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and widely dispersed than those in most other industries . They need to communicate and align frequently , since certain changes , such as a seemingly minor modification to a materials order , could significantly increase timelines or costs if made too late in the game . That explains why many construction-technology start-ups have focused on tools that promote digital collaboration — the online exchange of information — throughout all E & C project phases .
Construction technology is advancing rapidly , compressing development schedules for new tools and significantly increasing their cost . Unless E & C firms back their commitment to innovation with a substantial investment , they are unlikely to stay on the cutting edge . Since every digital initiative carries some degree of financial risk , E & C companies should approach owners , developers , sub-contractors , and technology providers , asking about partnerships or co-investment opportunities .
Infrastructure around the World is failing . Here ’ s how to make it more resilient ( Source : World Economic Forum )
Persistent underfunding of critical infrastructure worldwide is hampering economic progress , and exposing businesses and communities to significant risks . Existing physical and digital infrastructure are under stress from population growth and face challenges from cyber attacks , extreme weather and climate change . New infrastructure development is increasingly intertwined with rising geopolitical tensions , and given the potential for a global economic downturn , funding could come under further pressure .
Although there is widespread consensus among Governments and businesses on the importance of infrastructure to a growing economy and an evolving society , the world on average continues to underinvest in infrastructure . Worldwide investment in infrastructure is expected to be USD79 trillion by 2040 . However , the actual global investment need is closer to USD97 trillion . To close this USD18 trillion gap , average annual global infrastructure investment would need to increase by approximately 23 % per year .
A history of lifts - ( Source : Master Builders Solutions )
In ancient Rome , the Colosseum used 24 lifts powered by hundreds of men to raise gladiators and their animal combatants to the the arena , travelling via vertical shafts from an underground network of rooms , animal pens and tunnels .
In ancient Greece , while it might seem low tech compared to today ’ s ultra-fast elevators , the lift started out as a humble hoist , used as far back as the 3 rd century BC by the ancient Greeks , operated by pulleys and winches . Vitruvius wrote that Greek mathematician Archimedes created a basic elevator in 236 BC using hoisting ropes wound around a drum , which was turned by manpower pushing a capstan .
In France , King Louis XV of France found vertical transportation a cunning way to ensure privacy from prying eyes . A ‘ flying chair ’ ( in fact , it was a small cabinet ) took one of his mistresses to her rooms on the third floor of the Palace of Versailles , and was later used by Madame de Pompadour . This early lift , created by Blaise-Henri Arnoult , was operated by a rope and used counterweights and pulleys . The occupant simply sat in the cabinet and used the rope to raise or lower it as needed .
Meanwhile , a ‘ flying table ’ in the King ’ s Château de Choisy residence brought a readylaid table up from the kitchen to the dining room , eliminating the need for disturbance by servants .
There was always a risk that supporting ropes or cables would snap , so Elisha Otis devised his famous ‘ safety elevator ’ design in 1852 . This safeguarded workers from the danger of a falling platform should a hoist cable break by using a ratchet beam . And in 1857 , he created a stir with the installation of the first passenger elevator , situated in a New York store and powered by steam – a novelty which drew in the crowds .
The manual ‘ dumbwaiter ’ became popular in the 1840s in the USA as a way to transport food from one floor to another . The simple mechanism involved a frame in a shaft , lowered by a rope on a pulley , which was guided by rails . A mechanical version was patented in 1883
78 VOL 88 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2021