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in and start to provide some training for them in terms competitive advantage for Rosendin and best-in-class
of the construction side of things. There really is a lot products and services for our customers.”
to offer in terms of VR and AR for how construction
is built,” Meeske notes. “You can see that in many
different ways.” NEW PERSPECTIVES = NEW APPROACHES

Ultimately, gamers have brought a fresh perspective on
Consider the application of technology such as drones, the 3D space as well as how Rosendin’s projects should
laser scanners and photogrammetry on job sites. “We be led.
have to bring those complex technologies into the
users’ hands so they can actually apply it,” says Meeske. “Combining ‘nontraditional’ with ‘traditional’ workers
“That’s where gamers come into play because they can bring in a new set of eyes, thoughts and ideas to
know how to work in that environment. They know how create solutions to both new and existing issues,” says
to design in that environment, and to be able to teach Meeske. “This happens because these workers have
and train in that environment. So, there’s a lot of ways not had the industry experience or bias to do things a
they can help us.”
certain way.”
Gamers are also able to apply AR and VR gaming He equates it to a child questioning why things
technology to create construction solutions. “Once our work a certain way. “This questioning and [lack of]
gaming/programmers have been able to understand understanding of industry accustomed processes gives
construction processes, they are able to identify them the perspective of an outsider looking in,” Meeske
automation opportunities and create dedicated states. “[It] lets them look beyond the box — or the
software to address those needs,” says Meeske.
ways we’ve always done it — exposing things that are
usually being looked at with a blind eye.
For example, 3D modeling, and VR in particular, enable
field personnel — those responsible for actually “It allows for a totally new approach,” he adds, “to the
building the projects — to access virtual models challenges the industry faces for improving schedules,
on site to visualize projects. “We can give them an installations, quality, cost and especially safety.”
environment where they can see what it’s going to
look like and they may decide to make changes or Rosendin’s BIM division continues to explore the
recommend to engineering to modify a current design potential that VR and AR have to offer. “We’re just
to be more efficient,” Meeske explains.
discovering all of the possibilities and the benefits,”
says Meeske. And as they explore, he expects further
Data scientists and analysts have also been introduced confluence of traditional and non-traditional.
into the BIM division. These individuals use artificial
intelligence and data analysis to provide objective, “If you go to school and get your degree in gaming
numbers-based understanding of VR/AR applications or in a similar or related field, it doesn’t have a real
and others, including the resulting performance.
connection to the construction industry. And the
construction industry has a more antiquated way of
“Programmers have enabled us to increase automation looking at things, at least in the past. It is changing. It
and enable innovation, while data scientists and is evolving,” Meeske acknowledges. “But by bringing
analysts have enabled us to understand our current these individuals together, and allowing them to
performance and drive a quantitative decision-making explore and to challenge each other, this is where the
process,” says Meeske.
magic happens.
“Combining these teams of employees in the same “The magic is just beginning, where we are now, and
space provides technical capabilities that clearly set that’s what’s so exciting to me,” he continues, “just in
us apart from our competition and the industry as a seeing what can be.”
whole,” he adds. “The byproduct of this process [is a]

Listen to the GroundBreakers podcast with Rosendin's VP of BIM

Technology, Fred Meeske as he discusses how hiring "gamers" can

benefit the construction industry.

Listen to the Podcast Here

20 The Feeder | Issue 4, 2020