Real-time construction environmental monitoring utilizing IoT sensor networks, cloud storage and user interface dashboards. Advances in sensor technology and the cost to install monitoring arrays in the field are decreasing as accessibility to sensor hardware and manufacturing increase. Consultants can bring equipment and data in-house reducing reliance on vendor services and subsequent cost to the client.
Problem: Second Avenue Subway Project air quality and noise exceedance community complaint response times. Community complaint response times depend upon the time it takes to receive a complaint ticket, locate the nearest monitoring equipment, download the relevant data and produce a report to mitigate the situation, and in most cases by which time the exceedance has already occurred and its impact noted.
Solution: Install sensor arrays in close formation around a jobsite which record data real-time. Real-time data can be presented to the client or construction manager on a user interface or dashboard via a cloud. Response to complaints can be achieved immediately, forecasts and predictions to job site conditions can be estimated and resolved before they happen. Work and community environments can be made safer and client due diligence can be increased.
A pilot study was developed to test the solution for monitoring construction site dust generation utilizing Libelium IoT Plug&Sense hardware in combination with particulate matter sensors. The Libelium hardware was connected via 4G to a Libelium cloud gateway, data was then linked to a Microsoft Azure cloud platform for mapping to Microsoft PowerBI for real-time data analysis on the dashboard.
Walden staff have experience implementing IoT pilot studies for environmental monitoring and can assist with sensor array installation and data analysis.