Standardizing on one inspection platform makes it far easier to achieve – and maintain – a holistic view of a building’s structural data, writes Screening Eagle’s Peter Stenov.

Invite the casual observer to evoke the process of building inspection, and it’s quite likely they will describe someone slowly moving around a site and taking down notes with trusty ‘pad and pencil’. But whilst this approach hasn’t been entirely consigned to the past, the present-day reality for many companies is much more high-tech.

It’s not hard to work out why moving from ‘analogue to digital’ – in other words, to a software-based inspection platform – makes so much sense. On a practical level, it eliminates the need to manage a set of paper-based data sources – not to mention the risk of them going astray or being accidentally destroyed. Putting all data sets into one centralized platform also makes it far easier to find specific items of information, and share it with colleagues or third parties.

But whilst moving into the virtual domain always brings benefits, it also follows that some software platforms are going to be more powerful than others. As building lifecycles lengthen and the need to schedule maintenance accurately becomes more important, it is wise to choose a platform that can provide a truly holistic view of structural data. This means building managers and consultants will face fewer challenges in determining what needs to be done – and when.

It was with these factors in mind that our R&D team at Screening Eagle created INSPECT – an intelligent inspection software platform that is now helping all kinds of organizations to maintain structural health and integrity records for all their assets.

Quality, productivity, reliability

It stands to reason that the larger the estate, the more valuable a platform like INSPECT will be. With sizeable and ageing estates, in particular, INSPECT can be instrumental in ensuring that the right work is done at the right time. But even with single sites or smaller estates, it can perform a vital role in protecting the value of assets, extending their lifetimes, and protecting the safety of the public.

INSPECT achieves all this by focusing on three primary characteristics. The first of these is Quality, with the software making it possible to gather and maintain comprehensive data fields in a more structured way. The second of these is Productivity, with the use of one platform that can be accessed anywhere allowing immediate documentation of all information – so no time-consuming data entry tasks when you get back to the office! Finally, there is Reliability, by which we mean the platform’s cloud-based structure and real-time synchronization make data available to all team members – and other stakeholders as required.

With INSPECT, all data – including 2D drawings, 3D views, sketches, photos and other observations – can be brought into one ’SPOT’ for each project. This centralized approach makes it easy to keep track of all structural information, while AI-based defect analysis can identify cracks and other issues that need to be prioritized. With AI technology continuing to evolve very rapidly, this capability is sure to be enhanced further in the years ahead.

One thing we can all be sure of is that reducing carbon-intensive construction and extending the useful lives of existing buildings is becoming more important. By standardizing on a platform such as our INSPECT, organizations everywhere will find it much easier to play their part.

If you’re the owner or operator of a structural asset or a building and want to learn more about the ways in which INSPECT can add long-term value to your operations, we’d love to give you a no-obligation demo, register now.