Major milestone heralds significant shift towards circular economics in distribution of building materials In a world first for construction – and marking a fundamental shift towards circular economics in the transportation of building materials in the UK – the first batch of reusable green, RFID-tagged* pallets from The Pallet LOOP,
A consortium of mechanical and civil engineering, and robotic automation industry leaders, including Tunnel Engineering Services (UK) Ltd (TES), i3D robotics (i3D), the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Costain, and VVB Engineering, has developed the first robotic and AI solution set to revolutionise the installation of mechanical and civil services in
Energy Networks Association (ENA) has launched ENA Connect Direct, the single online form creating a better, faster and more accurate process for connecting domestic low-carbon technologies (LCTs) to the electricity network. ENA Connect Direct modernises and simplifies the application process, which can be slow and reliant on manual processes. It
Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, was named a winner in the Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards program. The awards recognise organisations, products and people who bring artificial intelligence to life and apply it to solve problems and realise opportunities. The AI-powered
More than 4,000 industry leaders, tech experts and policymakers will convene at Manchester Central this July for Siemens’ Transform 2024 to explore digital and sustainable transformation, including the contribution that fire protection systems and BMS (Building Management Systems) can make in this regard. The free-to-attend two-day conference and exhibition, which
Q-Bot, the UK construction tech company that uses robotics and AI to insulate people’s homes, has strengthened its Board with the appointment of a new Executive Chair and a second Investment Director. Victor Vadaneaux has been appointed Executive Chair of Q-Bot. Victor has worked within B2B services, the engineering industry
IT Firm calls for stronger cyber security for green buildings in its new guide IT cyber security specialist OryxAlign is calling for the integration of stronger cyber security measures in green buildings in its latest guide, The Green Buildings Guide, 2024: Achieving Green, Healthy & Cyber Secure Buildings. The guide
360° image-handling enhancement will achieve richer visual documentation on projects, increasing accuracy, enhancing transparency and reducing rework. Today, PlanRadar, one of the leading digital construction, real estate and facilities management platforms, announces the upcoming AI-powered ‘SiteView’ feature, enhancing the platform’s already robust documentation, communication and reporting capabilities. SiteView empowers users
CIE Group, a leading provider of security and audiovisual solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with VOLO, a leading innovator in cloud-based access control systems. Through this agreement, CIE Group will become an authorized distributor of VOLO’s access control platform, offering a comprehensive solution for businesses and organisations seeking to
AN UNDERGROUND mapping startup has brought in more than £82m from its latest funding round to help bring artificial intelligence to the UK infrastructure industry. Exodigo – for whom former Crossrail CEO Simon Wright OBE acts as an advisor – will use the capital to invest in its UK and European
Major milestone heralds significant shift towards circular economics in distribution of building materials In a world first for construction – and marking a fundamental shift towards circular economics in the transportation of building materials in the UK – the first batch of reusable green, RFID-tagged* pallets from The Pallet LOOP, part of the BSW Group, have started entering the construction supply chain, en masse. Over the last three weeks, The Pallet LOOP – and its manufacturing partner Scott Pallets – have shipped more than 30,000 LOOP pallets to British Gypsum’s bagged plaster plants at Barrow, East Leake and Kirkby Thore. These pallets are now being processed through British Gypsum’s plants – with the first pallets already starting to arrive at construction projects, building sites, merchant yards and distribution centres nationwide. This major milestone is set to shift the dial on pallet waste across the UK – with The Pallet LOOP providing the world’s first dedicated pallet production, delivery, and collection service for the construction industry. As part of its offer, The Pallet LOOP will pick up green pallets across the UK, inspect and repair them where necessary, and redistribute them to building material manufacturers for the distribution of more products. The roll out of The Pallet LOOP is also designed to support the construction sector’s net zero ambitions. Plus, in a further financial boost for the construction industry, The Pallet LOOP will also be paying registered return partners up to £4 back for every green pallet they put back in the LOOP – a figure that will quickly stack up as more pallets come online. The Pallet LOOP can also pick up so-called ‘white’ pallets, as part of a holistic pallet collection service. As pallets start to roll out, The Pallet LOOP has a clear message for pallet recipients. Paul Lewis, Founder of The Pallet LOOP, said: “If your business hasn’t already signed up for LOOP collections, now is the time to do so. Our distinctive green, reusable pallets are now winging their way across the country, and we want recipients to be ready to send them back to us. Since British Gypsum announced it was going to be the first user of The Pallet LOOP, we’ve had a great reaction from the sector.” “Lots of builders’ merchants, housebuilding companies and principal contractors are already signed up for collections – but we want to spread the word further, so all potential recipients know what to do with LOOP pallets when they arrive at their branches and sites. Over the next twelve months, we’ll be supplying British Gypsum with more than a million of our circular economy pallets for the distribution of its bagged plaster and plasterboard products – so if you receive these products, it is important that you sign up and get in the LOOP as soon as possible.” Registering for collections with The Pallet LOOP is easy. Companies interested in using the service and benefiting from the LOOP pallet PayBack of up to £4 per green pallet, should email: setmeup@thepalletloop.com to kick start the account creation process. Once companies are set up, arranging collections of both green and white pallets is simple, with two service levels available: a standard ten-day or a rapid 72-hour pick up service. Users of The Pallet LOOP will also receive access to a special reporting platform, where they can view and download information about the number of pallets returned and the money saved on collections versus disposal via a skip. The system also provides information about the amount of carbon saved and trees repurposed, which can be used in sustainability reporting. To help customers understand the sign-up process, The Pallet LOOP has created a short onboarding video – that explains how to get in the LOOP in a series of simple steps: The Pallet LOOP has a dedicated recovery infrastructure and a comprehensive network of collection hubs in place – enabled through its partnership with Scott Pallets, which is also part of BSW Group. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A consortium of mechanical and civil engineering, and robotic automation industry leaders, including Tunnel Engineering Services (UK) Ltd (TES), i3D robotics (i3D), the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Costain, and VVB Engineering, has developed the first robotic and AI solution set to revolutionise the installation of mechanical and civil services in tunnels. Traditionally, installing these services in tunnels is hazardous, labour-intensive and time-consuming. The prototype Automated Tunnel Robotic Installation System (ATRIS) can autonomously select brackets, locate where they need to be mounted along a tunnel wall, and install them. In doing so, the automated solution can improve on-site health and safety by reducing the risks associated with manual labour at the tunnel work face, for example, working at height in confined spaces, and hand-arm vibration experienced by workers during installation. Once fully-developed, the final system can be deployed in tunnel construction for a variety of sectors including transport, water and energy. It is expected to increase productivity by 40% due to faster installation, reduce installation costs for new mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems by 30%, and cut construction plant movements by 40% to decrease embodied carbon. The 22-month project, partly funded by Innovate UK’s Smart grant, was led by TES, which developed the initial concept in partnership with the consortium. Leveraging its expertise in robotics and automation, MTC spearheaded the design and manufacture of the robot’s end effectors. i3D developed crucial visualisation software for precise navigation, whilst Costain and VVB provided industry knowledge and expertise in tunnelling and fit-out requirements. Alan Worsley, Design and Project Manager at Tunnel Engineering Services (UK) Ltd said: “TES has over many years designed and manufactured Mechanised Tunnelling Machines and special purpose equipment for the construction industry. Over this time, innovation has been at the forefront of our business, and the need for automation in traditionally manual M&E fit-out techniques has led us to develop ATRIS and make it commercially viable for the market. We believe the system can offer a safer, more cost-effective and sustainable solution for future infrastructure projects.” Steve Nesbitt, Chief Technologist for the Built Environment at MTC, said: “Like many sectors, construction has faced labour challenges over the past few years which has driven greater interest in using robots, beyond manufacturing and logistics, to address these issues. By contributing our expertise to this project, we are paving the way for construction companies to adopt technology for greater control and structuring of on-site works, making infrastructure delivery safer, more productive, and more sustainable.” Dr Jon Storey, Lead Engineer at i3D, said: “Developing an automated system to install infrastructure in tunnels has been a long-standing ambition for the construction sector. ATRIS has moved us significantly closer to that goal. The use of stereo vision with machine learning and robotics to place bolts precisely on a curved surface is an unprecedented achievement, with potential applications beyond the construction sector, such as nuclear decommissioning and defence.” Lee Bateson, Mechanical and Engineering Manager and Robotics Lead at Costain, said: “Teaching the robots to learn seemingly simple tasks – such as how to avoid cross-threading the screws that go into the sockets – has been hugely fulfilling, thanks to the consortium’s collaborative spirit. Whether it’s carbon reduction, increasing productivity or improving workforce health and safety, this is transformative technology that will have enormous benefits for the customers that we build tunnels for.”Nicholas Beedle, Group Operations Director at VVB Engineering, said:“Tunnel works historically are expensive to build and maintain, and in the higher risk bracket for safety during construction and operation. It is important that ongoing improvements are made to address both of these issues. The development of the robotic AI solution is a step towards solving both of these industry challenges.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Energy Networks Association (ENA) has launched ENA Connect Direct, the single online form creating a better, faster and more accurate process for connecting domestic low-carbon technologies (LCTs) to the electricity network. ENA Connect Direct modernises and simplifies the application process, which can be slow and reliant on manual processes. It helps the UK’s electricity network transition from a traditional one-way system to a smarter, more flexible bidirectional grid. For some installers of domestic low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps and solar panels, ENA Connect Direct upgrades the application process. It provides a streamlined system which uses artificial intelligence to provide instant approvals for most routine applications. For the Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), this means efficient delivery of accurate data. In turn this provides increased visibility to aid network design and operation, a major step forward in creating a smarter UK energy system. Demand for electricity has evolved significantly in the last 60 years. Residential households with low-carbon technologies increase their peak usage to almost 15kW compared to an average usage in the 1960s of less than 1kW. As an example, that’s like going from powering ten 100-watt bulbs to multiple electric vehicles at the same time. Increased demand is a result of the greater uptake of modern electrical appliances and newer technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points. With the uptake of low-carbon technologies anticipated to continue at a considerable rate in the coming years, ENA Connect Direct supports installers in their aim of completing faster and compliant installations. Dan Clarke, Head of Innovation at Energy Networks Association, said: “It’s a great moment to launch ENA Connect Direct, to improve the system currently in place for connecting low-carbon technologies to the grid. We have designed the platform to benefit all those involved with the application process – the installers, manufacturers, distribution network operators and ultimately the customer. “By drawing on industry expertise and working with our members, this platform should massively speed up the application process by using the latest AI led assessment technology. We hope it will allow installers to complete their projects faster, benefiting small and medium-sized businesses in the process. It will also support network operators in having a live overview of LCT installations that they need to operate a smarter and more efficient network in the years ahead.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, was named a winner in the Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards program. The awards recognise organisations, products and people who bring artificial intelligence to life and apply it to solve problems and realise opportunities. The AI-powered Johnson Controls OpenBlue Worker Safety digital solution was named a winner in the Machine Learning category and the Johnson Controls OpenBlue Central Utility Plant Optimisation solution was named as a finalist in the Intelligent Control category. Sensormatic Solutions, the global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls, was named a winner in the Computer Vision category for Computer Vision Analytics. “Combining artificial Intelligence and machine learning with our domain expertise and commitment to innovation continues to solve some of our customer’s toughest challenges.” said, Julius Marchwicki, vice president, OpenBlue Platform and Product Management, Johnson Controls. “This recognition highlights our company-wide dedication to digital transformation through innovating, developing and leveraging new digital technologies.” The BIG Artificial Excellence Awards recognise the trailblazing organisations and solutions leading the way in AI innovation and generating positive change. BIG’s unique judging and scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers. “We are truly honoured to recognise Johnson Controls and Sensormatic Solutions with these prestigious awards,” stated Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer for the Business Intelligence Group. “The unwavering commitment of their team to excellence and their innovative AI applications have catapulted them to this remarkable achievement. Congratulations to the entire organisation!” Through leadership in digital technology and innovation Johnson Controls customers are equipped with advanced technologies to create a smarter and safer future. The Johnson Controls OpenBlue Worker Safety solution is an AI-enabled computer vision-based machine learning model that monitors construction sites in the oil and gas industry. It helps minimize hazards and ensure safety compliance by using a real-time camera feed and detection of possible workplace safety violations. The solution is trained to identify workers and features related to the physical safety of each worker, including personal protective equipment, proximity to heavy machinery, vehicular traffic, and more. When violations occur, an alert is issued and the image is displayed on a dashboard for review. The solution runs on an Edge computing device powered by the Johnson Controls OpenBlue Bridge software platform. The Johnson Controls OpenBlue Central Utility Plant Optimisation solution, which was named a finalist, uses predictive learning to optimise plant operations, helping customers reduce energy and emissions without sacrificing reliability. OpenBlue Central Utility Plant Optimisation is a software-as-a-service solution that continuously monitors thousands of input variables and applies sophisticated algorithms in near-real time, generating dispatches and control decisions to ensure that all central systems are constantly optimised and efficiently meeting heating, cooling and power needs resulting in savings in utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The flexible solution helps customers autonomously optimise for energy and/or carbon savings and can be applied at plants with wide variety of configurations, HVAC equipment, or plant automation system. It automatically generates and implements optimisation decisions, controlling real-time closed-loop dispatch of equipment and setpoint commands to the plant automation system or, alternatively, it can simply provide recommendations to operators. Sensormatic Solutions was named a winner for its Computer Vision Analytics (CVA). Since its launch in 2021, Sensormatic Solutions CVA has provided retailers with groundbreaking insight into their retail operations, and can be used to address a wide range of real-world challenges, including customer engagement, stocking, labour allocation, loss prevention, shopper satisfaction and more. Earlier this year, the brand also released its Store Guest Behaviors powered by CVA, an AI solution that leverages an adaptive learning model to help retailers understand shopper journeys. To learn more about how Johnson Controls OpenBlue is transforming smart buildings, please visit: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/OpenBlue. To learn more about Sensormatic Solutions, visit: https://www.sensormatic.com/computer-vision Johnson Controls has received patents covering CVA and OpenBlue CUP solutions from a number of patent offices around the world. Patents are also pending for the Johnson Controls OpenBlue Worker Safety solution. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
More than 4,000 industry leaders, tech experts and policymakers will convene at Manchester Central this July for Siemens’ Transform 2024 to explore digital and sustainable transformation, including the contribution that fire protection systems and BMS (Building Management Systems) can make in this regard. The free-to-attend two-day conference and exhibition, which will take place on July 17th and 18th, will support industry in tackling its most urgent challenges and provide a platform for delegates from a wide range of sectors to collaborate on potential solutions and share knowledge. The 2024 event follows the business’s inaugural Transform 2022 event at the same venue, which heard from leaders including world-renowned economist Lord Jim O’Neill, F1’s Red Bull Racing, engineering group Arup and Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. Speakers for this year’s event will be revealed in the coming months. Participants will get free consultation from Siemens’ experts to help address their transformation challenges, including how to fund new projects. Live hackathons will also solve real-world industry challenges in real-time. Carl Ennis, CEO at Siemens GB & Ireland, said: “Transform 2024 will host the community that is solving today’s most pressing challenges. Combining the real and digital worlds in new ways is at the heart of so many of the strategies that are making this possible. “Our aim is for delegates to leave with greater clarity and confidence to move forward with digital and sustainability transformation, and to help them discover tangible solutions for making their organisation more competitive, resilient, and sustainable. “As we know from Transform 2022, events like this create an environment that provides the means for industry to convene and collaborate – helping them to deploy groundbreaking technologies to strike at new opportunities. And it acts as a crucial forum to debate broader issues, from how we grow the UK’s STEM talent pool to how we can effectively champion UK industry on the global stage.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Q-Bot, the UK construction tech company that uses robotics and AI to insulate people’s homes, has strengthened its Board with the appointment of a new Executive Chair and a second Investment Director. Victor Vadaneaux has been appointed Executive Chair of Q-Bot. Victor has worked within B2B services, the engineering industry and the healthcare sector, and has extensive business and private equity experience of the UK, EU and US markets, including several successful exits. Malcolm Gloat has been appointed an Investment Director of Q-Bot, to work alongside Dr Ilian Iliev, the company’s existing Investment Director. Malcolm has more than 25 years of experience as a Chair, NED, CFO, and CEO in the public and private markets. These senior board appointments significantly enhance Q-Bot’s capabilities and take place at an exciting time for the company and the construction industry. Using AI and robotics, Q-Bot’s insulation is deployed beneath suspended timber floors or to the underside of suspended concrete floors. In the UK alone, Q-Bot’s high performance retrofit insulation can help insulate the 8 to 12 million homes that have suspended floors and which are hard to treat using traditional forms of insulation. In the UK, Q-Bot’s customers include social housing landlords, energy companies and private homeowners. Internationally, the company has identified a further multi-billion market for robotics-based retrofit of insulation to residential homes in North America and North West Europe. Victor and Malcolm will help Q-Bot to scale its robotics-as-a-service sales in the UK and expand its digital retrofit service. As its next phase of growth, Q-Bot is set to launch in the US and scale in the EU through strategic partnerships. Their appointments have been facilitated by EMV Capital, a key investor in Q-Bot, and the company continues to draw on the value creation services provided by EMV Capital. Dr Ilian Iliev, MD of EMV Capital and an Investment Director of Q-Bot, commented: “Victor and Malcolm are joining us at an exciting point of Q-Bot’s journey, and bring strong experience in scale-ups and growth from relevant sectors. We have been an early backer of Q-Bot’s robotics and AI-driven insulation retrofit solution. Q-Bot is at the intersection of multiple megatrends, including growing automation and digitisation of the construction industry, the imperative to decarbonise existing housing stock, and the deployment of robotics and AI as synergistic tools fostering upskilling and employment in the construction services sector.” Tom Lipinski, a Co-founder of Q-Bot and its Chief Commercial & Scientific Officer, said: “Attracting the calibre of individuals such as Victor and Malcolm constitute a solid endorsement of our work to date and they will support our work to further develop our robotic solution and grow our business in the UK and overseas. We offer a hassle-free and cost-effective energy efficiency solution that is disrupting the traditional retrofit/construction industry, providing fast comfort and warmth for people’s homes.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
IT Firm calls for stronger cyber security for green buildings in its new guide IT cyber security specialist OryxAlign is calling for the integration of stronger cyber security measures in green buildings in its latest guide, The Green Buildings Guide, 2024: Achieving Green, Healthy & Cyber Secure Buildings. The guide highlights the essential role of technology in achieving environmental endorsements for buildings, emphasising the significance of cyber security due to the increasing integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and Operational Technology (OT) devices. Aimed at commercial real estate managers, construction experts and facilities managers, the guide first focuses on green and healthy building certification, detailing market trends, certification processes and the benefits of achieving such certifications for market value, operational costs and occupant health. It then moves onto discuss the technology involved in achieving this, such as monitoring and control systems, smart meters and HVAC systems and how to keep these cyber-secure. According to a YouGov survey commissioned by OryxAlign, 86 per cent of tenants consider green buildings to be important or very important. This high demand for green buildings has triggered a rapid growth of rating schemes such as LEED, BREEAM and WELL. The guide underscores the necessity of integrating smart technologies to achieve and maintain these green building certifications and support various sustainability goals, including energy efficiency and air quality. These technologies include IoT devices such as smart thermostats and OT devices such as fire alarm control panels, both of which are directly or indirectly connected to the internet – and therefore, accessible by hackers. Although integrating smart technology is essential to making a building green and healthy, it should be noted that, according to SonicWall, between 2021 and 2022 there was an 87 per cent increase in global IoT attacks. “Smart devices are essential in driving forward sustainability within buildings,” explained Peter Schwartz, Senior Technology Consultant at OryxAlign. “But these endpoints are connected to a network and can communicate with other networked devices or systems, making them potential targets for cyber threats that can quickly spread throughout a building.” OryxAlign’s guide provides insights into potential threats and cyber security challenges, offering best practices such as risk assessment, endpoint hardening and network segmentation. These are aligned with standards from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Center for Internet Security (CIS). This information is crucial for stakeholders in the construction and management of green buildings, as it highlights the importance of incorporating robust cyber security measures alongside the integration of smart technologies to ensure the safety, privacy and operational integrity of green buildings. “Our guide delves into the critical technologies for sustainable, secure buildings, outlining specific cybersecurity risks like IoT and OT vulnerabilities, and detailing the least secure devices—security cameras, smart thermostats and access control systems,” added Schwartz. “It underscores the necessity of practices like network segmentation, multi-factor authentication, and regular updates to mitigate these threats.” The YouGov survey comprised 300 respondents from the UK. These respondents were senior decision makers at tenant organisations, construction companies or IT departments from various sectors such as manufacturing, construction, financial services, IT and telecoms, medical and health services and education. 44 per cent of responders were from organisations with more than 1,000 employees. Visit OryxAlign’s website for a copy of The Green Buildings Guide, 2024: Achieving Green, Healthy & Cyber Secure Buildings. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
360° image-handling enhancement will achieve richer visual documentation on projects, increasing accuracy, enhancing transparency and reducing rework. Today, PlanRadar, one of the leading digital construction, real estate and facilities management platforms, announces the upcoming AI-powered ‘SiteView’ feature, enhancing the platform’s already robust documentation, communication and reporting capabilities. SiteView empowers users to capture 360° imagery of a project while walking the site, with the images automatically mapped onto a 2D plan, creating a detailed visual record of activity across every stage of the build. Group Co-CEO Ibrahim Imam noted, “This feature’s a game changer for PlanRadar users, combining the easy-to-use experience with the highest levels of accuracy, making it possible to achieve complete visual as-builts, field progress and photo documentation in place of taking thousands of photos. In addition, with our core documentation, communication and ticketing platform, SiteView means anyone working on a project can now easily go back and look ‘behind the wall’ to see exactly what was built or installed, often reducing rework.” While powered by cutting-edge technology, the simple solution means construction teams can walk a site with a 360° camera attached to a helmet, and SiteView does the rest. Reality capture images are automatically transferred from camera to app and ready to review in PlanRadar shortly after a site walk is completed, aligning the path walked onto the 2D plan. This provides a level of efficiency that makes it easy to document visual ‘as-builts’ in minutes once images are transferred, as well as quickly maintain any visual site documentation required. Additionally, a compare feature makes it easy to view images captured on two dates side-by-side during the build to see progress and spot any deflections. Clemens Hammerl, Chief Product Officer, comments, “SiteView reduces on-site inspection time and speeds up team collaboration, allowing a complete view of the site, even when working remotely. 360° photographic images provide all the documentation needed to see what has happened, delivering complete project transparency. With minimal training required, users simply set a starting position on a 2D construction plan within the PlanRadar mobile app, walk the site, and press stop when finished; our sophisticated algorithms take care of the rest.” SiteView uses SLAM technology (Simultaneous Location and Mapping), the same tech used to power driverless automobiles, to survey unknown environments while simultaneously moving through them. It operates by estimating the path of the site walker on a digital construction plan, with algorithms constantly aligning sequential data to determine position and path. The path is then aligned to the plan, using AI-powered computer vision algorithms, which integrate depth estimation and accurate localisation. Crucially, it provides project teams with a detailed, 360° overview of activity and progress, all within the easy-to-use interface of PlanRadar’s platform. The addition of SiteView adds another layer of functionality to PlanRadar, which already includes document management, reporting and integration features, enabling customers to connect all project processes in one place. With a comprehensive view of works available throughout each phase of the build, all project stakeholders can experience full transparency of activities. This not only helps prevent miscommunication but also mitigates potential disputes. The upcoming launch is just the beginning for SiteView, with ongoing updates to follow, including BIM integration, and the ability to link to Tickets on the 360° images. To read more about PlanRadar’s SiteView feature, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CIE Group, a leading provider of security and audiovisual solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with VOLO, a leading innovator in cloud-based access control systems. Through this agreement, CIE Group will become an authorized distributor of VOLO’s access control platform, offering a comprehensive solution for businesses and organisations seeking to enhance security, streamline access management, and gain valuable insights into their physical spaces. VOLO’s cloud-based platform offers a user-friendly and scalable access control solution that eliminates the need for on-premise hardware and software. Key features of the VOLO platform include mobile-first access control which offers excellent personal security by replacing physical keys or key cards, with secure mobile credentials. The system also streamlines access management by allowing system administrators to remotely manage permissions and settings from any device, while also providing real-time insights on who is accessing a facility. Additionally, and importantly, the system is easily scalable, allowing organisations to effortlessly add or remove users and locations as business needs evolve. “Working with CIE is a really exciting proposition for us,” says Dean Kernot of VOLO. “Both VOLO and CIE are forward-thinking companies that value innovation. I see this collaboration as an opportunity to develop new and creative ways to bring cutting-edge access control systems to market. Together we can push boundaries and achieve something beyond what either company could achieve alone. “We are very excited to be partnering with VOLO to offer our customers a truly innovative and cost-effective cloud-based access control solution,” commented Chris Edwards, Marketing Director at CIE Group. “VOLO’s cloud-based platform is ideal for organisations of all sizes and aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing the CIE client base with the latest and best security technology solutions.” This strategic partnership offers an opportunity for organisations to achieve a significant security and efficiency boost. By leveraging the combined expertise of CIE and VOLO, organisations can look forward to an improved user experience for both employees and visitors through this user-friendly system. In particular, the elimination of expensive on-premise hardware and software translates into substantial cost savings allowing organisations to reinvest financial resources into their core areas of operation. Availability VOLO access control solutions are now available direct from CIE Group. To learn more about VOLO and how it can benefit your business, please watch this video, contact CIE Group, or visit cie-group.com About CIE-Group CIE-Group is one of the UK’s leading Audio Visual & Security distributors, supplying installers and integrators with professional AV, intercom & access control products from key brands including 2N, Akuvox, InterM, CYP, Axis and many more. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AN UNDERGROUND mapping startup has brought in more than £82m from its latest funding round to help bring artificial intelligence to the UK infrastructure industry. Exodigo – for whom former Crossrail CEO Simon Wright OBE acts as an advisor – will use the capital to invest in its UK and European team and expand its range of scanning products, which accurately identify and categorise underground hazards and assets. The geospatial specialist uses sensors and AI technology to identify utilities and other underground assets, and has been used successfully on major projects across the UK. Most recently, the technology was deployed by Colas Rail on its Birmingham Midland Metro Extension project, which extends the current light rail network and will also connect to the Curzon Street HS2 station currently under construction. With this announcement of the additional round – which takes the overall total of funding past £93m – Exodigo will now expand its teams on the ground in the UK, allowing it to better support some of the nation’s biggest infrastructure projects. Aurelia Setton, Chief Business Officer of Exodigo, said: “This new round of funding will fuel more strategic investments in the UK and in Europe. Our partners are already seeing the benefits of working with Exodigo, particularly on their ability to deliver projects at scale, on time, within budget, and safely. “Utility strikes are an issue around the globe, leading to unnecessary emissions, risks, delays and budget overspend, but our solutions locate up to 30% more utility lines than other services, and reduce preliminary digging and trial holes by up to 90%. This funding will open up even more opportunities to scale across new verticals in the UK and in Europe.” Jointly headquartered in Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv, Israel, Exodigo runs its UK operations out of its London office in Farringdon. The funding round has been co-led by Greenfield Partners and existing investor Zeev Ventures, and is further backed by existing investors SquarePeg, 10D VC, JIBE and National Grid Partners. Raz Mangel, partner at Greenfield Partners said: “Exodigo is one of those rare companies that has managed to revolutionize a large market that is difficult to innovate in, by combining breakthroughs on both the software and hardware side in order to create unparalleled technology for non-intrusive underground mapping. The company operates with a unique intensity, leading to incredible market and product velocity. “The company operates with a unique intensity, leading to incredible market and product velocity. We’re thrilled to partner with Jeremy and the entire Exodigo team to play a part in the next phase of their global expansion as the company makes underground mapping and exploration a reality for the mass market.” Jeremy Suard, co-founder and CEO, Exodigo, said: “We want to transform the entire built environment and are committed to making underground exploration safer, faster, and more sustainable so our customers can design, dig and build safely with confidence. As the only subsurface imaging company to put AI-interpreted signal processing into practice, Exodigo solves a massive, longstanding problem for industries where what lies underground matters.” For more information about Exodigo, visit www.exodigo.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
