US contractor develops AI estimating tool

Coastal Construction’s Togal.AI estimating software uses ‘deep machine learning’ and AI to analyse construction drawings and provide quantity reports.

The company says that Togal.AI allows its estimators to save about 10,000 hours of work each year. As a result, they have been able to spend more time on more important work like nurturing subcontractor relationships, performing value engineering, innovating, reviewing plans and pricing for clients and bidding for more work.

Coastal Construction’s achievement has been declared the grand prize winner of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Innovation Awards, sponsored by Autodesk.

The AGC presented the company with a US$7,000 prize at the association’s annual convention in Las Vegas last month.

Another company, Green Badger, based in Savannah, Georgia, claimed second prize with a suite of tools that it has developed to streamline and automate sustainability and green construction compliance.

PCL Construction, based in Glendale, California came third for Job Site Access, a cloud-based platform for establishing and controlling access to construction sites.

AGC president Lester Snyder said: “These companies are finding innovative approaches to improve the construction industry. They are part of a core of contractors who are revolutionising the way firms build projects.”

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