The Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry has undergone a transformative shift in recent years, with the integration of Software as a Service (SaaS) playing a pivotal role. SaaS applications have become indispensable in addressing the unique challenges of AECO, particularly in the realm of IT infrastructure maintenance. This paradigm shift offers numerous advantages that not only enhance operational efficiency but also significantly reduce the burden of managing complex IT environments.

Insights: IT landscape in the AECO industry

What type of technology solution is used in construction?

There is an inherent condition in AECO when it comes to the software tools we use. Within a single project, construction companies can employ various technologies, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), drones, scanning, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), modular construction, and sustainable technologies.

How do these technology solutions impact the AECO industry?

Construction projects, therefore, are significantly impacted by the use of various software, and becoming increasingly data-intensive, far more than other industries. Why? Because of the combination of four elements: Models, Simulations, Photos and Point Clouds.

Digitalization has brought some huge new possibilities to our industry, one of them is the fact that we build assets virtually. This doesn’t mean simply adding a 3D model to the dataset, but rather a Non-Destructive (ND) model with extensive associated data. And this is not all. There are the revisions of it. And that’s not all. There are revisions to consider as well. A BIM hospital won’t end up being very heavy on the initial model, but rather on the hundreds of archived versions and revisions. This results in an exponential increase in data that needs to be managed, as we may need to flip between these variations.

Simulations represent the next level of data explosion, as we now have the added value (when we have a BIM model) of making certain situations ‘live’ and observing behavior. This is, in fact, the key added value when it comes to the lifecycle of an asset. Increasingly, we will want to monitor its consumption and behavior in terms of energy, water, waste, CO2, etc. Of course, this heavily impacts the necessary data processing and storage capacities of AECO participants.

Last but not least, there is the impact of scanning technologies. With the ability to capture reality at no associated cost (thanks to digital cameras and other types of scanning devices), we are, of course, using them intensively, and this usage is expected to continue increasing in the coming years as these technologies become more democratized. The additional calculation and storage capacities needed for assets in construction, storing daily captures of the entire site, are mind-blowing.

As the workload, technology interactions, and amount of data increase each day, construction companies in the AECO industry will soon find it simply impossible to own, host, and maintain the full hardware and dedicated software structure necessary to process all this. The need for IT solution services from an external IT team is becoming more urgent than ever before.

Construction IT services: ultimate solutions to support companies in the AECO industry

What is the meaning of IT construction services?

IT construction services typically encompass a broad spectrum of activities that leverage technology to support, manage, and enhance construction operations. These services may include:

• Managing and maintaining IT infrastructure for construction projects.
• Developing and implementing software solutions tailored to the needs of the industry, like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and project management tools.
• Implementing advanced technologies such as IoT, drones, and VR/AR to streamline construction processes.
• Providing data-driven solutions to optimize project schedules, costs, safety, quality, and function.
• Offering cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive project data from cyber attacks and threats.

In essence, IT construction services aim to bring about efficiency, productivity, and innovation in the construction industry through the strategic use of technology.

SaaS Solutions: Transforming Construction IT Services

What is SaaS?

SaaS, or Software as a Service, refers to a cloud-based software delivery model where applications are hosted by a third-party provider and made available to users over the internet on a subscription basis.

In the construction industry, SaaS offerings may include project management software, collaboration tools, BIM (Building Information Modeling) software, accounting and financial management software, and many other applications tailored to meet the specific needs of construction firms. 

What is the role of SAAS in construction?

The primary advantages of SaaS for construction firms lie in the simplification and centralization of IT infrastructure maintenance. SaaS eliminates the need for such extensive infrastructure, as the applications are hosted in the cloud. This shift not only reduces capital expenditures but also minimizes the logistical challenges associated with maintaining physical servers and networks.

Furthermore, SaaS solutions in AECO are designed to provide seamless updates and maintenance without causing disruptions to ongoing projects. Traditional software updates often require significant downtime and manual intervention, impacting project timelines and efficiency. SaaS providers handle updates centrally, ensuring that all users have access to the latest features and security patches simultaneously. This streamlined approach allows AECO professionals in construction firms, from the office to the job site, to focus on their core tasks without the constant worry of maintaining and updating software.

The customer success team of the SaaS platform will handle the adoption and onboarding process, ensuring your construction team can focus entirely on their core activities: building assets!

The sooner construction companies realize that there is no way around adopting cloud solutions with their computational capacities, the sooner they can start to learn and get used to the new normal, which is to have IT staff that knows how to put these pieces together, mitigate potential problems and harvest the full range of advantages in the best way.

Catenda: The Technology Partner of your construction company 

Catenda is a Software as a Service (SaaS) company specializing in the construction industry. We offer our clients an ecosystem of open software solutions designed to support them and alleviate their technological challenges throughout the entire lifecycle of their built assets. 

What does Catenda ecosystem technology involve?

At Catenda, we offer our clients 4 main solutions

• Catenda Hub: A cloud-based platform for managing all your construction project data (plans, models, documents) and workflows (scheduling, communication, issue tracking).
• Catenda Site: Your on-site companion app for accessing Catenda Hub projects, managing issues, and viewing plans.
• Catenda Boost: A toolkit for building custom BIM solutions and extending existing software to streamline workflows.
• Catenda Duo: The platform for optimizing building data to reduce environmental impact.

Choosing Catenda means that you can simultaneously shift your software and hardware maintenance responsibilities away from your IT department to us! We don’t view it as a burden; rather, we consider it an honor to earn your trust, serve you in achieving your goals at any stages of your building project and help you scale your construction business sustainably! 

At Catenda, we don’t want to sell you the software only, we’re committed to being your strategic technology partner, collaborating to build lasting value together!