world. Include your name and address as a sign of good faith although you may request your name to be withheld from publication. We can reserve the right to edit any material submitted. Send your letters to: info@africaautomotivenews.com

Disclaimer:

Nailex Africa Publishing makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expressed on interviews are not necessarily shared by Nailex Africa Publisher.

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News

Rwanda deploys drones to raise COVID-19 awareness in communities The deployment of drones comes as the country records at least 126 cases, 25 of which have recovered and discharged

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s part of measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the Rwanda National Police (RNP) has announced the usage of drones to raise awareness in local communities.

The police have cautioned the public to avoid gathering in large groups where drones will be delivering messages. “We have added drones to our methods of raising awareness about COVID-19,” reads a statement from authorities.

The deployment of drones comes as the country records at least 126 cases, 25 of which have recovered and discharged.

The police in a tweet warned, “Do not leave your home to view the drones, do not gather in large groups when drones deliver messages.”

As the number of confirmed cases surge, the government has taken several measures to curb the spread of the virus, the recent one being an extension of the lockdown by 15 days more. To ensure the effectiveness of the approach in the fight against the pandemic, the police have decided to take its awareness to local communities on how best to ensure proper social distancing and other precautionary measures.

The country has also closed all of its borders and suspended passenger flights.

Only cargo and returning nationals and legal residents are being allowed into the country, but they must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine before they

are allowed back into communities.

Aside from creating awareness in communities using drones, it can also be used to deliver goods, parcel or even medical materials while people observe social distancing, thus reducing the spread of COVID-19. Those who are at a heightened risk to the virus stand to benefit more from drone services as using drones for deliveries would decrease their likelihood of contracting the disease.

As coronavirus cases have risen to more than 1,777,660 while the death toll now stands at 108,902 in 185 countries, public health officials have repeatedly called on African governments to be more proactive to curb the spread of the pandemic.

According to Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, the new cases were identified in the ongoing exercise of tracing people who came into contact with people infected with the virus, adding that all patients are now being treated in designated health facilities and that none of them is in critical condition.

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the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and is supervised by the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF).

The institute which is located in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is a bilingual (English and French) inter-governmental educational outlet for the following member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and the host country, Senegal.

The institute has initiated a programme that will provide Nigeria and other African countries the capacity to meet geospatial needs

Institute pushes for geospatial education in Nigeria

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he African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Technology (AFRIGIST), has advocated the use of Geospatial technology in the execution of projects in Nigeria and other African countries.

The Executive Director of AFRIGIST, Dr. Adewale Akingbade, while speaking at the palace of the Emir of Nasarawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibrin, a former Minister of Environment, said benefits

of geospatial education were enormous and that Nigeria was yet to explore opportunities in geospatial technology.

He disclosed that it has initiated a programme that will provide Nigeria and other African countries the capacity to meet geospatial needs.

AFRIGIST formerly known as Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS) was established in 1972 under

It was created to develop skilled manpower needs in geospatial information science and technology and its application. It is open to all African countries, providing theoretical and practical trainings in Photogrammetry, Remote-Sensing, Cartography and Geographic Information Science (GIS) including their application in geographical surveys, environmental studies, natural resources management, mapping, land administration, among others.

He enjoined the government and relevant authorities to encourage the acquisition of geospatial education in the country, stressing that it will end the unwholesome practice of executing projects without data and facts.

Responding, the Emir said the importance of GIS cannot be over-emphasised, adding that Nassarawa State has achieved so much through the use of geospatial technology.

He lauded the Surveyor General of the Federation, Taiwo Adeniran on his appointment and urged him to carry everyone for meaningful development

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News

XAG fights the coronavirus using drone disinfection operation XAG is actively working hard to combat the contagious disease with innovative technologies and by assisting local governments on public health and safety

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Chinese agriculture tech startup XAG has announved that it would set up a 5-million-yuan (about $0.75 million) special fund on Coronavirus response, calling for voluntary drone disinfection operations in China, which is hardest hit by the epidemic. The coronavirus has now spread across more than 20 countries across the world and has become a global health emergency.

XAG is actively working hard to combat the contagious disease with innovative technologies and by assisting local governments on public health and safety.

The fund will enable XAG’s agricultural drone users to receive the much needed technical drone support to effectively carry out aerial disinfectant sprays that help curb the spread of the virus, especially in rural villages with weaker health systems and poorer sanitation

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conditions.

Disinfecting actions Disinfecting actions would be taken under the permission of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and relevant government authorities. During the nationwide drone disinfection operation, XAG will cover all the spare parts and maintenance expenses for those who voluntarily engage.

Also, strict qualification approval and standard operation procedure (SOP) are implemented to ensure safety and legitimacy.

According to the Novel Coronavirus Treatment Proposal (Fourth Edition) published by the National Health Commission of China, the coronavirus outbreak has mainly travelled via respiratory droplets, but can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces.

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Dr Mara Van Kerkhove, a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO)‘s emergency committee, also confirmed the possibility of coronavirus spreading via fomites.

What can be an accurate way of releasing disinfectants?

The autonomous precision spraying tool (the agricultural drone), can be a highly effective alternative to accurately release disinfectants over public places.

Compared with traditional disinfection approaches conducted by hands or lorry, drones can be directed to spray where it is needed and cover a wider area, helping to improve public hygiene and reducing the risk of virus transmission through surface contact.

In China’s Shandong province, XAG’s drone fleets were deployed by a crop protection team on 28 January to disinfect a local community of over 300,000 square metres in less than four hours.

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Delair and BASF join forces for agricultural solutions using drones

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ASF and Delair, a global provider of end-to-end visual data management solutions for enterprises, has announced their collaboration to scale up BASF’s research and development projects for seeds, traits and crop protection. The agreement will enable BASF’s agricultural research stations worldwide to use the delair.ai cloud platform to streamline and standardize the information gained through drone-based field studies. The delair.ai platform provides enterprise-focused workflows and industry-specific analytics and will help BASF turn its visual drone data into actionable insights and ultimately, new sustainable solutions for the agricultural market.

Each year, BASF conducts several thousands of research trials in agricultural stations throughout the globe to measure product performance under different field conditions. “As a research driven agricultural company, we want to use the full potential of digitalization to accelerate innovation. Partnering with Delair will help us to get a deeper understanding of the observed crops

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delair.ai platform provides enterprise-focused workflows and industry-specific analytics | Image DELAIR

and their surrounding environments, and reduce the time to market for new products,” said Greta de Both, Manager of Sensor-based Field Phenotyping for Seeds & Traits at BASF.

hectares of plots across all trial sites.

The cloud platform will enable field agronomists to automatically vectorize as well as geo-reference microplots and generate biological data and crop behavior per plot.

delair.ai platform provides enterprisefocused workflows and industry-specific analytics | Image DELAIR BASF recently introduced drones equipped with multispectral sensors to automate and optimize their field data collection, allowing real-time insights into how plants respond to environmental conditions. In delair.ai, BASF will be able to build digital twins of their research fields, as well as map and analyze

“While capturing agricultural data is easier than ever with drones, the real challenge enterprises face is harnessing all of this data so that it is consumable, shareable, and actionable,” said Lénaïc Grignard, Agriculture and Forestry product manager at Delair. “We are honored to start this new partnership with BASF and help them harness the power of visual data to make the right decisions at the right time.”

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News

Windfall Geotek selects Draganfly for drone based landmine detection solution The purpose of the LOI is to further commercialize Windfall Geotek’s AI driven solution for the detection and elimination of Land Mines, Unexploded Ordinance, and Improvised Explosive devices via the use of UAS

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raganfly Inc. (CSE: DFLY) (OTCQB: DFLYF) (FSE: 3U8) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an awardwinning, industry-leading manufacturer within the commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (“UAV”), Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (“RPAS”), and unmanned vehicle sector, today announced they have been selected by Windfall Geotek (TSX-V: WIN) and have entered into a letter of intent with Windfall Geotek (the “LOI”), to help develop an Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) driven unmanned aerial systems (“UAS”) solution for landmine detection in the defense, humanitarian, and other sectors which the companies have expertise in.

Windfall Geotek has been a data services company and a leader in the use of AI and advanced knowledge-extraction techniques since 2005. The terms of the LOI include Windfall Geotek contracting Draganfly to conduct research, development and engineering support of hardware that can interface with Windfall’s AI software.

with Draganfly to help enhance our core product offering. AI and machine learning together can transform how mining exploration is done. When you add to it Draganfly’s engineering expertise, their industry-leading products and technology we feel the possibilities in mining, oil and gas and military applications are endless,” said Dinesh Kandanchatha, Chairman of Windfall Geotek.

“Windfall Geotek has been in business for over 15 years and their leadership has a proven track record. We are excited to be working with their team on a commercialization strategy that uses Draganfly drones, technology and expertise.” said Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly.

The purpose of the LOI is to further commercialize Windfall Geotek’s AI driven solution for the detection and elimination of Land Mines, Unexploded Ordinance, and Improvised Explosive devices via the use of UAS. Governments and Non-profits allocated nearly US$700 million in combined international and national support for mine action in 2018 and the economic impact of landmines is estimated at $100 billion1. The closing of the transaction is subject to the parties achieving certain milestones prior to closing.

“We are extremely excited to be working

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Western Australia: World’s top mining destination 2020 The Aussie state, which is home to almost 130 export-oriented mining projects and hundreds of smaller quarries and mines producing over 50 different commodities, ranked second in 2018

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ccording to the latest annual survey of mining companies released by the Fraser Institute, resource-rich Western Australia has been picked the most attractive region for mining investment in 2019.

In 2018, the Aussie state, which is home to almost 130 export-oriented mining projects and hundreds of smaller quarries and mines producing over 50 different commodities, ranked second.

Finland, moved into second place this year, after ranking 17th in 2018. United States’ Nevada moved down two spots from first in 2018 to third in 2019.

Rounding out the 10 most attractive destination for mining investors are Alaska, Portugal (fifth in 2019, versus 46th in 2018), South Australia, Ireland, Idaho, Arizona and Sweden.

For the first time in a decade, no Canadian jurisdiction made it to the top 10, but the province of Saskatchewan remains the most attractive region, ranking 11th on this year’s global survey index. In 2018, the potash-rich province ranked third.

Despite months of protests against high levels of inequality and the cost of living, Chile remains the favourite country for mining investors in Latin America. The ranking takes both mineral and policy perception into consideration as well as permit times. This year’s survey is based on 263 responses covering 76 jurisdictions.

When it comes to the ten least attractive jurisdictions for investment, the mining executives interviewed chose Tanzania, Chubut (Argentina), La Rioja (Argentina), Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Zambia, Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali and Nicaragua in that order.

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Canada had held the top spot in 2017 and 2018, but its relative investment attractiveness last year fell by almost 11%.

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Product

Doka launches formwork planning in BIM software

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n international producer and supplier of formwork, Doka has launched it’s DokaCAD for Revit, an automated formwork planning software. The new Doka’s BIM software can be used to simulate situations and determine the optimal construction sequence before the project even begins.

The BIM model for the shell must provide a detailed representation of the formwork.

The success of a shell construction project is influenced by the efficient formwork systems that requires correct and reliable formwork planning and optimal cycle planning. Doka has its own BIM competence centre to ensure successful BIM implementation. The centre employs approximately 20 staff and 50 BIM designers worldwide, who are working in the fields of planning, visualisation and simulation of formwork solutions.

Doka works closely with Autodesk to create BIM-compatible building models.

Autodesk is an architecture, engineering,

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and construction (AEC) partner that is providing increasingly automated and networked ways of working for the construction of the future.

DokaCAD for Revit enables rapid 3D formwork planning for all project types | Image courtesy Doka The use of building information modelling (BIM) in construction design is a key factor in productivity gains, and BIM models are increasingly gaining popularity as the basis for formwork planning.

types, increases productivity through the use of positioning guides, and supports BIM collaboration.

About DokaCAD for Revit

For the first time, in October 2019, DokaCAD for Revit was presented to a broad audience at the Autodesk University in Darmstadt, Germany.

DokaCAD for Revit will be available for our customers from the end of the first quarter of 2020.

DokaCAD for Revit provides access to more than 40,000 tried-and-tested model solutions from Doka’s own CADindependent Tipos logic for fast and efficient planning. It is an Autodesk Revit plug-in software that allows native, automated formwork planning that represents an overall formwork planning process in BIM. Additionally, the software enables rapid 3D formwork planning for all project

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DokaCAD for Revit can be used to assembe and deploy plans for the formwork elements including the bill of materials as well as establishing cycles that optimise safety, time and costs.

Using formwork automation saves time compared to manually positioning components and provides technically correct solutions every time.

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With DokaCAD for Revit, Doka is offering its customers the considerable benefit of full integration of more than 40,000 model solutions. This makes productive formwork planning in BIM possible for the first time”, said Richard Korak, Head of BIM, Doka.

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Product Product

Hexagon introduces visualisation platform for the accurate digital representation of the real world

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exagon AB, a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions, today announced the introduction of HxDR, a new cloudbased, digital reality visualisation platform. HxDR creates accurate digital representations of the real world through the seamless fusion of reality capture data from airborne, ground and mobile sensors. Users can then leverage the complete, accurate and precise real-world replicas to visualize and share their 3D design projects and models within realworld context.

For the first time, airborne imagery and laser scans, indoor and outdoor terrestrial scan data, and mobile mapping data can be seamlessly fused using HxDR. Users simply drag and drop their reality capture files into HxDR and the automated meshing function does the rest. Or, they can license real-world replicas from Hexagon’s exclusive and growing 3.6 petabyte collection of towns, cities and landscapes.

HxDR is specifically designed to help a myriad of professionals make more informed decisions. For instance, architects can share 3D building designs with project stakeholders within accurate digital replicas of real-world locations.

Media and entertainment professionals

can remotely scout production locations as well as leverage HxDR to streamline production workflows. City officials can leverage HxDR in their smart city platforms for urban planning and development.

“HxDR enables customers to create their own Smart Digital RealitiesTM, addressing the growing need for simple to create yet highly sophisticated and accurate visualisations of reality capture data that boost project efficiencies and cost savings,” says Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén.

“We’re uniquely positioned to deliver this innovative platform due to the vast library of data captured from our worldleading sensor and visualisation services portfolio – a portfolio we continually enhance through R&D and strategic acquisitions such as Technodigit, Luciad, MyVR, and the newly-acquired Melown Technologies. Moving forward, we anticipate HxDR will play a critical role in the formation of smart city and smart nation platforms that increasingly reflect the needs of citizens today and in the future.”

HxDR is specifically designed to help a myriad of professionals make more informed decisions 12

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AVEVA’s software update for ship and engineering design

Ravi Gopinath, COO, AVEVA

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VEVA has announced an important update to its AVEVA E3D design software that addresses the specific needs of the marine sector. Designed with the most up-to-date user interface principles and best practices, intuitive and easy to use AVEVA E3D Design software combines the latest three-dimensional graphics and user interface technologies with state-ofthe-art data management.

According to AVEVA, technology for new shipping vessels is rapidly changing as companies consolidate, regulations become ever more rigorous and shipyards globally face challenges from increasing competition.

Shipbuilding excellence is heavily reliant on design-to-production, agility and efficiency across all project streams, effective resource management and

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This software increases shipping vessel design and accelerates retrofits of ships to reduce emissions. The new capabilities demonstrate AVEVA’s continued proactive innovation for the International Maritime Organisation’s new emissions regulations, IMO 2020, providing new tools to anticipate market needs and offering new capabilities and greater efficiency.

design quality leading to right-first-time, error-free production.

AVEVA’s new capabilities tailored to the marine sector will address these requirements and also include the first release of the AVEVA Hull Basic Design Module. This module is used for the preliminary design of a ship’s hull structure, and supports key decisions regarding naval architectural

characteristics, space management, outfitting design and drawings. AVEVA’s new module represents the most integrated 3D environment for working with as-built and as-designed data in the marine market.

“With this latest software release, AVEVA is responding to the evergrowing and changing needs of ship owners and shipyards the world over. Meeting sustainability goals, maximising business agility and improving operational performance calls for integrated design and engineering tools that can streamline the process, improve speed and remove cost and complexity to rapidly address these market imperatives.

Using our new software, marine operators will now be able to realise up to 40 percent gains in engineering efficiency while moving to operating paradigms that will ultimately help protect the environment,” said, Ravi Gopinath, COO, AVEVA. AVEVA is the market leader in threedimensional design and engineering software and works with the world’s top 10 shipyards and vessel owners. This latest software innovation builds on the recent AVEVA Unified Engineering launch which introduced capabilities bringing together design and engineering data with 3D design tools for industrial users.

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Opinion

Artificial Intelligence in construction How is AI split in the construction industry?

Professor Peter Debney, Application Specialist, Oasys Software

When we look at the construction industry and its use of AI, we can see that it’s split between four categories:

Construction sites can be dauting, with huge structures and risky heights, but with the introduction of autonomous machines – workers can now be outside of the vehicle. Using sensors and GPS, the vehicle can calculate the safest route.

AI planning

Post-construction

When the construction process begins, plans must be made and this is where AI is first introduced. Autonomous equipment is considered as AI as it is aware of its surroundings and is capable of navigation without human input. In the planning stages, AI machinery can survey a proposed construction site and gather enough information to create 3D maps, blueprints and construction plans.

Once buildings have been constructed, whether they are used for commercial purposes or it is a development of new houses, AI systems can be used inside the structure. In the US alone, $1.5bn was invested in 2016 by companies looking to capitalise on this growing market.

Before AI was introduced, this was a process that would take a while to complete – weeks, in fact – but now, this can be accomplished within one day. This helps to save firms both time and money in the form of labour.

Project management

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s the construction industry continues to advance, the introduction of artificial intelligence has allowed companies to be more experimental with the design of buildings and how they are built.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) sees machines exhibit their own ‘intelligence’ by using algorithms to solve problems based on inputted data.

By harnessing robotics, construction managers can utilise intelligent machines that can perform routine tasks that were once completed by humans, such as bricklaying. Alternatively, AI systems can collate and organise information for engineers to use within project planning and design implementation.

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This would be based on past projects over the last 50 years, as well as verifying pre-existing blueprints for the design and implementation stages of the project.

By having this information to hand, engineers can make crucial decisions based on evidence that they may not have previously had at their disposal.

A job that was regularly carried out by physical workers, AI is now able to control and manage a project. For example, workers can input sick days, vacancies and sudden departures into a data system and it will adapt the project accordingly. The AI will understand that the task must be moved to another employee and will do so on its own accord.

Information is key To ensure buildings hold informative, historical information regarding their construction, Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be used so that a building’s history – from its construction to the management decisions alongside construction, up until demolition – are all recorded.

Conversation is also key and the use of virtual assistants can help encourage this while providing information.

The project

By combining VAs alongside NFC (nearfield communication), VAs can be given additional information to the building itself in real-time from various sensors in the building. For example, if there were structural problems with a building then VAs could inform engineers specifically where the problem was and how it can be fixed.

AI is also good for communication, as this type of system can help direct engineers with how to carry out specific projects and better their performance. For example, if engineers were working on a proposed new bridge, AI systems would be able to advise and present a case for how the bridge should be constructed.

The introduction of VAs, building design software and AIs can help benefit any construction company. As the future of AI becomes more of a reality within construction, only time will tell how reliant upon intelligent machines we will have to be in order to construct innovative building designs.

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Events

Fourth GeoMEast 2020 congress

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n behalf of the Organizing Committee, we are pleased to invite you to attend the fourth GeoMEast 2020 International Congress & Exhibition to be held in Cairo, Egypt from November 08 to 12, 2020. The GeoMEast SERIES is managed by SSIGE and supported by a number of leading international professional organizations.

For the first time in Africa and Middle East, the next 4th GeoMEast2020 International Congress and Exhibition shall include three parallel international conferences in one congress. The Sustainable Structures, Underground Structures and Transportation & Infrastructure Conferences will shape the future of the “Sustainable Construction in Africa and Middle East”, which is chosen as the theme of the GeoMEast2020 congress.

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The three conferences will be held in parallel at the Sheraton Cairo Hotel and Resort during the period of November 08-12, 2020. Recent rapid construction in Africa and Middle East have provided great opportunities for structure, bridge, material, transportation, pavement, geotechnical, geological, tunnel, geosynthetics, infrastructure and all engineers to use their knowledge and talents to solve many challenging problems and cutting-edge technologies.

GeoMEast 2020 will provide a showcase for recent developments and advancements in design, construction, and safety inspections of sustainable structures, underground structures and transportation infrastructures, and offer a forum to discuss and debate future directions for the 21st century.

You will have the opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the world for technical, scientific, and commercial

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discussions. GeoMEast2020 congress will have keynote speakers, technical sessions, workshops, courses and publications for each conference. There will be a general steering committee for the GeoMEast2020 congress that controls the three conferences and their developments.

In addition, some journal special issues will be published in some prestigious journals from selected best papers of the conference, however, authors need to expand and include materials that are at least 75% different than the accepted papers in the proceedings.

GeoMEast2020 will provide some awards; such as: best paper awards, best presenter awards, best student presenter awards, industrial project, and others.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Cairo – one of Middle East’s truly great cities – in November 2020.

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INTERGEO 2020

Events

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NTERGEO is the leading international trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management and focuses on groundbreaking developments and projects in a dynamically developing geoIT sector.

Reasons for visiting INTERGEO 2020 Are you interested in future-oriented applications, products and services from the GEOSPATIAL world? Then INTERGEO is the right place for you! And there are even more reasons to come to Berlin from 13 – 15 October 2020:

1. worldwide

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The world’s leading expo and conference platform for geoinformation, geodata and future-oriented applications. Over 700 exhibitors from 42 countries and 20,000 trade visitors from more than 100 countries make INTERGEO the central innovation hub of the geo industry. And the community is growing and growing!

2. International CONFERENCE International CONFERENCE over three days with renowned speakers and around 1,300 participants. Focus sessions on current topics. Three EXPO STAGES on the subjects of drones, smart cities, geoinnovation/BIM.

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3. Future-oriented theme platforms Solutions and innovations from futureoriented subject areas such as BIM, Smart Cities and drones are presented on integrated platforms. They are part of INTERGEO , are based on innovative technology, the latest digital developments and show how geodata can be applied in these central future fields.

4. Geospatial community As the number one event in its sector, INTERGEO unfolds international reach throughout the year via numerous industry publications and online and social media channels. Join this unique community now!

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Cover Feature

Impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s construction industry

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he Novel Coronavirus COVID-19, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, and is described by the OECD as the “biggest danger since the financial crisis” to the global economy. Unlike previous global health crises, the outbreak of COVID-19 is having immediate and far-reaching consequences because the global economy is now more interconnected than ever. Economic output has significantly slowed and the effects are being felt around the world.

As cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) increase throughout the world, the adverse impacts on the construction industry are becoming a reality. Industry clients and contractors need to consider both employment guidance and the impact delays may have on project completions.

There was already a shortage of labor in the construction industry before the arrival of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Now that it is here, that shortage is likely become even worse. The cost of materials had been rising before the arrival of the coronavirus. Now that it is here, developers can expect more of the same, as well as some difficulty in even getting

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their hands on these materials as supply chains dry up in Africa.

Despite the uncertainty, experts predict that the pandemic will have ramifications for several aspects in construction. The construction industry is unique with respect to the coronavirus because construction contracts typically contain provisions about time for performance and fees for failing to perform on time.

General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, specifically, provisions stating that time is “of the essence” in the performance of the contract and providing for liquidated damages for failing to perform on time.

The coronavirus could have a significant impact on those provisions. For example, a company could easily find itself in breach of or on the brink of breaching those provisions if its labor forces are reduced or its material or equipment cannot be obtained or delivered on time because of the coronavirus. And, do not forget about the company’s subcontractors and suppliers since impacts on them could ultimately result in impacts on the company and breaches of those provisions. Therefore, it is critical that construction companies be proactive

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rather than reactive in dealing with the coronavirus.

But, what impact is it specifically having or will it have on the construction industry and what plans and procedures should construction companies specifically implement to deal with it?

The setback Africa construction projects are being impacted by indefinitely delayed shipments of construction material due to the coronavirus. As a result of this, African contractors are said to be

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of delays to project completions due to absences among staff and contractors, the potential for office and site closures and delays to the movement of materials.

Resulting costs are likely to be borne by the contractor.However, when an event occurs that is beyond the control of the parties, they usually share the risk.

The contractor would bear the monthly expense of being on site for longer than expected if there are delays, and the project owner would take the risk of other costs and expenses incurred due to late project completion.

To avoid delay damages, contractors need to ensure that they quickly identify possible contractual remedies and submit required notices in terms of their contracts, or they could find themselves

is in each contract, and taking special note of any force majeure provisions that allow work to be suspended or terminated when certain extenuating circumstances arise. There may be some opportunistic claims, but the impacts of the Corona virus, particularly on the supply chain, are so broad that there has to be many valid claims.

Project financing Lenders might be uneasy to finance construction projects because of the uncertainty surrounding the completion of projects. The lack of construction materials and labor might slow down the construction of ongoing projects.

While the Corona virus pandemic was unforeseeable, contractors may still be contractually responsible for delays or cost overruns on current projects.

Construction materials Africa’s construction projects are being impacted by indefinitely delayed shipments of construction material due to the coronavirus. Contractors across Africa look to China for construction materials. But the Chinese government’s containment efforts and quarantines have slowed or shut down factories in dozens of the country’s cities and provinces, leading to forecasts of a sharp falloff in production of everything from including construction materials.

Travel industry

“sharpening up” on the terms of their contracts and the financial impact the virus is inflicting on projects in Africa.

Contracts typically are facing the risk of material delivery and delays on contractual completion times squarely on the shoulders of contractors. However, contractors may have a reprieve if their contracts have adequate provisions to allow for time extensions.

losing millions due to the viral outbreak.

Construction contracts

Cost implications of project delays

While the Corona virus pandemic was unforeseeable, contractors may still be contractually responsible for delays or cost overruns on current projects, experts say. There are many terms that will be relevant to those discussions, including the various contractual terms relating to the contractor’s schedules, substantial completion, delays, liquidated damages and other contractual provisions

COVID-19 presents the very real risk

It is recommended to know exactly what

March-April issue l 2020

The travel industry has also been impacted by increasing reports about the spread of Coronavirus, raising concern among African travellers about travelling internationally.

Construction companies have also suffered a lack of access to skilled personnel from affected regions, who have been unable to travel to project locations due to travel bans, quarantines and self-isolation, and this will delay the completion of projects.

Labor Construction companies across the world are facing shut downs to the outbreak with regards to maintaining

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Cover Feature

Experts fear that should the effects of the virus continue to cause economic disruptions, the world may end up losing all gains financial markets have made in the past decade their workforce as well as preventing the spread of the virus.

These shutdowns and bans mean that companies will need to turn to teleworking and other technologies to keep business running smoothly while employees are at home. However, these might not apply when it comes to construction sites because they need a physical presence; so construction of buildings or infrastructural projects might face delays.

Disruption of infrastructure developments The coronavirus has been slow to take root in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but the number of cases is now beginning to grow and the construction industry is facing disruption stemming from the China shutdown.

From imposing travel bans to barring mass gatherings and shutting down schools, governments across Africa are increasingly implementing comprehensive

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measures in a bid to control the spread of the new coronavirus. The emergency moves come amid a worrying rise in the number of infections registered in recent days across the continent after weeks of relatively few reported cases. As of 19 March, 33 African countries combined had reported more than 600 cases and 17 deaths due to the virus, 150 cases alone were reported in South Africa.

Amid the worsening situation with regards to the coronavirus outbreak, GlobalData has cut its forecast for SSA’s construction output growth to 5.4% in 2020, from 6.0% previously. Although the direct impact from the coronavirus has been limited to date, many countries in Africa are exposed to the knock on effects from the construction shutdowns in China.

In recent years, China has emerged not only as SSA’s largest trading partner but as a large and fast-growing source of aid and the largest source of construction financing; these contributions have supported many of Africa’s most

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ambitious infrastructure developments in recent years. As part of their increasing activity in overseas markets, Chinese companies have significantly boosted their engagement in Africa, covering a wide range of sectors. Africa is part of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ (BRI) initiative and with significant focus on coal and large hydropower projects.

The coronavirus outbreak presents a downside risk for short-term growth in the region, particularly in Ghana, Angola, South Africa, and Nigeria, which are reliant on China’s demand for their commodities exports. With mass production shutdowns and supply chain disruptions due to port closures in China, the effects are already being felt, while Africa’s access to industrial components and manufactured goods from the region has been hindered.

Experts fear that should the effects of the virus continue to cause economic disruptions, the world may end up losing all gains financial markets have made in

March-April issue l 2020

the past decade

Being proactive rather than reactive It is critical that construction compan ies be proactive rather than reactive in dealing with the coronavirus due to the fact that construction contracts typically contain force majeure or excusable delay provisions.

Obviously, the question becomes, would the coronavirus fall within the category of a force majeure or excusable delay event?

It is not entirely clear given the novel nature of the coronavirus. Therefore, it is not recommended that construction companies count on relying upon such force majeure or excusable delay provisions to shield them from liability for delays and disruption in their work or their failure to complete their work within the time specified in their contracts.

Instead, construction companies should try to minimize those delays, disruptions, and failures by taking the following recommended steps:

•

•

Key Considerations •

• •

What are the company’s most important business activities and processes that need to be protected and which people are responsible for them?

Who are the company’s most important subcontractors and suppliers?

What are the company’s most important materials and equipment?

2. Assess – understand if and how the

company is prepared to deal with the company’s main vulnerabilities (review any existing plans and procedures to ensure they are current and begin preparing business continuity and crisis management plans and procedures aimed at minimizing potential impacts on the company).

Key Considerations •

What policies and initiatives should

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•

•

3. Implement and Manage – ensure the company’s plans and procedures work (work with senior management and decision-makers to establish and embed response and recovery arrangements and confirm senior management and decision-makers understand their roles and support how the plans and procedures will be used).

Key Considerations • •

•

1. Define – identify the company’s

main vulnerabilities (convene a meeting with senior management and decisionmakers to identify potential impacts on the company).

be reviewed to mitigate further impacts on the company?

Are critical activities and processes covered by existing plans and procedures or do new plans and procedures need to be implemented?

Are critical subcontractors and suppliers prepared to respond?

Who should be the company’s teams as far as planning and responding are concerned?

How will the company monitor the continuing effects on the company’s most important business activities and processes?

At what point does the company anticipate recovery arrangements will need to be invoked?

4. Communicate and Remain Vigilant – ensure the company’s

teams are informed (assign clear responsibilities for internal and external communications).

Key Considerations • • • • •

What methods are needed to provide ongoing communication and monitoring of the situation?

Which decision-makers need to be contacted and informed and when?

Which subcontractors and suppliers need to be contacted and informed and when?

Who will be responsible for communicating major developments both internally and externally?

How will the company continue to protect staff and key material and equipment?

Additionally, to prepare for upcoming events, construction employers and contractors should also: •

• • •

majeure; If no such provisions exist, a contractor should open a dialogue with the client to determine whether the contract can be varied to include a mechanism to deal with any events and delays associated with COVID-19; Maintain high levels of hygiene on sites and in offices; Monitor government guidance; Prepare for home-working where possible; Put in place mechanisms to maintain communication with staff should the outbreak escalate to the extent that work spaces are forced to close.

In the long run, the extent of the impact and damage is tied to the time it takes the world to contain this virus. If the global community can contain the virus and a successful vaccine developed, the global economy may recover before the end of the year and businesses may be able to make up for lost revenue during the period of the pandemic. If, however, countries are unable to contain the virus, and no vaccine is developed soon, the spread of the virus will rise significantly.

According to the World Bank, a serve pandemic could result in a 5.0% decline in global GDP. Experts fear that should the effects of the virus continue to cause economic disruptions, the world may end up losing all gains financial markets have made in the past decade. The plunge in the markets caused by the coronavirus has been unprecedented in the past decade, in fact, the last time such a global bear run was witnessed in the world was Black Monday during the 1987 financial crisis.

The emergence of China as a superpower in the world has seen it play a crucial role in the global supply chain and its economic slowdown as a result of the virus has adversely affected the global market. The fix for the developing recession is governments of respective countries to use tools in their disposal: monetary and fiscal policies, to ensure the local economies are stimulated through expansive policies and look for local substitutes of imports from nations such as China.

Check current contracts to determine whether they include clauses relating to government intervention and force

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Feature

ARCHI HIVES: Celebrating 30 years of expertise

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Director, Principal Architect, Harsharan Singh Ji

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stablished in the early 1990’s by eminent architects and professionals with rich and varied experience in architecture and interior design. The firm has developed a broad range of expertise in architecture, planning, and interiors, spanning a wide variety of building types with specific emphasis on the relation of humans to create the environment and maintaining the overall harmony.

ARCHI HIVES believes in the power of imagination, and that’s how the firm was able to transform from a creative boutique into a mammoth architectural firm, and then to a powerhouse of design. With everactive and skilled architects and interior designers in New Delhi, and an ample number of clients swearing by the firm’s name, ARCHI HIVES are happy creating dreams. The company has undertaken various projects of various natures and executed up to at most satisfaction of their clients and within the defined time frame.

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YEARS

Overcoming the Odds It was 1990 when Director Harsharan Singh Ji started ARCHI HIVES with just US $3.9 in his bank account. But, his inspiration was his wife-Ruby Harsharan Singh, so he kept getting inspired by her creative and new designs and tried to replicate the same idea with a finishing touch like no one else.

Harsharan Singh Ji was indeed hardworking but couldn’t have imagined that ARCHI HIVES would take such a leap on the success ladder.

Talking about difference, he started

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Principal Director, Architect Ruby Harsharan Singh

with 2 people and ARCHI HIVES is a team of 35 people. In the 1990s, they used to do handwork and nowadays, they have the software, high-tech computer, latest technologies, and manpower, etc.

Competitive Edge translating to biggest success Embracing the concrete, steel, and industrial-inspired elements, ARCHI HIVES infuse eco-friendly elements and wood in their designs, which makes them innovative and contemporary, together. Execution of new materials and new development in the smartest way are their strong design aesthetics behind it.

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The best reward for ARCHI HIVES is its client’s satisfaction with the architect and interior design services they provide. The extended family and friends of ARCHI HIVES leave no chance in recommending them to others in need. What adds the icing on the cake is getting the potential clients from the clients they are working for years.

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Adding value to investment

The Future

ARCHI HIVES’s motto has always been to invest in the talent they have.

They have a team of 35 people that includes highly-qualified architects and interior designers. They focus on training more and more professionals who can contribute to ARCHI HIVES and grow with them. They provide them with the right infrastructure and the opportunity to learn and utilize the talents. For them, professionals are their investments.

The day ARCHI HIVES placed its foot in the eminent industry of architecture and interior design, the founders have been really happy and satisfied. In the next ten years, they look forward to continuing designing potential spaces and explore it in a much brief manner. They also look forward to seeing the two new young directors of the company, Gagan Kaur and Gurjit Singh taking the brand to a new apex.

So that’s only the plan ahead!

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25

Industry Review

Zaha Hadid Architects: Design of Oppo’s new headquarters in Shenzhen, China. Image courtesy ZHA

Zaha Hadid Architects to build new OPPO headquarters in China

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ollowing the international competition, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has been selected to build OPPO’s new headquarters in Shenzhen, China. OPPO launched their first phone in 2008, growing to become China’s leading smartphone manufacturer and the fifth largest worldwide with over 40,000 employees in more than 40 countries.

Pioneering new communication technology in smart devices and internet

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services, OPPO has established six research institutes, four research & development centres, and a global design studio. Accommodating this growth, OPPO’s new headquarters will continue their commitment to connectivity through design. Conceived as four interconnected towers reaching a height of 200m (42 floors), the 185,000m 2 design incorporates two towers of flexible, openplan spaces linked by a 20-storey vertical lobby, and two external service towers providing vertical circulation.

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Orientated to maximize the views over Shenzhen Bay, the towers taper inwards at lower levels creating large civic spaces at street level. Locating the towers’ service cores externally frees the centre of each floor from obstructions; providing uninterrupted views throughout the building that will enhance interaction between employees.

Large atrium spaces unite all occupants through visual connectivity, helping to foster collaboration between different

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departments of the company. The abundance of natural light, varied working environments and diversity of routes for staff and visitors to move through the building are all conducive to creative engagement and spontaneity.

Developed as a new civic space for the city with a public walkway diagonally traversing its centre, OPPO’s headquarters will include a landscaped plaza, art gallery, shops, restaurants and a direct link to the adjacent station of Shenzhen’s subway network. The 10th floor Sky Plaza will provide local residents, visitors and OPPO employees with varied dining,

leisure and entertainment facilities, while the rooftop Sky Lab will be a popular public space with spectacular views over one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

Following LEED Gold certification of ZHA’s Leeza SOHO tower in Beijing and Generali Tower in Milan, the new OPPO headquarters has been designed to target LEED Gold from the US Green Building Council; developed with 3D Building Information Modelling and energy management systems to optimise efficiencies. Planned for completion in early 2025, the project will conduct ground breaking later this year.

Zaha Hadid Architects: The Oppo headquarters is targeting the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification | Image courtesy ZHA March-April issue l 2020

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Industry Review

Pix4D new generation tools for Photogrammetry, Drone mapping and Analytics

in photogrammetry, addressing major challenges in the geospatial industry.

Pix4Dsurvey is bridging the gap between digital photogrammetry and CAD by transforming point data into CAD-ready formats. It allows the vectorization of any element, thanks to the rayCloud environment. Dramatically reducing overall surveying time, and expanding possibilities for surveying and mapping

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hotogrammetry leader Pix4D has today announced the commercial release of next-generation software addressing the modern-day professional challenges. Developed in close collaboration with customers and partners, Pix4Dsurvey, Pix4Dmatic, Pix4Dinspect, and Pix4Dscan will contribute to revolutionizing the way professional customers operate and deliver their services.

Breaking ground with Pix4Dsurvey & Pix4Dmatic Digital photogrammetry is an essential part of every modern surveyor’s toolkit and has contributed to launching hundreds of new drone mapping businesses around the world. Pix4Dsurvey and Pix4Dmatic represent the next step

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Africa Surveyors News l 2020

March-April issue l 2020

professionals, Pix4Dsurvey is now available for trial and purchase.

Pix4Dmatic, a new photogrammetry software product, will enable accurate drone mapping on a new scale. Built for the latest generation of drones, it is optimized for processing thousands of images while maintaining survey-grade accuracy, halving the time taken to deliver your large project from images to point cloud. Pix4Dmatic beta program is now open for applications.

In addition, Pix4Dmapper version 4.5, a new update of the leading desktop photogrammetry software, is now available for download. With speed-up in the image calibration and point cloud generation by an average of 20% in both steps, it now enables users to process projects faster than ever.

Automating industrial inspection with Pix4Dscan & Pix4Dinspect Manual inspection of industrial assets and infrastructure is time-consuming, expensive and at times dangerous.

Current technology has reduced the danger but the process remains long and costly. Pix4Dscan and Pix4Dinspect will change that.

Pix4Dscan is a drone flight app designed to deal with complex structures.

Pix4Dinspect cloud-based software is an analytics platform able to manage

March-April issue l 2020

and inspect digital assets modelled with Pix4D’s best-in-market photogrammetry.

Together they deliver an end-to-end solution for industrial inspections and asset management.

New and improved Pix4D Training platform and offering New software needs first-class training material. This is why the new Pix4D Training platform is now easier than ever to access. All resources —from quick tip

videos to official certifications — can be found at training.pix4d.com.

Christoph Strecha, Pix4D’s Founder and CEO, comments: “I am confident this set of mobile, cloud and desktop software are a major evolution for drone mapping applications, allowing projects to get progressively larger, and making data more actionable than ever. These products will revolutionize the way professionals work, improving efficiency and expanding possibilities.”

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Technology

Nigeria: Trenchless technology

to curb floods, gridlocks

Members of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), (from left); Tunde Jimoh, Past Chairman, NSE Apapa Branch, Dr. Ombugadu Garba; Chairman of the Branch, Sunny Ejeje; National vice chairman, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, Tokunbo Ajanaku and vice chairman NSE Apapa Branch, Christian Ufot during a workshop and environmental assessment organized by Apapa Branch to mark the World Engineering Day in Lagos

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igerian engineers have called for the adoption of trenchless technology to tackle flooding problems in the country, following the twin menace of flooding and intractable gridlocks in Lagos metropolis.

Engineers are confident that the adoption of trenchless or no dig technology could be the game changer in managing flooding in a sustainable manner, while the use of call system technology coupled with entrenching the political will by relevant stakeholders solve the traffic menace in Lagos, especially in Apapa axis.

Jimoh Tunde, a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), led the call at a workshop and environmental assessment organized by Apapa Branch of the society to mark the World Engineering day in Lagos. The application

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Africa Surveyors News l 2020

March-April issue l 2020

of trenchless technology, is suitable for a commercial city like Lagos State with over 20 million dense population and built up areas all over the city.

the no dig method can be used for all types of underground drainage pipe work, providing that the pipes measure 75 mm and above in diameter.

According to Tunde, the reduction and elimination of flooding in Lagos requires the no dig or trenchless technology due to the built up areas and urban life of Lagos. Tunde stressed that the conventional and traditional method of the use of open drains and canals has failed periodically to curb the menace of flooding in Lagos State as the drains and canals available cannot accommodate the seasonal run off at the peak of the raining season. To curtail flooding, Tunde supports the need for No Dig technology to be adopted in Lagos considering the urban set up and continuous economic and infrastructural expansion in the city.

Flooding in Lagos city or in any urban area will be and will continue to be a significant problem for many cities across the developed and developing world.

This technology would greatly lead to improved living conditions, public infrastructures, safety, environmentally appealing and aesthetically built in features within Apapa,” said the national Vice Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, Tokunbo Ajanaku.

“Trenchless technology is advantageous because of its minimal disturbance to the populace on their daily logistic plans and movement. Other advantages of the technology, include, no excavation of earth materials during construction process, it is cheaper than the conventional approach with no payment of compensation on the Right of way of the drain, durability as the pipes lined up or sealed with epoxy resins can last up to 50 years,” said Jimoh Tunde.

Lagos Island, Ebute Metta, Victoria Island, Ikeja and Lekki are identified areas where

According to Branch Chairman, Sunny Ejeje said, Branch is utilizing the opportunity provided by the World engineering day, the first of its kind to create awareness about the new technology to minimize the impact of flooding in Lagos state.

In a related development, engineers have also called for improve human capacity development of practitioners in the country. They stated that such improvements will have a positive impact on life, the environment and future generations, as well as things most people use every day from roads, schools, utilities, among others.

According to them, human capacity development would ensure

professionalism, quality; keep engineers abreast with latest development in the field, and standard across board and ability to serve the society by providing solutions to fundamental issues affecting the people like the need for affordable housing for the society.

The Chairman of Victoria Island Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr.

John Edo Audu led the call at the 2020 engineering week of the association in Lagos. He accentuate that Nigerian engineers should become known for many technological innovations to engender growth and development for Nigeria.

Audu said there should be strategic initiative among critical stakeholders for capacity human development of engineers, to teach them through intensive training that would ensure that they are familiar with quality requirement for engineering products, services and to avoid poor works delivery.

“Engineers are familiar with what quality works look like, the issues of poor and shoddy projects in the society would reduce tremendously. There should be punishment for poor engineering work in the country,” stressed Engr. John Audu On how to curb building collapse, he said there is the possibility of inserting affordable sensors in different parts of building to monitor movement of key structural elements.

The Chairman, Engineering Week, Omobanle Giwa, an engineer said there is need for more awareness in terms of what engineering is and key roles of practitioners as pioneers of progress in the country. Giwa explained that programmes have been designed to promote catch them young among pupils in both secondary and tertiary levels of education especially for students to study engineering and find solutions to issues.

“

Nigerian engineers have come a long way but there is need to improve our creativity, Knowledge and to come to the forefront of development, reach out to all stakeholders on what engineering brings to the society,” said Engr.

Omobanle Giwa.

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Technology

Leica BLK2GO named CES 2020 Best of Innovation winner categories.

“Since we introduced the Leica BLK product line, every product that we’ve entered has been named to the CES Innovation Awards,” said Leica Geosystems CTO Burkhard Boeckem. “We’re excited to enter 2020 with more recognition from CES and an even greater enthusiasm for the ways that our products continue to shape how architects and engineers build the future.”

Iconic design combined with powerful performance The BLK series is a collection of reality capture, scanning and photogrammetry hardware and software. The Leica BLK2GO is the industry’s first wireless handheld imaging laser scanner. It allows users to scan spaces, structures, and objects simply by walking through

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eica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, today announced two more BLK products have been recognised by CES as part of the annual CES Innovation Awards, the series’ fourth appearance since 2017 in the annual awards program.

For the 2020 awards, the Leica BLK2GO was named a CES 2020 Best of Innovation Award Winner and the Leica BLK247 was named a CES Best of Innovation Award Nominee, both in the category of Digital Imaging and Photography. Previous BLK products that have been named by the CES Innovation Awards include the Leica BLK360 as a CES 2017 Innovation Award Nominee, and the Leica BLK3D as a CES 2019 Innovation Award Nominee.

An annual program that celebrates outstanding design, the CES Innovation Awards recognises honourees across 28 product categories. An elite panel of judges, including designers,

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engineers and members of the tech media, reviews submissions based on design, functionality, consumer appeal, engineering and how the products compare with competition. Those products recognised as the Best of Innovation honourees received the highest ratings in their respective product

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the space while holding the lightweight device.

The Leica BLK247 is a first-of-itskind reality capture sensor that offers continuous 24/7 monitoring of buildings and change detection within spaces. It does this using LiDAR, 3D digital fencing

March-April issue l 2020

that creates digital barriers around a space, and continuous scanning. Designed with situational awareness in mind, the BLK247 is capable of differentiating between still and moving objects and is ideal for locations that must be continuously monitored and protected.

Revolutionising the world of measurement and survey for 200 years, Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, creates complete solutions for professionals across the planet. Known for premium

March-April issue l 2020

products and innovative solution development, professionals in a diverse mix of industries, such as aerospace and defence, safety and security, construction, and manufacturing, trust Leica Geosystems for all their geospatial needs.

With precise and accurate instruments, sophisticated software, and trusted services, Leica Geosystems delivers value every day to those shaping the future of our world.

software and autonomous solutions.

We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, safety, and mobility applications.

Our technologies are shaping urban and production ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous — ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Hexagon is a global leader in sensor,

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Industry Tips

The Best Construction Estimating Software of 2020 What to Expect From Estimating Software Databases to Compare Costs

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n order to make a fair and accurate bid to a client, you’ll need software that is able to pull the latest prices of materials and equipment through the internet.

Many construction estimating software companies have access to wholesale databases for checking the ever-changing costs of building materials, and all the programs we’ve compared here have this essential feature. In addition to pulling data from online databases, the better programs allow you to add items and prices from your own personal suppliers to compare prices. You can make a similar database for subcontractors to compare labor costs.

Instant Takeoffs for Adjusting Estimates Takeoffs are an important aspect of construction estimating, because they allow you to determine the exact amount of materials you need, estimate a cost for those materials and adjust those factors alongside design plans to offer a better bid to the client. Every program

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on our list has some form of takeoff that lets you craft a list of everything you’ll need to start construction, not including labor and overhead costs, and each one automatically calculates a price based on the available data of current prices.

Blueprint Viewing & Editing Alongside digital takeoff features, it’s common for construction estimating software to allow you to upload a blueprint of the proposed project, usually in the form of a CAD or BIM file.

Which Construction Estimating Software is Best?

The top performers in our review are ProContractor Estimating, the Gold Award winner; B2W Estimate, the Silver Award winner; and Sage Estimating, the Bronze Award winner. Here’s more on choosing a product to meet your needs, along with detail on how we arrived at our ranking of 10 products.

How Can Construction Estimating Software Help Your Company?

Construction Estimating Software will

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help you calculate the costs of materials, equipment and labor for prospective clients’ projects. The programs compile projected costs and create documents that can serve as formal proposals or bid offers to potential clients. After inputting the needed resources for the project, the software does the calculations for you, saving you time so you present your client your bid quicker. The software can take into account the number of hours for your labor, including any subcontractors you’ll need to hire.

The best construction estimators can continue to be useful after your client has accepted the bid and the project is underway. They help you keep track of materials and ongoing costs as the project progresses, helping you stay on track and letting you foresee any variations to the original estimate. Many also create reports, so you’ll be able to present a complete record of costs to the client should the final costs exceed the original estimate.

Construction Estimating Software: What We Tested, What We Found How simple is it to use?

We tested how easy it is to understand and to navigate each program. Top picks in this area, like ProContractor Estimating and PlanSwift, have clean and attractive interfaces that are easy to learn and simple to teach others how to create estimates. We were able to comprehend the best programs with minimal assistance from support guides or tutorials. We took

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into account how easy it is to import blueprint images and create price books and cost sheets. The best programs on our list let you create scales and takeoffs, and they also help you compose an official bid efficiently so you can get a bid to a potential client as quickly as possible.

How well does it generate an estimate?

When considering each product’s ability to generate an accurate estimate, we looked at the amount and variety of estimate generating tools each program contains. We looked for basic estimating features such as master cost databases, the ability to do instant takeoffs of materials from the estimate and change single item costs to view speculative estimates. Advanced features that boosted their score included the ability to merge multiple bids into a single estimate. We especially favored programs that contained a visual aspect to generating estimates using uploaded blueprints that you could edit alongside the cost of the project.

How well does it keep track of costs?

learn than others, construction estimating software can still be complicated to properly operate, so tutorial material should be readily available. Companies that offer 24/7 support through phone or live chat received higher scores in our rankings. Many of the companies house extensive training materials on their websites and even host remote seminars or in-person training classes, which in some cases cost extra.

What Else to Consider When Purchasing Estimating Software Integrations: Excel, QuickBooks &

All-In-One Platforms A few of the programs on our list are part of larger suites of construction software that integrate with each other.

Other programs in these suites include construction management, accounting and scheduling programs. Depending on your needs, it could be beneficial to purchase a complete suite of tools; however, it will undoubtedly come with a higher price tag. All the products on our list can still be purchased separately.

The Best Construction Estimating Software: Our Verdict & Recommendations

Construction Management Software

After you’ve composed a bid and it’s been accepted by a client, you can continue to use most construction cost estimators to keep track of costs during construction and make sure you stay close to the original estimate. As the project progresses, you can track your stock of material and quickly be alerted if certain aspects of the project are going over the original estimate. The best programs we found track actual costs and compare them to the original estimate in order to better inform the client if the final cost changes. The better programs will also let you track deviations from your subcontractors’ bids and equipment rentals.

When you add new estimating software to your company’s process, a large factor in your choice should be how well the new program integrates with the rest of your business software. We looked at each product’s compatibility with common programs used by construction companies, such as Intuit QuickBooks for accounting and Microsoft Excel for various spreadsheets. If you had been using Excel spreadsheets to do your estimating, then you’ll want a program that can effortlessly import those files and work them into its own system. The better products are compatible with most of those programs, but before you make a final decision you’ll want to make sure the estimating software will work with the rest of your business applications.

What help is available?

Mobile Access

While some of the software is easier to

A feature worth considering, depending

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on your needs, is a mobile version of the estimating program. This is especially helpful during the construction phase, particularly if you’re on-site often. You’ll be able to quickly access estimate information directly from your phone or tablet to make quick decisions during building.

ProContractor Estimating is our top pick for construction estimating software, featuring an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Its standout feature lets you to import 3D blueprints and interact with them while determining your takeoff and estimate, allowing you to be as accurate as possible.

B2W Estimate, our Silver Award winner, comes with access to several supplier databases that are easy to navigate and are frequently updated. These databases help keep your prices up to date, which helps ensure your final costs are in line with your estimate.

Sage Estimating wins our Bronze Award.

Its software is geared for the construction of commercial projects. It’s a helpful tool throughout the bidding and construction process with an easy-to-use interface similar to Microsoft Excel. Sage also provides a large suite of software to integrate into your business.

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Industry Tips

Measuring and Surveying tips for interior spaces Before surveying, carry out as much research on the building and its spaces as possible

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uilding surveys are one of the staples of the early stages of any architectural project. Although this task is commonly now outsourced to specialist surveyors for larger projects, especially in the new BIM world, smaller schemes such as residential renovations and extensions can still require an architect’s surveying tools. With that in mind, we have created a list of specific considerations and tips for measuring interior spaces.

Equipment for Measuring Before attending the site, make sure to include the following essentials (courtesy of Studio Craft and Technique): –Tape measure –2mm lead clutch pencil –Fine pens in two colors –Eraser –Sketchbook –Camera –A4 Clipboard –Tracing Paper –Grid-line paper –Calculator –Ruler –Compass –Laser pointer –Spirit level –String –Tape recorder –Phone

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Also ensure you obtain any OS map of the site that shows the building, as this can allow you to orientate interior spaces to consider sunlight angles, views, and planning issues.

Researching Before You Survey Before surveying, carry out as much research on the building and its spaces as possible. If photographs or old maps of the building exist, this will allow you to familiarise yourself with layouts and prioritize rooms for surveying. Many countries require planning application documents to be accessible online, and this will also allow you to investigate the layout through previous surveys and layouts.

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Be Clear About The Purpose Consider the purpose of the surveying exercise, and what key dimensions and information you will require. Carry out research on the planning drawing requirements for the project you are undertaking, and the level of detail required for interior spaces, existing and proposed. Also consider the brief, and how this will impact on what rooms require extra detail. For example, a brief for a rear extension to a house will require a more thorough understanding of detailed dimensions to the façades that will be altered.

Create a Symbols Legend

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Tour The Building First

Measure The Room Take Photographs

Sketch The Room

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