How PCL Construction used Twinspect in its SaskPower project
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6. November 2024
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10. December 2024
SaskPower, the largest electricity provider in Saskatchewan, undertook a transformative project to restore its 55-year-old, 14-story head office building in Regina, Canada. As part of its commitment to promoting energy efficiency, SaskPower set out to not only enhance the building’s sustainability but also demonstrate leadership in environmentally-conscious construction practices.
In this major undertaking, PCL Construction, a leading construction company, was tasked with modernizing the building’s infrastructure while maintaining its historical integrity. Larry Laxdal, the Integrated Construction Technology Manager at PCL, played a pivotal role in overseeing the project from its inception to its successful completion.
Key goals of the project
The primary goals of the restoration project were to extend the building's operational lifespan, remove hazardous materials from the façade, achieve substantial energy savings, and preserve the building’s historical significance. These objectives were met through an innovative, technology-driven approach to construction, highlighting PCL's commitment to excellence and sustainability.
Advanced technology in construction: drone-captured 3D models and AI
In project's innitiation phase, PCL conducted a comprehensive assessment of the building's exterior before starting the restoration works. To tackle the challenges associated with inspecting and retrofitting a high-rise structure, PCL incorporated state-of-the-art technology. A major innovation was the introduction of drone-captured 3D models, which significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of defect detection. Traditionally, inspecting such high-rise buildings involved manual labor, scaffolding, and posed significant safety risks. However, with the use of Twinspect, an advanced AI-assisted inspection platform developed by Twinsity, PCL was able to streamline the inspection process.
How TWINSPECT revolutionized the project
Twinspect allowed PCL to perform precise inspections of the building's exterior, identifying defects such as cracks, water infiltration, and material degradation. By leveraging drone technology to capture high-resolution images, the system created detailed 3D models that could be analyzed for structural and other issues. This allowed PCL to get the consulting engineers to inspect the structure early, identify the areas of concern and move up the project schedule. Twinspect allows a thorough documention of all defects, with reports pinpointing the exact location and severity of each issue.
The drone-derived technology accelerated the project's progress and provided a comprehensive record of the building. Such records are invaluable throughout the entire lifecycle of the building. The inspection results documented in Twinspect can be accessed at any time in the future, allowing for easy comparison between previous and current building conditions. This not only addresses concerns that the initial inspection might have missed critical issues but also ensures a rigorous documentation of the building’s status at every stage of its service life.
PCL's integration of advanced technologies in the SaskPower head office renovation set a new industry standard, proving how drone-derived inspection technology can enhance the efficiency, safety, and accuracy of renovation projects. The use of Twinspect allowed for real-time data insights, helping ensure the longevity of the building while reducing overall project costs.
A successful outcome
Twinspect has overcome the challenge of handling the vast volume of data generated by drone inspections, making it easily accessible to consultants, clients, and other stakeholders. Often, these stakeholders don't have the specialized modeling software needed to inspect or even view detailed 3D models. However, Twinspect provides a simple solution, allowing all stakeholders to access high-resolution data directly through their browsers. Just upload the data to Twinspect, share the link, and they’re ready to explore.
The success of this project demonstrates the future of construction, where traditional techniques are enhanced by cutting-edge innovations like drone inspections and digital defect detection. PCL’s forward-thinking approach has set a new benchmark in restoration and construction, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient building renovations.
Are you located in North America? Reach out to our US distributor E38 Survey Solutions for a Twinspect demo.