Land Surveying Archives - McNeil Engineering

What does the global 2023 construction outlook reveal?

It’s no secret that 2022 has been a complicated year. The construction sector has seen some serious highs and lows as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic linger. Add in soaring inflation, big infrastructure spending, and a hot job market and it truly is a confusing environment for civil engineering firms in Utah. The question now is, what will 2023 bring? Let’s take a moment in today’s blog post to find the answer.

The United States 2023 Construction Outlook

The United States benefits from big infrastructure projects and an economy that’s still humming. Analysts are seeing an easing in inflation and lead times for certain building materials. Still, pricing remains stubbornly high. Optimistic projections point to a mild and short recession, mainly because of high employment and a dropping consumer price index (CPI) reading.

Here is how construction spending in six sectors is going to look. Expect manufacturing, highways, transportation, multifamily housing, lodging, and communications to expand by at least 5% next year. Another four other sectors, which include healthcare, public safety, education, and commercial, are expected to grow by zero to 4%. And there will be a slight decline in construction spending for single-family housing, power, improvements, and office buildings.

Finally, let’s take a local look. Utah added some 50,600 new jobs over the past 12 months, a 3.1% increase, with the numbers in fast-growing Washington County and the rest of southwestern Utah closer to 4%, according to a new report from the state Department of Workforce Services. And what was the fastest-growing sector in Utah over the past year? Construction, which added 15,100 new jobs. Utah continues to be one of the best-performing economies in the United States.

The European Union’s 2023 Construction Outlook

Meanwhile, across the pond, analysts are a lot more pessimistic about the European construction outlook. According to one reading from a European construction research group Construction output growth across Europe will drop to 0.2% in 2023 and drop even further to flat in 2024, with the reason being the ongoing war in Ukraine. But Europe is also grappling with rising interest rates, inflation, and material shortages.

Many analysts expect this to be a rough period of adjustment for the construction sector. Why? Because nearly all factors that affect construction demand are trending negatively in the Eurozone. These include the economy, consumer prices, interest rates, and consumer confidence. Specifically in Europe, demand for civil engineering has been lifted by big public and private investments in low-carbon energy and transport schemes. Still, the prospects for residential output drag down the overall outlook for the sector. And unlike the United States, Europe is not rolling out huge infrastructure investments across the board to its member countries.

It was only as recently as early summer that many were expecting a 2.2% growth in GDP in the Eurozone, even taking the war in Ukraine into account. Those estimates have been revised down to as little as 0.5%. Fortunately, the civil engineering outlook in Europe looks positive as many countries invest in low-carbon energy and renovate existing infrastructure, albeit with projects small in scope than those in the United States.

The U.K.’s 2023 Construction Outlook

The United Kingdom relies on seasonal construction forecasts released by the Construction Products Association (CPA). So, what does this upcoming forecast say about the state of construction in the U.K.? Well, according to the Autumn Construction Forecast, construction output is forecast to fall by 3.9% in 2023. Contrast that with 2022, when construction activity rose by 2%, and you’ve got a pretty wild swing. Currently, construction activity is at above-normal levels as activity continues at a high level.

It is also important to consider that the huge decline in activity for fall 2023 is a sharp downward revision from -0.4% in even the worst scenario included in the U.K.’s CPA Summer Construction Forecast. Why? Mainly due to the impact of a wider economic recession, exacerbated by the effect of the ‘Mini Budget,’ and the consequent fallout from recent political uncertainty. With the U.K. having set a record for the shortest term for a prime minister in recorded history, lots of important projects have been either shelved or delayed.

The fact is there is still much uncertainty around the United Kingdom’s economy. There are still many factors that will adversely affect the construction forecast within the country. These factors include falls in real wages and potential further rises in interest rates, which will likely lead to further falls in consumer spending decisions.

On top of these issues, the wider uncertainty around the UK economy means that demand for private housing new build and private housing repair, maintenance, and improvement, is expected to fall. But what about commercial builds? Other key construction sectors such as commercial and infrastructure are also expected to be adversely impacted by valid worries about construction cost inflation. Rising prices are sure to negatively impact and possibly directly hinder project viability.

So, with that update on the U.S. and European construction outlook, 2023 appears to be a year of contraction, although more in some places than others. Here at McNeil Engineering, we are ready to serve our clients with top-level civil engineering services on construction projects in Utah and beyond. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Why is Utah such a great place for business?

We’re proud to be a Utah-based engineering firm. We’ve called his great state our home for more than 30 years. And although the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for everyone, we were fortunate to count on our clients here in Utah and beyond to help carry us through. Now, we are thriving. But we aren’t the only ones. Sure, there’s a lot of construction going on. Developers are more in need of engineering services than ever before. And there’s a good reason for that. Simply put, Utah has a great environment for business. Let’s take a closer look at why.

Why does Utah have such a pro-business climate?

Let’s look at all of the individual reasons why engineering firms, construction companies, retail businesses and other companies thrive in Utah’s climate. First, Utah has a very high rate of upward mobility for workers within its economy when compared to other states. What does that mean in practice? Well, “upward mobility” refers to the chances of a person being raised in the bottom fifth income bracket and reaching the top fifth income bracket. There are a lot of people in Utah who have bootstrapped themselves to success, and it’s because Utah provides them with that opportunity.

Utah has also established itself as a tech hub. Our “Silicon Slopes” is home to some of the biggest tech companies in the world. Northern Utah has facilities where some big names in tech conduct research and create products and services. They include big names like Adobe, EA Sports, and the Intel/Micron joint venture IM Flash Technologies. Many students who have graduated from prestigious Utah universities have found internships or built careers at companies that have a presence in the Silicon Slopes.

Utah also has a favorable regulatory and tax climate. The Beehive State offers a flat five percent personal and corporate tax rate, one of the lowest in the nation. Small businesses benefit from low-tax environments. And while low taxes are important to small businesses, a stable tax rate is equally important. Utah small businesses have benefited from the predictability of the state’s flat tax, which was first introduced two decades ago.

Utah remains a desirable state

Utah has been increasingly recognized as one of the top places in the country for business. As recent research suggests, Utah’s pro-business climate is enhanced by the state’s strong and stable economy. Utah has one of the biggest worker shortages in the Union. Utahns don’t have to go far to see the effects of the labor shortage — from hiring signs in restaurants and gas stations to businesses still running on reduced hours. Many of our favorite businesses are still shuttered or working at half-staff.

Utah sits at the epicenter of growth in the Intermountain West. Businesses flock to Utah and the state’s economy functions as a growth engine in the region. Utah continues to have one of the strongest economies in the country. Currently, Utah is tied for the second lowest unemployment rate in the country, at 2.1%, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employers continue to struggle to keep employees on and not only replace those who leave, but grow their workforce.

OThisis a problem that also has benefits. But of course, there are also challenges. All this unbridled growth has created a need for workers that the state hasn’t been able to keep up with. As a result, companies must push up wages to attract workers and raise prices on their products and services. The low unemployment rate could be inflationary. And yet, people from all over the country continue to move to Utah to find opportunities.

Businesses incentives drive growth

One of the biggest factors driving business growth in Utah remains the incentives businesses have to move their operations to the state. Incentivizing business creation and sustainable growth is key to Utah’s thriving small business ecosystem. There are now several state-funded programs across the state that businesses can tap into to expand and retain clients. Rural parts of the state can also access grant programs for small businesses.

Utah offers financial incentives for business relocation and expansion. These incentive programs are built with three factors in mind. State leaders want to ensure they are both effective and sustainable. First, the business expansion must be competitive. Second, the incentives must be post-performance. And thirdly, the incentive must be a tax rebate once the jobs have been created and the corporate taxes are paid. Most importantly, these incentives were previously only available to new companies relocating to Utah. But not anymore. Today, they are available to businesses already in Utah to help them grow right here on home soil.

At McNeil Engineering, we’re proud to be part of the stability underpinning Utah’s business community. We’ve worked with many businesses in the state. We’ve even worked on some projects in the Silicon Slopes. And we’re so happy to be doing business in a state that makes it easy for us to do so.

What has McNeil Engineering been up to so far this year? Part I

Welcome to a look at some of our big jobs from the former part of 2022. We wanted to take a moment to highlight our recent work so you can get a better idea of our capabilities.

1. Larkin Cemetery

For more than 20 years our team has had a great relationship with the Larkin family and their incredible team at Larkin Mortuary. The scope of our work includes civil engineering projects, helping lay the foundation for their current headquarters as well as surveying their properties to prepare for future growth.

Led by Surveying Department Manager Mike Hoffman, our team has been involved in surveying and mapping both Larkin Cemetery locations using state-of-the-art technology to help them transition to a new cemetery management software system.

Through the use of drones and ultra-high-resolution cameras, our team was able to provide them with sophisticated imagery including a complete point cloud image of both locations. We sent both to Dan Cable and the team at EDA Land Planning, a firm acting as their go-to landscape architect overseeing our cemetery development.

This information allows their team to ensure accuracy and precision when taking inventory of their current land assets. Plus, it helps them plan for the future with confidence. We look forward to continuing to work with the team at Larkin Mortuary, it’s always a pleasure. Big thanks to Michael D. Hoffman for acting as survey manager on this important project!

2. Draper Innovation

No matter how many roofing or paving projects we manage, it’s never lost on our team how different each project is, and how important it is to keep a keen eye for small details to ensure that each project is successful and that their roofs and parking lots are built to last!

The Draper Innovation Center is no exception to that rule. Across a large lot, this multi-structure complex is an exciting new addition to the area that is nearing completion with one building finished and the other expected to be complete this summer.

As part of our responsibilities as the consultant and project manager our team reviewed plans and specifications for the owner and commented on what details needed to be revised and issues that could be avoided before construction started. We also reviewed material submittals and shop drawings to make sure they lined up with the plans and specifications and took our findings to preconstruction meetings for both buildings to review with the contractor while verifying his material submittals, shop drawings, and construction schedule. Throughout this process, our team worked closely with the general contractor to ensure that there were no conflicts with other trades.

For the duration of the project, our team observes the roofing production twice a week to make sure that the roof is being installed as per the plans and specifications and sends a report with photos to the owner. We also work with the roofing contractor on any field changes that need to be made. Once the project is finished our team will perform the final inspection with the manufacturer and send out a punch list to the roofing contractor with any final adjustments. As part of this process, we verify that owner receives the final warranty documentation. Big thanks to Carl Greene, consulting manager on the project.

3. North Union

In coordination with our very own Structural Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and Surveying departments, our Civil Engineering team had the pleasure of working on the exciting new North Union Apartments project! It really was a blast working in-house across so many departments and disciplines to bring this awesome complex to life which is now entering the final stages of construction.

The key responsibilities of our Civil Engineering team were fairly standard for this type of project as we coordinated with the architects to locate the building on-site and designed all new utility services.

The project was designed to meet city ordinances which are always changing, as well as the new state stormwater codes to recharge our aquifers during an increasingly difficult period of drought for our state! As part of the parking structure, surface improvements were designed to access two separate levels of parking to alleviate congestion at the parking garage entries which is an awesome and welcome change for future residents and helps avoid the traditional hang-up of trying to find somewhere to park at your apartment!

As we see the Draper area and really the entire Salt Lake Valley continues to grow, we’re excited to have a part in preparing the structures and laying the groundwork for future communities! Thank you to Robert Poirier, civil engineering manager on this project!

We hope you have enjoyed this look back at some of our big projects of the year (so far). Join us in our next blog post as we finish out our look at a couple more projects and feature an employee spotlight!

A wide range of engineering services

Here at McNeil Engineering, we provide comprehensive design services that include civil engineering, structural engineering, land surveying, high-definition scanning (HDS), landscape architecture and consulting services to the private and public sectors. We also offer consulting services for cities, urban designers, urban planners, and others in the Utah construction market. With so much on offer, we figured now would be a good time to go into greater detail regarding our services and what they entail.

Civil Engineering in Utah and other states

Let’s start with the core of what we do. We are civil engineers first and foremost. But what exactly is it that civil engineers do? Well, in short, civil engineers work closely with others in the construction industry, from architects to contractors, to ensure construction projects progress as they should. Many of their tasks include site surveying ground condition tests, inventory, and materials and equipment maintenance and support. Civil engineers are also responsible for coming up with solutions that take the weather and other geologic factors into account.

Structural Engineering for Long-Lasting Projects

Structural engineering of the type we do fits specifically into the wheelhouse of civil engineering. Structural engineering in this context focuses mainly on the framework of a structure. Engineers design the structures to ensure they can withstand whatever stresses or pressures they may encounter in their environment. The key for structural engineers on projects like ours is to ensure that the buildings and structures we work on remain safe, reliable, and secure at all times.

Land Surveying Where You Need It

Another big part of what we do is land surveying. It’s a critical part of any construction project. There are different types of land surveying, but civil engineers utilize this technique in specific ways. Surveying in civil engineering represents the collection and analysis of specific data regarding the land under survey. Specific measurements of the horizontal and vertical lengths between points will also be recorded. Details will be documented regarding specific aspects of the land, such as size, shape, formation, and soil. Quality and accurate land surveys can set the foundation for a successful project.

Landscape Architecture for Beautiful Grounds

Another important aspect of what we do includes landscape architecture. Put simply, landscape architecture is described as designing specific outdoor spaces that integrate well within an overall project. In our case, we design large landscape architecture projects, such as those for green spaces, a town square, municipal playground, and so much more. Keep in mind there are significant differences between landscape architecture and landscape design. Landscape architects have a degree and they generally work on larger public works projects, whereas a landscape designer often works on residential and smaller-scale projects. Landscape architects are experts in their field.

Consultation Services for Companies Who Need an Expert

We also provide a wide range of consulting services to companies that require a committed and knowledgeable professional to help them with their engineering needs. These are often companies that do not have the in-house expertise they need to get the job done successfully. Our consulting civil engineers advise our clients on the design, development, and construction of projects of all shapes and sizes. We pride ourselves on offering consulting services that ensure safe, efficient, and fully resourced project completion. When you need a consultant you can count on McNeil Engineering.

Other Services We Offer

Now that you’ve learned more about the human aspect of our resources, take a few minutes to learn about some of the other services we offer. We provide a wide range of engineering, surveying, and consulting services. But these services would not be nearly as effective were not for our technologies. We use the latest technologies suitable for engineering projects.

One such example is laser scanning. 3D laser scanning has become an industry norm. Advancements in hardware, software, and workflows have made laser scanning a viable option for projects of all sizes. Laser scanning allows our surveyors to collect tremendous amounts of precise data at high speeds. We use the most advanced, high-definition laser scanners, total stations, and modeling and point cloud software to provide comprehensive, record surveys, 3D CAD models and detailed 2D isometric drawings.

We also have extensive expertise in BIM 3D modeling. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is essentially a technological solution that allows engineers to view a digital representation of a building as well as specific characteristics of its functionality. BIM is a model-based process that provides insight to help you plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure.

And guess what? That’s not all. If you need consulting services for roofing, paving, and even construction administration, we have the people and experience you need to ensure the job gets done right the first time, every time. We invite you to take a moment to peruse the various projects we have completed in Utah and around the country. Let’s work together!

What is the difference between urban planning and urban design?

Here at McNeil Engineering, we are proud of all of our projects that focus on urban planning and design. We often work with state municipalities on projects and developers working on designs that must be approved by cities or counties. We create concepts involving pedestrian, car, and public transportation needs. These mockups and designs are created to help get things approved quickly by a city. That’s what we’re good at.

A Closer Look at the Differences Between Urban Planning and Design

Still, there are big differences between urban planning and urban design. It is important for companies like us to understand these differences. This is how we deliver excellent service to our engineering clients. Let’s first examine the basic definitions.

Urban Design: The design and creation of certain city features, from green spaces to infrastructure, public transportation, landscape architecture, and community-use facilities.
Urban Planning: The planning of a city or municipality and the use of its structures, as well as policies, procedures, zoning, neighborhood planning, infrastructure, and overall standards and building codes.

Urban design is used to focus solely on designing individual city features. This could be a transportation system, city park, or wastewater treatment facility. Urban design is for those who want to do creative work. People who want to work on quality of life, population resilience, and sustainability will find a rewarding career as urban designers. Today’s urban planners often work within neighborhoods to create designs that benefit and inspire the community

Urban planners are more strategists. They need to evaluate factors that may not necessarily be in their control. From the technical endpoint to political considerations, urban planners need to have a real “big picture” view of what a neighborhood needs. One area where both urban designers and urban planners overlap is in the area of sustainability, long term resilience, and individual quality of life for residential and commercial land tenants

Core Skills Required for Urban Designers and Planners in Salt Lake City

Core skills necessary to work as an urban planner or designer are similar but also have distinct differences. Both designers and planners work on projects with similar outcomes, but their roles are quite different. Urban planners require great communication and negotiation skills. Urban designers need to have strong technical skills, but they also must be good communicators so that they can fully understand the end user’s experience.

Urban planners are generally passionate about the cities they live in. In general, planners will have a high degree of passion for what works and what doesn’t in their city. Urban planners have a good idea of what needs to be improved and what doesn’t. This could pertain to everything from green spaces to bike paths or affordable housing. But the passion displayed by urban planers goes beyond the urban landscape they reside in. Just like other residents of their town or city, they want to share in the growth and well-being of their neighborhood and enjoy utilizing their skills to meet that end.

Urban planners also generally have a strong sense of connectedness. They share a strong sense of collective values with those they live and work around. But even more, they take a look at the broader community as a whole. Urban planners generally want to live in a society that offers sustainable development, plenty of public transport options, and a stable housing market for buyers and sellers.

Urban designers, by contrast, are more technical in nature. You will find designers to be an interesting mix of individuals who are both people-centric and technologically-inclined. Excellent urban designers are very good at meeting the technical outcomes and requirements in a plans, while also also responding to the shifting needs of the contractors and neighborhood-dwellers.

Which Career is Right for You?

If you love improving society and making a positive impact on individual lives, then urban planning is for you. Urban planners also require skills obtained in many other professions, from teachers to project managers and environmental scientists. Urban planners are great communicators, effectively use evidence to support their arguments, are self-reflective and have great analytical skills.

Conversely, if you are passionate about upgrading the user experience and building on your technical skills, urban design is or you. Urban designers are very good at thinking organically and utilizing architectural and environmental design skills. They are driven by a strong set of core values, can imagine and visualize a plan, and are adept at translating abstract data into a vision.

Here at McNeil Engineering, we work with urban planners and designers day-in and day-out to ensure their jobs are completed quickly and by the numbers. Want to learn more about job opportunities here at McNeil? Simply follow this link, and thanks for reading!

A brief history of land surveying tools

land surveying tools Surveying has been an essential service to mankind for all of recorded human history. Before one can start any project, buy a plot of land, or even see a plot of land on a map, it must first be surveyed. Because of this, land surveying is believed to be one of the oldest and most important professions in the world. At McNeil, we’re proud to employ the latest in land surveying technology, specializing in 3D laser scanning, which uses a laser to collect tremendous amounts of accurate, dependable data in a short period of time.

This technology has revolutionized the surveying business and is rapidly becoming the standard practice in surveying, making it a viable and cost-effective choice for more and more projects every day. However, as previously mentioned, land surveying is one of the oldest professions in the world, meaning we didn’t always have lasers to collect our data for us. To be able to appreciate the speed and dependability of laser scanning technology, we thought we’d take you through a very brief history of a couple of other tools used historically in land surveying that led the technology to develop to its current level.

1. The Diopter

Far, far before lasers, early Greeks were using a land surveying tool called the diopter. This one is nearly as old as geometry itself, and one of geometry’s first uses was the precise division of land. Dating back to the 1st century C.E., the diopter is a classical tool used to measure angles and altitudes. The diopter was constructed rather simply for how we picture surveying tools today, a disk and a pivot are fixed to a stand and can be adjusted with a screw and a cogwheel to move freely or stay still.

Then, depending on what the device was being used for, it was fitted with either a sighting device or a water level. If the diopter was being used to measure an angle, say to divide the land up accurately, the user would fit a sighting device onto the diopter then adjust the screw so that the disk could move freely. The user would then pick points in the distance to represent the angular separation that needed to be measured (this could be a structure or a tree or a rock, anything they could find.) Then, the user would aim the sighting device at each point, readjust the device so that it remains still again and measure the angle stated on the device! The water level was fitted to determine altitudes, and basically, the user would look at the line of the water, to determine whether objects in the distance were at the same land level as that which the user was standing. The diopter was an incredibly important invention to surveying because it was the first surveying tool that didn’t require the surveyor to physically walk from point to point to measure them, and also didn’t require any extra equipment like chains or ropes.

2. Gunter’s Chain

Speaking of chains, they are one of the most important tools in the history of surveying, so it’s important that we mention them, Gunter’s chain especially. Gunter’s chain was a mathematical tool of measurement invented in 1620 by Edmund Gunter. Gunter’s chain consisted of 100 chain links that were 200 millimeters long, resulting in the full chain being 20.1 millimeters or 66 feet. This tool was incredibly important because it was easily understood by both Americans and English people. There was a way to divide or multiply Gunter’s chain to calculate most pre-existing units of land measurement, for example, ten square Gunter’s chains are equal to an acre of land. This was incredibly helpful because it means that it was the only tool really required to measure land. The physical use of Gunter’s chain was incredibly simple, aside from it being a bit physically taxing. To use it, one simply pins one end of the chain into the ground they want to start measuring and then walks to where they want to stop measuring and places another pin. pins can be placed anywhere along Gunter’s chain and distance can be calculated from there.

We think the history of land surveying is incredibly interesting and we’re so glad to offer our clients simple, fast, and accurate surveying possible at this time in history. We’ve only discussed land surveying, but it’s incredibly important to note that laser scanning can perform surveying of all kinds. Laser scanning surveys an area and everything in it. We use high-definition laser scanners, total stations, and modeling and point cloud software to provide comprehensive, record surveys, 3D CAD models and detailed 2D isometric drawings. This makes laser scanning an incredibly important tool not just for land surveying, but also for building information modeling.

At McNeil, we’re so excited to continue to grow as surveying technology continues to grow. If you’re interested in our surveying, laser scanning, or building information modeling services, please visit our website.

Kimball Plaza parking lot replacement

Kimball Plaza parking lot replacement While we are best known regionally for patented architectural engineering consultation services – which we have put to good use on thousands of projects around the American west regional area – we also have an arsenal of other consultation expertise beyond just architectural engineering too.

Take, for example, our consultation expertise when it comes to the tricky business of parking lot replacement. This particular sort of property redevelopment can be extra difficult to navigate for the stakeholders in institutions, businesses, municipalities, and any other sorts of organizations who have tenants in buildings utilizing said parking lot. It is vital for such entities to maintain civil relationships with their tenants, while also adhering to tight parking lot replacement/property redevelopment budgets.

This is exactly the sort of instance that occurred in Utah, during our consultation on the Kimball Plaza parking lot replacement.

The nuts and bolts of parking lot replacement

When it came to the Kimball Plaza parking lot replacement/property redevelopment project, we immediately understood the owners were dealing with a very tight budget for said project, along with disgruntled tenants.

The first challenge we faced on this project’s consultation was to get the property redevelopment drawings, sketches, and blueprints approved by the local city. The client’s goal was to increase parking for their development, which would improve circulation in and around the whole property altogether. The only hurdle was – the local city/county would require upgrading the existing storm drainage system if the project changed any of the hardscape square footage.

With these factors in mind, we here at McNeil Engineering were able to completely redesign the parking lot layout in such a way we were able to maintain the existing hardscape to landscape ratio, while simultaneously adding six parking stalls. Additionally, we simplified the circulation for patrons of local businesses. Seeing sense, the local county approved this plan, and we saved the client the expense of both a new treatment system and collection boxes.

Parking lot replacement on a budget

The design for this Kimball Plaza parking lot replacement/property redevelopment project called for the removal and replacement of both asphalt and base. We here at McNeil Engineering performed a study of the existing base course, determining it was in good enough condition we could leave it in place – simply removing the existing asphalt, demolishing some existing landscape islands, and installing new islands and asphalt paving without having to remove any existing base. Indeed, we only brought in asphalt as needed to meet the modified grading requirements.

When the project’s initial bid was suddenly canceled, we helped guide the client into finding a reputable contractor to perform a modified scope of this parking lot replacement/property redevelopment project. We worked very closely with the said reputable contractor in order to accomplish every single one of the client’s goals- while staying within budget, fulfilling the tenants’ desires, and not breaking any local county zoning laws.

The client was beyond ecstatic we here at McNeil Engineering, along with the reputable contractor were able to help keep their parking lot replacement/property redevelopment project within their tight budget while also helping them to maintain a positive relationship with their tenants at Kimball Plaza in Utah.

In need of a new parking lot?

Are you the stakeholder in an organization, business, and/or institution currently searching to replace your property’s parking lot? Perhaps you’re just looking to redevelop the said property in some other dynamic, business savvy, budget-friendly way? Well, you don’t need to look any further – you’ve come to the perfect place! We here at McNeil Engineering are more than capable of providing you with such sterling parking lot replacement/property redevelopment consultations and recommendations. We can aid you in your goal of completing your desired results in the cheapest, most elegant, and most ecologically sustainable manner humanly possible. Allow yourself to finally relax in the comfort of knowing your architectural engineering/property redevelopment needs are more than taken care of.

The Future of Land Surveying

The future of land surveying Land surveying plays an important role in land development. No wonder it’s been around for a very long time. In ancient Egypt, ‘rope stretchers’ were surveyors that used knotted stretched cords to measure property demarcations. Thankfully, we’re now long past that point.

The ‘Total Station’ theodolite, introduced in 1971, revolutionized the way land surveyors measured distance, elevations, and angles. And until today, they are an essential tool in a land surveyor’s kit.

Over the last two decades, advances in robotics and computerized data collection have further transformed the field. In this post, we look at some of the current trends that will immensely impact the future of land surveying.

Usage of UAV

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were once only associated with military applications. But thanks to technological advances, their inhibiting costs have been dramatically reduced. Consequently, they’re finding applications in many other sectors, including land surveying.

Drones have several advantages over both terrestrial surveying teams and manned aircraft. Some of which include:

1) Faster: a drone covers a far larger land area in a shorter time.

2) Accessing difficult terrains: Crossing some terrain put personnel at a safety risk. With a drone, such areas can be surveyed without risking the safety of anyone.

3) Robust data collection: Drones can be used to collect a wide range of data. Some of which include 2D and 3D orthomosaic maps, 3D models, thermal maps, multispectral maps, and more.

4) Better integration with software: Drone data can easily be integrated with CAD software to build models for land development.

With this greater precision, reduced cost, and better efficiency, UAVs will only increase in adoption.

Mobile 3D Mapping

Through the combination of advanced imagery, sophisticated measurement tools, and several mobile transportation platforms, Mobile 3D Mapping enables land surveyors to visualize, record, measure, and understand surrounding terrain.

The flexibility it offers is a massive time saver. What’s more, mobile 3D mapping removes the need for cumbersome equipment when collecting geospatial data. Versatile tools, handheld devices, and more makes it easier for land surveyors to collect and process data in real-time.

UAVs are a prime example of mobile 3D mapping, making it easy to collect geospatial data even without any personnel present.

What’s more, the tremendous amount of money pouring into the Mobile 3D mapping space will improve sensors, vehicle connectivity, and onboard processing. Ultimately leading to the proliferation of millions of mobile 3D mapping units worldwide that will provide abundant spatial information.

Data accessibility via LiDAR

LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. It is a form of 3D scanning that has been around since the 1960s and has for a long time be used to collect detailed 3D survey information about the earth’s physical characteristics.

LiDAR maps are typically gotten by attaching laser scanners to airplanes and helicopters to survey large areas of land. Other types of LiDAR include terrestrial (which maps topographical ground measurements) and Bathymetric LiDAR (which measures elevation in seafloors and riverbeds).

LiDAR has a wide range of applications, including agriculture, archeology, atmosphere, astronomy, and even physics – thanks to its ability to offer real-time point clouds. To cite an example of LiDAR’s application in archeology, it was used to rediscover the lost city of Mahendraparvata in the Cambodian mountains.

Although LiDAR is still expensive and reserved for only sophisticated land surveying projects, future trends show that the cost will reduce. When that happens, LiDAR will become more common in survey projects.

Cloud Storage

Scanning technologies are becoming more sophisticated in the last few years. Consequently, data is produced at an unprecedented rate. For the average surveying company, managing this data through its in-house IT infrastructure is becoming burdensome. On-site data storage is very expensive to scale.

That’s why many companies have been turning to cloud storage. Cloud storage facilities are owned by third parties that focus solely on protecting the integrity of their client’s data, thereby removing the burden of data protection from surveying companies. Hence, they can focus on what matters. This also helps to save costs on building new in-house IT infrastructure.

Also, cloud storage allows for better collaboration and efficiency. Data need not be needlessly replicated as they can be accessed from a single source. And since there’s centralized data storage, involved parties – including contractors, engineers, surveyors, and other stakeholders – can easily access field data like scans irrespective of their locations, making collaboration easier than ever.

Wrap Up

These are exciting times in the field of land surveying – thanks to a litany of technologies, from drones to robotics to LiDAR, that are enhancing land surveying processes. Artificial intelligence (AI) is another new technology that will take over a large chunk of tasks undertaken by surveyors in the future. The future for land surveying seems bright, but only time will tell what turn it takes.

If you’re looking for more information regarding land surveying, please reach out to us HERE today. We look forward to assisting you in any way possible.

The rising impact of robotics on land surveying

Laser Scanning Land surveying is one of the oldest engineering professions, dating back to the Bronze Age – and for a good reason. If you’re concerned about proper land development, then it’s important to have a strong grasp of the 3D positions of points and the distances and angles between them.

For the most part in the history of land surveying, humans have been the core feature, although several tools like theodolite have certainly made things easier. However, with the rise of automation and robotics in the 21st century, many industries are undergoing a massive transformation – and the land surveying industry isn’t excluded!

Although robotics is relatively new in land surveying, more companies are adopting it because of its benefits. And in a few years from now, the entire industry would have experienced a momentous shift. In this article, we explore some of the impacts of robotics on land surveying.

Improved Safety

While land surveying is a low-risk enterprise, there are still many inherent risks associated with the job. These risks range from attacks from wild animals to vehicle accidents to unsteady ground.

For instance, when surveying a congested area, surveyors are at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. Using robots to survey these high-risk areas minimize the risk of injuries for workers. Unlike humans, robots do not get distracted, so they’re better able to spot hazards. What’s more, an attack from a venomous snake or an insect’s sting does not affect robots.

And even in the eventuality that robot gets destroyed in an accident, they can be easily replaced – unlike human life, which is irreplaceable.

Speed and Efficiency

Machines are way faster and efficient for carrying out monotonous tasks like surveying. While a manual survey can take weeks, a robotic station can complete the same work in a few days.

In the past decade, drones have an increased role in land surveying because they can inspect land from a perspective humans can’t. Surveying from a bird’s-eye view makes drones way faster than foot surveys.

Land surveying also involves lots of mathematical calculations – and humans are prone to errors. Sophisticated robotic surveyors have in-built systems that automate these calculations, minimizing the possibility for error.

Reduced Cost

This is the direct result of the inefficiencies eliminated by robotics. Faster and more efficient processes typically cost less. Robotics have been shown to reduce the cost of some land surveys by up to $3,000. What’s better than having a faster, more efficient, and cheaper option to work with?

Accuracy and Precision

There’s a limit to how precise we can go due to our limitations as humans. On the other hand, machines can be designed with insane precision. For instance, technologies like the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) drones can measure areas to the centimeter – thereby providing access to precise data that were once thought impossible.

Asides from precision, robotics is paving the way for new measurable metrics. On top of traditional measurements, machine vision systems could start making atmospheric readings, thermal data, and land stability data.

Better Risk Assessment

Before land development begins, surveyors have to assess the area for potential risks. And during the first time, they have to do so without fully understanding the risks. Human surveyors can easily get distracted or miss a spot.

Conversely, robotic surveyors that are programmed to look for risks will do just that! Such machines can scan the area to look for potential hazards. But more interestingly, the data obtained can be fed into sophisticated computer algorithms to predict and assess future potential threats, like how the developed structures might be affected by flooding or earthquake. Better risk assessments invariably lead to the overall safety of the building industry.

Environmental Friendly

Although the land surveying industry isn’t carbon-intensive, some processes still produce undesirable emissions. Traditional tools run of fossil fuels, which release CO2 into the atmosphere. However, with the integration of robotics, these processes can be carried out more quickly and efficiently, reducing the amount of energy consumed per survey. What’s more, robots and drones can even be solar-powered, thereby eliminating the need for fossil fuels.

How Robotics Will Impact Surveying Jobs

While the benefits of robotics in surveying are awesome, a major concern has been how this new trend will affect land surveying jobs. Would people lose their jobs to robots? This has always been the question whenever automation replaces human labor.

The simple fact is that the rise of robotics will affect the jobs of humans in surveying. But rather than looking at it as a trend that will replace humans, it is better seen as a trend that will change the nature of humans’ jobs.

While fewer surveyors will be required on the field for labor-intensive measurements, more professionals will be needed to interpret the data obtained from robots and manage and maintain the robots. In summary, surveying will become more tech-oriented.

Why are Land Surveys Important?

Land Surveys Imagine a pilot flying an airplane with no GPS. Or imagine going to an unknown location with no map. How ridiculous does that sound? Irrespective of what you think, most people wouldn’t want to be in any of such scenarios.

Land surveys are the maps of a specified area. According to Wikipedia, land surveying is the technique, art, and science of determining the terrestrial or 3D positions of points and the distances and angles between them.

A land survey is usually the first step in a building process or home improvement project. It helps you know about the legal description of your property. Asides from helping you know precisely where your property begins and ends, a land survey tells you about the topography of your property.

A land survey is typically a prerequisite for a project that requires a planning permit. In this post, we explore the reasons land surveys are important.

Easements and Rights of Way

Modern cities are usually marked by an abundance of infrastructure. To maintain these infrastructures, state workers sometimes have to stay on private property. It’s also possible that a parcel of private land blocks entry into another property.

Easements provide a person with the right to use another’s property for a specific purpose. Rights-of-way are special kinds of easements that grant the holder the right to travel over another’s property.

Easements are typically paths or roads that allows for more freedom of movement. A property survey will reveal any easements on the property you intend to purchase. That way, you know what part of your property you have to share access with.

Preventing Encroachment and Adverse Possession

As a property owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that you do not encroach on the properties of your neighbors and vice versa. An encroachment occurs when a property owner violates the right of neighboring properties.

Before you purchase a property, you have to ensure that no one has built on your property without permission. Similarly, before you put up a fence or extend your building, you have to ensure that it doesn’t encroach on your neighbor’s land. A land survey allows you to know the exact extent of your property and this helps to prevent encroachments down the line.

Adverse possession is a legal doctrine that allows a person to claim a property right in land owned by another. A land survey also lets you know of any adverse possession on a property.

Marking Boundaries With Certainty

During estate development, land parcels are divided by permanent boundary markers. These markers are placed on a property’s corners to indicate the boundary. But sometimes, these markers get removed, damaged, or even covered up.

Without these markers, it’s impossible to tell the boundaries of your property and that increases the likelihood of an encroachment. Even with the absence of these permanent markers, a land survey will help outline the accurate boundary of your property.

Meeting Legal Requirements

Many districts have legal requirements that require land surveys before certain projects or processes are allowed. For instance, if you are carrying out a major renovation that requires the extension of your building, you need a land survey before you can get your building permit approved.

Similarly, many lenders require a land survey before a mortgage can be granted. Asides from being a legal requirement, lenders also need one as part of their risk management process.

Presence of Utilities

Whether it be pipes, poles, or manhole covers, several utilities may pass through your property. With a physical inspection, it’s easy to spot above-ground wires or utilities. But what about those that are underground? With a land survey, you have full access to this information.

This info is important for several reasons. First, a utility company might have an easement on your property. That means they have a right to use a portion of your property – and you have to know that beforehand.

Similarly, the presence of those utilities may limit what you can do on your property. For instance, you might have to keep your tree length within a certain limit, so the root system doesn’t affect underground utilities.

Furthermore, a land survey allows you to carry out excavation or construction on your property without disturbing underground utilities.

Land History

The land you’re about to purchase might have been used for something you’re not cool with. For instance, maybe there is an old family burial ground in your backyard. You’d want to know where those are located, so you don’t mistakenly dig out someone’s grave. A land survey reveals the exact location of previous features on the property.

Wrap Up

As you have read, land surveys are extremely important to the ongoing process involving land acquisition, development, and regulatory issues. This is precisely why you should get one before you purchase a property. If you have any other questions in the meantime, please reach out to us here for more information.

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