Funding will allow onsite performance measuring software to progress to pilot projects
Okana, the global built environment consultancy, has been awarded Innovate UK funding to further develop its onsite plant performance measuring software Aquila.
Aquila uses real time 4D mapping of plant equipment to review, analyse and predict performance onsite. The technology links plant equipment directly to project work programmes with a view to allowing an accelerated understanding of onsite operations.
Aquila aims to eliminate earthwork estimations and automatically determine the plant and equipment’s productivity output through machine learning algorithms in the platform.
The Aquila technology will ‘accurately set’ project schedules for plant equipment, monitor and measure in use, down time and emissions output. Plus take lessons learned from one project to the next to maximise these efficiencies.
Aquila was previously awarded a round of Innovate UK funding for a feasibility study in 2019 to address the under use of plant equipment on site to achieve budget and energy savings.
This second round of funding will allow Okana to progress the development of Aquila on pilot projects together with project partners – Northumbria University, Newcastle University and xbim.
According to Okana, it is estimated misuse of plant equipment is wasting up to £100b globally per year. Typically plant equipment and vehicles spit out exceptionally high levels of emissions, resulting in a consequential negative impact on the environment, to which the construction sector is responsible for around a fifth of all global emissions.
Okana believes that closer, and smarter analysis of plant equipment will produce efficiency savings in both onsite use and global emissions.
The company explains that plant equipment, particularly heavy earthmoving equipment such as excavators, bulldozers and trucks, represent a major cost element in construction projects ranging from 10% in a commercial project, and up to 50% in major infrastructure projects such as highways, railways and energy projects.
Previous research by the Okana team estimated that productivity on site could be improved by 15% or more, by increasing plant and equipment utilisation throughout the construction phase.
Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation which invests in businesses developing new innovations – with an annual budget of over £1billion allocated to driving UK productivity and economic growth.
