Toronto AI platform cuts time for electrical design in MI
Augmenta has announced that its generative design platform was used for the first time in the electrical system design of an elementary school in Michigan.
The Toronto-based generative design platform has launched a project propelling the potential impact of artificial intelligence in the construction and design of community infrastructure. According to data released from Augmenta, the application of the platform resulted in a 15 per cent reduction in material waste, a 25 per cent reduction in design time, and a one-month acceleration in the readiness of drawings for prefabrication compared to traditional methods.
Electrical contractor C&R Electric deployed Augmenta's platform to automate and optimise the layout and routing of the school's electrical systems, with an emphasis on efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.
The AI-based tool moves beyond standard computer design, automating much of the detailed design process and producing results from initial prompts in less time. Electrical system design, often among the last phases in building projects and subject to space constraints due to mechanical and plumbing layouts, was selected for this first use case.
The platform, developed by a team with experience in generative design and construction automation, targets the automation of sustainable building design. The firm's current suite is equipped to help design services firms and subcontractors in the automation of electrical system design, with future releases planned for broader building services applications.
"Augmenta is a game-changer for efficiency. We witnessed remarkable time savings of over 100 hours in the design phase and our prefabrication-ready drawing time was cut down by a full month," said Kyle Sponseller, President of C&R Electric.
The generation of thousands of feet of conduit routes through the AI platform also contributed to reduced human errors and fewer on-site reworks, both factors potentially yielding further cost and time savings. Augmenta's website states the solution can decrease an electrical engineer's modelling time by 40 per cent while creating streamlined digital chains for every job on a project.
Future scope for automation
The company hopes to deliver a new generation of design tools that fully automate the design of MEP/S systems.
Augmenta plans to expand its AI design capabilities beyond electrical systems. The company's development roadmap includes features that address mechanical, plumbing, structural, and automated prefabrication design processes. This expansion is intended to help meet global demand for new housing and infrastructure, while supporting an agenda for sustainability in the construction sector.
Francesco Iorio, CEO and Co-Founder of Augmenta, reflected on the milestone represented by the Mt. Hope Elementary School project in Michigan.
"The Mt. Hope Elementary School stands as a testament to what's possible when innovative AI meets the fundamental needs of our communities. We are incredibly proud that the first completed application of our technology is a place of learning that will benefit the children and families of Lansing for generations to come."
