b'New construction technologyThe San Francisco-based firm says that over 60% of trade con-tractors incorporate some form of prefabrication into their releases: October 2024building processes, according to the news release. Kojo Prefab addresses the rising demand and underscores contractors needs From a chatbot that speaks builders language to tech thatfor improved productivity, quality control, safety performance corrals massive amounts of data captured from scans, thisand cost predictability associated with prefabrication.months offerings are aimed at simplifying complex tasks. Using the tool, field teams can order assemblies from the prefab Keeping project data straight can be a gargantuan task in itself.shop and track the status on Kojos mobile app. It also allows Every build is by definition a moving target, with specs andprefab workers to upload custom images and communicateprogress status changing daily. This is where technology canproduction updates across teams, according to the release. help.As our prefab shop grew, we turned Sharpie drawings into Here are six recent announcements from software makers anddigital PDFs, but no one was using them, and they were impos-other tech providers to help keep project info flowing in a use- sible to maintain, said Danny Blankenship, a prefab manager ful way, without disrupting the job at hand:at Baltimore-based United Electric, in the release. KojosPrefab not only digitizes, but the goal is for our teams to use BuildotsKojo to communicate what prefab materials are available,On Wednesday, Tel Aviv-based construction technology pro- create POs and track deliveriesjust like ordering a pizza. vider Buildots announced the launch of Dot, a plain language chatbot that gives up-to-date answers about project details. Prefab is now available as part of Kojos expanded suite offeatures, which also include Procurement, Inventory Manage-The new tool leverages Buildots comprehensive dataset andment, Tool Tracking and Accounts Payable. generative artificial intelligence to provide instant insights in response to direct questions, according to the news release.Highwire Highwire says it has made vetting subs easier than ever. The Powered by OpenAIs latest GPT models, and trained byBoston-based firm introduced its new Prequalification solu-Buildots to work for the construction domain, Dot cross- tion to assess default and safety risk posed by subcontractors references multiple data points to provide in-depth analysis,earlier this month, according to the news release.making it easier to measure progress, track implementation and provide visibility to resolve issues before they escalate, the firmThe technology platform, which was developed at Harvard to says.ensure the safety of its students, faculty and contractors while reducing insurance costs for construction projects, streamlines With Dot, were enabling a whole new way of accessingthe vetting process for subs while eliminating irrelevant project information, as if theyre speaking with a colleague,questions that drive contractors crazy by taking scope of work receiving precise insights when they need them, said Roy into account.Danon, co-founder and CEO of Buildots, in the release. We designed our new Prequalification solution with subcon-Users can ask Dot about progress percentages, task completionstractors in mind, said Don Fornes, chairman and CEO at High-or trade-specific updates using everyday language. They canwire, in the release. At every step, we sought to remove the follow up on those questions to dig deep and get invaluablefriction that has characterized traditional prequalification. information that would otherwise be difficult or time consum-ing to obtain.The tool analyzes everything from financial viability to past project experience, safety performance, insurance and surety Superintendents can use Dot to guide subcontractors by cross- bond tracking, and litigation and default history, Highwire referencing conditions and ensuring multiple prerequisites aresaid.met before starting new tasks. For instance, a superintendent might ask, Give me a list of apartments where drywall closureThe solutions unveiling comes at a time when 70% of respond-is completed but bathroom tiling hasnt started, enabling thements to an Associated General Contractors of America survey to prioritize the right tasks and allocate resources efficiently,reported subcontractor distress or defaults have increased. the firm says. Customers include Rosendin Electric and T5 Data Centers,With Buildots, not only can you track progress, but now youaccording to the firm.also have this AI assistant that allows you to ask questions about your project progress and dive into it, said Trent Trimble Nichols, national BIM director at Kansas City, Missouri-basedMore data, more problems. Thats the issue that Trimbles new JE Dunn, in the release. Its a no-brainer.Reality Capture platform tackles.KojoWith more devices gathering information on jobsites today than Materials and inventory management platform Kojo recentlyever before, the Westminster, Colorado-based contech giant announced the launch of Kojo Prefab, designed to help contrac- says making sense of geospatial data has become increasingly tors connect their prefabrication shop to the rest of their busi- complex.ness. (continued on page 27) 17'