Building information modeling (BIM) is about sharing project data. Obviously, the more up to date and accurate that data is, the better—and it doesn’t get much more up to date than real time. Unearth’s new BIM construction software OnePlace uses real-time collaboration to improve project communication between all construction project stakeholders, including landowners, general contractors, subcontractors and regulatory agencies. This allows for transparent communication on day-to-day activities, both at the office and on the job site, keeping the entire team on the same page. This helps to address project obstacles and unexpected issues in a more timely and effective way.
OnePlace allows users to store construction data, such as aerial and ground photography, site maps, blueprints and drone surveys, in a simple, place-based cloud interface. To do this, Unearth uses a combination of aerial imagery, mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) to organize construction data by place automatically, instead of manually within files and folders.
This live and transparent record of build progress can be accessed from any browser, on any device. Having an easily accessible record of what was built and why helps in communicating about change orders and project progress, as well as aids in the operations and maintenance of the structure itself over its life span. This can also help protect project stakeholders should legal disputes arise involving the project.
The OnePlace feature list, which is continually growing, currently includes:
- Integration of plans, aerials, photos and more into one simple, place-based view
- Automatic organization of photos by place within aerial surveys or plans using GPS metadata
- A simple staking tool to perfectly align blueprints with aerial imagery
- Software access from any browser, any location, on any device
- The ability to track change over time, including volumetric measurements
- Support for a wide variety of file types and imagery, including 360-degree photos
Unearth was Founded by long-time technology executives Brian Saab, Amy Hutchins and Nate Miller. In addition to launching OnePlace, the group also announced a funding round of $3 million led by Madrona Venture Group with participation from Vulcan Capital.
“Brian and his team are applying modern technology in a simple and effective manner to a huge issue—productivity in the construction industry,” commented S. Somasegar, managing director, Madrona Venture Group. “Unearth takes a place-focused approach to an industry that is at its heart about place—bringing together disparate sources of data to describe and record multimillion-dollar land and building projects. We are excited about the opportunities in front of Unearth as they continue to build their customers and product.” As part of the financing, S. Somasegar will join the board of Unearth.
OnePlace has been in beta for a year and launched just last week at www.unearthlabs.com. Unearth is offering free access to the software for 30 days through its self sign-up feature.