Depending on which state you live in, the country is roughly 4 weeks into coronavirus pandemic shutdowns. Each state has reacted differently in regards to construction, some shutting down nearly all jobsites, while others have left the industry relatively untouched. To help quantify the shutdowns across the country, OxBlue, a jobsite camera technology company, is using Artificial Intelligence to find out just how affected each state has been by the pandemic.
OxBlue’s analysis is based upon over 150,000 images taken on jobsites throughout thousands of different construction sites across all 50 states. The data is based upon commercial construction projects and does not include single family residential projects.
Based on their data, construction in the states of Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York have been impacted in the greatest way, as their state governments have placed strict orders against any and all unnecessary construction.
Michigan has seen the largest drop in construction activity, 81%, since the state labeled construction non-essential on March 24th, and Pennsylvania had the second largest drop, 69%, since their order on March 19th.
33 states have remained relatively un-impacted by the pandemic, which is moving in a downward trend form 2 weeks ago.
As compared to early March 2020, before most orders had been levied to shut down certain jobsites, the nationwide construction activity has remained relatively neutral. Spring, however, usually brings an uptick in construction projects, so the industry overall has been greatly affected by the states that have been effectively shut down.
The report is an interesting look into the overall trend of construction projects across the country and highlights how big data, through the use of AI, can help our industry put our entire industry into perspective, instead of only focusing on the effects to one project at a time.
Full Report: UPDATED CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) CONSTRUCTION IMPACT REPORT | OxBlue
Shane is the creator of Construction Junkie and an active construction project manager. In his career, he has managed interior remodel projects, site development, construction safety, governmental project compliance, and facility maintenance. He has a strong passion for construction technology and safety, as well as sharing the knowledge or insights he has gained throughout his career.